Why Are You Not a Christian?

[Irvine511]

Yes, you kinda look bad posting links from there in the past and or other various related sites re Sarah Palin and who the father of her child was.

So, you have a litmus tests for Christians?

wtf are you talking about?

and for the record, yes, i do think that the circumstances surrounding Trigg are weird. i don't know who has contractions and then gets on a flight from Texas to Alaska with a layover in Seattle. it's just freaking weird.

but it is ironic, coming from you, my sexydiamond, saying that i posted something that made me look bad.

 

[diamond]

you still looked baaaaaaaad
devoid of
the very
best form...

 

[Irvine511]

um, okay. anyway ...

 

[diamond]

National Enquireish.

<>

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

The first thing you see when you drive up to my Church? A large white sign that says "Pray to End Abortion." You see that before you see the church or even the church's sign. It's like they want to embarrass me one more time when I decide I'm going.

Yeah, I thought my church was all modern thinking and such and then they started this "hey let's pray in front of an abortion clinci for 40 days to end abortion" and then they were whooping and hollering that they closed said clinic (it in reality was closed a year earlier )

There are organizations full of pro-choice Christian women.

I would love to know where these churches are, plz

 

[AttnKleinkind]

What? I have no idea what you're on about. Every religion has its hierarchy and leadership. For example, I'm Catholic, so that's the Vatican and the Pope and the bishops, who are spread out around the world. It's got nothing to do with North America.

And that's what almost every church I've ever been to is like. There are many, many religions that love getting political, the Catholic Church being as guilty as any.

I meant North American Christianity in that it is SO incredibly political, and there’s “megachurches” or teaching of the prosperity gospel. That’s very much a sort of Christianity that is found in places like the Midwest, and I would argue have unsound theology in many areas, being very fundamentalist and focus on taking the Bible as literally true. Thus, they can’t be a representative for ALL of Christianity. Not every Christian agrees with Focus on the Family. In fact, there are a lot who don't.

But where is the oppressed "Christian" demographic?

So…I know that this is by no means persecution compared to other parts of the world, and I truly enjoy my freedom to religion here, but I’ll just throw it out there even though it sounds kind of petty. The board of education banned Christian lunchtime groups from meeting at lunch, while the Muslim group at my brother’s school was allowed to meet still. Eventually they were allowed to again, but it was a big thing, and took months to get back. I don’t know…does that count?

 

[BVS]

So…I know that this is by no means persecution compared to other parts of the world, and I truly enjoy my freedom to religion here, but I’ll just throw it out there even though it sounds kind of petty. The board of education banned Christian lunchtime groups from meeting at lunch, while the Muslim group at my brother’s school was allowed to meet still. Eventually they were allowed to again, but it was a big thing, and took months to get back. I don’t know…does that count?

So for a few months you weren't allowed to sit next to each other at lunchtime?

 

[AttnKleinkind]

So for a few months you weren't allowed to sit next to each other at lunchtime?

It was a Bible study group...I said I was just throwing it out there as a minor thing. That said though, what would your reaction be if a Muslim group was banned while Christians were allowed to meet? Clearly that would be discrimination.

 

[BVS]

It was a Bible study group...I said I was just throwing it out there as a minor thing. That said though, what would your reaction be if a Muslim group was banned while Christians were allowed to meet? Clearly that would be discrimination.

Any group being banned while an equivelant is not, is a very discriminatory thing and not something I endorse. That being said, I don't know the circumstances of your story but it seems like it's all been taken care of...

 

[phillyfan26]

I meant North American Christianity in that it is SO incredibly political, and there’s “megachurches” or teaching of the prosperity gospel. That’s very much a sort of Christianity that is found in places like the Midwest, and I would argue have unsound theology in many areas, being very fundamentalist and focus on taking the Bible as literally true. Thus, they can’t be a representative for ALL of Christianity. Not every Christian agrees with Focus on the Family. In fact, there are a lot who don't.

But I'm not even talking about megachurches or the midwest. I'm talking about a relatively small Catholic church near the city of Philadelphia. My point is that even when not talking about that stereotypical view of conservative Christians going to the megachurch, you're still talking about places that take political stances and such. The vast majority of Christians are associated with a church that gets political in some way, so when people talk about why they are or are not a Christian, they're going to talk about why they are or are not associated with groups like these.

 

[phillyfan26]

It was a Bible study group...I said I was just throwing it out there as a minor thing. That said though, what would your reaction be if a Muslim group was banned while Christians were allowed to meet? Clearly that would be discrimination.

At the end of the day, you're allowed to create a black student union. You're not allowed to create a white student union. While in theory that sounds discriminatory, it makes sense for a variety of reasons. This is different when dealing with religion, and this probably shouldn't have happened even though I'm sure it does, but it's a different issue when you turn it around between the majority and the minority for a number of reasons.

 

[martha]

the asshole you see, is the asshole you get.

And now we know.

 

[martha]

but people like Keiran, martha, sean, and so many others on this board are far too smart to be so lazily lumped in with those charlatans. i may not share their beliefs, but i do respect them, and not just their right to their beliefs, but the actual beliefs themselves.

I thought of you today, and sighed for you. But that's a different thread.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Which beliefs are getting respect. the humanistic ones or the the religious ones?

 

[Irvine511]

Which beliefs are getting respect. the humanistic ones or the the religious ones?

i find thoughtful religious beliefs worthy of respect. i might not hold them, but even you must admit that it's a courageous thing to choose to believe in god/salvation in the face of overwhelming odds to the contrary. further, i think we can point to several examples of individuals who's faith moves them to good works, the most obvious example being Bono. for many people, faith helps them sleep at night and helps them come to terms with absolutes like death. it might be delusional, or it might not, but if it helps people through the night, is that really so bad? might it not be the actual rational choice when coming to terms with the likely harsh reality of life -- that we are, indeed, just big bags of water on a rock hurtling through space -- is enough to drive many people into fits of anxiety. perhaps that's wisdom as well -- live with the lie because the truth, when fully grasped, is actually unbearable.

so i can respect all of that.

 

[the iron horse]

Which beliefs are getting respect. the humanistic ones or the the religious ones?

Humanism

I'm just a fool who thinks that Joker
from Nazareth was telling the truth.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Nah, I think I'll go with irvine's answer.

 

[Irvine511]

in my opinion, what that guy from Nazareth got right was that how we treat each other is the most important thing.

babbling on about how much we love and praise and think our supernatural superfriends are super cool and amazing does nothing but serve the speaker.

 

[indra]

Yeah, I thought my church was all modern thinking and such and then they started this "hey let's pray in front of an abortion clinci for 40 days to end abortion" and then they were whooping and hollering that they closed said clinic (it in reality was closed a year earlier )

You mean they were protesting in front of a clinic that had been closed for a year?

 

[BonosSaint]

^It's always wise to stack the deck.

 

[SethVincent]

I'm just a fool who thinks that Joker
from Nazareth was telling the truth.

Four years ago I would have jack slapped you for this kind of comment


Awfully strange how you refer to The King Of Kings & Lord Of Lords...but if I have learned one thing in the last three years it is this 99.9% of those who profess a belief in a God live as though they are Atheist's

 

[DrTeeth]

Four years ago I would have jack slapped you for this kind of comment


Awfully strange how you refer to The King Of Kings & Lord Of Lords...but if I have learned one thing in the last three years it is this 99.9% of those who profess a belief in a God live as though they are Atheist's

Living like an atheist (whatever that means) has certainly not done me any harm.

 

[Jive Turkey]

at least he capitalized 'Joker'

 

[SethVincent]

What you doubt is what makes the story so interesting and so different than all other religions.

God coming to earth, being born in a barn, in a desolate place.

And being killed.

Try researching Dying & Rising Savior's & see what cha get LOL

The story is not so "unique" in any way shape or form

 

[SethVincent]

Living like an atheist (whatever that means) has certainly not done me any harm.

Amen Brother

I probably phrazed that wrong Dr.Teeth I simply meant those who profess a belief live as though there is none

at least he capitalized 'Joker'

Funny JT

 

[SethVincent]

Why does it bother you that some people are not Christian?

b/c the more people he can convince of it's veracity the more he believes it to be R I G H T & T R U E

 

[SethVincent]

religion is the reason why the world is turning into madness.

Yes to many Imaginary Playmates LOL

 

[Kieran McConville]

ho boy.

 

[martha]

Atheist's

Savior's

it's

I would say this in any thread, but I'm tired and this is the one I'm reading right now.

Please learn how to make plurals.

And then learn the difference between it's and its.

Thank you.

 

[Jive Turkey]