An apology to some people here

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financeguy

ONE love, blood, life
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Right. Some of you are aware that some weeks ago I started an obnoxious and insulting thread here, and proceeded to post various other obnoxious insults in the thread. I admit I was wrong to do this, and I apologise, without reservation, to those I to whom I caused offence. Without wanting to make excuses for this behaviour, this was caused in part by me posting after excessive consumption of alcohol substances, a foolish mistake. I'm not the type to start rows in bars, so equally I ought to have known better than to do so on an internet forum. In part it was also caused by certain questioning of my own beliefs, again this does not excuse me.

What I was attempting to do was to remind people that the words of the Bible should not be used to justify certain political standpoints. While this was a legitimate point of view, it was not a particularly interesting one and the manner in which I attempted to argue it was rather stupid and calculated to cause offence. Clearly the fact that I do not share the beliefs of most Christians does not permit me to mount inflammatory attacks on those beliefs. I hope that those who were justifiably offended can now accept this apology. That's all I have to say (PS For those who did not see original thread, you are better off)
 
nbcrusader said:
:up: to future discussions :up:

I thank you for your gracious response. As to future discussions, I think I should probably steer clear of them as I have a tendency to get annoyed far too easily!
 
nbcrusader said:
:up: to future discussions :up:

:up:

edit: Oops, I just saw your response to nbc's about staying away from future discussions. Not all of our threads are heated debates, so you can still visit.
 
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I only wish that everyone else who likes to start those "Christian" threads here in FYM had as much sincerity as you have shown in your post, financeguy.

Your apology (which I personally do not think was necessary) shows how much you have incorporated the attributes of humility and selflessness that Jesus talked about. You have SHOWN your understanding of Christ's message much more so than those who extol themselves as "Christian" messengers.

Your "opponents" could learn a lot from you. :up:
 
I want to apologize as well (and rather than start a whole new thread, I thought I could write it in here).

I'm sure to many, I come off as "anti-Christian." That's not what I really believe, and, at my core, I still consider myself "Christian." But I make it no secret that I do not like how more conservative Christians monopolize the term for themselves--as in, if you aren't a "conservative Christian," then you truly aren't Christian.

I've dealt with this issue most of my life. There are a lot of people who completely disregard Catholicism as "heretical" or, even worse, "Satanic." So, even then, I had a low tolerance for conservative Christianity. Watching my own religion become as "conservative" as those Christian sects who condemned it for years was an insult to injury. Watching them all put together do an all-out assault on secularism and homosexuality is my breaking point.

Most people in my situation would abandon God completely. I question how many are truly able to separate "God" from "religion," although there's certainly historical precedent: the Reformation. As such, here I try and move forward with rather "liberal Christian" beliefs--beliefs I have always carried (until I was 19, I thought Catholicism was a liberal religion)--and when I see conservative Christians try to monopolize all of Christianity on a regular basis, I get angry. And, yes, I will speak generalizations about Christianity that I don't necessarily mean.

In my heart, I'm torn. On one hand, there is despair over the fact that, over 2000 years, "conservative Christianity" has been dominant. As such, I have little hope for change. At the same time, the idealist in me refuses to give up.

I pray that, someday, things will make sense to me. And, overall, I am human: I am always tempted to respond to hateful stereotypes with some hateful stereotypes of my own. I often hope that such "shock and awe" will force people to realize what they are saying can be, even unintentionally, hateful.

Overall, I mean no offense to the various posters in this forum. I speak only of ideas and ideology, rather than the people who hold them. You know within your heart whether or not you hold those beliefs, and I hope, from my end, that people will stop to reevaluate. But maybe that is nothing more than a selfish, idealistic, and ultimately unrealistic wish.

Needless to say, I will always wish that things were different. I do not enjoy coming off as a cold, spiteful monolith.

Melon
 
Jamila said:
I only wish that everyone else who likes to start those "Christian" threads here in FYM had as much sincerity as you have shown in your post, financeguy.

Your apology (which I personally do not think was necessary) shows how much you have incorporated the attributes of humility and selflessness that Jesus talked about. You have SHOWN your understanding of Christ's message much more so than those who extol themselves as "Christian" messengers.

Your "opponents" could learn a lot from you. :up:

I hate to disagree with someone who is supporting me, however I overstepped the line big time and therefore my apology was indeed necessary. Humble? Selfless? I thank you for the compliments, but I think you're applying someone else's virtues to me! As for my "opponents" I think we should attempt to move forward from that mindset, yes?
 
Jamila said:
I only wish that everyone else who likes to start those "Christian" threads here in FYM had as much sincerity as you have shown in your post, financeguy.

Your apology (which I personally do not think was necessary) shows how much you have incorporated the attributes of humility and selflessness that Jesus talked about. You have SHOWN your understanding of Christ's message much more so than those who extol themselves as "Christian" messengers.

Your "opponents" could learn a lot from you. :up:

Why start attacks AGAIN?
 
melon said:
Overall, I mean no offense to the various posters in this forum. I speak only of ideas and ideology, rather than the people who hold them. You know within your heart whether or not you hold those beliefs, and I hope, from my end, that people will stop to reevaluate. But maybe that is nothing more than a selfish, idealistic, and ultimately unrealistic wish.

Needless to say, I will always wish that things were different. I do not enjoy coming off as a cold, spiteful monolith.

Melon

Consider it this way, the church is made of many different members. While we say it very differently at times, I've always felt we were looking in the same direction.

I, for one, am glad you are here so I can hear a different perspective presented intelligently and thoughtfully.
 
I don't remember the topic, but kudos to you financeguy. It takes a great human being to to what you have just done. I guess there is more good in FYM thatn I thought.:wink:

And melon, glad to see you back. I disagree with much of what you have to say, but I have also learned many things from you, and that is what FYM is about. Here's to bigger and better discussions:rockon: :rockon:
 
Okay, people, that's quite enough.

Financeguy's intentions were good and I'm happy he shared this with us.

Other than that, let's keep our remarks to ourselves in this one.
 
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