IN GOD WE TRUST (live with it!)

[Guest]

How are people messing with Christianity? Be specific.[/quote]

I am talking in general. Whenever something happens in this religion they always blow it out of proportion and make it that anyone involved with the religion is bad, evil or corrupt. Many people in the church and people that believe in the Christian way are very nice people. It's just that people like you and the media make it that everyone that is Christian is bad. You can't judge a whole religion on a few corrupt/evil people; that is wrong and it seems through many forums you are writing that you are trying to indirectly say that this religion is bad and the people in it are bad.

 

[Nightwolf04]

I find it utterly unacceptable that you could say that jews, muslims and aethists don't get 'picked on' chris....look around the world.

I know of lots of people who are getting 'picked on' jsut because they are a jew/muslim/aethtist and not a christian...


sorry that just ticked me off....

 

[Guest]

Well I couldn't think of 100 religions to write in but if I could I would of. I mean all religions in general. But doesn't it tick you off the way they pick on one religion and not others? No other religion is as watched as Christianity. I think that ticks me off a little that you are sensitive to all other religions except Christianity.

 

[Nightwolf04]

To be honest I'd rather let everyone fight it out.

I'm not anything, I just go with what I think and what I see...

which as far as I'm concerned is good enough for me at the moment.

I jsut don't need someone trying to tell me what I should be praying to/thinking about etc..

 

[bob_gray]

It's just that people like you and the media make it that everyone that is Christian is bad.

I'm going to have to take offense to this statement because I have never once said that Christianity is bad. Back that statement up or retract it. You assume that I am not a Christian because I am not given to the media hysteria of some others but I'm certain you don't know my religious affiliation.

You can't judge a whole religion on a few corrupt/evil people; that is wrong and it seems through many forums you are writing that you are trying to indirectly say that this religion is bad and the people in it are bad.

Christians are represented in the criminal population at the exact same rate as any other religion. There is nothing inherently "good" or "evil" about a Christian any more than there is about any other religion. For you to pretend that I am saying that all Christians are bad is an un-Christian bold faced lie. Don't forget: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor

 

[SISTER_KATE]

YOU DID MAKE REFERENCE TO CHRISTIANS BEING "DEVIL" WORSHIPPERS. SO PERHAPS THE PERSON WHO NEEDS A RETRACTION HERE IS YOU GRAY.

 

[Guest]

To be honest I'd rather let everyone fight it out.

I'm not anything, I just go with what I think and what I see...

which as far as I'm concerned is good enough for me at the moment.

I jsut don't need someone trying to tell me what I should be praying to/thinking about etc..

You are a free person do whatever you want I don't care. But I find it unfair that one religion/believe gets picked on while their are plenty others that have their own problems and the media acts like nothing is happening. As long as these things happens and I have a chance I will denounce them.

 

[Guest]

I'm going to have to take offense to this statement because I have never once said that Christianity is bad. Back that statement up or retract it. You assume that I am not a Christian because I am not given to the media hysteria of some others but I'm certain you don't know my religious affiliation. Christians are represented in the criminal population at the exact same rate as any other religion. There is nothing inherently "good" or "evil" about a Christian any more than there is about any other religion. For you to pretend that I am saying that all Christians are bad is an un-Christian bold faced lie. Don't forget: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor

First off I have taken offense to your statements long ago and again I live in a free country and I don't have to "back that statement up or retract it". I can say whatever I want. Also you might not be saying it directly (your statements) but you are implying them. You also refuse to see that the media makes Christianity out to be the worse religion of all. They always find a problem with this religion and rarely if ever with another. Finally let me just mention I am not Jesus or a God so I can't be perfect and turn the other cheek like they teach. This is a tough and cruel world things like that will get you trampled and I am not about to become a door mat especially to someone like you.

 

[Guest]

YOU DID MAKE REFERENCE TO CHRISTIANS BEING "DEVIL" WORSHIPPERS. SO PERHAPS THE PERSON WHO NEEDS A RETRACTION HERE IS YOU GRAY.

Dam straight!!

 

[GoingNova]

YOU DID MAKE REFERENCE TO CHRISTIANS BEING "DEVIL" WORSHIPPERS. SO PERHAPS THE PERSON WHO NEEDS A RETRACTION HERE IS YOU GRAY.

Actually, what he asked was:

How does "devil" worship differ from what you do?

And, from the perspective of an atheist, he has a point.

An atheist does not believe in any divine beings. To someone who does not believe in God, the devil, or ANY DEITY, there is no difference between someone worshiping God, the devil, Vishnu, Zeus, or any other "God". From the perspective of someone with no faith in a supreme being of any kind, the worship of ANY SUPREME BEING is a waste of time.

Sister Kate, as a person of faith, I understand your offense, but you have to understand, for those who do not believe in God or the devil, there is no difference between the two. To that person, they do not exist.

 

[Guest]

Well if he lacks understanding he shouldn't judge.

 

[GoingNova]

Well if he lacks understanding he shouldn't judge.

He was not judging, he was debating. He was presenting his side of the argument. Again, there is a difference.

 

[Guest]

He doesn't understand though, he doesn't have the same believes and isn't capable of comprehending the differences.

 

[GoingNova]

He doesn't understand though, he doesn't have the same believes and isn't capable of comprehending the differences.

That may be why he was asking YOU to explain the difference. You can not ask him to respect your belief in God if you do not respect his belief that there is no God.

 

[Brainfreeze]

I understand the difference between God and the Devil as I was a Christian at one point in time, but can see how it would not really matter to an athiest. Mostly to an athiest it dosent matter who/what or even if you worship, what matters is your personal actions. Assuming you are a "Devil" worshiper then that would reflect itself in your actions and your world view, the same is true if you have a devout belief in "God" whomever your god might be.

As to Christianity being under attack for it's few corrupted members..i have a few examples to prove that you are not the only ones. World war 2, Japanese/American citizens were put in concentration camps all over America due to the actions of their former countrymen. Modern Day, the intense American reaction to ALL Muslims due to the terrorists, also a small population compaired to the total number of Muslims world wide. The 1950's intense reactions to anyone showing communist beliefs due to the actions of the Solviet Union. The Dark Ages, the excommunication torture and eventual murder of the Knights Templar due to the power they were starting to exert over the Cathloc church. The Spanish Inquisition the beheading of the nations nobility due to the actions of a relative few of it's members.

Relegions or groups of people have always been judged by the members of them that did the worse things, it is true throughout history what makes you think that it would be any different now that Christanity is now the majority?

 

[bob_gray]

First off I have taken offense to your statements long ago and again I live in a free country and I don't have to "back that statement up or retract it". I can say whatever I want.

You can certainly say whatever you want but it doesn't change the fact that you are lying about what I wrote.

You can't judge a whole religion on a few corrupt/evil people; that is wrong and it seems through many forums you are writing that you are trying to indirectly say that this religion is bad and the people in it are bad.

I never said (or implied) that Christianity is bad. What you are referring to is the other thread where I was trying to point out that to an outside observer there is no difference between worshiping one god or another, except in some of the specifics of doctrine. There is no need for you to retract anything, the record is straight.

But doesn't it tick you off the way they pick on one religion and not others?

I think an argument could be made that Islam gets a much worse representation in the US media than does Christianity.

This is a tough and cruel world things like that will get you trampled and I am not about to become a door mat especially to someone like you.

No one is asking you to become a door mat and I think you are taking this personally and none of my posts have been attacks of you, or anyone else. I strive only to address the ideas in the post if I think they are not quite accurate. I think that some of your statements fall into that category (as do mine, just ask GoingNova ) and I wanted you to defend your position. I find that one of the best things about debate is that it can force the other person to think. For example, when my father and I debate we each present arguments that the other may not have an immediate answer to. We both know that the other is thinking about the issues discussed because the next time the debate comes up each person has new ideas and answers for those arguments. It is a very good way to hone your position and find the logical inconsistencies. Personally I have found that debate about my faith has made it stronger not weaker.

 

[Guest]

That may be why he was asking YOU to explain the difference. You can not ask him to respect your belief in God if you do not respect his belief that there is no God.

Maybe be he is making accusations about something he doesn't know about. The only thing he knows is what the media pumps him.

 

[Guest]

You can certainly say whatever you want but it doesn't change the fact that you are lying about what I wrote.
I never said (or implied) that Christianity is bad. What you are referring to is the other thread where I was trying to point out that to an outside observer there is no difference between worshiping one god or another, except in some of the specifics of doctrine. There is no need for you to retract anything, the record is straight. I think an argument could be made that Islam gets a much worse representation in the US media than does Christianity. No one is asking you to become a door mat and I think you are taking this personally and none of my posts have been attacks of you, or anyone else. I strive only to address the ideas in the post if I think they are not quite accurate. I think that some of your statements fall into that category (as do mine, just ask GoingNova ) and I wanted you to defend your position. I find that one of the best things about debate is that it can force the other person to think. For example, when my father and I debate we each present arguments that the other may not have an immediate answer to. We both know that the other is thinking about the issues discussed because the next time the debate comes up each person has new ideas and answers for those arguments. It is a very good way to hone your position and find the logical inconsistencies. Personally I have found that debate about my faith has made it stronger not weaker.

Well I believe that you don't know about the true meaning of Christianity and you shouldn't be bashing the religion. If you want to bash certain people of that religion that fair, but don't drag the religion into it. What is really angering me is that Christianity gets picked on by everyone and their are no repercussions from those actions. But attack another religion you are wrong. This is mainly what I am angry about; I don't think its right. Also it is very possible that I could be wrong about certain things but I feel the way you are painting this religion is just as wrong or even worst. That's how I feel.

 

[bob_gray]

At least we can agree on something

Well I believe that you don't know about the true meaning of Christianity and you shouldn't be bashing the religion.

I know perfectly well the "true" meaning of Christianity and I am still not bashing the religion. The problem is that there are as many different understandings of Christ as there are Christians. I will use the death penalty as an example. Half the Christians are opposed to the death penalty because they think that Jesus would say it is wrong and the other half takes the opposite stance for the same reason. Which half of Christianity is right? Obviously they can't both be. That is a rhetorical question to illustrate my point that the "true" meaning is subjective, there is no need to answer the question.

What is really angering me is that Christianity gets picked on by everyone and their are no repercussions from those actions.

What sort of repercussions would you like to see?

But attack another religion you are wrong. This is mainly what I am angry about; I don't think its right.

I agree with you 100% on this point. If you are going to be critical of one religion for a particular action you need to be critical of all of them. That is the hypocrisy of many people, they do not apply to themselves the same standards that they apply to others.

That's how I feel.

I understand that it can be an emotional subject. In the few moments where I am able to control my emotions in a discussion I always try to remember the words of Frank Herbert, "Reason is the first victim of strong emotion."

 

[Guest]

I know perfectly well the "true" meaning of Christianity and I am still not bashing the religion. The problem is that there are as many different understandings of Christ as there are Christians. I will use the death penalty as an example. Half the Christians are opposed to the death penalty because they think that Jesus would say it is wrong and the other half takes the opposite stance for the same reason. Which half of Christianity is right? Obviously they can't both be. That is a rhetorical question to illustrate my point that the "true" meaning is subjective, there is no need to answer the question. What sort of repercussions would you like to see?
I agree with you 100% on this point. If you are going to be critical of one religion for a particular action you need to be critical of all of them. That is the hypocrisy of many people, they do not apply to themselves the same standards that they apply to others.
I understand that it can be an emotional subject. In the few moments where I am able to control my emotions in a discussion I always try to remember the words of Frank Herbert, "Reason is the first victim of strong emotion."

All depends on your point of view. Some people interpret the religion differently. By repercussions I mean if you say something bad about another religion you are labeled as a bigot, do it to Christianity its fine. I think the same also apply for race and sex and I find that to be unfair also. Glad we could agree on something though.