I changed accounts.
I am sorry for your past being so very... for being an example of human indecency.
However, you cannot condemn everyone for the sins of the few. Are all men rapists because of what your boyfriend did? Likewise, are all religious people insane and stupid, just because some are? Given that there are, in fact, religious people on this forum (though they tend to hide sometimes...) I should think even you know that this is not true in the slightest.
Never blame on a certain, narrow value what you can blame on the greater whole: human nature.
I am now known as Flyboy.
Lead.
@DG: Fair enough point but the difference between, say, me and them is that you can hold completely different views from me but I'll still shake your hand and make casual, friendly talk. If nothing else, we owe each other some sense of friendly neutrality since fighting brings about jack squat.
The emotions of others can seem like such well guarded mysteries, people 8egin to 8elieve that's how their own emotions should 8e treated.
One of my best friends is Catholic Very catholic, but he's cool with the fact that I'm gay, so we're cool.
Religious people CAN be good people, CAN be, but it's very easy for them to stray from the path of... niceness.
edited 10th Sep '11 3:28:55 PM by Lanceleoghauni
"Coffee! Coffeecoffeecoffee! Coffee! Not as strong as Meth-amphetamine, but it lets you keep your teeth!"
Moar and Moar and Moar
@Ramus: The big question here, IMO is one of verisimilitude. As much as I appreciate the efforts and community of truly well-meaning people, quite frankly, from what I've read of the Christian religion, I simply don't think you're correct. Or to put it differently, I don't think that argument is the more compelling argument. I think the bad guys, given the tenets given, make a much better argument. Quite frankly, the belief in a jerkass humanistic interventionist deity breaks EVERYTHING. (And like it or not, that's what the Christian faith specifies)
On the subject as a whole, it's not like groups such as this are huge conspiracies, but there are many smaller groups working in a similar ideological direction. It's the belief that their religion/culture must work towards and gain social/cultural/economic dominance.
Democracy is the process in which we determine the government that we deserve
These guys sound a little like the Penties we have 60 miles west of here, who claim that because "the Muslims" are recruiting jihadists, it's the obligation of Christians to raise their children to embark on a holy war of their own.
I think it's probably fair to say most of the GOP candidates have links to relatively unsavory religious figures. Even the relatively reasonable John Mc Cain had Pastor Hagee, who is of the "our sins cause natural disasters" ilk. To be fair, I suppose Obama did have Rev. Wright, which we were constantly reminded about in every news cycle during the election.
Edit: I guess Dominion prayer warriors even make the Jesus Camp types unsettled. Creepy.
edited 10th Sep '11 5:39:37 PM by ForlornDreamer
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
I will say this again. It is the loud and dangerous extremists that do no favors for those who are honest and decent in their religious practices.
Who watches the watchmen?
Lead.
@Karmakin: Then I recommend you have a long talk with the Jews. Now, would you like to talk about the evil teachings of Jesus and his completely assholish actions?
The emotions of others can seem like such well guarded mysteries, people 8egin to 8elieve that's how their own emotions should 8e treated.
Moar and Moar and Moar
It's not so much about Jesus as it is about God. (I don't think you need both). When they excise that term from their beliefs, I'll give it a second look.
Yes, I'm a pro-religion anti-theist. That probably makes me a nutter, but oh well.
edited 10th Sep '11 7:53:26 PM by Karmakin
Democracy is the process in which we determine the government that we deserve
Lead.
No... that just makes you a Pagan, Hindu, or a similar religion type person. Anyway, feel free to take a good look at the second testament and then at the fringe groups and see how many similarities you can spot. And beware of the Book of Revelations, some problematic translators take some very, um, liberal (in the original definition sense, not the political) edits to it since it hasn't happened yet.
The emotions of others can seem like such well guarded mysteries, people 8egin to 8elieve that's how their own emotions should 8e treated.
Mystical Monkey Master
Revelations is bullshit. It's just on giant stab it the romans. It a smear campaign, a giant "FICK YOU" to the senate and the empire.
Untitled Power Rangers Story
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Not really because I have read revelations and it looks like was pointing to something even bigger than the Roman empire.
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
Your anecdote is nice but are you by chance a scholar with at least 4 year degree in the appropriate fields? If not then like a lot of comments here, you will have to forgive me if I have to take anything you say with a pinch of salt.
Who watches the watchmen?
Mystical Monkey Master
^^Nope all about John saing "I am anti roman. I hate them. I know the Romans are letting us practice our religion as long as we keep paying put taxes and NOT fucking with them but I gonna fuck with them anyway. The only reason why they hate us is the cannibalism and transmuting bread into the actual flesh of a 100 plus year old dead guy and wine into his blood. But I'm an ass so I'll piss them off". John fucked it up for everyone. It's called symbolism and the bastard was great at it as we see it but the roman as the message and weren't happy.
edited 10th Sep '11 8:33:47 PM by vanthebaron
Untitled Power Rangers Story
Lead.
That's one of many interpretations yes.
The emotions of others can seem like such well guarded mysteries, people 8egin to 8elieve that's how their own emotions should 8e treated.
Night Clerk of the Apacalypse.
The thing is there are so many views on the bible your bound to get some nutter interpretting into something horrible.
For further discussion on the specific contents of the bible like the contents of Revelations I suggest a new thread.
edited 10th Sep '11 8:35:06 PM by TuefelHundenIV
Who watches the watchmen?
Mystical Monkey Master
New thread made for talking about Revaluations
Untitled Power Rangers Story
@USAF: I understand that, but for me coming to terms with religion even possibly being a good thing is like a rape victim trying to come to terms with her rapist not being a complete monster.
Seriously. I'm more traumatized by my religious upbringing than I am about getting raped by my boyfriend when I was seventeen.
@Ramus: Unfortunately, they carry the same mentality of "You're not in my sect, therefore you're not a "Real Christian", and I've seen that sentiment repeated in non-crazy sects too. "Oh, don't listen to them, they're Baptist, it's not like they're Real Christians" sort of thing.
edited 5th Sep '11 3:44:19 PM by DrunkGirlfriend
"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian