The Great Christian Argument

[BlackKnightKisses]

I think you're taking the wrong end of the stick here so I'll agree to disagree.
But watch out you don't become what you detest because it sure sounds like your are being judgmental.

 

[Satya]

I think you're taking the wrong end of the stick here so I'll agree to disagree.
But watch out you don't become what you detest because it sure sounds like your are being judgmental.

According to Christians, I'm not Christian, so it isn't something I'm too worried about. I'm simply arguing the hypocrisy of this religion by pointing out the arguments that exist within it. Arguments which send most Christians running when they are confronted with them.

I just love that Christians are perfectly comfortable accepting the Biblical contradictions as some sort of glorious example of God's wisdom. It reminds me of the thinking of young children who do everything they do because they are afraid of being punished.

 

[Quinlan]

http://bligbi.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/motivational-atheists-thumb.jpg

 

[Satya]

:ml:

Sadly, I can't claim to be an atheist. I believe in God, but its more of a spiritual decision to do so rather than a religious one. Faith is a powerful motivator, but I choose to believe in the nurturing creator as opposed to the strict, authoritarian one. I base my beliefs on nothing more than my intuition and the knowledge I have gathered from this world. I will never claim that my beliefs come from an absolute source, but I certainly will make it a point in my life to make fun of those who do.

 

[Quinlan]

How do you envision your god (if you don't mind me asking)?

 

[BlackKnightKisses]

I will never claim that my beliefs come from an absolute source, but I certainly will make it a point in my life to make fun of those who do.

That make you worse than them! and depriving them of the right to have an opinion and respect.

 

[Quinlan]

I just love that Christians are perfectly comfortable accepting the Biblical contradictions as some sort of glorious example of God's wisdom. It reminds me of the thinking of young children who do everything they do because they are afraid of being punished.

They are afraid of death, without god they are mortal, there is no afterlife, they are afraid they've wasted their precious moments here on earth following dogma and harassing their fellow man. They are afraid of facing the fact they will be nothing more than wormfood. They are afraid of being all alone in an uncaring universe. It terrifies them in their very core, so they turn to a father figure to "save" them from the horrors that are their own mortality and the harshness of reality.

At least that's what I think they're thinking. :thumb:

 

[Satya]

How do you envision your god (if you don't mind me asking)?

I've always thought of God as all the things in life that make it worth living.

That make you worse than them! and depriving them of the right to have an opinion and respect.

I'm worse than people who arrogantly claim they know the "The Truth" simply because they embrace a 2,000 year old book? I'm worse than those people who reject science and other forms of intuitive knowledge because they see them as lesser paths? I'm worse than those people who try to disgrace me for who I am because they deem that I'm living in sin? I respect that people have different beliefs, but if they are going to judge me by those beliefs, then they better be damn willing to defend them.

They are afraid of death, without god they are mortal, there is no afterlife, they are afraid they've wasted their precious moments here on earth following dogma and harassing their fellow man. They are afraid of facing the fact they will be nothing more than wormfood. They are afraid of being all alone in an uncaring universe. It terrifies them in their very core, so they turn to a father figure to "save" them from the horrors that are their own mortality and the harshness of reality.

At least that's what I think they're thinking. :thumb:

Very likely.

 

[BlackKnightKisses]

At least that's what I think they're thinking. :thumb:

It might be what you think. Take for one who is, it is not how I think. :gossip:
Unless you've been there your only guessing.

 

[Quinlan]

I've always thought of God as all the things in life that make it worth living.

That's a very interesting way of thinking about it, those things are certainly worthy of worship.

 

[Quinlan]

It might be what you think. Take for one who is, it is not how I think. :gossip:
Unless you've been there your only guessing.

Do you fear going to hell?

Do you fear the devil?

 

[BlackKnightKisses]

Do you fear going to hell?

Do you fear the devil?

No I don't. I don't even fear death in fact I've even cried bring it on on occasion. Fear has never been my motivation. My motivation is love and acceptance and the great love that has been shown to me.

 

[Black Swan]

:tsk:

That says it all.

 

[Quinlan]

No I don't. I don't even fear death in fact I've even cried bring it on on occasion. Fear has never been my motivation. My motivation is love and acceptance and the great love that has been shown to me.

Hmmm interesting.

 

[Satya]

:tsk:

That says it all.

I don't regret anything I've said, only the way I've said it. :mD:

 

[Quinlan]

I don't even see what was so wrong.

 

[Satya]

I don't even see what was so wrong.

I was sarcastic. It wasn't anything that was really wrong, but the rules state that doing anything that could be deemed as disharmonious to the forum is not allowed.

I find it silly since it seems like the mods defending users. We have neg rep so if I genuinely insult anyone they have a way to penalize me. We have an ignore feature so that if I'm annoying anyone, they can simply ignore me. But in addition to that, I guess formal reprimands are also on the plate. Meh, it only irritates me because it seems like overkill to put a permanent mark on someone in addition to everything else just because they were sarcastic to another member, but those are the rules of the forum, and if I don't like it then I'll leave.

 

[Quinlan]

Personally I think there are worse (potentailly more hurtful) things in this thread than a bit of sarcasm.

 

[Black Swan]

Personally I think there are worse (potentailly more hurtful) things in this thread than a bit of sarcasm.

I wholeheartedly agree.

I don't regret anything I've said, only the way I've said it.

I posted the way I did because I'm disappointed in how people are treating eachother on both sides. Actually, I had a huge reply addressing many points on both sides and then when I saw the intolerance wiggling it's way into the conversation, I deleted. And though you started a very good intellectual debate (in which I agreed with you on most points and I relate to where you're coming from), it became personal... You can't claim to respect others beliefs and make fun of their beliefs at the same time (see quotes below). And so, this left me feeling sour since all the intellectual appreciation for this topic went out the window.

I respect that people have different beliefs, but if they are going to judge me by those beliefs, then they better be damn willing to defend them.

I will never claim that my beliefs come from an absolute source, but I certainly will make it a point in my life to make fun of those who do.

Life is complicated enough without all of us begrudging eachother for what we believe to be our own personal truths. The sources of information we choose to guide us, whether it be the Bible, Kabbalah, the Qu'ran, etc., is up to our own individual interpretation and emotional reaction. It's pointless to sit here and argue over how it should be interpreted, because ultimately, everyone here is different and will percieve it differently. It's my own personal feeling that regardless of your religious beliefs, tolerance is always a good policy and no one here has the right to make someone else feel bad for where their internal compass directs them, regardless if it appears to be a contradiction or unorthodox. Call it faith, conviction, intuition, whatever... Respect and tolerance is the best "religion" you can have and towards the last posts, both were missing altogether.

 

[Satya]

Life is complicated enough without all of us begrudging eachother for what we believe to be our own personal truths. The sources of information we choose to guide us, whether it be the Bible, Kabbalah, the Qu'ran, etc., is up to our own individual interpretation and emotional reaction. It's pointless to sit here and argue over how it should be interpreted, because ultimately, everyone here is different and will percieve it differently. It's my own personal feeling that regardless of your religious beliefs, tolerance is always a good policy and no one here has the right to make someone else feel bad for where their internal compass directs them, regardless if it appears to be a contradiction or unorthodox. Call it faith, conviction, intuition, whatever... Respect and tolerance is the best "religion" you can have and towards the last posts, both were missing altogether.

Yes, I agree. If I could learn to show respect and tolerance towards those who don't do the same to me, then I at least won't be making the world any worse a place for people to live.