Why DON'T you believe in other gods? | Page 8 | INFJ Forum

Why DON'T you believe in other gods?

You have a point that you want to get across, and that point is that people who believe in something are wrong.

I see this too much in religious discussions. Whether you choose to believe or not, than you think someone is wrong. It's part of the territory. When someone has an opinion, very often they think someone is wrong.

Just because someone is arguing an atheist or antitheist standpoint doesn't mean they are being close-minded or that they are disrespecting you.
 
I see this too much in religious discussions. Whether you choose to believe or not, than you think someone is wrong. It's part of the territory. When someone has an opinion, very often they think someone is wrong.

Just because someone is arguing an atheist or antitheist standpoint doesn't mean they are being close-minded or that they are disrespecting you.
Totally, this is why its so fun to argue with some religious people, the level of butthurt they suffer is incredible. LOL
 
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I just joined this forum, and I like it! I also feel very strongly about this post, and want to open up about myself a little here.

The word, "Christian," used to simply mean a follower of Christ (a real man who caused a huge controversy that has kept on growing). Nowadays, "Christian" USUALLY seems to mean that your culture/family call themselves "Christian," so you do too. Or else you grew up going to a church that called itself "Christian," so you do too. Or you met some nice people who called themselves "Christian" and maybe helped you out, so you do too. Or you are scared to be different than your friends who call themselves "Christian," so you doo too. Or you are scared of what hell might be, even though you really have no idea, so you run to Christianity which you've been told is insurance against ever finding out first-hand what hell is. That abused word no longer means someone who looks at a certain man's life and learns from it, gets to know him from it, and is changed by it.

I follow Christ. I know him. What do I mean by "know"? Try describing the aurora borealis to a blind person. (Some people would just describe it scientifically, a collision of particles, and expect that to be enough.) If the world were 99% blind, and the other 1% went around trying to "prove" sight... well, they probably wouldn't be very successful or popular. But what if "sight" were simply a person you could get to know? That's what it's like for me.

Jesus Christ has changed me. The path my life would have taken was entirely remade when I got to know him. He has filled me with a light that penetrated to the depths of my being, and he has challenged me to let him fix the brokenness that was exposed.

A very misguided concept that "Christians" adopt, ironically, is judging other people. That behavior is decidely UNChristian. I see people in forums constantly run to that to expose how hypocritical "Christians" are. And I agree! It took years, maybe decades, for me to finally let go of my desire to judge others using my own experiences, intuition, and desires. And there are countless other problems that all people have, whether they apply the label, Christian, to themselves or not.

We are complicated creatures. We can't make ourselves, we don't even understand why we think and do the things we do, and we are constantly confronted with the truth that "chemicals and hormones" are not the answer. They didn't, and don't, make us who we are. They are just an inkling of a shadow (seeing through glass darkly) of who we are. I have read people talking about faith in this thread. Faith is just accepting that we aren't an accident. Fear is an ocean that we are all flung into at one time or another, and it's hard when we can't see land in any direction. Some people just sink into science and man's incredibly, infinitely limited knowledge. Some make it their life's pursuit to tread water. Others make their best guess, and start swimming in one direction or another... and that is when hope is born. It's not far to the shore once we confront fear and realize that it can't harm us unless we give up.

Anyway, I didn't feel like I was represented here. All the banter about the "Does God exist" question just feels like "yo mamma" jokes to me. It's kinda funny. But only because it's not really serious.

Hope to see you guys in other threads!
 
A very misguided concept that "Christians" adopt, ironically, is judging other people. That behavior is decidely UNChristian.

Who are you to say that though? Historically speaking you're quite wrong.
 
Who are you to say that though? Historically speaking you're quite wrong.
Some teachings in christianity say "condemn not and you wont be condemned, judge not and you wont be judged." Peoples actions are not the religion itself, separate the two and you wont be so confused.
 
Some teachings in christianity say "condemn not and you wont be condemned, judge not and you wont be judged." Peoples actions are not the religion itself, separate the two and you wont be so confused.
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Totally, this is why its so fun to argue with some religious people, the level of butthurt they suffer is incredible. LOL

See, this attitude is why people think you're an asshole, though.

For some of them, atheism questions their entire worldview and/or the moral foundation upon which they have chosen to build their lives and their values. A lot of them were raised on the religion they subscribe to as adults. Treating their sensitivity to religious criticism with flippant derision only serves to make you look more like an asshole and decreases the likelihood of dialogue because you're just an asshole why should they listen to you anyway?

Now this doesn't cover the realm of personal attacks (IE: "WELL I HOPE YOU JUST BURN IN HELL" or "YOU'RE JUST DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE REBELLING AGAINST MOMMY YOU SPOILED KID!"), in that case I would just stop talking to the person, because they're never worth it.
 
See, this attitude is why people think you're an asshole, though.

For some of them, atheism questions their entire worldview and/or the moral foundation upon which they have chosen to build their lives and their values. A lot of them were raised on the religion they subscribe to as adults. Treating their sensitivity to religious criticism with flippant derision only serves to make you look more like an asshole and decreases the likelihood of dialogue because you're just an asshole why should they listen to you anyway?

Now this doesn't cover the realm of personal attacks (IE: "WELL I HOPE YOU JUST BURN IN HELL" or "YOU'RE JUST DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE REBELLING AGAINST MOMMY YOU SPOILED KID!"), in that case I would just stop talking to the person, because they're never worth it.

"you sound like an asshole" whats your point?

That it challenges their entire worldview is evident, I know this. I don't put in any stock that I am "winning followers"... I could be Carl Sagan himself sitting here and inspiring people and they would still persist in their blind faith. So, whats the point? My point is that I am not after the follower, I am after a culture shift. Growth is painful and I can deal with people not liking me, thats fine, I am ok with that. Thats never been a concern of mine.
 
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"you sound like an asshole" whats your point?

That it challenges their entire worldview is evident, I know this. I don't put in any stock that I am "winning followers"... I could be Carl Sagan himself sitting here and inspiring people and they would still persist in their blind faith. So, whats the point? My point is that I am not after the follower, I am after a culture shift. Growth is painful and I can deal with people not liking me, thats fine, I am ok with that. Thats never been a concern of mine.

And how will you achieve a culture shift if most of that culture just stops listening to you?
 
And how will you achieve a culture shift if most of that culture just stops listening to you?

To quote Ghandi -

[h=1]“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”[/h]
What they think is not relevant to my point.
 
To quote Ghandi -

[h=1]“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”[/h]
What they think is not relevant to my point.

But Ghandi didn't walk around India saying "lol these Brits are so butthurt it's funny."

You seem to have trouble with content vs. context.
 
That we know of.

I mean, if you're actually not trying to make social change here, in this moment, and being an asshole is how you get your rocks off go ahead. Whatever tickles your pickle, man. But don't expect people to take you seriously for it.
 
I mean, if you're actually not trying to make social change here, in this moment, and being an asshole is how you get your rocks off go ahead. Whatever tickles your pickle, man. But don't expect people to take you seriously for it.

I keep explaining it I don't know why you don't get it... it doesn't matter if they listen, feel insulted, take me seriously, etc. Social change is a reaction to a cause, not the cause.
 
I keep explaining it I don't know why you don't get it... it doesn't matter if they listen, feel insulted, take me seriously, etc. Social change is a reaction to a cause, not the cause.

Yeah. You need to work on that content vs. context thing.

Haters_make_me_famous_by_saturdayx.jpg

Until then enjoy being about as mature as whoever this guy is...
 
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I just joined this forum, and I like it! I also feel very strongly about this post, and want to open up about myself a little here.

The word, "Christian," used to simply mean a follower of Christ (a real man who caused a huge controversy that has kept on growing). Nowadays, "Christian" USUALLY seems to mean that your culture/family call themselves "Christian," so you do too. Or else you grew up going to a church that called itself "Christian," so you do too. Or you met some nice people who called themselves "Christian" and maybe helped you out, so you do too. Or you are scared to be different than your friends who call themselves "Christian," so you doo too. Or you are scared of what hell might be, even though you really have no idea, so you run to Christianity which you've been told is insurance against ever finding out first-hand what hell is. That abused word no longer means someone who looks at a certain man's life and learns from it, gets to know him from it, and is changed by it.

I follow Christ. I know him. What do I mean by "know"? Try describing the aurora borealis to a blind person. (Some people would just describe it scientifically, a collision of particles, and expect that to be enough.) If the world were 99% blind, and the other 1% went around trying to "prove" sight... well, they probably wouldn't be very successful or popular. But what if "sight" were simply a person you could get to know? That's what it's like for me.

Jesus Christ has changed me. The path my life would have taken was entirely remade when I got to know him. He has filled me with a light that penetrated to the depths of my being, and he has challenged me to let him fix the brokenness that was exposed.

A very misguided concept that "Christians" adopt, ironically, is judging other people. That behavior is decidely UNChristian. I see people in forums constantly run to that to expose how hypocritical "Christians" are. And I agree! It took years, maybe decades, for me to finally let go of my desire to judge others using my own experiences, intuition, and desires. And there are countless other problems that all people have, whether they apply the label, Christian, to themselves or not.

We are complicated creatures. We can't make ourselves, we don't even understand why we think and do the things we do, and we are constantly confronted with the truth that "chemicals and hormones" are not the answer. They didn't, and don't, make us who we are. They are just an inkling of a shadow (seeing through glass darkly) of who we are. I have read people talking about faith in this thread. Faith is just accepting that we aren't an accident. Fear is an ocean that we are all flung into at one time or another, and it's hard when we can't see land in any direction. Some people just sink into science and man's incredibly, infinitely limited knowledge. Some make it their life's pursuit to tread water. Others make their best guess, and start swimming in one direction or another... and that is when hope is born. It's not far to the shore once we confront fear and realize that it can't harm us unless we give up.

Anyway, I didn't feel like I was represented here. All the banter about the "Does God exist" question just feels like "yo mamma" jokes to me. It's kinda funny. But only because it's not really serious.

Hope to see you guys in other threads!

:amen: I 100% agree!
 
I don't believe in other god's because they clearly contradict mine and are thus by definition, wrong.

One could then describe which god's from the smorg of religion, the context and main principles of their teachings and scriptures, their similarities and differences, what the outward and inward practices of those teachings look like, and how when you boil them down all worldviews ultimately contradict each other diametrically, forcing us to end this conversation with something about Hitler and just having to agree to disagree like good INFJ's....or maybe not, lol.
 
I swear it must be a sign of the apocalypse: [MENTION=1451]Billy[/MENTION] quoting Gandhi! Impossibru!!

Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.
- Mahatma Gandhi
 
People need to stop defining atheism by what it is not.

There is great beauty in being an atheist, but you need to show it to people. And that is not done by telling them that they are dumb.

Atheists worship life itself. There is nothing more precious in this world than life. The greatest tragedy in the loss of that life, is that they may have never truly lived, and that there is not afterlife. Do whatever is in your power to protect and cherish that life. That brings your life meaning.
 
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