Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Roland98 · 07-14-2003, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by yguy
If you've ever bristled at holier-than-thou "Christians" who try to "save" you, you know what I'm talking about. The're using you to feel holy. If they manage to convert you, they feel like they're hot stuff. If you blow them off, they can feel superior to you because you're hellbound. Not that all Christians are like that, of course, but you get the idea.

OTOH, an atheist can feel superior to a religionist by exposing flaws in his ideology - and just like the "Christian" can turn the situation into a win-win deal for his ego no matter how the religionist reacts, if he's determined enough.

It's all about phony self-esteem.

I've never heard it used in that context before...as with most others on the thread, I've usually seen it applied in areas of advancing technology (e.g., the recent creation of "chimera" embryos, etc.)

cydonia · 07-14-2003, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Taffer
My Christian friend doesn't like the Lord of the Rings books.

He doesn't understand how anybody could possibly harbour intentions to write a huge series of books like that, devise maps, social systems, languages and whatnot without being "guided". (He didn't mean "guided" in the Godly, 'right' way.)

A person like Tolkien must like playing God, he says.

My friend is a bit short-sighted.

Well, Tokein was a pretty serious Christian though, wasn't he?

rainbow walking · 07-14-2003, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bree
My mother told me today that playing God is a sin.

My question is this: what is "playing God" exactly?

Lot's of folks start out young believing in santa. Then they learn better. Then when they have kids they end up playing santa.

I guess if you can play santa once a year, playing god shouldn't be all that difficult to master:^D

winstonjen · 07-14-2003, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cydonia
Well, Tokein was a pretty serious Christian though, wasn't he?

But very few Christians are *True* Christians (TM) when assessed by another Christian.

Demigawd · 07-14-2003, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cydonia
Well, Tokein was a pretty serious Christian though, wasn't he?

Tolkein was catholic, and alot of protestants I've known don't consider their precursors to be actual christians.

Speaking of which, where's Magus55's musings?

Demigawd · 07-14-2003, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rainbow walking
Lot's of folks start out young believing in santa.

Santa is religion-with-training-wheels for children.

cydonia · 07-14-2003, 06:22 PM

I never thought of it like that. Kids know that a magical something will grant them wishes, the tooth fairy, santa clause, I bought it. Then they learn it's BS (I still remember being mortified when a kid told me santa wasn't real)and wish they still had someone to grant them wishes. Bingo! Jesus!

Bree · 07-14-2003, 08:31 PM

Phony self-esteem? If some Christian managed to make me "believe" in Jesus again, I'd sure as hell hope that person felt good about him or herself - it would be a tough job, to be sure

.

Seriously, though - I'm interested in how yguy determines if (and how) self-esteem is "real" or "deserved" and how to tell the difference. What kind of litmus test do you use?

Demigawd · 07-14-2003, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cydonia
I never thought of it like that. Kids know that a magical something will grant them wishes, the tooth fairy, santa clause, I bought it. Then they learn it's BS (I still remember being mortified when a kid told me santa wasn't real)and wish they still had someone to grant them wishes. Bingo! Jesus!

Well, kids can be brought up believing any sort of thing, no matter how fantastic and improbable. Ultimately, it leads to believing there exists a being or beings who can make anything so with a thought or word. Meanwhile, we humans have to work for anything. Unless you're a child in a fairly stable household.

Santa dispensing toys or coal mutates into God dispensing Heaven or Hell.

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07-14-2003, 06:22 PM	#27
cydonia Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: southern california Posts: 1,002	I never thought of it like that. Kids know that a magical something will grant them wishes, the tooth fairy, santa clause, I bought it. Then they learn it's BS (I still remember being mortified when a kid told me santa wasn't real)and wish they still had someone to grant them wishes. Bingo! Jesus!

07-14-2003, 08:31 PM	#28
Bree Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Twin Cities, USA Posts: 3,197	Phony self-esteem? If some Christian managed to make me "believe" in Jesus again, I'd sure as hell hope that person felt good about him or herself - it would be a tough job, to be sure . Seriously, though - I'm interested in how yguy determines if (and how) self-esteem is "real" or "deserved" and how to tell the difference. What kind of litmus test do you use?

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