Freethought & Rationalism Archive

motorhead · 10-07-2002, 08:19 AM

Did you see Falwell on 60 mintues last night calling Muhammed (the prophet of Islam) a terrorist? Falwell and all his fundy buddies are sick and dangerous people. It adds further proof that fundamentalist religion is detrimental to our world. These sick people do nothing to help the U.S. relationship with Arab/Muslim nations. I swear these sick bastards secretly long for an all out religious world war because they think Jesus will float down out of the sky and save them all. The rest of the 60 minutes story was about the "End Times" and how fundies think it will play out. It's so ludicrous that it boggles the mind that adults can actually believe this stuff.

I asked a Christian about this, she's more on the moderate side, and she claims that Falwell and all fundamentalists are wrong in their interpretation of the Bible. I asked her which interpretation is the correct interpretation and she gave me a line about the "Holy Spirit" guiding a believer. I replied that there's numerous different interpretations of the Bible and doesn't that make her question the foundation of her faith. I asked her if all these different interpretations didn't make her question why the Bible isn't clearer on all the subjects Christians disagree on. Of course, then she resorts to saying that "we're all humans" and "we all make mistakes". It's very frustrating that people (believers) like this can't see how they are arguing in circles. Believers must put up this more or less permanent block in their minds that doesn't allow critical thought to interact with their religious beliefs.

I finally asked her which group of Christians was correct in their interpretation of the Bible and Christianity in general. She said that "true Christians" are the ones that ultimately follow the teachings of Jesus, and that no one church is right, but all "true" believers make up the body of Christ.

I gave up after this and figured the conversation was useless and I could spend my time doing better things.

Grumpy · 10-07-2002, 02:12 PM

What stuck out for me was Falwell & Co. contrasting "terrorist" Mohammed with peacemaker Moses. Hello? Does anybody remember Numbers 31:7-18? Some highlights...

Quote:

And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.
<snip>
And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.
And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?
Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

It can be hard to argue with the "God's word" gibberish. Luckily, when fundamentalists overlook uncomfortable Bible passages on their way to bad-mouthing rival religions, you have them dead-to-rights.

sakrilege · 10-07-2002, 02:42 PM

From Cleveland Plain Dealer...

Picture of Falwell stating "Muhammad was a terrorist - most faiths have a radical fringe that doesn't represent the whole."

Muslim standing next to Falwell pointing at him, "Case in point"

<a href="http://www.cleveland.com/darcy/index.ssf?/darcy/more/100602.html" target="_blank">Cartoon</a>

edited because... oops,

Quote:

�2002 The Plain Dealer. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[ October 07, 2002: Message edited by: sakrilege ]

Grumpy · 10-07-2002, 05:49 PM

Unless I misunderstood Falwell's point, the cartoon totally distorts his statement. He's not accusing Islam of having a violent fringe; he's saying Islam is violent at its core.

David M. Payne · 10-07-2002, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Grumpy:
Unless I misunderstood Falwell's point, the cartoon totally distorts his statement. He's not accusing Islam of having a violent fringe; he's saying Islam is violent at its core.

Even a blind pig can find an acorn once and a while. All the Abrahamic religions have blood on their hands, but Islam is the worst of all of them, in my opinion.

David

Born Free · 10-08-2002, 01:00 AM

Has this Falwell guy looked in his own back yard at the christian nuts who target abortion clinics and doctors??? Not forgetting Phelps who surely must be one of the most repungant humans on earth.

babelfish · 10-08-2002, 06:00 AM

I thought the juxtaposition of the final two stories on 60 minutes was so interesting - the petty religious squabbling on this puny little planet, compared to the cosmos as seen through the Hubble telescope.

Terracotta · 10-08-2002, 08:43 AM

Check out what the fine folks at the <a href="http://www.baptistboard.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000413" target="_blank">BaptistBoard</a> have to say about it. It's nice to see that at least a few of them have their heads on semi-straight. But most of them are just plain scary.

Dark Jedi · 10-08-2002, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sakrilege:
From Cleveland Plain Dealer...

Picture of Falwell stating "Muhammad was a terrorist - most faiths have a radical fringe that doesn't represent the whole."

Muslim standing next to Falwell pointing at him, "Case in point"

Captured before it goes away...

Albion · 10-08-2002, 07:38 PM

Quote:

It adds further proof that fundamentalist religion is detrimental to our world. These sick people do nothing to help the U.S. relationship with Arab/Muslim nations. I swear these sick bastards secretly long for an all out religious world war because they think Jesus will float down out of the sky and save them all. The rest of the 60 minutes story was about the "End Times" and how fundies think it will play out. It's so ludicrous that it boggles the mind that adults can actually believe this stuff.

Time magazine had a cover story on all this end-times stuff and the Left Behind books a while back. It wouldn't be so frightening (there are fringe nutters in all groups, I suppose) except that some of the White House people believe this stuff. If you look at the CBS "60 Minutes" page, the bit where Jerry Falwell calls Mohammed a terrorist is the least of it. The thing that worried me is that the end-times believers don't want peace in the Middle East, they want Armageddon, and they have the ear of the White House because they claim to represent so many voters.

I wonder how the Jewish peeople like the idea that they're being supported by the USA at least partly because of end-times prophecy - where they'll cease to exist after being either killed or converted to Chrstianity. It's like the guy said in the article - it's a five-act play and the Jews disappear in Act 4.

<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/10/03/60minutes/main524268.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/10/03/60minutes/main524268.shtml</a>

10-07-2002, 08:19 AM	#1
motorhead Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Land of Make Believe Posts: 781	Falwell on 60 Minutes - Rant Did you see Falwell on 60 mintues last night calling Muhammed (the prophet of Islam) a terrorist? Falwell and all his fundy buddies are sick and dangerous people. It adds further proof that fundamentalist religion is detrimental to our world. These sick people do nothing to help the U.S. relationship with Arab/Muslim nations. I swear these sick bastards secretly long for an all out religious world war because they think Jesus will float down out of the sky and save them all. The rest of the 60 minutes story was about the "End Times" and how fundies think it will play out. It's so ludicrous that it boggles the mind that adults can actually believe this stuff. I asked a Christian about this, she's more on the moderate side, and she claims that Falwell and all fundamentalists are wrong in their interpretation of the Bible. I asked her which interpretation is the correct interpretation and she gave me a line about the "Holy Spirit" guiding a believer. I replied that there's numerous different interpretations of the Bible and doesn't that make her question the foundation of her faith. I asked her if all these different interpretations didn't make her question why the Bible isn't clearer on all the subjects Christians disagree on. Of course, then she resorts to saying that "we're all humans" and "we all make mistakes". It's very frustrating that people (believers) like this can't see how they are arguing in circles. Believers must put up this more or less permanent block in their minds that doesn't allow critical thought to interact with their religious beliefs. I finally asked her which group of Christians was correct in their interpretation of the Bible and Christianity in general. She said that "true Christians" are the ones that ultimately follow the teachings of Jesus, and that no one church is right, but all "true" believers make up the body of Christ. I gave up after this and figured the conversation was useless and I could spend my time doing better things.

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10-07-2002, 05:49 PM	#4
Grumpy Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Alaska, USA Posts: 1,535	Unless I misunderstood Falwell's point, the cartoon totally distorts his statement. He's not accusing Islam of having a violent fringe; he's saying Islam is violent at its core.

10-08-2002, 01:00 AM	#6
Born Free Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Scotland Posts: 4,177	Has this Falwell guy looked in his own back yard at the christian nuts who target abortion clinics and doctors??? Not forgetting Phelps who surely must be one of the most repungant humans on earth.

10-08-2002, 06:00 AM	#7
babelfish Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Augusta, Maine, USA Posts: 2,046	I thought the juxtaposition of the final two stories on 60 minutes was so interesting - the petty religious squabbling on this puny little planet, compared to the cosmos as seen through the Hubble telescope.

10-08-2002, 08:43 AM	#8
Terracotta Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Kentucky Posts: 369	Check out what the fine folks at the <a href="http://www.baptistboard.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000413" target="_blank">BaptistBoard</a> have to say about it. It's nice to see that at least a few of them have their heads on semi-straight. But most of them are just plain scary.

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