THE_LEGENDARY_HQB

Originally posted by Wildernesse:
"One point for The Legendary HBQ for calling theists who agree with him "absurd". Thanks, you make a great ally too! Got any common ground with me, or will association just make you look silly?"

I'm not looking for "allies", Wildernesse. I'm merely stating my opinion. As far as I can see, based on what I've read of your posts, yes, I can have plenty of common ground with you. I don't see you advocating any breach of the church/state wall, nor do I see you engaging in anti atheist or anti non christian bigotry. That's a definite plus for you.
If I met you in person, and I deemed you to share my values, I'd welcome you as my friend. I really don't care if I appear to be "silly" though.

Originally posted by Wildernesse:
"Just a note that there have been about a billion threads about how fundies pick and choose just as much as liberal Christians what they believe and what they don't. Woohoo for cafeteria Christians. At least I get to eat my dessert first."

--tibac

Cute. Let's get to the nitty gritty. As I pointed out before, noone follow every single Christian teaching {thankfully}. It's a mattter of degree. You cannot possibly argue that a Liberal Christian follows as much of the Bible as a fundie, can you?

Of course, I certainly can't be too critical of Liberal Christians. By distorting, ommiting, and just plain ignoring basic Christian beliefs, they have made themselves much more humane, decent people. I mean, where would we be if the Abolitionists had not twisted and ignored clear Biblical precedent to claim that Christianity actually condemned slavery?

I think 2 extremes are being shown here.

On the one hand, I think some atheists on this board can get carried away with hysterical talk about the "threat of religion", or "the new Inquisition".

On the other hand, too many of our more liberal theist regulars, I believe, minimize or simply ignore what's being done by fundies in this country, or claim their actions are not supported by more than a few people. I honestly believe that you can learn alot about a religion by paying careful attention to the actions of its most devoted followers. Using that standard, I have quite a low opinion of Christianity as a religion.
I do not have that opinion of the average theist, because they usually don't follow 10% of what their "Holy Book" teaches.

Respect,
HQB

Starboy

wildernesse, is that why you are a Christian? Or is it because you desire life after death? If you are a Christian because you desired to be a better person then why not practice some other non-superstitious ethos that would help you achieve your goal? Why Christianity?

Starboy

wildernesse

I have met lots of Yankees and they are less blessed than me--because I'm a Southerner. One man's blessings are another man's curses.

--tibac

tdekeyser

Better things to do? What is better than protesting the crap that these groups throw out at other INNOCENT groups??

Here it is:
http://www.metroplexatheists.org/pk0700.htm

wildernesse

Of course not! I only follow the important parts! ;P If by following the Bible means do I accept that everything is absolutely true in it, then no I don't follow it to the letter. I believe it is my spiritual guide and I limit it to that role--but I don't see why that makes me less of a Christian. Why are the extremists' views the correct ones?

This must be the example in the book of English idioms for 'back-handed compliment'. Thanks.

I don't mean to minimize or ignore the fundies presence really. I find them extremely annoying and just plain wrong half the time. But the pyscho ones really are an extreme--Phelps doesn't have a Billy-Graham-Crusade type of following. Most of the rest are like my family--very conservative people. They go about their business and they stick to the right, but if pressed to think about their choices and decisions *sometimes* it gives them pause.

My mom is a rather conservative Christian, but she fights for c-s separation in the school system she runs because it's how the rules work. She supports those rules and knocks people about who don't (figuratively speaking of course).

wildernesse

I'm a Christian because my family is--I was brought up as a Christian, and my faith has been borne out through personal experiences. I don't know if there's life after death, but I'm alive now and I make the most of it.

I think that Christianity can help me to be a better person--because I can become more in line with God's will through Christianity. Can I do that in another faith? Maybe, but I'm happy where I am. In a non-supertitious ethos? Probably not--although that may be how others structure their lives.

I believe these things to be so--I don't pretend that they're enough for anyone else to believe upon.

--tibac

Amie

Hi wildy
this pretty much rings true for me as well..well said!

tdekeyser

You are not a Christian (imo). You are a Theist and possibly enjoy some of the positive stuff from xianity. You seem like a very valuable person to me...


A Christian is a person who subscribes to Christianity and practices Christian teachings from the Bible. Christianity and the Bible make up a religious racist bigoted religion that ALL OUT attacks every faith and non-faiths WITHOUT provocation from those groups. It teaches death, torture, and segregation. Not recommended for children in my opinion.

wildernesse

I don't know--feeding the hungry and giving the homeless a home? But those are my priorities, not other peoples.

They have every right to protest--I don't have to agree or support their ideas. I do support them *having* ideas and expressing those ideas. I also have the right to think that those ideas can be ridiculous or untrue (which is what I would think if a group protested our church based solely on its existance).


--tibac

seebs

Ahh, I see. So, for instance, I could say that you're not a *REAL* atheist, because Mao was an atheist, and he killed millions of people, and if you don't do that, you're not a *real* atheist.

A Christian is a person who subscribes to Christianity. Some of them bring their bigotry to the table, and interpret the Bible that way, but that doesn't make your attack on Christianity any less libelous.

You're playing right into Falwell's hand, here; you're depecting anyone who isn't hateful as not a "true Christian".

When people talk about "what atheists teach their kids", it offends you, because you know that not all atheists agree on everything. If the lack of this courtesy is so upsetting, why don't you grow a fucking spine and be the one to go out there and set an example?

All you can do down this path is show everyone that atheists are the reactionary anti-morality fuckwads that Falwell tells them about. If you want moral high ground, don't stoop to that level.