225 replies to this topic

[Puppeteer]

I will respect a religious person who would genuinely respect someone else's belief in four elephants holding up the Earth, borne upon a giant turtle. If they can't, the hypocrites aren't worth my time of day.

[Archon]

DLotS, when you refer to the people who “come out and tell you what you should believe in” I think you’re referring to the “evangelists” who go door-to-door, quoting Scripture and handing out Biblical tracts. I don’t think much of this kind of evangelism either, because its largely ineffective and antagonizes a lot of people such as yourself.
However, I think there’s a completely different approach. Last summer, I went on a missions trip to Tennessee, sponsored by a Christian youth organization. Members of my church and several other churches from various places were there. We stayed in college dorms for five days – for three of these days, we spent six hours working in the community. We weeded playgrounds and yards, painted door posts and railing, and built a deck. Obviously, a lot of the people asked where we were from and who we represented. We told them we were from the Christian youth organization.
I don’t know whether any of those people were converted as a result. What I do know is that they thanked us for our help and talked to us without reservation—not as proponents of different beliefs but as people. We didn’t discuss Christianity other than the name of our mission.
I do believe in talking to people about my beliefs and unreservedly styling myself as a Christian. But when it comes to evangelism, to approaching people that I don’t know, I believe not so much in handing out tracts and Bibles as to simply helping to “open the door” to a meaningful discussion of beliefs.
That is an opportunity I won't miss.

[olli]

I went on a missions trip to Tennessee, sponsored by a Christian youth organization. Members of my church and several other churches from various places were there. We stayed in college dorms for five days – for three of these days, we spent six hours working in the community. We weeded playgrounds and yards, painted door posts and railing, and built a deck. Obviously, a lot of the people asked where we were from and who we represented. We told them we were from the Christian youth organization.
I don’t know whether any of those people were converted as a result.

I highly doubt it!

I think they were more interested in the fact it was a youth organisation, rather than you being Christian. The public love any youth organisation (ok, ok... Hitler youth excluded) because essentially it's getting kids off the streets, and giving them a good direction; it’s something to do with their time, and a lot of Y.O do community work and the public love it. Makes them realise that not all today's youth are crack smoking vandals.

Edited by olli, 29 November 2009 - 09:40 PM.

[some_weirdGuy]

Buddhists and Hinduists are almost one and the same tongue.gif

Most religions are basically the same. (eg. muslim and christian)


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I have some friends who are christian and it always amazes me that they don't believe in evolution (well, i know one doesn't for sure, but i'm not certain weather the other does or not), that they take the bible's creation story as actually fact. Especially when it comes to arguing 'well ok, if that is taken literally, then what else do you take as literal? how do you distinguish between what is to be taken as literal and not'.

They are in no way bad/dumb/whatever people or anything, but its still perplexing, especially when creationism and evolution don't have to be mutually exclusive unless you are taking the creation story as being exactly literal.

But hey whatever. Just cause the faith doesn't really make much sense all the time doesn't mean they aren't allowed to keep believing.

Although one of them did come forward with something about hell that clears it up a little. I always thought it was stupid how they say god forgives all but you go to hell if you're bad. Then there was that if you ask for forgiveness then he'll forgive you, so then my argument was always 'well then when you go there you just say you were sorry and it won't matter how evil you were you'll get into heaven'. But he said that you have to actually mean it. If you just say your sorry but you don't man it, then you'll still go to hell, its only if you are genuine that you get to heaven. Still so much for god forgives ALL, but its better then how i use to think it was.
(i actually never really thought about it that much, but the whole being genuine thing seems kinda obvious now that i do, still, it helped clear that up for me)

[Archon]

@ olli: Exactly. I'm just saying that is "evangelism" in my book, not the evangelists today that antagonize and condemn people - oblivious that they're perverting the real Christian message, which is completely the opposite.
@ some_weirdGuy: Islam and Christianity are NOT basically the same. In fact, they are not even close.
Read this link for a comparison between both religions, and decide for yourself. http://muslim-canada...fferences_basic

[Pasidon]

Every branch from Christianity and Catholicism is twisting the bible. Look at Mormans. Idiots founded from a liar and privative desires.

Another good peice from Wife Swap. Her and Bacon Boy should team up.

[Allathar]

It sure seems that she likes bacon, hehe.

[Pasidon]

Nice.

Speech craft +1

[olli]

What do you think about those people who stand on street corners telling everyone to repent? Handing out leaflets saying we are going to hell unless we accept Jesus into our lives?

Reason I ask is because I had a recent encounter with one of these people...and they think that they are also religious warriors...

[Romanul]

I feel sorry for the family...

Look at the part where the husband is just *facepalm*... Thinking why am I married to this loony bitch? I have to live with this...

The ending just showed what a selfish bitch she is. Absolute fucking hypocrite. She doesn't deserve the money. They should have taken it away from her.
It just goes to show that in a time of greed, when there is personal gain even those who claim to be "religious warriors" and "wont have anything dark-sided" in her house and would rather have "her family and her god" than the money... Will turn right around and fuck "God" in the ass in stick two fingers up at him.
Because apparently it's a different story when she accepts money from a devil woman to sort her fucking gastric system out.

I don't think God is going to like that. She is so going to hell.

Couldn't agree more.

Seeing those kids...poor kids.

Poor family.



Heh.Bitches.They fuck your life up.

[Vortigern]

Olli: I once had a very pleasant conversation with a street-corner Christian wearing a sandwich board. He was remarkably civil about the degree of damnation I was likely to suffer, but ultimately I came away feeling I had won the discussion, having cited genuine examples of evolution in action (Galapagos finches, I think it was) while he was insisting upon creationism. Either way, I was late for work.

A few years ago my best friend actually converted a Jehovah's Witness away from his faith. His mother related the story to me, and believe me when I say that he is more than eloquent and intelligent enough to have pulled it off. More than that, I really hope it's true.

[olli]

I just hate the way they shout about it, telling us we are all going to suffer. It's ride and ignorant and makes you look like a smack-head.

I have yet to see an atheist person stand outside a church yelling at them to change their ways, push God and Jesus out and stop wasting their time and effort...before it's too late.

Main reason why it probably wouldn't happen; We just don't care.

[Ash]

Fuck, that would be totally awesome reality television. Put a Jew, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hinduist and Atheist in some radical or moderate versions of those in one house, and the one who stays the longest wins.

The atheist would be first to leave. He'd probably have convinced the Buddhist to go with him and made friends with him. The Muslim would stay longest because their group seems to be the more fanatical than the others in modern times. That, and he'd probably have called jihad on the others and murdered them with his slipper.

I suppose if the Buddhist was a shaolin monk then the Muslim's face would've been rearranged but other than that Muslim intolerance would win out.

But the Muslim and the Jew would probably be the first to come to blows. Then the Muslim and the Christian, particularly if the Christian in question was a Catholic.

Hindu guy just sits there with popcorn after decorating the house with ornaments of his gods. Maybe feeds Ganesh a peanut every now and then, but other than that, he'll be laughing at the other god-warriors for being such fuckwits.

[olli]

murdered them with his slipper... hahahaha. Ash I am working in the library, in a silent study area and that just made me burst out laughing! People are staring at me for breaking the silence ...

It kind of reminds me of that video of the Iraqi reporter launching his shoes at Bush. That is one of the funniest things I have see. A reporter throwing shoes at a president. Makes me laugh hard every time!

[Vortigern]

Story time! Not a very good story, but a story nonetheless. Like, a week after that shoe-throwing incident in Iraq I was waiting for a friend at St. Pancras station when Gordon Brown comes walking past amid a throng of press and politicians, and my first thought was "Throw a shoe at him!" Sadly, I was wearing army boots at the time and by the time the laces were halfway undone he was already on his train. I could have been a national icon! Begun a whole new wave of shoe-throwing. But alas, the opportunity passed me by. Anyway, that's that.

You know what would make that reality show way more interesting? If the atheist was a trained assassin and the christian was given crusader armour. Give them all the necessary tools to kill the fuck out of each other.

[Ash]

My respect for you has plummeted for not throwing something at the incompetent Scottish cunt.

[Vortigern]

My wrath was also held in check by the presence of several bodyguard-types and more than a few police. I don't think my friends would have been best pleased had I missed out on taking them around London (I'm the only one that knows London, they're all from distant parts) because I was in prison for shoeing the Prime Minister. Also, I didn't have any change.

[Archon]

What do you think about those people who stand on street corners telling everyone to repent? Handing out leaflets saying we are going to hell unless we accept Jesus into our lives?

It's been a while since I looked at this thread. Actually, I consider these people harmless but ineffective. Hell is an existence without God, without anything good or beneficial. The "lake of fire" mentioned in the Bible is a metaphor - the book of Revelation is full of metaphors anyway. Since everyone, at some point, has committed a wrong, they are destined for that existence without God, which is the most terrible punishment anyone could ever receive.

I believe hell is very real. However, I resent the people who use that as a tool to "scare" people into becoming Christian. It never works, and hardens people against God.

That's my interpretation of Scripture. I don't have all the answers, and I'm not trying to pretend I do. But that's my take on it.

[Ash]

By your logic we're already in Hell. After all, this is an existence without God...and that's the best slant I can put on your idea of God. If I were to be more brutal I'd say he's a tad malevolent and he loves to screw with people's heads.

[Allathar]

So, Archon, what about good people who don't believe in God? Do they also burn in hell for eternity?