[moff_quigley]

OMGF, your argument (I hate Xtianity not Xtians) is the same that Christians use in regards to homosexuals. "Homosexuality is wrong and a sin. I hate sin, but I don't hate homosexual people." Is it not? Homosexuals say you can't seperate the two. (homosexuality and being homosexual)

Whether the person/people in question really are Christian or not can be up for debate. Christianity is more than a belief system it is something that one "becomes." So I can see why people say you can't seperate the two.

ps. I know homosexuality is not a belief system, but you get the idea right?

 

[fluff]

OMGF, your argument (I hate Xtianity not Xtians) is the same that Christians use in regards to homosexuals. "Homosexuality is wrong and a sin. I hate sin, but I don't hate homosexual people." Is it not? Homosexuals say you can't seperate the two. (homosexuality and being homosexual)

Whether the person/people in question really are Christian or not can be up for debate. Christianity is more than a belief system it is something that one "becomes." So I can see why people say you can't seperate the two.

ps. I know homosexuality is not a belief system, but you get the idea right?

Unless you see Christians as victims of Christianity also?

 

[Old Man G Funk]

OMGF, your argument (I hate Xtianity not Xtians) is the same that Christians use in regards to homosexuals. "Homosexuality is wrong and a sin. I hate sin, but I don't hate homosexual people." Is it not? Homosexuals say you can't seperate the two. (homosexuality and being homosexual)

Whether the person/people in question really are Christian or not can be up for debate. Christianity is more than a belief system it is something that one "becomes." So I can see why people say you can't seperate the two.

ps. I know homosexuality is not a belief system, but you get the idea right?

No, it's not the same. Homosexuality is better compared to ones eye color than the beliefs one holds. The Christian, in contrast, is not born as a Christian, but makes a positive decision to believe in the Christian view.

Should we use examples? I find them easier to deal with.

Example: I dislike Christianity because I dislike the god depicted in the Bible.

Am I denigrating Christians in this statement? No.

 

[moff_quigley]

Some of them/us most definitely are.

 

[moff_quigley]

No, it's not the same. Homosexuality is better compared to ones eye color than the beliefs one holds. The Christian, in contrast, is not born as a Christian, but makes a positive decision to believe in the Christian view.

Should we use examples? I find them easier to deal with.

Example: I dislike Christianity because I dislike the god depicted in the Bible.

Am I denigrating Christians in this statement? No.

Yeah, I understand that.

Meh. I do my best to avoid politics and religion on the intraweb. It's not worth the stress and aggravation. It's fun to read other folks get worked up about it though...not that I'm saying you , OMGF, are worked up about this. I don't think you are, yet anyway...

 

[Old Man G Funk]

Yeah, I understand that.

Meh. I do my best to avoid politics and religion on the intraweb. It's not worth the stress and aggravation. It's fun to read other folks get worked up about it though...not that I'm saying you , OMGF, are worked up about this. I don't think you are, yet anyway...

I'm not worked up. I just felt like defending myself against the personal attacks yesterday. I laughed through it all.

Thanks for the rational, level-headed discussion.

 

[N8 v2.0]

 

[Capt. Jack Sparrow]

OMGF. Dude, this thing really pisses me off "Xtians". 1) I think it is disrespectful, 2) Every time I see it I think of Scientology, TomKat, and Xenu the alien, it totally derails my train of thought....
While you may not blatantly attack Christians or their mythology, you seem to take a consistently antagonistic approach to them....

"Xtian" is a respectful and legitimate abbreviation, just like, "Xmas." Try not to take offense to things that aren't meant to be offensive. I don't know what you all were taught, but my Bible study in my church (not in my fed gov't building) taught me that "X" has been a symbol of Christ for centuries.

Here's a quote about the use of "X" to represent Christ/Christianity from Dennis Bratcher from the web site, The Voice: Biblical and Theological Resources for Growing Christians:

"The exact origin of the single letter X for Christ cannot be pinpointed with certainty. Some claim that it began in the first century AD along with the other symbols, but evidence is lacking. Others think that it came into widespread use by the thirteenth century along with many other abbreviations and symbols for Christianity and various Christian ideas that were popular in the Middle Ages. However, again, the evidence is sparse. In any case, by the fifteenth century Xmas emerged as a widely used symbol for Christmas."

 

[Ciaran]

I think religion will be straw that breaks humanities back. Christianity is a right behind Islam in terms of encouraging the self centered, intolerant behavior that imperils global society. You need it said any clearer than that?

I think human greed will be our downfall way before religion.

You anti-christians are as bad as the fundies sometimes.

For once I agree with N8! This thread is silly.

 

[DRB]

I think human greed will be our downfall way before religion.

You anti-christians are as bad as the fundies sometimes.

For once I agree with N8! This thread is silly.

Hey.... what happened to the first response you made. It was 10x times better.

 

[DirtyDog]

Quit yer whinin already!!! I used language appropriate to the topic at hand. You anti-christians are worse then the stupid fundies from the bible belt! "Oh no! Someones praying on government property! We better stop them!!!" ( Ciaran)

So people who complain about the fundamentalists are worse than the fundamentalists, who do things like try to stop HPV virus immunizations in the name of morality?

That's like saying people who didn't agree with Nazi policies and were vocal about them were actually worse than the Nazis themselves.

Your logic is like the Exxon Valdez. It needs a new captain.

 

[DirtyDog]

Please, bitch. Don't get all uppity on me just because I disagree with your opinion. I am normally more articulate than 70% of the people on here. And you know better than I that there are way, WAY stupider and less articulate posts in this forum than my own.

In my original post I used language and intelligence appropriate to the topic at hand.

Don't you have someone to oppress and moderate?

LOL that's some good stuff It's like an episode of the Real World.

 

[noname]

I always have seen "Xtians" on the internets used as a shorthand notation. I'm not sure why it is disrespectful, it is simply an abbreviation.

I was axtually being facetious, but in reallity I do find it interesting that someone who takes the time to carefully articulate his point of view while being considerate of his typing would see it necessary to shorthand just that word.

Now, please don't go down the road that those others have.

Why not? It's so well traveled.
As far as having disdain for someones religion and not them, I possess a slightly bifurcated view. On the one hand people who inculcate themselves to a religion define themselves primarily by it and it's teachings. Therefore contempt for their religion is contempt for the core structure of beliefs that makes them who they are.
Just look to the recent flap over the comics in Denmark and you can see my point.
Contrarily, I have a multitude of friends whos core beliefs are antipedean to mine own yet we get along just fine.
I don't come foward and directly attack any religion often because I usually can find some points within it that I share agreement with. Which is precisely the binding thread of what would be seamingly two irreconsilable views on the issue. ink:

 

[noname]

LOL that's some good stuff It's like an episode of the Real World.

The Real World 87: Ridemonkey

 

[formermtboarder]

As far as having disdain for someones religion and not them, I possess a slightly bifurcated view. On the one hand people who inculcate themselves to a religion define themselves primarily by it and it's teachings. Therefore contempt for their religion is contempt for the core structure of beliefs that makes them who they are.

To define what defines a person is not that easy, you can divide yourself into three diffrent "selfs;" Human Self-equates to instinct, and deep seeded animal instinct (brain stem activity). Authentic Self is who you are without anything else, the person buried deep within. Whether you think so or not this exist. And finally cultural self-what society has made us. Therefore you are referring to a cultural self, and how can you utterly define yourself by your culture? I think thats misguided judgement

 

[formermtboarder]

I think religion will be straw that breaks humanities back. Christianity is a right behind Islam in terms of encouraging the self centered, intolerant behavior that imperils global society. You need it said any clearer than that?

I think you may have typed the clearest, most direct, and accurate text in this entire thread.

PS. earlier it was said that Islam is the current attacker/destroyer (crusades was all christian bruhaha vs jew/islam, comes back to haunt eh?) in the name of religion, with fanatics galore. What about Ireland vs. N. Ireland? All amongst Christians I might add.

 

[noname]

To define what defines a person is not that easy, you can divide yourself into three diffrent "selfs;" Human Self-equates to instinct, and deep seeded animal instinct (brain stem activity). Authentic Self is who you are without anything else, the person buried deep within. Whether you think so or not this exist. And finally cultural self-what society has made us. Therefore you are referring to a cultural self, and how can you utterly define yourself by your culture? I think thats misguided judgement

what society has made you is what you are. It's that simple. The cultural moors that are embedded in you create the prism through which all judgements are made. They can't be separated from you. They are a part of you. You can change them but in so doing you will be changing who you are.
I see the world the way I do and react to situations the way I do because of my upbringing and the education I have pursued as well as how I choose to handle that knowledge. Were I raised in a different society with different values I would be a different person. I would not be me. Genetically I would be the same but my interests, passions, and dispositions would be different, so too would my means of processing information and the level of import I apply to it.
I think you are mildly misguided. But that's OK it's what the intrwebbynet is for.

 

[formermtboarder]

you cant change you

 

[Changleen]

you cant change you

You're changing all the time...

 

[Old Man G Funk]

Just look to the recent flap over the comics in Denmark and you can see my point.

But, surely you don't defend those actions, which gets back to my point that I should not be blamed if someone else makes illogical decisions.

 

[noname]

you cant change you

tell that to Madonna.......

 

[noname]

But, surely you don't defend those actions, which gets back to my point that I should not be blamed if someone else makes illogical decisions.

I'm not defending their actions, just using their behaviour to elucidate my point of people taking offenses aimed at their religion personally as they consider themselves part of that religion.

 

[Old Man G Funk]

I'm not defending their actions, just using their behaviour to elucidate my point of people taking offenses aimed at their religion personally as they consider themselves part of that religion.

That's fine, but it doesn't mean that I have to stop criticizing it.

Edit: When warranted of course.