A Question for the Religious Types

[Asmodean]

Oh yeah....and Slowwhand:

Just because I am not religious doesn't mean that I have no experience with religion.

Would be hard to avoid with my grandfather being a priest and all.................

Asmodean

[SlowwHand]

Originally posted by Asmodean
So you never make assumptions, Slowwhand?

I didn't include any other religions, because they were not relevant to the point i wanted to make.

Please don't try to lecture me on methods.

For the record, I meant no disrespect to any religions, but I have to write based on me experience, and since I have never actually met a Jew, and know next to nothing about their attitudes towards gay people, I felt that it would be wrong to include Judaism in my post. Same goes for islamic.

Asmodean

I mean, I wouldn't propose to know issues relevant to Gays, so I wouldn't be arrogant enough to speak on their views.

You, as a non-religious person, are blathering your opinion, which is based on nothing.

[SlowwHand]

Oh, and Asmodean.
My brother is a mechanic.
I don't know ****fromshineola about repairing a car's engine these days.

Very similar to your situation, isn't it?

[Asmodean]

Originally posted by SlowwHand


I mean, I wouldn't propose to know issues relevant to Gays, so I wouldn't be arrogant enough to speak on their views.

You, as a non-religious person, are blathering your opinion, which is based on nothing.

Well it is based on the fact that I don't like people telling what is right and wrong, except when they can point it out in the laws of my country.

Asmodean

[Asher]

Originally posted by Agathon
A lot of typing would be saved if you would grow up and realise that typing "**** you!" when other people are trying to politely discuss their views, even if it offends you, is a despicable way to behave and no way to conduct a reasonable discussion.

There was no reasonable discussion to begin with when somebody degrades you to the point of being someone purely after lust rather than love, casually.

That is infinitely more offensive than a generic "**** you" in response to that comment. Any sane person could realize that, a philosopher would struggle with it for years.

A "**** you" is a succinct and accurate way to express my opinion of someone.

There is no way to reasonably hold a debate with pigheaded bigots who play it off "politely" and "casually". If you were really any kind of intellectual you would be able to discern why it's still just offensive for him to say what he did as saying "all them homofags are after is sex, sex, sex". That's the exact same thing as he said, but put bluntly. They are both equally offensive. The fact that he put it politely and subtly doesn't mean jack **** unless you're a superficial reader, like you apparently are.

And I don't see how a "**** you" in response to a grossly offensive comment is any less despicable than a gross negative generalization against a minority.

At least I have the balls to be blunt, rather than guise it.

[Agathon]

I suppose it's as offensive as having your religion belittled as believing in "Santa Claus, or Fairies, etc." If you knew anything about sincerely religious people you would understand.

For some reason I can't find a post in which Ben, or Lincoln resort to abuse. I guess the God thing must be working.

Strange that.....

[Ben Kenobi]

First remember that I'm talking about fundamentalism here. I have no way of knowing if you are one, or even if you accept the term.

Second, with no exception, the strongly religious people I have met were missionaries in some way or another.

To many I would be a liberal, to others, I would be a fundamentalist. The term has degenerated into whoever has a stricter biblical interpretation than you.

As for the missionary point, I don't have that calling, like the professionals, but my church does expect every member to be able to tell others about what they believe and why.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Jack_www


God did not create humans inperfect. The first 2 humans were perfect, but sin and pass that on to the rest of us. THat is why we have the problems we have and humans are imperfect, not because God decided to play games with humans.

You're kidding, right? Of course God decided to play games. This is exactly what I mean.

Let's look at the old Garden of Eden fairy tale, shall we? God creates us as perfect; then puts us in a quasi-paradisial garden in which he's placed a Forbidden Tree (why? WTF was the point of the forbidden tree?), then allows Satan to pop round (yes, "allows," since Mr All-Knowing All-Powerful, by definition must have known Satan was there and could have tossed him out), then let's Satan talk Eve into disobedience, then booms out: "Ha! It was all a set-up! You lose! No soup for you!"

WTF? Is God really this bored? This petty? This sadistic? Maybe the human invention you worship as God is, but not God.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi

. . . but my church does expect every member to be able to tell others about what they believe and why.

Ah -- so this is why your thoughts are screwed up -- you belong to that kind of church.

[Ben Kenobi]

Looks in dictionary.

Evangelical:

"emphasizing salvation by faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ through personal conversion, the authority of Scripture, and the importance of preaching as contrasted with ritual."

Yeah, that kind of church.

[Ben Kenobi]

WTF? Is God really this bored? This petty? This sadistic? Maybe the human invention you worship as God is, but not God.

He gives Adam a wife, a lush garden, lots of food, work to keep himself occupied. Heck, he even creates Adam from nothing. I don't call that sadistic.

Why the tree? Scripture does not answer that question. All we know is that God put a tree in the garden. And yes, God tests people. Consider what would have happened had Eve refused?

[Drake Tungsten]

A "**** you" is a succinct and accurate way to express my opinion of someone.

That, or a succinct and accurate statement of the lusty desires that reside deep in your love-less body.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Ben: We're all God's children, right? Okay...

I'm a parent. I give my daughter life, then give her a beautiful bedroom full of everything she could ever want. Then, in that bedroom, I place a chocolate chip cookie, and tell her "Honey, you can do whatever you want in this bedroom, but don't eat the cookie." Then, I allow Uncle Satan to enter the bedroom, even though I know that he's going to encourage my little girl to eat the cookie. And he does. And she does. And then I burst in and cry, "You ate the cookie! You must leave this beautiful bedroom forever! From now on you sleep in the basement, on the floor!"

Now, as a parent, do I seem like I'm wise and loving...or that I'm a petty, vindictive, sadistic monster? If you knew me, would you admire me...or call Social Services ASAP?

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm a parent. I give my daughter life,

Do you consider yourself more valuable, or equally valuable to your daughter?

The relationship between God and Adam, or between God and Eve will be quite different than that between you and your daughter.

God made us, therefore, he ought to be able to test his creations.

[Adam Smith]

Originally posted by Agathon
Sometimes badly as in the substitution of "In the beginning was the Word" for "en arche en ho logos".

How would you translate this? Any other examples which come to mind? (No troll - would just like to know for the sake of knowing.) thanks.