Christians: We Arent Trying To Condemn Anyone

/sigh. Here's what I wish.

I wish that everyone was truly free to do what they liked. If they like Christianity, then they should be free to worship as they please. If they like Buddhism, they should be free to worship as they please. If they like Wicca they should be free to worship as they please. If they like any X religion, they should be free to worship as they please. If they like no religion, they should be free to not worship as they don't please.

And people should be evolved enough to really not give a rip roaring hoot what other folks do or don't please. In other words, if I am Christian and Zahrah is Wiccan, I should NOT be free to go running up to Zahrah and call her a hell-cat barbarian and smack her upside the head with a recipe book. And if I am atheist and Flavin is Muslim, Flavin should NOT be free to run up to me and tell me I'm going to hell and smack me upside the head with an alarm clock. And likewise, no atheist should really be bashing religious people upside the head with x-objects and bellowing at them, either.

Honestly. Live your life. If you don't like how Joe Schmoe down the road lives his life, who gives a rat's tail? Joe Schmoe isn't you. Now if Joe Schmoe is trying to force you to see things his way, then that leads to a problem and Joe Schmoe should probably treat you with the same dignity and respect as you treat him with. That is, you and Joe Schmoe should agree to disagree and move on to more important things, like saving starving children in Bosnia or whatnot.

I don't have any problem with anyone being any religion. I do have a problem with people trying to make other people follow their religion. But the world doesn't really care what I do or don't have problems with, so....

Agree 100% but...we dont live in a perfect world, and there's always going to be someone who complains about religion, whether for it or against it.

:-( I complain about it too when I am crabby. (Like on the very first page of this thread.) I need to be smacked upside the head with an alarm clock sometimes. But I'm working on it! Be the change you wish to see in the world, right? ^^

If someone tries to ram their religious view down my throat I leave them wishing they hadn`t, but for the most part I dont really care about it.

When I see an article about some silly catholic or an equally silly atheist doing something HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE I just have a giggle about it and move on, they`re just as stupid as each other.

Edit: I couldn't care less where I came from, or where I'm going when I'm dead, I just care about the middle bit.

I think the majority of vocal atheists in the thread are being the change they wish to see.

If no one else, I think Jet would be the other atheist here who clearly wants to tear religion from its pedestal by showing it's not immune to ridicule, a goal that which I heartily share.

Religion is a ludicrous thing, and should be treated as such. As such, I will ridicule it.

Oh look, you found a way to feel smugly superior to everyone. That's productive.

How so?

once again I'll have to quote Pat Condell in saying "aggressive atheism is really defensive atheism, because there is nothing stronger than political religion right now"

Well if God is a being with infinite power, knowledge and options and he chooses to deal with things one way... Wouldn't you think that was the right chouce then even if you couldn't understand it? Even if it made no sense to you? I know you don't believe in God or an omnipotent being but say for a moment, just pretend a little, that there is such a being. He was all knowing, all powerful and creator of everythign in existence. Would he not be able to sift through the vast amount of choices he has and be able pick the one that suits the best. I mean he is all knowing...

I don't pretend to know what an omnipotent being thinks or why he acts the way he does. You might see that as a cop out but really if there was such a being he would certainly know more than you or I and wouldn't you think he'd make the best decision for the desired outcome?

You also talk about how he could make better choices on what to do with us. What would you have him do? Would you like for God to intervene in your every day life and stop you from scraping your knee and getting embarrassed or only step in to cure cancer and prevent wars? Would you like him to meddle in your every day life leaving you to do as he tells you so that you would not worry? Would you abide by his rules if he promised you a perfect life?

You talk of a cosmic eternity and I won't argue that the time fram on that far exceeds our life span. But with our life span so tiny in comparison don't you think its kind of cruel to take away what little time we have because well society deems your actions unforgiveable. How about when we execute or imprison the innocent? I figure with an infinte amount of time there's always a chance for things to change while in your line of thinking once you're dead you're gone and well that's that. I personally don't like the thought of eternal damnation or non existence.

As for the gendercide taking place in (predominantly) India and China I really don't see how you link that to religion. I Could be wrong but just thinking about it you don't see that happening in other countries where the same religions flourish. Do the Hindu in the states or britain kill their daughters at infancy because they are girls? Is this what they faith teaches and tells them to do? From what little I read on the subject today I didn't see a correlation between faith and the gendercide. It seems to be more of a societal demand in that parents want a son to look after them when they are older or that men are looked at as the providers as well as issues with dowries. I'm not really sure how you mixed religion in there.

First off from what I understand that's mainly a Catholic thing. I'm pretty sure there are women preeching for different sects in christianity. I'm told by some that Men dominate society in general and hear about cases of discrimination and such where they don't feel they are treated as equals in the work place or that they don't make as much as men. I've seen arguments on these boards about it. Is that the fault of religion as well? You tend to take things and try to put the blame solely on faith. These are not only problems in the faith but societal issues as well. I can't really argue with you on women being more involved in the church. Quite frankly I think they should be. Our own military doesn't really want women to take part in combat.

Do you guys support freedom of religion?

Except that Australia freely elected an atheist prime minister, but here in America admitting atheism is political suicide.

Sorry, I'm a day late and 17 pages behind, but I thought this needed to be said.

And have you been following the unfortunate growth of Christian fundamentalist media attention from Australia in the last 8-12 months? :|

It's like they're trying to regress the damn place.

I'm merely addressing the comment that Australia and America "aren't that different", when clearly they are if an atheist can be elected into any office, let alone prime minister.

I'll concede it was a stupidly said comment and that I should have phrased it better.

"When it comes down the crazy hypocritical fundies, Australia and America aren't that different at all, if you follow these things."

Would you expect any less from religion? As much as society moves forward, religion is always trying to pull it back to the dark ages.

an omnipotent being cannot exist

nor can an all knowing being exist while free will exists...

as for society, considering societies have been dominated by religions that oppress women for a very long time, yes you can blame religion for it.

or rather what religion has allowed, and religion is allowed based upon the acceptance of the illogical.

which brings up back to why is it that people (who are typically reasonable) are so unreasonable when it comes to this subject, I'll take a stab at it and just say people are weak and are afraid of death...

as for freedom of religion, only when freedom from religion takes precedence and policies aren't made/influenced by illogical nonsense.

I've just gone on the assumption that people feel this need to be significant in our world, people need to know something is greater controlling things and humans are their favorite things.

Peoples lives have to have some profound meaning, the life of other things is just trivial.

Only the omnipitent being named Jetackuu! Is the theme of atheism to blame everything on theism and then do nothing to really change anything? I mean some of you pretty much came out last night and said that you're all smarter than people that have faith and yet you go right around and talk about how persecuted you are and how evil theology is.

I think it Was X or Spath that suggested education and improved economy would improve things. I can't argue with that. Is there a movement within the atheist community to better our public school systems and improve our economy? What is your community doing to become the top dog and lead us in to the golden age that you see atheism as bringing to our world?

So are atheists the sole reason that any society has moved forward?

People will use whatever it takes to feel superior to other people.

Being an Atheist it's pretty easy to be like "OMG you believe in God? HAHAH You must be HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE".

When believing in God doesn't have anything to do with intelligence.

Never, Leila! Never! I can't live the button-down life like you! I want it all! The terrifying lows, the dizzying highs, the creeeaaamy middles! Sure, I might offend a few of the blue-noses with my cocky stride. Oh, I'll never be the darling of the so-called "FFXIAH Politics/Religion threads" who cluck their tongues, stroke their beards, and talk about, "What's to be done with this Zahrah?!?"

Sorry. Backread, and thought that this thread needed more cartoon clips...

Lol. Someone decided to miss ALL the points!

It's laughable that you claim that all beliefs are equally valid.

Crime and Religion go hand in hand. As long as Poverty exists, so shall they.

I didn't read any of this thread aside from the title being that it's a religion thread on FFXIAH (which you know..... 1) troll OP topic > 2) 4 people on both sides repeating propaganda from their camps 3) circular posts continue for 20 pages).

However, I am Christian and I condemn every last one of you. Not just the non-religious and sinners. All of you.

What about our love, Ashman?!

well I had a long thing typed out but my page moved and it's gone...


basically Flavin I don't like your tone, and I've thought about being an educator but for a different reason. You bring a good point though, I'll give it some thought.


Shiroi: I've never claimed any god doesn't exist, just that a being cannot be omnipotent, which if you understand logic you'd know this.


Also atheism isn't an ideology, but nice try.


wishing for people to think critically instead of clinging to insane *** isn't as bad as spreading insane ***.


Jesi: It has nothing to do with "feeling superior" I ridicule people for a lot of things because it needs to be ridiculed, not because I want to inflate my ego.

as for the last part of yours: believing in things without a basis for said belief is illogical and typically shows a lack of cognitive reasoning ability. ie: linked to intelligence/education.

B...B...But all I ever do is love you, Ashman! Why have you forsaken me so?

/falls to knees and sobs

I'd like to know how somebody who uses critical reasoning is considered to be in a "camp"...

also I fear not your nor your "god"