I just got into it with a piece-o-@#%$ Christian #$%# today.

[Bignate603]

Hey, I'm mormon and sooner or later I'll probably be knocking on doors for two years on a mission. I probably won't end up inside the US because I speak spanish a bit so I'll be shot somewhere else but it's still the same. I know a little about the way my church approaches people and it's alot less than calling you a sinner but still be decent to somebody. At worst walk away. I think it's a little rude to do anything more than ask if you want to know anything about what they believe but politeness is key almost everywhere. I know my church just asks if you want to know more, if you don't we say goodbye, no questions asked and no judgement given. It's your life, you choose how you live it.

 

[przero]

WW - Maybe he really wants someone to share the "gospel" with him.

 

[Lucky]

Bignate603-

I applaud you. I lived in Utah for about 2 years...ironically, it was for a reform school in provo. I've never found mormans as a group to be the most tolerant group, but I always have respected how they conduct their "preaching", at least from what I've seen and experienced. If its how its conducted nationwide (and worldwide), it should be a model.

 

[yasha]

Wombat Woman I've been on here a short time but have always found you to be an intersting person until what you just said. it's one thing to agree/disagree and so on, but I have never found the need to call anyone a troll in here. I'm somewhat disappointed in you. I thought you to be a cool person. Ah well...

 

[eakers]

i still dont understand.

why were you so angry? the man was thought he was helping you.

i dont understand why people carry so much anger, just tell him to leave you alone and walk away.

i find that a lot of people are always "oh you are forcing your religion on me, dont you know there is no god?" well you know what? you are forcing atheism on me. i dont see how something that encourages people to do good things and be social can be considered a bad thing. if they arent doing anything to hurt anybody than who cares?

just because i dont belong to any organized religion doesnt mean that i cant respect them. i dont understand why others cant simply do the same.

*kat. <-- crazy hippie.

 

[Lucky]

&quot;you are forcing atheism on me&quot;


lol, explain that a little, your logic is a bit lacking. how does keeping to myself about my beliefs (or non beliefs) force anything on you?

i dont see how something that encourages people to do good things and be social can be considered a bad thing. if they arent doing anything to hurt anybody than who cares?

What you dont understand, is that part of this, for some people, is that they dont see it that way!!! Why dont poeople comprehend that not everyone considers christianity (or any religion) harmless? That not everyone considers christianity (or any religion) as doing good things?

im not in any way saying i believe this, but I guess I dont understand why people dont get this point.

 

[WombatWoman]

<< Wombat Woman I've been on here a short time but have always found you to be an intersting person until what you just said. it's one thing to agree/disagree and so on, but I have never found the need to call anyone a troll in here. I'm somewhat disappointed in you. I thought you to be a cool person. Ah well... >>


yasha, I don't routinely insult people. I called you a troll because you have displayed a belligerent, cocky attitude in most of your posts in this thread. If you wanted a serious discussion of the manner in which some Christians proselytize, you would scarcely have chosen the title &quot;I just got into it with a piece-o-@#%$ Christian #$%# today.&quot; That is nothing but flame-bait. Posting with the sole intent of riling people is trolling (in the old-fashioned usenet sense of the word.)

 

[yasha]

Wombat Women> Sometimes it's not bad to have a so called &quot;Cocky&quot; attitude. Also, I never asked for a discussion. I simply told you about my encounter. The discussion was started by other users. I understand why you thought you had to call me a troll but I do disagree with your reasoning. I don't hold a gruge over you and I still think you're an interesting person. I would like to say just one more time that I did not ask for a discussion! Also, we can all post nice happy go lucky posts and share the same attitudes as the masses.

Ok, that's all.

Peace

 

[RossGr]

Yasha, you never have given us more details on your background. Where are you from? What is your religon. Jewish? Islam? I am curious, and it always helps to understand if have some background. Don't mean to be nosey, just trying to understand your postion.

 

[glenn1]

<< I would like to say just one more time that I did not ask for a discussion! >>



Discussion:

dis-sus-sion (di-'sk&amp;-sh&amp;n)

1 : consideration of a question in open and usually informal debate

Sounds like you're a little bit late in asserting that you don't want a discussion, especially when you so so in a post that is the 131st response in this thread...

 

[yasha]

RossGR> Perhaps you and I can talk about it through PMs because as I stated, I simply told of my encounter and did not ask to start a discussion. I feel if I post my personal background in here, this thread will get even more heated and even more off topic.

Thanks

 

[WombatWoman]

<< I never asked for a discussion. I simply told you about my encounter. >>



Why would anyone start a thread if they did not want others to comment upon it? If you did not want the matter discussed, you could have spoken your piece, and entitled the thread MODS, LOCK THIS.

 

[yasha]

glenn1> Noted.

 

[yasha]

Comment is one thing but what turned into a discussion was very different. As I said, you're one of the users that I like reading threads on but I think it wasn't very fair to call me a troll for being cocky. I've said all that can be said and now this thread has gone very off topic. As I already said Wombat Woman, I don't hold anger over what you called me but I think you were wrong to do so.

 

[Pennstate]

Hey, I'm mormon and sooner or later I'll probably be knocking on doors for two years on a mission. I probably won't end up inside the US because I speak spanish a bit so I'll be shot somewhere else but it's still the same. I know a little about the way my church approaches people and it's alot less than calling you a sinner but still be decent to somebody.

I admire the way the mormons preach. The difference between the evangelical (not all but many) approach is that Mormons preach by saying &quot;Look at us as a whole, we have fewer problems associated with drugs, violence, teen pregnacies, and we have success rasing our kids&quot; and they have something to show for it. Most Mormon families do seem less dysfunctional than average. NO wonder they have the highest conversion rate of all religions.

Where as MANY evangelicals preach by first saying &quot;Look at you, you are a sinner, you will rot in hell, and the devil is in you&quot;; acting as if they're God's left hand. But they do not see the vast imperfection that they possess. THe Bible Belt states have a much higher teenage pregnacy rate and a much higher divorce rate than the national average. The mere facts of those two statistics weakens the arguments made by the evangelicals. Furthermore, many tele-evangelists turned out to be driven by greed, and have a much more promiscuous lifestyle (secretly). Unlike Mormons, they just do not have the &quot;results&quot; to back up their message.

For the record, I am not an atheist, I am an Episcopalian.


/edit

Furthermore, the Mormon missionaries stop preaching once you tell them that you are Christian. THis is not true for MANY Evangelicals, who consider their &quot;brand&quot; (for the lack of a better word) of Christianity is superior and consider Catholics and Mormons as tainted by the devil.

 

[przero]

Discussion over?

 

[eakers]

<< &quot;you are forcing atheism on me&quot; >>



<< lol, explain that a little, your logic is a bit lacking. how does keeping to myself about my beliefs (or non beliefs) force anything on you? >>



no not you but the others who attack anyone who say that they believe in something.



<< What you dont understand, is that part of this, for some people, is that they dont see it that way!!! Why dont poeople comprehend that not everyone considers christianity (or any religion) harmless? That not everyone considers christianity (or any religion) as doing good things? >>


explain to me how someone else practicing a religion hurts you.

for me this isnt about god or no god, jesus or no jesus, its about respecting others and not being jerks to people for the reason that they practice a religion or that they wish to tell people about their religion. they should have just as much right to spread the word of god or of buddah or of whoever they like as much as you have to spread the word of no god. if its not hurting anyone who cares. and yes i realize you could argue that it hurts children forcing them into religion but honestly i dont buy that as when children reach a certain age they usually question their own religion.

the guy had no right to say that thing about the sinner because that was disrespectful if you believe in god and sins, if not then why should it matter right?

just have some respect. its not hard.

*kat. <-- going to bed now.

 

[yasha]

Respect is a two way street. He had no respect in how he aproached me!

This is getting to be very boring.

 

[Freejack2]

If someone starts in with you just inform them your happy with your current religion and you feel no need to change. If they continue after that repeat your statement then walk away. If they continue to follow you clearly repeat your statement. If at this point they do not leave, go somewhere they cant such as your car, or pull out your cell phone (or go to a phone) and call the police.
I had I think Jehovah's witnesses at my door when I moved here last year. I politely informed them I was happy with my current religion and had no intention of ever changing it. They gave me a pamphlet and left. They haven't been back since.

 

[yasha]

Freejack2> That is good advice FOR HERE. You did not see the look in that crazy guy's face and the tone with which he spoke! Live, in person encounters are very diffirent from the ones in this sterile environment.

 

[dcdomain]

Very very entertaining thread. Although I'm atheist, I have respect for 'hardcore' religious people. People who can put so much time and faith in a religion. I however really really dislike people who try to push their religion on you. And the guy in that car I believe counts as one of them.

Anyhow, although I'm an atheist, I'm big on ethics, and religion to me is really nothing more than ethics on a higher level associated with something beyond me. Heck I even enjoy watching preachers on television sometimes. The really good ones are terrific, and they hardly ever mention God. What they preach are ethics, and I really enjoy listening to them.

Anyway, here's an interesting dialogue I read somewhere.
Twitch: You never had any doubts?
Sam: Doubts? Yeah I had lotsa doubts. All the time. But that's when they give you the G.C.A. 
Twitch: G.C.A.?
Sam: Yeah. The Great Cosmic Alibi. The &quot;mysterious ways&quot; excuse. Like, I'd ask if there's a God, then how come he let my dog die?
How come my cousin Ralphie's gotta walk with crutches? That kinda thing. Every time, they'd give you the same answer.
&quot;He moves in mysterious ways.&quot; What a scam, huh? Imagine trying that in front of a Muni Judge. &quot;How does the defendant plead?&quot;
&quot;Mysterious ways,&quot; your Honor. It's the ultimate get outta jail free card.
Twitch: I always thought Christianity was a pretty vulgar concept. Utterly irrational, two steps removed from voodoo. All emotion, no reason.
But in the last few days, I realized what really bothers me, what really makes me uneasy about it.
Sam: Which is? 
Twitch: I could never believe in a God who would sacrifice his own son.
Sam: Mysterious ways, my friend. Mysterious ways. 
Twitch: All-knowing, all-powerful, yet he lets some self righteous peasants nail his kid to a tree.
I tell you, if I were God, I'd let the whole of humanity rot before I'd let them harm a hair on my child's head.
I could never respect a God who wouldn't do the same.

 

[yasha]

Well, I guess I'm not getting that apology from the one person that owes me one. Perhaps I'm not the only &quot;cocky&quot; person in the forum

 

[przero]

To his question - &quot;Are you saved?&quot; the correct response would have been &quot;No.&quot;
To his statement - &quot;You look like a sinner.&quot; The correct response would have been &quot;Sir, we all are.&quot;
Now suppose his beliefs are correct.And just suppose by listening to him you changed your mind. And just suppose that changewhat what you have searched for all your life. Would it have been worth a couple of minutes.Just a question. Not for a minute imposing my beliefs.

 

[Quaggoth]

DCDOMAIN

He sacrificed his only &quot;begotten&quot; son, to !!!SAVE!!! all the rest of his children. Read the book. It sounds as if you have made an illinformed decision. Have a good day.

 

[Quaggoth]

>>&quot;you are forcing atheism on me&quot;

>>lol, explain that a little, your logic is a bit lacking. how does keeping to myself about my beliefs (or >>non beliefs) force anything on you?


You can't just take something out of context and use it for ammo dude. What was being said was that saying &quot;oh you are forcing your religion on me, dont you know there is no god?&quot;, was forcing athiesm on someone, and it is. You are correct however, that keeping to yourself about your beliefs (or non beliefs) forces nothing on anyone. The problem is you took the comment personaly.