Iraqi Christians finding sanctuary in Syria

[BaliBabyDoc]

Originally posted by: Corn
Of course Christianity isn't the only target at this forum--as exemplified by the above posts. Does mocking = brutal harassment? Maybe not the act itself, but [Fixx mode] one thing leads to another.[/]

I speak as someone who was forced to participate in Christianity (church twice on Sunday, once on Wednesday night, and sent to a Christian junior and high school) and have rejected it on a personal level, however, I have great respect for the devout who are pure of heart. I also respect the various institutions of religion for they must offer something of value to survive even to the point of thriving - regardless of the evil that men do in their name.

This respect that I have either prohibits me from speaking ill of the institution itself and mocking the people who profess their faith, or shames me when I do.

BBD, Osorum, and Astaroth all have something in common. Sorry fellas, but that is just one man's opinion.

So just b/c you are clueless about Christianity (despite high degree of exposure) I'm suppose to pretend offending your sensibilities is worthy of concern. Jesus was killed for telling the truth about the self righteous leadership of his religion. In fact he called them out by saying THEY were not the leadership . . . the power lay with the Father and him alone. Jesus not only highlighted their hypcrisy he offered a way to Truth that did not depend on the edicts and musings of the authorities.

You have my condolences for spending 16+ yrs with Christianity and choosing to reject it on a personal level. I for one did not reject the teachings of Christ . . . I've rejected the people that clearly learned nothing from those teachings but wear the label on their sleeve. I eat up the writings of
Stanley Hauerwas. I even attended a rather cultish church during my college years. I left b/c those people were almost TOO Christian. In retrospect, they get the message and they live the message. I have absolutely nothing but the utmost respect for them. I wouldn't let Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Louis Farrakhan, or Moqtadr al Sadr lick my toe jam.

In South Korea, Christianity has taken hold and many good Christians live there. Buddhism is a more traditional religion and many good Buddhists live there. When I say a Buddhist monk driving a Mercedes is the antithesis to the faith . . . that's not a sign of disrespect for the religion. When I say the Sunday televangelist that advocates invading Iraq but has nary a word in his sermon for intervention in Liberia, China, Cote de Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, or Sudan . . . that's not a sign of disrespct for the faith. I'm holding them to the standards of the faith.

If George Bush REALLY believes the Lord wanted him to invade Iraq . . . that's not an evil of Christianity . . . it's the evil (and idiocy) of a weak man. I'm not saying Bush is evil but his act was evil. You cannot kill in the name of good . . . according to Christ.

Kerry is accused of being a bad Catholic b/c he supports abortion rights. I'm inclined to agree. But some alleged Christians have lined up to extol the virtues of Bush, the Impaler by JDAM. Evil is evil.

 

[busmaster11]

Originally posted by: Crimson

Originally posted by: Zephyr106
So bashing certain beliefs of Christianity, or how certain individuals use their Christian faith, is bashing the religion? Just like criticizing policies of Bush is "political hate speech."

I guess you are full of hatred because you don't like terrorists, who fight in the name of Islam. You bash their religion with your bigotted comments.

Or maybe you just think you're a victim, oppressed because of your religious beliefs- try growing a spine. A Christian oppressed in America, hahahaha. Your whining diminishes the real struggles of those around the world who are persecuted for their faith.

Zephyr

Many posters in this forum go WAY beyond 'bashing certain beliefs'.. I do remember one thread which actually said the death of the Pope would be a good thing (This was back when stories of his being near death were in the news)..

I don't see how even fundamentalist christians in the United States are even REMOTELY comparible to muslim terrorists.. If you have trouble seeing that distinction I am not sure I can even have a discussion with you. Besides, the Christian hate in this forum goes way beyond just the fundamentalists..

Finally, where ANYWHERE in my post did I even claim to be a Christian? Or a victim? Or did I say Christians were oppressed in this country? PLEASE quote it.. because it simply DID NOT OCCUR. My comments were very specific.. You apparently did not read past the 2nd word of my post in which I said 'This FORUM...'

Try again..

I don't know if you are a Christian or not, but your interests seem to be in line with the demographic who identifies themselves with Christianity in this country. I'll bite - and volunteer the fact that I am a Christian - and it is singularly important to me. But since I feel that that demographic has supported actions that are ironically diametrically opposed to what Jesus would do, I too, would like to see bush ousted.

The only thing keeping "fundie" Christians here from being as distructive as fundie Muslims in other cuntries is checks and balances, opposing perspectives, the law, and the media. As you have been reminded, this has not always been the case, and you only need to pop open a history book to see the massacre that Christians have caused - the greatest number of deaths were supposedly in the name of Christ.

Christ can stand on His own - those who feel the burden to defend Him will do so, and He will be glorified now and in the end. Your calling someone a supposed hypocrite for not raising up similiar complaints is pointless because he's doing it not out of the love of God, but to prove a point - a point which is valid on its own.

And by the way. I don't know that the pope is a Christian.

 

[Corn]

And by the way. I don't know that the pope is a Christian.

You, my friend, are asking for a schittstorm.

 

[Rainsford]

I don't know many people saw "Saved". Not too bad a movie for having Mandy Moore in it. Anyways, it ends with the line "What WOULD Jesus do? It's a pretty good question, when you think about it."

I think a disturbingly large number of religious people don't have the slightest clue what their savior of choice would do. I won't assume that about every religious person I meet, I know many who are just fine. But if I'm directing "hatred" at you, chances are it's because you have shown yourself to be a follower of Jesus, Allah, whatever, in name only.

And just to make it clear. "Bashing" is not the same as disagreeing. There seem to be some Christians on this board who, when anyone disagrees with their religious beliefs, cry "hater" and hide behind "so why do you hate all Christians?" Please stop, you are killing intelligent discussion.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Originally posted by: Corn

And by the way. I don't know that the pope is a Christian.

You, my friend, are asking for a schittstorm.

Well, let's be honest. Despite being the first church of Christ, Catholicism sure did make up a bunch of rules for a religion arguably based on the tenet that you did not need a bunch of rules to follow the Word.

Indeed, it is a tad inflammatory to say the Pope is not Christian but that's not a radical belief in some churches I've attended from FL to NC. Clearly, the Pope is a great man of faith and rightfully deserves accolades for his service to the Cause. But you would be hard pressed to find any utterance of Jesus endorsing a single monolithic authority for the Word who is selected every few decades or so by Church leadership. That sounds like replacing the hereditary BS of Judaism with pseudo-oligarchy.

 

[Crimson]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: Corn

Originally posted by: Crimson
This forum is FILLED with Christian hatred.. you don't seem to complain about that? As a matter of fact, many lefties seem to CONDONE it here and bash Christianity at every possible point. Why do you have a problem when its in Iraq? Because it fits your Bush hate agenda?

We....have....a....winner! Love that post Crimson.

People don't have a problem iwth Iraq because they hate Bush, they have a problem with Iraq because we were misled into supporting the invasion and occupation based on misconceptions, faulty intel and alleged lies!

As for Christian Bashing, it's mainly the Funda Mental Case Christians who want to impose their beliefs on others who get bashed....which put's them in the same league as the Fund a Mental Case Muslims. Fortunately the Fundies here in America don't wield the same influence as the Fundies in the ME because if they did, being an Atheist would be a criminal offence and being a Homosexual would probably get you stoned.

How is that any different from non-fundies forcing Abortion on people, forcing gay marriage on people, etc? Isn't non-religion also a religion?

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: Crimson

How is that any different from non-fundies forcing Abortion on people, forcing gay marriage on people, etc? Isn't non-religion also a religion?

Nobody forces anybody to get an abortion and nobody forces people to marry others of the same sex.

 

[Todd33]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: Crimson

How is that any different from non-fundies forcing Abortion on people, forcing gay marriage on people, etc? Isn't non-religion also a religion?

Nobody forces anybody to get an abortion and nobody forces people to marry others of the same sex.

LOL, I was just thinking that. What a lame arguement.