I was wondering if you could elaborate about this part, I don't understand this part of your post. Are you refering to the attitudes of the 'believers', or is that an actual type of evangelizing? Just curious.
Thanks
It brings in a little about what I was going to say to Photon but when you take a religious group of people, they are what they are, they consider what they believe is what makes them who they are. So whenever someone decides to post some propaganda or just a flat out news article on how religion is falling like the sky then you can't expect everyone it directly effects to not respond. I have no issue with freedom of belief but in the confines of respect for everyones choice in life.
The annoyance is not so much the topic but the repeated use of it on a weekly basis, you have your cast of characters, a new story to put a twist on the same thing, put a nice new label on it aka thread title and you have the same thing over again. When all along you just had to go to page 2 to last week's 'religion needs to be removed thread' and post it there.
I'm not sayin' I'm just sayin'.
Pfft. So how in the world do you manage to enjoy any forum that has any common interest? FOI forum: every week a different trade rumour, make fun of Edmonton, trade this guy, bring back that guy.
This is an off topic forum. Anything goes. Threads that people are interested in stay on the first page. I don't click in any of the draft threads, not my interest. I don't click TV show threads. Not my interest.
If you don't like what's being discussed, don't f'ing read it. This is not an epiphany. Humans have had this power since books were invented. If you don't like what you're reading close the book. In e-speak, it's called: click the box.
I, for one, do enjoy the articles that are posted (weekly?) that illustrate the slow, but sure decline of religion. I revel in it. Clearly other here do as well. Even more clearly, it ruffles your feathers... Go find a religious forum where nobody talks about the stuff you don't wanna hear about if your finger is so weak that you can't click your way out of this thread.
Seriously, man. Beat it. Go find a thread you like.
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I have no issue with freedom of belief but in the confines of respect for everyones choice in life.
How do you define respect for choice in life?
Do you define it as respecting their right to practice (the right to practice being prescribed by my duty to let them practice)?
Do you define respect as not criticizing everyone's choice in life at all? That can't be it either because half the sermons are implicit criticisms about behaviour to try to modify it in some way.
So how do you define respect, in terms of rights and duties?
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
Do you define it as respecting their right to practice (the right to practice being prescribed by my duty to let them practice)?
Do you define respect as not criticizing everyone's choice in life at all? That can't be it either because half the sermons are implicit criticisms about behaviour to try to modify it in some way.
So how do you define respect, in terms of rights and duties?
Well put it this way, your not religious because you choose to move away from that lifestyle, I have no issue and respect your decision because my assumption is you have found good reason. I expect the same of you with my belief in religion even though it isn't your cup of tea. That's about it. Usually it comes down to a lack of understanding so why piss and moan about who believes in what. It's when a thread for example shows no class, that's when it sucks.
No it doesn't, I just find the numerous threads to be like every newspaper that says danger: swine flu it kills. It's a hype machine.
as for taking a hike, lay off, if it's supposed to be a free forum for all then everyone is entitled to an opinion or quip or whatever the hell they want to write just use common sense and try not be offensive.
What do you mean respect your decision? I accept that everyone has the right to decide, and I also think that most people make the best decisions they can with the information they have. So I respect people's decisions.
Don't I have a right to scrutinize and criticize the information that those decisions are made from? Or a right to scrutinize and criticize the decision making process to see if it was valid or not?
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
What do you mean respect your decision? I accept that everyone has the right to decide, and I also think that most people make the best decisions they can with the information they have. So I respect people's decisions.
Don't I have a right to scrutinize and criticize the information that those decisions are made from? Or a right to scrutinize and criticize the decision making process to see if it was valid or not?
You can look for constructive criticism to figure out why someone makes a decision but when it comes to religion would you not want to go to the powers that be, they spend so many years in theology, they would be the best to find your answers from.
I wonder, how many people reading this are more devout in their religion (whatever it is) than their grandparents were/are? Anyone?
My grandparents and their families were serious about this stuff. They were down with the King. One of my grandpas grew up in a house where dancing was considered wicked and playing cards were tools of the devil. They were hardass Lutherans and went to church all the time and truly walked the walk. Two generations later and the only grandchild of his that goes to worship only does so on a special occasion, and it's Hannukah.
Members of the other side of the family engaged in fistfights with people because they were Catholics. What the hell?
But it all disappeared. Poof. Gone.
I think certainly the youth of today are less dogmatic then their grandparents were but if the question was asked how certain are you of the excistance of God I would bet many are equally as certain.
I wonder, how many people reading this are more devout in their religion (whatever it is) than their grandparents were/are? Anyone?
My grandparents and their families were serious about this stuff. They were down with the King. One of my grandpas grew up in a house where dancing was considered wicked and playing cards were tools of the devil. They were hardass Lutherans and went to church all the time and truly walked the walk. Two generations later and the only grandchild of his that goes to worship only does so on a special occasion, and it's Hannukah.
Members of the other side of the family engaged in fistfights with people because they were Catholics. What the hell?
But it all disappeared. Poof. Gone.
I've never been an all out believer, but I grew up going to church with parents who believed.
Not only do my siblings and I have less belief than my parents and grand parents did, but my parents have less belief than they once did.
I wonder how prevalent that is.
__________________ I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection, but with Montana it is love." - John Steinbeck
You can look for constructive criticism to figure out why someone makes a decision but when it comes to religion would you not want to go to the powers that be, they spend so many years in theology, they would be the best to find your answers from.
That still doesn't answer what respecting a decision means.
Asking for constructive criticism for something someone else does doesn't make any sense.
I can either ask for a reason someone else does something or I can ask for constructive criticism for something I do.
But I think you're trying to say that I can ask for reasons someone decides to believe something in a positive way, but I can't criticize the decision itself? I can't agree with that.
And why defer to a theologian? If I believe something I should know why I believe it. Deferring to an authority just means that someone else is doing the thinking and I'm just following because I'm being told to. That's the kind of mindset that leads to terrible things.
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
That still doesn't answer what respecting a decision means.
Asking for constructive criticism for something someone else does doesn't make any sense.
I can either ask for a reason someone else does something or I can ask for constructive criticism for something I do.
But I think you're trying to say that I can ask for reasons someone decides to believe something in a positive way, but I can't criticize the decision itself? I can't agree with that.
And why defer to a theologian? If I believe something I should know why I believe it. Deferring to an authority just means that someone else is doing the thinking and I'm just following because I'm being told to. That's the kind of mindset that leads to terrible things.
You covered respect fine in the first paragraph, this is for paragraph 2, please apply.
What you really want is an understanding of the mindset of someone who is religious, I say if you want a thorough answer why not go to the one that literally dedicates an entire life to understanding theology because to them it is the meaning of life. Now if it means they do the thinking and you sit and listen and you can't handle that then perhaps your being too narrow, because I'm sure they would be willing to be grilled with any questions.
Well I think I understand the mindset of some religious people anyway, I spent most of my life immersed in it.
And it was exactly when I started to talk to people and read people that spent their entire lives studying the Bible that my beliefs started to change.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not against sermons, or against someone talking and teaching in one direction. I just said that that's not appropriate for a discussion forum.
__________________ Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position.
But certainty is an absurd one.
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I was wondering if you could elaborate about this part, I don't understand this part of your post. Are you refering to the attitudes of the 'believers', or is that an actual type of evangelizing? Just curious.
Thanks
A lot of their stuff was really popular back in the 70s, and 80s. Anti-evolution, pro-end times....the comics go as far as predicting the time....and numerous other subjects, including one on homosexuality, IIRC.
Their influence is still a big part of many of our parents.....and we're beginning to see a shift AWAY from that.
Its not the 'attitude' of believers....but the TYPE of evangelizing that was done.
I've never been an all out believer, but I grew up going to church with parents who believed.
Not only do my siblings and I have less belief than my parents and grand parents did, but my parents have less belief than they once did.
I wonder how prevalent that is.
Dad was a Catholic growing up. Went to Catholic boarding school and was quickly cured of that. Had a discussion not long ago with my mother who, as she's grown older, has given up the faith so to speak.
