I have a question.

Not three weeks ago, the national news was reporting a bunch of Christians worshipping bird droppings.

 

There are several atheists in this forum, including me, one of the moderators.

I'd like to remind everyone that while in this forum, please show respect for other beliefs as much as possible. I've sent out several pm's in regards to this thread and have deleted a post or two.

While you are in this forum, you are in everyone's home that shares it. I ask that all respect that or take it to another forum and leave this one in peace.

 

That's true. Just this last week, our pastor told us about a Hawai'ian parable that talks about a sanctuary for those who are guilty of wrongdoing, held by a high priest who was born of a virgin. Honolulu is a far cry from Jerusalem, or even Rome.

 

J E S U S S A V E S............

 

Maybe I'm missing your point on what a "fake christian" actually is supposed be and what is your definition of a "fake christian"?

I also would like for you to point out to me where I have ridiculed other faiths and blacks and women and gays in my post. I would like for you to show me each post of ridicule of anyone. Your post about fake christians is ridicule of a certain type of christian and you accuse me of ridicule and your whole post is on ridicule of christians.

 

Question...are you telling me and others in this forum that we can no longer speak about atheists? I have never mentioned names of anyone who is atheist.

The problem I am having with your statement that the subject of atheist can not be discussed in this forum. The whole Bible is about atheists and or non-believers.

Since you are an atheists and are not going to allow discussion on said subject when referring about scripture texts, then what will be next? There are homosexuals, adulterers, incest, drunkness, witchcraft, idolatry, pride, lying, theivery, etc. on this board. So, if I or someone else that say you can't talk about sodomy which all these things are in the Bible then will you prevent these topics to be discussed?

 

There is not a big enough whoosh.

 

You're free to discuss any religious or spiritual topic in a respectful manner. If you'll note, your posts have been neither edited nor deleted.

I simply made a request of the entire community to be respectful in the discussions of the topics brought up here.

 

Some people are jerks. Some people are hypocrites. Some people don't really believe what they say they believe, or hide behind their beliefs or warped mutations of their beliefs to justify most any kind of behavior imaginable. This has always been with us and it has always sucked, but welcome to the human race.

This is a separate problem from the validity, internal consistency, or objectively verifiable correctness of an idea or a philosophy. This is the reason that criticisms like "Christians are jerks and hypocrites" are ultimately useless in critiquing the fallacies and self-contradictions in conventional religions. It doesn't matter if a person follows what he says he believes or not, if the core principles of his beliefs don't hold up to scrutiny in themselves.

Too often people attack one problem by addressing the other. This is one reason debates of this kind often go nowhere.

 

Holly:

It might also be helpful to keep in mind that different kinds of people approach their religion and spirituality from vastly different directions and for different reasons. In a group/conformity-centered religion like Christianity, an individual's participation can take a wide range of styles.

On one end you have the serious studyers who put a lot of time and effort into studying scriptures, "biblical" history and the works of various religious thinkers. They think about this kind of stuff all the time and actively work over time to become more knowledgeable about what their religion teaches.

Then you have the opposite: those who lack the time, the motivation, or the "need" to get deeply into what their religion means. For some, it's just part of a group unity ritual... it's what you're "supposed" to do if you're a good person, a good American, or whatever the rationale might be. These are the ones who shrug and say "Yeah, well, everybody sins" when their lack of devotion gets pointed out. "I'm not perfect, just forgiven."

The average person's lack of time, resources and will to examine these things in detail over time shouldn't be underestimated. Exploring your own Understanding of who and what you really are and your relationship with the universe on your own can be damned hard. Buying into a ready-made package from a church or religious leader where the answers have been all filled out ahead of time is much easier, and this is what most people choose to do. But the time, effort, and "need" to follow all the doctrines in a disciplined way is another matter altogether. This might explain some of what you're pointing out with your original question.