Comments on: Ouch! I just got hit with drive-by religion!

By: gatomjp

gatomjp — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 23:29:52 +0000

The need for judging comes from the same place as the need to create different religions in the first place.

People need to feel like they are a part of something…a tribe. But this tribe wouldn’t be worth anything if it wasn’t somewhat exclusive, so everyone not in the tribe are dogs and swine. Taking it one step further, if you’re not one of us you’re not allowed in our heavenly clubhouse either! Bleah! (sound of a tongue being stuck out)

By: mindy carney

mindy carney — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:07:47 +0000

But, but, but . . . why, projekt, can’t the “judge” simply be internal? Why can’t the good things we do in life be enjoyed (even if we hated the doing) for the result, for the happiness, or lack of unhappiness, it gave to someone else? Or simply the satisfaction that we did something useful?

I would like to live in a very simplified version of the world today, thankyouverymuch. Maybe tomorrow I’ll be back to relishing the complicated nature of life.

By: projektleiterin

projektleiterin — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 17:04:53 +0000

“I wonder where the need for all this judging originates. Maybe our own tendency to judge others all the time calls for an über-judge to make our own judging look not too bad (and gain some power over others in the process)?”
If there is a judge, there is justice. If there is no justice, life would really really suck. All the good things you have done, but really hated doing, would have been done in vain. All the bad things that have happened to you would have no consequences and go unpunished. Having a final judge means having some meaning despite everything in a seemingly chaotic universe ruled by randomness.

By: Ben

Ben — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 17:15:59 +0000

“…to stop posting, and instead pray for a person’s well being…”

I see it as a sneaky way of sounding politically correct while advocating throwing somebody in a heap with the rest of the heathens.

By: Mary Jo

Mary Jo — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 00:32:47 +0000

Oh, Min, this is exactly why I stopped posting to these groups. I may go as far to say that I even stopped “lurking” because my sense of outrage would make me put pen to paper, or uh, keystroke to screen. Whatever. There are people in that group, dare I say in this world, who would never “agree to disagree”, that’s just too distasteful for them. Always get a leg up on the other guy, yep, that’s what they want to do. And, knowingly, I mean knowingly go for the cheap shot just to put you down there where you belong. Religion, faith, beliefs, etc. are very personal things. To even slightly intimate to someone that you’ll go to hell if you don’t believe what I believe is truly crappy. I go to church regularly, sing in my choir, teach CCD (still can’t tell you what those letters stand for), and help out at church when I can. And still, I can come home after having praised the Lord, get aggravated and spill a few choice words around. Sort of defeating the purpose but hey, that’s Mary Jo with all her human flaws. I’m not going to church to get to Heaven, maybe Hell has more comfortable seats and I do like my fanny to be comfortable. I go because I get a sense of peace, even if for one hour. I go because I like to sing. I go because I LIKE it. Tim, you are right, Mindy is a kind and gentle soul. She speaks up for what she believes in and more importanly, respects and believes in the right for others to speak their minds as well. I’ve known that for more than 11 years since we first met in person in an airplane bound for China. I knew that when we planned our second adoptions together. See ya this summer, Min, and continue to give ‘em hell.

By: Erika Price

Erika Price — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 21:57:20 +0000

I really wonder about this crusading-poster’s mindset. The choice to stop posting, and instead pray for a person’s wellbeing sounds like a cop-out- you don’t have to make any intellectual investment or really any effort at all if you just tell yourself to leave someone alone and pray for them.

At the same time, this poster’s comment doesn’t totally smack of hostility. They say, at least, that they want people like you in heaven. He/she could very well have just regurgitated typically holier-than-thou trash by wishing you well. At the same time, they also might sincerely believe those supposed christian ideals of tolerance and love, and in his/her warped worldview, had just done you a great favor.

By: Skblllzzzz

Skblllzzzz — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 09:54:08 +0000

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

As I read it the rending would be done by the swine, which they are known to be able to.

“I sincerely believe if there is a Christian God out there, he will forgive me for being skeptical of his existence and just judge by my overall lifestyle.”

I wonder where the need for all this judging originates. Maybe our own tendency to judge others all the time calls for an über-judge to make our own judging look not too bad (and gain some power over others in the process)?

I think there is no relation between the supposed existence of gods and a possible continuation of life after material death. If fields containing our being would continue to be maintained, that would be physics, no gods needed for that.

By: projektleiterin

projektleiterin — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 18:28:26 +0000

Ha, I grew up in in a very Catholic area, but my parents are not from here and only my dad is Catholic, my mom is Buddhist. Religion is a compulsory subject, which you do not have to attend if you are not Christian, but somehow due to my dad I ended up having it in my class-schedule and getting to know our parish priest. He tried a couple of times to convince me mom to let me convert and even had the guts to call me a little heathen - yeah, go and kiss my whatever. I think my mom told him in more polite words that she was not interested.

I sincerely believe if there is a Christian God out there, he will forgive me for being skeptical of his existence and just judge by my overall lifestyle. I absolutely do not understand what is so important about faith that not having it makes you such a bad person.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:17:24 +0000

Holy cow, I hadn’t put 2+2 together on what “faith based initiatives” meant. Seems like all one needs these days is a good acronym or a catchy name like “no child left behind” or “surge” or a silkscreen like “pope” to slip some ridiculous idea under the (my) radar.

http://baconeatingatheistjew.blogspot.com/2007/04/pope-pretty-much-admits-he-is-agnostic.html

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/04/the_pope_is_not_our_friend_he.php

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:48:08 +0000

Sorry if that really shook you Mindy, but I think you got what you were looking for… A peek at the dark side. If it’s any consolation, I have offically donated you my soul. Do with it as you please, although it is kind of damaged and wearing thin around the edges from the recent years of rabid atheism. (No returns, AS IS, manufacturers warranty void.)

Here is part of a recent interview with the now prominent “friendly atheist”, who found his truth using his strong curiousity…

“I didn’t tell anyone. Late at night, I’d go online and try to look up what stuff meant. And basically everything kind of led to atheism—if you don’t believe in the supernatural and you don’t believe in God, then you’re an atheist. I didn’t know much about atheism, just that “it was bad.” The more I kept reading though, the more sense it made—that morals come not from a book, but from your learning and your daily interaction with people.”

“Clearly, most churches have aligned themselves against non-religious people. By adopting this stance, Christians have turned off the people I would think they want to connect with. The combative stance I’ve observed is an approach that causes people to become apathetic—and even antagonistic—toward religion as a whole. Many evangelical pastors seem to perceive just about everything to be a threat against Christianity. Evolution is a threat. Gay marriage is a threat. A swear word uttered accidentally on television is a threat. Democrats are a threat. I don’t see how any of these things pose a threat against Christianity. If someone disagrees with you about politics or social issues or the matter of origins, isn’t that just democracy and free speech in action? Why do Christians feel so threatened?”

http://www.christianitytoday.com/outreach/articles/atheistwenttochurch.html

See how much fun it is to be completely free of His bonds, or at least to pretend that we are? (sorry oh Lord for I have sinned, if you are listening, hehe)
I just now stumbled upon the baconeatingatheistjew… my kindred spirit?
http://baconeatingatheistjew.blogspot.com/2006/09/which-god-do-you-believe-in.html