Religion: What it means to you

Originally Posted by Devoxycontin

No I'd like you to differentiate between Christians who preach and Christians who just practice and don't bother anyone. People can be Christians without having to proselytize.

Did you even read my post, Devo. ;_; I beg you to go back and re-read.

That's my point, see. I don't mind Christians, Muslims, Mormons, Scientologists - if they stay out of my life.

Originally Posted by Sass in that post

It's his followers that really aggravate me - and not even all of them! The majority of Christians are totally fucking rad with me. Like I said: stay out of my head, I'll stay out of yours. Most Christians I know are pretty much to themselves, and have no underlying desire to yap at me about their god. Just like I don't yap at them about my lack of a god.

You seem like you're a Christian, eh? You're cool in my book. You're not preaching. You're not telling me that you have some kind of crazy proof from space or anything. You just say "Hey. This is what I believe in." And I say "Hey. That's cool."

So you're just here to pick a fight then. WELL.

Nova, I was in the same boat as you. I was raised Roman Catholic by an agnostic man who wanted us to have some religion in our lives. My sister and I went through the whole thing - like you did.

And we ended up about the same way, I imagine. Catholicism. Gotta love it.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Devoxycontin

Yeah it's totally not the sense of community many Churches offer. Yes there are people who get scared into believing, but there are also people who find the communities involved in the church to be quite welcoming. I'm not stirring shit up guys, I'm kind of tired of blanket statements on both sides.

I'm confused. At which point did anyone say "all Christians" evangelize? Or made any "blanket statements?" Like I said, the majority of Christians I know are really cool people who have their own beliefs (that's in reference to ones I KNOW, not a generalization about ALL of them) I've since been to churches (even at a GFF meet!), and yea, most of these religious congregations don't push. I don't know why you think anyone is saying all of Christianity pushes - packrat kind of implied it with the "success" of "Christianity," but that can be twisted easily.

ALL of the Christians I know don't bother with evangelism. (There's probably a reason for this: I don't think I'd want a friend who preached to me a whole bunch). My issue was with LordSword who thinks that "Biblical" truth is actual truth.

Packrat, instead of using a giant image to say we missed your point, could you maybe clarify?

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Originally Posted by LordsSword

God is the judge of my preformance not people. This is my priority.

No one here, from what I can tell, is judging you as a person - something you haven't been as generous with in regards to judging us.

We (and I say we because a lot of us have stated this in the thread) are annoyed that you're preaching to people who have their own faith and their own beliefs.

Not just us atheists, either.

And why do you keep quoting scripture? We know you <3 the bible.

Maybe I should start quoting random books, too.

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Where is the basis for an atheist or agnostic to serve in their community?

You think that because a person doesn't believe in anything means they can't "serve their community?"

I can't tell you how many favors I've done for perfect strangers in my life. I see a person in need who I have the ability to help, I will try my best to offer my help to them. Not everyone is like this, of course - but personally, I think helping a person in need when I can is one of the most important things I can do in life.

I "serve my community" because I value my community. I want it to be the best it can be. I don't need religion to do it. If I live there, if I benefit from the community - why the hell should I NOT serve it?

You think only of serving your god. I think only of serving humanity. (And heaven knows it could use some help.)

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by LordsSword

I quote scripture for a reason. Everything I do is for a reason that is easily found in the bible.
Go ahead a quote the books you want. You are free to do that.

So go join a forum that WANTS your scripture. Here, on this forum, scripture is not evidence of jack shit.

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"Heaven knows" is right. By serving my God I serve my community. I'm not hurting anybody by advertising for Jesus. If you are "fine" lets just leave it at that, why do you have to try to stop the message of Jesus from getting to people who may need it?

Because you're imposing your belief on people who don't want it in most cases.

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I was a dope head who got off drugs thanks to the bible. If you dont like the biblical message why dont you take my place and show people how to be "fine" like you?

I'm glad your religion straightened you out.

I don't need religion to straighten out. I did it on my own. It's called using your head.

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So the unreligious can say to the religious person:
"Hey you're practicing your religion in the wrong way! We dont believe your book but do as we say anyway!!"
C'mon folks, who is being unreasonable now?

I don't think that's what he said at all.

With the way you interpret text, I worry about how you're interpreting the bible.

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No you don't and whatever proof you have I hope it works for you. I just make my case its my job. People tell me to shut up but look, i'm still here thanks to the freedom some people believe in.
From what I can see the unreligious folks are into censorship and taking freedom away from others.

At which point did anyone even attempt to take away your freedom?

You can, legally, preach as much as you want to whomever will listen.

But if you preach on my property, you're getting a police escort out.

No one is taking away your freedom. If anyone is doing that to anyone else, it's the church meddling in my business and teaching my kids that evolution isn't real.

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My God is into freedom & equality for everybody. My religion means freedom for all people no matter what their position.

You better start respecting the rights of other people, then.

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