Missionaries

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:25 AM, kaini said:

i used live with a welsh midget (well, not technically a midget, but he was 4'11" tall) in holland. he was raised by jehovah's witnesses and basically said 'fuck that' to the religion at 18. and coincidentally the town i lived in (zandvoort) seemed to be swarming with them. it was always a lol, because when they knocked i'd send him out to talk to them. so, picture jehovah's witnesses speaking dutch being angrily shouted at by a midget speaking english in the thickest welsh accent imaginable, which was utterly incomprehensible to them. shit never got old.

 

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:11 AM, tht tne said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 12:50 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

  On 5/30/2011 at 5:32 PM, marf said:

Most Christians only follow the New Testament and even then they only follow passages that serve to validate their own pet peeves

 

they'll cite the old testament wherever it matches up with their hatreds, for example, the leviticus verse against homosexuality.

 

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

 

that's bullshit, the research materials are accessible to everybody.

did you just call my opinion bullshit

i absolutely did.

the bible is available in every hotel room in the world, to pick one example.

the teachings of saint thomas aquinas (which are an excellent read, even for a secular humanist such as myself) are public domain. same goes for any philosopher who explicitly examined christianity or belief in a christian god.

the materials that allow christians to form their beliefs are freely availably to anyone for examination.

the only 'religion' where the texts are not freely available to everyone is scientology. so, i ask you; are you equating christianity with scientology?

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:49 AM, tht tne said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:25 AM, kaini said:

i used live with a welsh midget (well, not technically a midget, but he was 4'11" tall) in holland. he was raised by jehovah's witnesses and basically said 'fuck that' to the religion at 18. and coincidentally the town i lived in (zandvoort) seemed to be swarming with them. it was always a lol, because when they knocked i'd send him out to talk to them. so, picture jehovah's witnesses speaking dutch being angrily shouted at by a midget speaking english in the thickest welsh accent imaginable, which was utterly incomprehensible to them. shit never got old.

 

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:11 AM, tht tne said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 12:50 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

  On 5/30/2011 at 5:32 PM, marf said:

Most Christians only follow the New Testament and even then they only follow passages that serve to validate their own pet peeves

 

they'll cite the old testament wherever it matches up with their hatreds, for example, the leviticus verse against homosexuality.

 

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

 

that's bullshit, the research materials are accessible to everybody.

 

did you just call my opinion bullshit

  On 5/31/2011 at 3:09 AM, kaini said:

i absolutely did.

 

the bible is available in every hotel room in the world, to pick one example.

the teachings of saint thomas aquinas (which are an excellent read, even for a secular humanist such as myself) are public domain.

 

the only 'religion' where the texts are not freely available to everyone is scientology. so, i ask you; are you equating christianity with scientology?

  Forum Rules said:

the general rule is not to totally shoot someone down over a post

and i didn't completely shoot you down; i respect the fact that you're christian. however i am saying very emphatically that your claim that

  Quote

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

is complete and utter bullshit.

  On 5/31/2011 at 3:16 AM, kaini said:

and i didn't completely shoot you down; i respect the fact that you're christian. however i am saying very emphatically that your claim that

  Quote

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

is complete and utter bullshit.

i didn't say i know it's true... do you know what an opinion is?

opinions don't have any truth value; they're more like guesses

that wasn't an opinion, it was an assertion. an assertion that can be proven wrong using the most simple of logic. anyway, i'm done with you, troll.

  On 5/31/2011 at 3:19 AM, kaini said:

that wasn't an opinion, it was an assertion. an assertion that can be proven wrong using the most simple of logic. anyway, i'm done with you, troll.

reported

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:11 AM, tht tne said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 12:50 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

  On 5/30/2011 at 5:32 PM, marf said:

Most Christians only follow the New Testament and even then they only follow passages that serve to validate their own pet peeves

 

they'll cite the old testament wherever it matches up with their hatreds, for example, the leviticus verse against homosexuality.

 

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

what are you basing this statement on?

  On 5/31/2011 at 3:32 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:11 AM, tht tne said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 12:50 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

  On 5/30/2011 at 5:32 PM, marf said:

Most Christians only follow the New Testament and even then they only follow passages that serve to validate their own pet peeves

 

they'll cite the old testament wherever it matches up with their hatreds, for example, the leviticus verse against homosexuality.

 

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

 

what are you basing this statement on?

logic

you'll have to do better than that

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:25 AM, kaini said:

i used live with a welsh midget (well, not technically a midget, but he was 4'11" tall) in holland. he was raised by jehovah's witnesses and basically said 'fuck that' to the religion at 18. and coincidentally the town i lived in (zandvoort) seemed to be swarming with them. it was always a lol, because when they knocked i'd send him out to talk to them. so, picture jehovah's witnesses speaking dutch being angrily shouted at by a midget speaking english in the thickest welsh accent imaginable, which was utterly incomprehensible to them. shit never got old.

 

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:11 AM, tht tne said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 12:50 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

  On 5/30/2011 at 5:32 PM, marf said:

Most Christians only follow the New Testament and even then they only follow passages that serve to validate their own pet peeves

 

they'll cite the old testament wherever it matches up with their hatreds, for example, the leviticus verse against homosexuality.

 

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

 

that's bullshit, the research materials are accessible to everybody.

research materials don't necessarily give you a sense of what it's like to be a part of a religion. a holy book can teach you how to follow its code, but organized religion is as much about the social atmosphere it provides as it is about the spiritual aspects. i agree with tht tne that you can't really know what it's like to be a dedicated member of a religion without having been one. i don't think you can truly know a religion until you have immersed yourself in it as one of its brainwashed practitioners.

  On 5/31/2011 at 3:55 AM, uptown devil said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:25 AM, kaini said:

i used live with a welsh midget (well, not technically a midget, but he was 4'11" tall) in holland. he was raised by jehovah's witnesses and basically said 'fuck that' to the religion at 18. and coincidentally the town i lived in (zandvoort) seemed to be swarming with them. it was always a lol, because when they knocked i'd send him out to talk to them. so, picture jehovah's witnesses speaking dutch being angrily shouted at by a midget speaking english in the thickest welsh accent imaginable, which was utterly incomprehensible to them. shit never got old.

 

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:11 AM, tht tne said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 12:50 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

  On 5/30/2011 at 5:32 PM, marf said:

Most Christians only follow the New Testament and even then they only follow passages that serve to validate their own pet peeves

 

they'll cite the old testament wherever it matches up with their hatreds, for example, the leviticus verse against homosexuality.

 

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

 

that's bullshit, the research materials are accessible to everybody.

 

research materials don't necessarily give you a sense of what it's like to be a part of a religion. a holy book can teach you how to follow its code, but organized religion is as much about the social atmosphere it provides as it is about the spiritual aspects. i agree with tht tne that you can't really know what it's like to be a dedicated member of a religion without having been one. i don't think you can truly know a religion until you have immersed yourself in it as one of its brainwashed practitioners.

i grew up in ireland in the 1980s, i am well aware of the atmosphere as you call it. both my parents are atheists, yet we went to (and in fact had - my brother, my sister, and myself) christenings, communions, and confirmations out of social convention. and we still had the parish priest knocking on the door every so often wondering why we weren't attending mass. i was taught catholicism in school for five hours a week whether i liked it or not.

it's better here now, thankfully, but once a month we still get an envelope through the door requesting optional 'dues' to keep the local church going. i don't want this envelope, nor have i asked for it.

all brought to you by the country that institutionalised child abuse under the cover of religion like no other. i can't speak for christianity in general, but roman catholicism is not a healthy thing. i'd rather someone who has actually had sex openly and without shame tells me who i can or cannot fuck, thanks.

i got some junk mail offering a free gold cross if i returned the form. i returned the form and i got a free gold cross, along with lots of batshit pamphlets. that was kinda neat.

My girlfriend and I went to a Catholic mass to see what it was like. After Communion this lady approached us, sternly said "I can tell you're not one of us," and then got us to leave. There was something vaguely demon-like about her demeanor. Unfortunately this was very soon after we got there, so we didn't really get much of a feel for the Catholic experience. Apparently accepting Communion without believing it's Christ's body is considered quite sacrilegious, so that may account for the hostility. So much for welcoming us over to the dark side.

at my confirmation the bishop was drunk off his ass and audibly slurring his words. my son has had a christening simply because i think it's a nice ceremony to name someone. but none of the rest, and he has no desire to. carl sagan is his motherfucking copilot. but even as awesome as my son is (and he is), i guess by tht tne's definition he's going to hell. thank christ* neither i or him believe in invisible skywizards, and the only hell we believe in is the nether in minecraft and that's because we've both seen it with our own eyes.

*irony completely intentional. i have no problem with christianity, i just have a problem with fundamentalism.

  On 5/31/2011 at 4:32 AM, Zephyr_Nova said:

My girlfriend and I went to a Catholic mass to see what it was like. After Communion this lady approached us, sternly said "I can tell you're not one of us," and then got us to leave. There was something vaguely demon-like about her demeanor. Unfortunately this was very soon after we got there, so we didn't really get much of a feel for the Catholic experience. Apparently accepting Communion without believing it's Christ's body is considered quite sacrilegious, so that may account for the hostility. So much for welcoming us over to the dark side.

there's a lot of us-vs-them in fundie circles. outsiders are chased away with pikes and torches

invisible sky wizards

an alternate dimension with a pit of fire

metaphorical cannibalism

christianity is just as fucked up as scientology

and yet i respect any christians choice of faith

who's the jesus here?

you'll always wind up fucked if you follow someone else's plan blindly. patiently listen to what they all have to say, and make up your own damn mind.

  On 5/31/2011 at 4:55 AM, hahathhat said:

you'll always wind up fucked if you follow someone else's plan blindly. patiently listen to what they all have to say, and make up your own damn mind.

a five year old doesn't have the capacity to consider the options. parents start cramming religion down their children's throats even before they can talk, let alone make any sort of meaningful judgement on what's being thrown at them. not to mention, the threat of eternal damnation is quite a burden to impose on a young mind.. control as a product of fear, also known as terrorism. all i'm saying is that it's not so easy for some people to make up their own mind after being heavily conditioned for the first 20 years of their life.

  On 5/31/2011 at 5:13 AM, uptown devil said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 4:55 AM, hahathhat said:

you'll always wind up fucked if you follow someone else's plan blindly. patiently listen to what they all have to say, and make up your own damn mind.

 

a five year old doesn't have the capacity to consider the options. parents start cramming religion down their children's throats even before they can talk, let alone make any sort of meaningful judgement on what's being thrown at them. not to mention, the threat of eternal damnation is quite a burden to impose on a young mind.. control as a product of fear, also known as terrorism. all i'm saying is that it's not so easy for some people to make up their own mind after being heavily conditioned for the first 20 years of their life.

how many five year olds are on watmm?

(don't answer that)

  On 5/31/2011 at 5:13 AM, uptown devil said:

all i'm saying is that it's not so easy for some people to make up their own mind after being heavily conditioned for the first 20 years of their life.

that is extremely true. it is probably the root of many problems in my country, to be honest, along with the social conditioning thing (one son a doctor, another a priest, another a solicitor... this is a very real thing in ireland).

never mind, i agree. i've always been intensely questioning/curious; i like to find loopholes. but not everyone's like that.... and perhaps it's part of how i was raised, too. my parents didn't take us to church but for a time or two. when we were into our teens, they told us they'd take us if we were interested. they regarded it as "common cultural knowledge" that we should be aware of.... i remember finding fundies a bit odd, if nice when i was little. i suppose they don't hammer on kids as much. as i got older, more people were telling me to worship this or believe that, which i've never had a positive reaction to.

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:11 AM, tht tne said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 12:50 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

  On 5/30/2011 at 5:32 PM, marf said:

Most Christians only follow the New Testament and even then they only follow passages that serve to validate their own pet peeves

 

they'll cite the old testament wherever it matches up with their hatreds, for example, the leviticus verse against homosexuality.

 

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

lol. it's not like anything they do is a secret

  On 5/31/2011 at 5:51 AM, Calx Sherbet said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:11 AM, tht tne said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 12:50 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

  On 5/30/2011 at 5:32 PM, marf said:

Most Christians only follow the New Testament and even then they only follow passages that serve to validate their own pet peeves

 

they'll cite the old testament wherever it matches up with their hatreds, for example, the leviticus verse against homosexuality.

 

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

 

lol. it's not like anything they do is a secret

the child sex abuse is pretty secret

  On 5/31/2011 at 6:27 AM, baph said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 5:51 AM, Calx Sherbet said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 2:11 AM, tht tne said:

  On 5/31/2011 at 12:50 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

  On 5/30/2011 at 5:32 PM, marf said:

Most Christians only follow the New Testament and even then they only follow passages that serve to validate their own pet peeves

 

they'll cite the old testament wherever it matches up with their hatreds, for example, the leviticus verse against homosexuality.

 

i don't think you can know much about what christians do or don't follow if you're not a christian

 

lol. it's not like anything they do is a secret

 

the child sex abuse isused to be pretty secret