Where is all this hate and focus on Christians coming from lately??

reply to post by Awoken4Ever


You'll notice that the closer we get to the return of Christ the world will become more and more hostile to Christians, Jews, and Israel. It comes with the territory man.

There is not a going prejudice against Christians. There is a growing feeling of being sick of Christians trying to rule us or acting as if they are being persecuted in America, though. They are the majority- why are they acting like the minorities have control over them?

There are plenty of Christians that I am fine with, but I will never be fine with Dominionist Christians or those that actually feel like I have the power to control them. Much like racism, those of us who aren't Christian CAN NOT control Christianity because Christians do not allow us to have any power.

reply to post by InnerstellarOne


This is what's very funny to me: When it comes to gay marriage in the states, Christians always want the states to have the right to decide, until the people vote FOR gay marriage and then they have to pass a federal bill like the Defense of Marriage Act!
They don't care about state rights, and they don't care about Democracy. They care about getting things THEIR way.

I also like how Christians are terrified of Sharia law, not because Muslims are actually bad people or anything, but because that would mean Christianity wouldn't be in control anymore. "No, Islam should have no religious influence on this country, but also BAN ABORTION AND BAN GAY MARRIAGE"

Originally posted by InnerstellarOne
reply to [url= by Prezbo369[/url]

 

Skydaddy?

Ya, describes your imaginary friend perfectly doesn't it.

Originally posted by 547000
It's coming from people with a humanist point of view who think man is inherently good until society makes him bad. Therefore they are against any form of restraint and anything that hold them back from doing whatever they want. Religion is a thorn on the side of people indoctrinated into this point of view.

Restraint? you might have a point, I do covet my neighbor's ox

Originally posted by GonzoSinister
Requesting proof for others beliefs yet Quoting the bible as fact...

From their perspective, the bible to some degree is fact though, so they are quoting "their" understanding of fact I would think.

Insinuating that "X" can be explained by a certain bible passage which is starting to feel like forcing there beliefs on others...

How can anyone "force" their beliefs on you? You are giving them to much power then. There are a lot of things that can be explained by the bible (and I don't mean the black and white on the pages). Then again, there are many things that can be explained away in many different religious writings of all kinds of faith. How is forcing their beliefs any different than you stating you don't believe, you have a different opinion, or you don't think Aliens are fallen angels. Wouldn't you be "forcing" your beliefs on them? I find the word "forcing" an interesting choice of words. If you strongly feel differently about something, nobody can force anything on you, unless you give them that power.

the misunderstand that those who do not care for bible teachings are in no way Stupid/being led astray by the devil....

That is what they believe though. Why would it bother you so much? You are thicker skinned than to let other people let you think that you are stupid or possessed by the devil aren't you? So it's just their beliefs that frighten you? Why do you care so much what they think, say, or do? They are not physically holding you down and trying to baptize you are they? Are they forcing you to do anything against your will?

Bringing 50% of conspiracies on here back to bible passages.

Nostradamus believers equate 100% of conspiracies to his writings, and it is way much more unclear as to what he said, and you can't predict any of it until after it comes true. Are you equally against those folks who follow his writings? Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, what is going on in the world today, there is quite an interesting correlation to the bible.

Claiming When people are talking about UFO's that infact UFO's are either Angels/fallen demons (when the general thread is chatting about Aliens)

Back to what I said earlier, so what? This is their opinion. There is more about UFO ideology out there, with less supporting documentation, and proof, than actual historical events that the bible speaks of can actually be proved actually happened. If we want to look at it from your philosophy, then we shouldn't let folks talk about alien concepts at all because to date, we don't have a single stitch of evidence of ANYTHING at all. So Christians shouldn't be able to talk about Angels in the sky when video is presented, but UFO/ET believers should be able to say "it's an alien?" This is such a contradictory statement IMO. You are both looking at the same thing, just see it as two different things. Why is your ideas OK to discuss, but theirs isn't? Can you prove what they are any more than they can??

Generally bringing religion into forums when its not needed and thus rubbing other posters up the wrong way.

Why exactly is it "not needed?" Again, it is not OK to bring any other ideas into a conversation other than your ideas? Haven't we gone through enough with stigma's, being called nuts, etc...for those who believe in many of the topics we do? Why do we suddenly need to exclude them from the conversations for their beliefs. Has God without a doubt been proven that he/she/whatever doesn't exist yet? I must of missed that one.

My real Gripe is the fact the bible was written and re-written by men, re translated by other men, changed to suit current trends (not in recent times but for hundreds of years)

Can you help me to understand and cite where you are getting this information from. I would like to educate myself more on how many times it was "written and rewritten" and see how many times it was translated from one language to another. I know the Qur'an has been washed quite a bit, but I don't know enough of it being done to the bible. You seem to know, so maybe you could help me find it.

I am not trying to pounce on your beliefs, or try to prove any type of religion is right. However, what I do see is an intolerance for this religion, and I think you have shown that in your writing. I don't see how their thoughts on subjects are any different from my thoughts, your thoughts, or anybody trying to understand things. I think we are all closed minded when it comes from learning from one another. Anything that challenges our belief system, we just don't want to hear it. That is OK if we want to remain that way. If we do though, then we shouldn't say their opinion is wrong...just like they shouldn't

Thank you for sharing. I respect your thoughts and appreciate your time

reply to post by Lionhearte

Lion...I understand these are your thoughts and perspective on things and respect that. I appreciate you taking the time out to share them with us.

Originally posted by PrimalRed
Its not just Christianity its every religion that gets bashed on if you don't believe me trying being Muslim and booking a one way ticket on a plane to DC.

Primal...I agree, but also think it is every religion that is bashing on one another as well. Half the mess we are in today is because of religions not learning how to play nice with one another. To many people have lost their lives because of someones belief in something Divine. That just doesn't make any sense to me, and I think contradicts what majority of these people in these religions say they believe in. If there is a God, I seriously doubt he is telling each one of his followings to kill each other in the name of him.

reply to post by InnerstellarOne


I am not going to comment on this because I am in a little bit of research project myself on this topic of Homosexuality, and don't want to turn this into a direction it shouldn't go right now.. It's an interesting topic, and probably deserves a thread all by itself.

Thanks for the input though!

Originally posted by Thurisaz
reply to post by Awoken4Ever

 

people are prolly fed up with them and dishing it back to them.

the self righteousness and judgements upon people are crap...

city-north-messenger.whereilive.com.au...

~you can't even go shopping without them yelling and abusing you.

This is something I talked about in my opening, "the extremist." These are the people that scare the hell out of me, because they are doing EXACTLY everything they preach not to do. I don't think this is the majority of Christians at all. These are closed minded, uneducated, cultist, groups and/or people. Let's just assume for a second that Jesus is the real deal (play along with me for a second), I think these people are going to be in for a rude awakening when they meet up with him. If anything, these are the people Jesus is the saddest for. They live in judgement, they are hating and hatred, and all they see is evil in the world. From my understanding, this is NOTHING of what Jesus taught. In fact, Jesus had a huge soft spot for the most challenged people in his days on this planet. Could you imagine Jesus go about his business back in the day screaming at those who wouldn't listen to them, holding up hateful signs, and threatening that they were going to hell all the time? Who would of ever listened to him?? How would Christianity lasted 2000 years and be the most popular religion in the world today? I don't believe for a second that was his message, his life, and what he was about. I think Jesus the man, talked about love, tolerance, and acted out of love. Regardless of what you think about him being the son of God and post death stuff. Jesus the man that was on this planet, was nothing like this at all. Sadly, intolerance and hate has taken hold of many people throughout the years and turned it into something that is everything against what he taught. I don't believe that this is a fair comparison of most Christians though. It's the same thing as the OWS people who are robbing, killing, raping, bringing filth and disease into the camps, and being bold enough and stupid enough to antagonize the cops at times to act certain ways. The message is getting muddy because all we hear from OWS is the things going wrong, instead of the other 99% that is not acting like this and trying to carry a message. Just like anything, there will always be a few rotten apples that stand out in any crowd, and that is what society and the human mind will lock onto. Just my opinion of course

Originally posted by InnerstellarOne
reply to post by Thurisaz

 

What about the undermining quiet Christian mothers, or fathers, or children that dont judge people, But cop a verbal slap to the face for being the reason for all thier problems and faults?


NO wake up, The world Hates Christian, The world thinks its knows moral justice and righteousness, It doesn't otherwise it would not have Crucified Jesus.

I think you are talking in "absolutes." Absolutes is words like never and ever. In your case, "The world..." I don't hate Jesus, and I know a lot of non-Christians that don't hate Jesus at all. In fact, many of us dig the hell out of Jesus and what he stood for. "The world" didn't crucify Jesus. In fact, not even all the Jews crucified Jesus. You are focusing on a small group of people, and taking it to the extreme and including everybody in your line of thinking! There were people, cultures, and other religions all over the world that for one, never heard of Jesus, and for two, had nothing to do with it at all. I would be very careful in your way of looking and talking about it, because this is the kind of stuff that will cause people to bring hate back on you. When you talk in absolutes, you not only give yourself no way out, but you are dramatizing it in your own mind, then you will miss out on a lot of the good that is in all of us.

I personally think your line of thinking is dangerous....just my opinion

Originally posted by WakeUpRiseUp
Theres just something about idiots that logical people dont like

I like the word "ignorance," or "inexperienced" is even better. It might be the easier, gentler, softer kind of way

Originally posted by Expat888
Because the worlds sick of the bloodshed, bigotry, misery and death that the christians have inflected upon it down through the centuries and it continues today..

Its long past time people dump the primitive, barbaric superstition.. World would be much better off..

Or maybe instead of dropping it, we should all learn how to stop hating on each other, which would include all religions wouldn't it? Or are you suggesting we have a one world order on religion in general?

Funny, you seem to be focused on all the miserable things Christians have inflicted, but I am wondering how much time you take out to reflect on all the wonderful things not only this religion, but other religions have brought into the world? Have you ever been to a cancer hospital that is of faith that is saving young kids lives? Have you ever been homeless and needed a meal, shelter, or clothes that only religious institutions were giving a way? Have you ever been a battered wife with children and had no place safe to run to except that a group of faith got them out of?

I am assuming you haven't if all you want to talk about is the "barbaric superstition" you seem to focus on. This is the kind of dangerous thinking that I keep pointing out over and over again. Your misunderstanding and viewpoint is no better than the nut holding up signs screaming your going to hell on the corner. You might want to try to look at it from a different angle and instead of saying "lets get rid of all of this because..." focus on what is good about it and what can we take out of it and change from there. Glass is half empty my friend to you

Majority of the people that do service work in their community are people of faith. How about you? What service work are you providing for your community? (Rhetorical)

Originally posted by aprilc1
During the end times which I believe are happening now Christians will be persecuted-it will become punishable by death under the Antichrists rule to not take the mark of the beast and swear allegiance.

Yes, we are aware of this. In fact, most of us that aren't religious even know this. Not sure your point other than trying to capitalize on an opportunity to get your word out. Am I wrong about that?

Originally posted by Prezbo369
And OP, I dont buy your claim that you're not Christian, so I'm calling you out on that

That's OK with whatever you think about me. I am OK with whatever it is you choose. After all the things I have been called in my life (and they are as bad as you can think), you calling me a Christian is actually quite sweet

Thanks for your input into the thread. I do appreciate it.

Originally posted by 547000
It's coming from people with a humanist point of view who think man is inherently good until society makes him bad. Therefore they are against any form of restraint and anything that hold them back from doing whatever they want. Religion is a thorn on the side of people indoctrinated into this point of view.

I can go in many different directions with your statement here. Some things I agree with, other things I don't. You say we are born inherently good, but then why does a child at a very young age learn to be selfish so quickly? Why do we have to teach our children to "share" and play nice at times? Why are children who aren't properly supervised, or don't have good supporting role models or reinforcements turn into such monsters if they started off good?

As for religion being a thorn in someones side, I have seen bad people turn good, and good people turn bad. I have seen some pretty awful people, evil people, find God and become a pretty incredible person. I have seen some people find God and turn into one of those judging, hateful, monsters I have spoken about in other posts.

I think you might just be looking at the black and white IMO.

Originally posted by NOTurTypical
reply to post by Awoken4Ever

 

You'll notice that the closer we get to the return of Christ the world will become more and more hostile to Christians, Jews, and Israel. It comes with the territory man.

edit on 25-11-2011 by NOTurTypical because: (no reason given)

I am seeing a change in the tides with hate all across the board right now. I am a bit older, and when I was a kid, everyone hated the Russians, and hardly nobody hated the Chinese. Most of the younger generation, grew up not hating the Russians like we did. However, now there is a shift here also, and we are starting to hate the Russians again, and the Chinese seem to be our biggest enemy in mainstream media.

I have noticed overall, there is starting to be a lot of hate in our culture towards religion though. I have participated in forums for many years now, and the increase in comments and intolerance I have seen is spreading ramped! I am not sure if I am just noticing a big association with Christianity because it is the most popular religion on the planet, because it is mentioned biblical, or because some prophecies really are coming true. I know my ears are standing up right now and I am listening though. It will be very interesting to see how exactly this next year unfolds.

All I can do is try to help stop spreading hate though

Originally posted by cetaphobic
reply to post by InnerstellarOne

 

This is what's very funny to me: When it comes to gay marriage in the states, Christians always want the states to have the right to decide, until the people vote FOR gay marriage and then they have to pass a federal bill like the Defense of Marriage Act!
They don't care about state rights, and they don't care about Democracy. They care about getting things THEIR way.

I also like how Christians are terrified of Sharia law, not because Muslims are actually bad people or anything, but because that would mean Christianity wouldn't be in control anymore. "No, Islam should have no religious influence on this country, but also BAN ABORTION AND BAN GAY MARRIAGE"

I am not Christian and I am terrified of Sharia law. You might want to go watch a few videos of what happens literally when the laws are broken. I sincerely doubt Christians are more afraid of losing control than living under Sharia law itself.

Also, depending on how awake you are, and what your beliefs are, Christians aren't the ones running this country at all. You might want to do some homework on that

reply to post by Awoken4Ever

Welcome to the club. Maybe now you get to see how it is to be an atheist with all the # we get thrown at us for not believing.

Or any other groups that does not live according to your bible.
Imagine being for example homosexual living in a bible state...

Originally posted by juleol
reply to post by Awoken4Ever

 

Welcome to the club. Maybe now you get to see how it is to be an atheist with all the # we get thrown at us for not believing.

Or any other groups that does not live according to your bible.
Imagine being for example homosexual living in a bible state...

edit on 25-11-2011 by juleol because: (no reason given)

I am not sure what "group" I am being welcomed into or what "group" I belong to. I can't call myself a Christian, because I am not a devoted follower. Do I believe that there was a Christ? Absolutely without a doubt, and he is one of my idols, passions, hero's, whatever word you want to use to describe him. His message was powerful, amazing, and filled with love, just like a lot of spiritual leaders. Any further than that, I am still sitting on the fence about and keeping an open mind. I certainly, unequivocally, believe in God. Not some God that someone else has taught me, or that they believe in, but a God that I have a personal relationship with. My understanding of God has come from years of studying and researching all types of religions, coupled with my own personal experiences. ALL religions have something to offer someone, and all religions when lined up properly next to one another, are saying the same exact thing, just said a different way if you look past the black and white of the text.

I have personally seen UFO's, had experiences and presence of things, that can't be explained. Do I believe they are specifically another species from a far away star? No not yet. There isn't enough evidence there for me to support this conclusion. As far as I am concerned, they could be another species, they could be just very advanced technology our government has, they could be Angels/Demons. If I close my mind and choose one without evidence, I might never find out the real answer.

I believe that there is something VERY BIG going on in the world for sure. I absolutely believe there is a huge conspiracy behind it. I think we are all going to be fooled if we stay pigeon holed into one belief. Do I think God will have his hands in it? Yes. Maybe that will be Aliens, or Angels/Demons, or just the work of mans hands, but either way God will be present throughout.

As far as Christians go, I think if you take things too literally, you are never going to see the big picture. Christianity isn't about what the bible says, it is about having a relationship with Christ. If you choose not to have a relationship with Christ, the hell and damnation you will receive is just a separation from God. That is all hell is. It's not this fiery pit you will fall into literally, it will just be an existence without God. You can very well live in Hell here on earth in just the same way. I think if you focus on the black and white letters on the pages of the bible, you will miss out on having a true experience of a relationship with Christ, which indirectly, causes you to live in hell anyway.

I don't believe, those who don't practice Christianity and have other faiths, will be thrown into a fiery pit of hell because they didn't believe in Christ. If they are practicing their faith the best they can, spreading love, and being of service to others, then they will experience the same thing with their messiah that Christians will experience with theirs. When it comes to the big picture, it boils down to whether you want to have God in your life or not. From someone who has had this, then it looks and feels like Hell without it. It's just all part of the experience.

I can't swallow at all that someone that was born with genetic mix up like homosexuality is going to Hell because God/Christ doesn't love them. I also can't believe that this same person can suddenly start being attracted to the opposite sex because they have repented and accept the faith 100% I could be wrong, but I have no proof of it either way. I won't accept that someone like Jesus, for all he did, could let this happen to anyone (if real).

This is how I currently feel. It changes all the time, and doesn't mean tomorrow I won't be a Christian or tomorrow I won't suddenly believe in God (although I doubt the latter). God has taught me to be a loving, compassionate, and passionate person. When I am that way towards others, that is when I feel the closest to God. When I am being helpful and of service to others, I always seem to feel amazing. I am still guilty of judging all the time, but I have awareness about it as I am getting older, and I try to work on it. I struggle with "not" judging people who hurt others the most or who hate. It is very difficult for me to understand hate, even if I am capable of falling victim to it myself.

If there is a group for all that, that is where I am for now

Thank you all for your post and feedback!

If anyone is curious about religion just in general, there is a great book called "For the Love of God: Handbook for the Spirit" Ph.D. Richard Carlson (Author), Ph.D. Benjamin Shield (Author), Marianne Williamson (Foreword)

"One of the most profound needs of our age, when so many violent conflicts are based on perceived religious differences, is to affirm the common ground of organized religion and personal spirituality. In this accessible collection, 25 of the world's foremost spiritual thinkers -- Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama, Sue Bender, Matthew Fox, Shakti Gawain, Rabbi Harold Kushner, among others -- describe their concepts of spirituality and universal wisdom."

I had to read it back in college many years ago, and it was one of my first exposures to many different religions. You don't have to be religious or spiritual at all to check it out. What was amazing about it was you can see the list of people who contributed to the book, and they are from all the different mainstream religions. It's a really quick read, but when I saw what they were all saying, side by side, lined up, it was pretty amazing. They were really saying the same thing just different ways of saying it at times. It was such an eye opener for me because I had never been exposed to other religious beliefs, and I presumed some of them were evil and wicked, until I read this book. I was shocked to see they all weren't wrong, and very similar messages.

I really have no agenda, and I could give a crap at all if you want to check it out or not. I just happened to think it was cool experience is all. As you can see from what I wrote, I don't even know who I am, so I have nothing to push on anyone else Me and my God are OK with whatever you think of me

Peace all!