After Tracts

redblue22 said:

1. What do some Christian groups do that offends you? Why?

2. What do some Christian groups believe that offends you? Why?

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The sex negativity I see in many Christian circles.

Gender roles, the idea that women should be submissive.

redblue22 said:

1. What do some Christian groups do that offends you? Why?

2. What do some Christian groups believe that offends you? Why?

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What does being offended mean?

Being a target for an arrow and have the arrow hit you?

A thought is like a sword, it can be drawn and put back without doing any damage.

When an arrow is shot, there is no taking it back.

If the arrow hits its target is something else.

Or if an armour is in place, it will protect.

The armour would be integrity.

An aside, Ahab was hit by an arrow, through a crack in his armour.

Probably nothing to do with the thread directly, but if we do not allow ourselves the luxury of thinking for ourselves, are we not offending ourselves?

I take no offense except when someone (Christian or otherwise) tries to impose their personal views upon me.

I don't really get offended often. If anything it's when I see a non-offensive gospel preached, which is pretty much modern evangelical churches today. It was by hearing someone preach an offensive (to my non-Christian sensibilities) gospel that changed my wretched heart towards the Lord.

redblue22 said:

1. What do some Christian groups do that offends you? Why?

2. What do some Christian groups believe that offends you? Why?

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I'm not easily offended, but there are things I sharply disagree with.

1. Protesting funerals or trolling outside of abortion clinics to scare women. Those stand up pretty high as not good to me.

2. Their rejection of LGBT community, sex negativity, general view of women as lower than men and general hostility towards scientific consensus are a few things that bother me. I can name a lot more but I probably shouldn't.

redblue22 said:

1. What do some Christian groups do that offends you? Why?

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I'm not easily offended and to be fair, the following applies to any religious affiliation.

Trying to legislate wholly religious beliefs and exempting themselves from fairly passed, generally applicable laws.
Intentional misrepresentation of my beliefs.

2. What do some Christian groups believe that offends you? Why?

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For the most part, they can believe whatever they want as long as they don't try to enforce it through legislation. If my beliefs are misrepresented (either intentionally or unintentionally, I'm happy to provide a correction).

In addition to those things listed above I'd add thinking that their little sect has a perfect understanding of what Jesus taught and that disagreeing with them is the same as disagreeing with God.

The ones who despite the clear message of Scripture are sure they know the exact day when the end comes are more amusing than annoying.

Fear tactics. (you're going to burn in hell if you do not accept Jesus)
Squashing of people's spiritual potential.
For many an incompatible emotional masochistic world-views such as a culture of guilt and fear.

redblue22 said:

Is it the belief in hell--or just how it is used as a fear tactic to push on others?

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A belief in hell would be required to fear it.

How is it used as a fear tactic? By people telling others if they don't accept Christ they'll burn. I'm sure some Christians who use such lines may not be using it as a fear tactic but simply parroting what they were taught, but I think many are.

MehGuy said:

Fear tactics. (you're going to burn in hell if you do not accept Jesus

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Where do you think they get that from?

gordRedeemed said:

Where do you think they get that from?

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Scripture.

redblue22 said:

1. What do some Christian groups do that offends you? Why?

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I'm deeply disconcerted by any behaviour that actively and aggressively interferes with the liberty and autonomy of non-members, i.e. trying to legislate their specific religious taboos. Destroying foreign cultures through missionary activities and the resulting assimilation is also pretty high on my list.
Last but not least, evangelical Christianity's love affair with the political Right strikes me as the virtual antithesis of everything that's actually admirable about this religion.

2. What do some Christian groups believe that offends you? Why?

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Beliefs only bother me insofar as they have a noticeable effect upon people's behaviour and treatment of others. But in that regard, there's plenty:

- Christians who believe that every non-Christian is basically a demon-worshipper. The effect this has on their perception of reality and their interactions with others is disastrous.
- Christians who believe that their deity obsesses about what happens in the bedroom, between consenting adults. As a result, any deviation from heteronormativity is perceived as a threat, and queer people are seen and treated as immoral, disgusting, diseased, deranged.
- Christians who believe that their job is to assimilate the whole world. You don't even need the BORG to see why this comes across as a threat.
- "Prosperity gospel": a slap in the face of what Christianity *can* be.

I leave the extremes out because they are so obvious.

redblue22 said:

1. What do some Christian groups do that offends you? Why?

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Any form of "I represent God, so therefore I get to tell you what to do" - line of actions. The exact way of justifying it (quoting the Bible for example) doesn't really make difference.

redblue22 said:

2. What do some Christian groups believe that offends you? Why?

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Believing that morals are about "a sin" or "not a sin". It's an extremely ritualistic view on morals and twists people's heads to think that killing a man is somehow less of "living in sin" than living together with a girlfriend while not married to her, is. According to this theology, one is just a lapse, the other one is living in sin and therefore worse.

The whole concept of basing morals on "living in sin" vs "lapsing" is what poisons many Christians sense of moral fairness. It's an over-simplification of a very complex thing, and can lead to very absurd conclusions in practice.

I'm most offended by a lack of logic, regardless of beliefs. I have no problem with people disagreeing with me as long as we can have an adult conversation about it and all hold ourselves to some sort of logical standards. You can't beat a pigeon at chess, but that pigeon can still vote.

redblue22 said:

1. What do some Christian groups do that offends you? Why?

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By being hypocritical to their own beliefs and use unethical tactics to try to convince you to join their hypocrisy. Trying to suppress the rights/choices of others simply because of their religious beliefs. Tearing others down.

redblue22 said:

2. What do some Christian groups believe that offends you? Why?

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Things that try to justify the above actions.

(Note: these answers hold true for Muslims/Hindus/Wiccians/Agnostics/etc)

redblue22 said:

So, if they actually followed their beliefs there is no problem? Could you give some examples of unethical tactics? What rights or choices of others do you have in mind? How do they suppress people--or tear them down?

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Ah the misuse of grammar on my part! Let's just list things instead (my examples are admittedly exaggerated, more often things are subtle):
* By being hypocritical to their own beliefs. Example: "Jesus said love everyone! But I hate you because you believe differently."
* use unethical tactics to try to convince you to join their hypocrisy (or non-hypocrisy). Example: "Jesus said love everyone! So I'm going to tell lies about you and treat you like trash, until you love everyone like me"
* Trying to suppress the rights/choices of others simply because of their religious beliefs. Example: You're a muslim, therefore you're not allowed to be in my country."
* Tearing others down. "If you're a muslim that means you're woman beater!"

redblue22 said:

1. What do some Christian groups do that offends you? Why?
2. What do some Christian groups believe that offends you? Why?

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I'm really not offended by what Christians do or believe... Christianity is such a broad religion encompassing so many denominations it would be difficult to summarize them all. Historically there are I believe many Christians that I admire for their heroism and sincerity.