Differences

[Alvis]

There are two ways to look at it. Do we judge a religion based upon its teachings or based upon its followers? I find both to be valid, but it must be specified which we are doing.

It should be judged on its followers. christianity must be. How many times have I heard the tired christian trope, "Proof of God is a changed life." Well, changed, but not for the better obviously. Being a judgmental, hypocritical jerk is not something I need in my spirituality, thanks. Most christians act worse than non-christians, so what does that say about God and this "changed life" business?

I hope you aren't suggesting that those who follow Judaism should act like violent, bloodthirsty warmongers and that we have nothing in our faith that discourages those activities.

No, christians. Which I find ironic, since it's YOUR holy book, not ours. Most Jews I talk to seem to dance around the barbaric stuff in the bible. Not christians, no. They embrace it full on. I've heard more sermons justifying genocide than I have on being a good person, I kid you not.

You'd be surprised how many of his sayings are taken directly from the Tanakh or from rabbis that preceded him, so I agree.

Probably. Buddha said things similar too. Teaching love is a universal truth, not a christian one. But the christian bible says "God is love." So when you act contrary to that or when you promote 'God is violence' or' God is death,' then you have some problems in your religion.

 

[Zoness]

That is an interesting point. After all, the teachings don't matter if people don't adhere to them. I am trying to be objective but I am WELL aware that Christianity doesn't by and large adhere to its own teachings.

 

[LoAmmi]

No, christians. Which I find ironic, since it's YOUR holy book, not ours. Most Jews I talk to seem to dance around the barbaric stuff in the bible. Not christians, no. They embrace it full on. I've heard more sermons justifying genocide than I have on being a good person, I kid you not.

Well, I mean, we'd always point to the fact that we weren't told in the Torah to be barbaric. If it was commanded, it was a time and place thing done for reasons that I clearly cannot comprehend. Nothing tells me to act that way; quite the contrary in fact.

 

[Alvis]

That is an interesting point. After all, the teachings don't matter if people don't adhere to them. I am trying to be objective but I am WELL aware that Christianity doesn't by and large adhere to its own teachings.

"Do as I say, not as I do."

That is the christian mantra.

You have christians, especially preachers, saying one thing while doing another. Bakker, Swaggart, and even Haggard are all guilty of this. Recently, Ted Haggard would preach against drugs and gays, yet was found to be an avid closet homosexual, sleeping with young, male members of his flock. Great man. Usually the ones who harp the most against those kind of things are the biggest practitioners themselves. Homophobes tend to be repressed gays in many cases, makes me wonder about Rev. Phelps.

This is why you'll never see me in a church every again. I got tired of listening to hypocrites condemn me to hell while they take my money and judge me for things they do themselves. Never mind the genocide is cool sermons. That got old after 5 minutes. God loves him some genocide.

 

[Zoness]

So I'm curious, why do you have an Anglican icon?

Personally, Anglicans are some of my favorite Christians but I am just curious about how your beliefs are structured.

 

[gord44]

This is why you'll never see me in a church every again. I got tired of listening to hypocrites condemn me to hell while they take my money and judge me for things they do themselves. Never mind the genocide is cool sermons. That got old after 5 minutes. God loves him some genocide.

I am no longer a believer or much of a church goer, but in all my years of going to church in many different churches, not once did I experience what you describe above.

 

[Zoness]

I am no longer a believer or much of a church goer, but in all my years of going to church in many different churches, not once did I experience what you describe above.

I never have either, and I've been to some pretty conservative churches. That's why I was curious.

 

[Alvis]

So I'm curious, why do you have an Anglican icon?

Personally, Anglicans are some of my favorite Christians but I am just curious about how your beliefs are structured.

Because my family is Anglican. That is my church officially. I never go and always found it boring.

 

[Alvis]

I am no longer a believer or much of a church goer, but in all my years of going to church in many different churches, not once did I experience what you describe above.

What type of church did you attend? Names please.

 

[Zoness]

Because my family is Anglican. That is my church officially. I never go and always found it boring.

So you use the icons a differently then? To represent what religion you are "officially part of"? Interesting. Not wrong, just interesting.

Though I'm sure the Catholics on CF would go (insert creative word) if I changed my icon to Catholic. Personally I liked the metered, liturgical and open-minded attitude of Anglicans. Even the ACNA people were always really friendly to me. That said, the politics and cultural baggage of Christianity are a lot to bare for me.

 

[Alvis]

I never have either, and I've been to some pretty conservative churches. That's why I was curious.

Maybe it depends on your location. Where do you live and what is your background?

The ones I'm describing would be the militant, protestant evangelical community. I would equate them with fundamentalists but I'm not sure if they are, since some love pastors like Benny Hinn and the gang. These churches are either Baptist of some type or another or nondenoniminational.

 

[Alvis]

So you use the icons a differently then? To represent what religion you are "officially part of"? Interesting. Not wrong, just interesting.

Though I'm sure the Catholics on CF would go (insert creative word) if I changed my icon to Catholic. Personally I liked the metered, liturgical and open-minded attitude of Anglicans. Even the ACNA people were always really friendly to me. That said, the politics and cultural baggage of Christianity are a lot to bare for me.

Anglicans are going to hell anyway because they ordain gays and even worse, women. christians don't like that. The churches I was apart of after that, until recently, said catholics and anglicans were going to hell for worshiping Mary. They were extremists and took their bible very seriously.

Very much the same as radical muslims. I see so much in common with the two faiths, and seeing as how I have zero respect for islam, well, the rest should be self-explanatory.

 

[Zoness]

Maybe it depends on your location. Where do you live and what is your background?

The ones I'm describing would be the militant, protestant evangelical community. I would equate them with fundamentalists but I'm not sure if they are, since some love pastors like Benny Hinn and the gang. These churches are either Baptist of some type or another or nondenoniminational.

I'm from Illinois in an area that is about 50/50 conservative/liberal politically. I was raised Catholic but converted to Protestant in my teens. My folks then attended a Church of God--Anderson, IN church which is officially "Non-denominational" but distinctly Wesleyan with a Pentecostal flare. They were pretty conservative and very "happy clappy" rock concert-y. They weren't bad but they weren't intellectually stimulating, eventually I just came to doubt as my questions remained unanswered.

Then around age 18 my parents left that church and became Baptists at the biggest church in town. I dated a homeschooled girl for awhile that was a "Colonial Baptist'. Bad idea, going to that church for a long time had a terribly negative impact on my trust in Christianity. I've had some experience with Independent Baptists and I've found it has left me quite at odds with my beliefs.

 

[LoAmmi]

They were extremists and took their bible very seriously.

Yes, except for regarding how they got that Bible, of course.

 

[gord44]

What type of church did you attend? Names please.

2 Anglican
1 Conservative Baptist
1 Moderate Baptist
1 Eastern Orthodox
1 Roman Catholic
2 United
1 Moderate Reformed
1 Conservative Lutheran

 

[gord44]

Yes, except for regarding how they got that Bible, of course.

Ain't that the truth. It was also one of my first doubts when I was a Christian.

 

[Alvis]

I'm from Illinois in an area that is about 50/50 conservative/liberal politically. I was raised Catholic but converted to Protestant in my teens. My folks then attended a Church of God--Anderson, IN church which is officially "Non-denominational" but distinctly Wesleyan with a Pentecostal flare. They were pretty conservative and very "happy clappy" rock concert-y. They weren't bad but they weren't intellectually stimulating, eventually I just came to doubt as my questions remained unanswered.

Then around age 18 my parents left that church and became Baptists at the biggest church in town. I dated a homeschooled girl for awhile that was a "Colonial Baptist'. Bad idea, going to that church for a long time had a terribly negative impact on my trust in Christianity. I've had some experience with Independent Baptists and I've found it has left me quite at odds with my beliefs.

Yeah, Baptists are ****ed. My experience with them is... not good. I have dated evangelical fundamentalist girls, whose theology was the same as Baptist (but they didn't call themselves that) and, yikes. Where do I begin? I'm sure you know all about what they are like.

I am now open to dating anyone spiritually, unless she is one of those type of religious people or an ardent muslim. Anyone is fine but them.

 

[Alvis]

Yes, except for regarding how they got that Bible, of course.

Huh?

 

[Alvis]

2 Anglican
1 Conservative Baptist
1 Moderate Baptist
1 Eastern Orthodox
1 Roman Catholic
2 United
1 Moderate Reformed
1 Conservative Lutheran

All very liberal churches, aside from the "conservative baptist". You lack exposure to the charismatic movement. I suggest you do more research into them, since they are where I heard most of this from.

 

[gord44]

I knew well enough to avoid charismatic churches!