US Satanists File Lawsuits Seeking Equal Rights With Christian Groups

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Was Jesus a liberal? He didn't complain openly about the IMperial regime, in fact he did nothing openly to actually counter it. Liberalism as a philosophy didn't exist until the enlightenment and thus to place it on Jesus is a bit like me saying he was a Paleo Conservative. Our Lord wasn't, he was God, Lord and King of the world. That last title is of particular import since it's not very liberal to have a monarchy, yet we know Jesus has been entrusted with that divine authority from his heavenly Father.

Your saying a lot of things, things which I don't believe can be justified. You say Jesus is against war, yet Paul was allowed to teach in his Epistles that the state carries a sword for a reason. You say Jesus was for immigration, but we see Jesus compare a gentile to a dog and make her abase herself before she can receive healing. You say Jesus supported welfare, but he praised an old woman for giving everything she had to the temple treasury.

But here's the thing. I don't mean to be condescending. I only look at the world and it's development over time. Throughout this discussion you have done everything in your power to undermine Christians and our beliefs for the sake of what exactly? To liberty of Satanists to mock our religion by practice of their faux beliefs. Jesus didn't tolerate the money changers in his Father's household. God didn't praise the Kings of Israel for tolerating the high places. Were Christians wrong to do away with Pagan sacrifice and outlaw it? Was it wrong to cut down the sacred Tree of Odin?

To a liberal yes, but not to a Christian. There is, I think, a disconnect between yourself and the historic Church. You view yourself above all Christians before you. It's an attitude that suits your secular liberalism. But it won't lead you further into Christianity.

 

[Thomas White]

The problem being that this just leads to there being no statues of Jesus, Ten Commandment statues or any other official insignia that bears a resemblance to religion. Which is exactly the point and goal of the Satanists in the USA.

If Liberalism leads to this, it's not worth defending.

How has "liberalism" led to this?

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

How has "liberalism" led to this?

Because liberalism is the idea that political freedom and toleration are the keys to civil society. If freedom of the individual is the goal, we must work towards the liberation of the person to do as they deem fit. Society is bound to cave to the demands of each and every group in order to defend their liberty. Hence you have the proposition that Christians must defend the liberty of Satanists to mock their religion. Or, as the Satanists intend, we must remove all public expressions of Christianity and there can be no trace of Christianity anywhere, lest one group be favoured.

One need only look at the standards of Western society and how progressively we've been moving away from Christian norms since the 60s. Can it really be maintained, we are moving towards a culture informed by Christianity, instead of a culture informed by liberalization of the individual, which is really a consumer culture which seeks to satisfy any internal desire of the individual? This is why the trans movement has taken off. There is no mechanism within liberalism to stop this, because it's all about how the individual feels and the individual rights must be tolerated at first and then celebrated.

Basically, modern liberalism has embraced licentious freedom instead of disciplined freedom. Freedom, when it is controlled, reigned in by the good conscience, focused on morality, honour and the like is a good thing. But the freedom encouraged by today's western society is a decadent thing, one that encourages licentiousness. One need only look at movements like the fat positivity movement to see the sort of decadence we are in today.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I am a Christian, but I am decidedly not conservative, and the actions taken by our state legislature whenever they meet (thankfully only every other year) horrify me. I am also on the board of an ecumenical Christian women's group, and we regularly send resolutions to our state's legislators about their bills, some of which are so extreme that they are unconstitutional and will be challenged in the courts.
As for stand your ground, how is it interpreted? Is it EVER moral, ethical, or godly to kill someone in cold blood because of trespassing, burglary, or threatening your property, whether armed or unarmed? Stand your ground makes this legal.
Personally, I want to see religious principles reflected in the lives and votes of legislators, not on a courthouse lawn.
I think it is so sad that the secular humanists in western Europe heed to gospel message of Jesus far more closely than the state legislators of Arkansas--and I think that is one reason why organized religions are losing membership.

Seems to me that you are admitting that you actually favor theocracy as long as it is left leaning.