Question for Christians re: the news

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by Chairboy
Funny graphic, Gunslinger, but I ain't trolling.

All I'm asking is if people approve or not of what was done to the woman in the article.  It doesn't seem like that difficult of a question to answer, but for some reason, nobody is.

you stated earlier that all that watermelon was done to that lady all in the name of jesus.

I dont remember reading that.  YOu call them people christians.....well they are not.

I think common sense prevails here, anyone who knows anything about Jesus or his teachings would know he would not condone this type of behavior......these people are not christians.


OTOH,

I also dont approve of one person moving  into town and forcing change on the etire town.  The city council could have been a little more flexible on this matter.

The reason I think you are trolling here is because you are specifically picking on christians with no real reason.  I could post an article about a couple of black guys beating somone else up and ask are all black people like this....do you condone this?  And the thread would be just as gay!

[AWMac]

I agree with Gunslinger....

Chairboy yer bait stinks and it's a half~assed troll.

So what do you do for a living?

LOL

Keep your night job.

[TweetyBird]

Give it some time - I'm sure it will come to light that Kerry had something to do with it:rolleyes:

Seriously, the incident has more to do with mob mentality than religion. Thats why I don't let my cats near this OC

[Chairboy]

Since you're convinced I'm trolling, can you suggest a better way to ask whether or not the extremists that did that stuff should be condemned?  Everybody questions my motives, but I still want an answer.  

Maybe one of you 'god fearing' types could figure out a way to get this information?  Or are you calling me a troll because you think that honest answers from the group would be 'unpopular'?  Before I posted this, I figured there might be some interesting conversation, but that in the end, everyone would agree that the specific methods used were inappropriate.  

Now, I wonder.  Is it possible that the silent majority of Christians approve of what happened to her because y'all should 'not suffer a witch to live'?  Do you feel that, in fact, that she's getting exactly what she deserves and that this is just a taste in anticipation of the fiery future that lay before her?

ONE person has said they disagree with what the extremists did to her.  ONE SINGLE PERSON.  Holy crap, are you all really that hateful that you think killing her cat and vandalizing her house is GOOD?

[Hawklore]

Originally posted by Chairboy
http://www.thestate.com/mld/state/news/opinion/9378079.htm

After Wiccan woman wins case to not be discriminated against in town meetings, her cat is gutted and killed, her house vandalized, and snubbed her from the community... all in the name of Jesus.

Do the religious types here find this acceptable?  Or do you condemn this?

Doing that, in the name of anything, God, Christianity, Allah, King, Country, etc. Is not acceptable in my mind... Especially the cat being gutted...

[capt. apathy]

I'm going to assume your genuine in your question and give you the same type of answer.

I condemn it, any Christian I know would as well.

however there are many people who identify themselves as Christians who do it mainly to be part of the group with people they know.  they have little or no knowledge about Christianity and they don't seem to let what they do know interfere with their actions.  some of these people have made it to very high office in various churches and gov'ts.
 
  these people are a huge threat to our religion, maybe one of the biggest.  they are by far the minority.   but since people who actually read the Bible and let the principles and commandments outlined there to be a major guiding force in their lives are fairly boring by the standards of todays media (where the only stories that seem to make the news are centered around gossip, pornography or violence), the nut-jobs who are just looking for any excuse to lash out at anybody different and think that by saying they are doing this evil in Gods name will excuse it or somehow make it right, get a lot more press time.  the end result is that for many people this is the only exposure they have to Christianity and it leaves them with the impression that all Christians are irrational-zealot-hicks, it's no wonder they roll their eyes and close their ears when the subject of salvation comes up.

as Christians we need to condemn these people loudly and often, the news media constantly tells people these are Christians so it takes a lot of voices to even make a dent against that.  

we need to let non-Christians, or prospective Christians know that these people don't represent us.

if you are a Christian and support these types of actions or think that somehow the end justifies the means, read your Bible again.  and when you're done do it again, repeat as many times as necessary until you figure it out.

[AWMac]

Originally posted by Chairboy
Since you're convinced I'm trolling, can you suggest a better way to ask whether or not the extremists that did that stuff should be condemned?  Everybody questions my motives, but I still want an answer.  

Maybe one of you 'god fearing' types could figure out a way to get this information?  Or are you calling me a troll because you think that honest answers from the group would be 'unpopular'?  Before I posted this, I figured there might be some interesting conversation, but that in the end, everyone would agree that the specific methods used were inappropriate.  

Now, I wonder.  Is it possible that the silent majority of Christians approve of what happened to her because y'all should 'not suffer a witch to live'?  Do you feel that, in fact, that she's getting exactly what she deserves and that this is just a taste in anticipation of the fiery future that lay before her?

ONE person has said they disagree with what the extremists did to her.  ONE SINGLE PERSON.  Holy crap, are you all really that hateful that you think killing her cat and vandalizing her house is GOOD?

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by Chairboy
Since you're convinced I'm trolling, can you suggest a better way to ask whether or not the extremists that did that stuff should be condemned?  Everybody questions my motives, but I still want an answer.  

Maybe one of you 'god fearing' types could figure out a way to get this information?  Or are you calling me a troll because you think that honest answers from the group would be 'unpopular'?  Before I posted this, I figured there might be some interesting conversation, but that in the end, everyone would agree that the specific methods used were inappropriate.  

Now, I wonder.  Is it possible that the silent majority of Christians approve of what happened to her because y'all should 'not suffer a witch to live'?  Do you feel that, in fact, that she's getting exactly what she deserves and that this is just a taste in anticipation of the fiery future that lay before her?

ONE person has said they disagree with what the extremists did to her.  ONE SINGLE PERSON.  Holy crap, are you all really that hateful that you think killing her cat and vandalizing her house is GOOD?

Let me tell you a story,

about 5 years ago I got turned off of faith completly.  It was around halloween and a girl I was seeing invited me to a church haunted house.  I said sure sounds like a good time and went with her.

Well this "church" was nothing but pure evil.  As we go herded into the main area we were told to sit down and the doors were locked behind us.  OK i'm a little scared.

than a movie projector started playing.  My freaked out level went to all new highs when they started showing pictures of aborted fetuses and abortion instruction videos.  

After about 10 seconds I had enough and wanted out.  Of course they locked the door behind us so I preceded to try and break it down along with a few others.  They threatend to call the police on me, and I threatend to call the fire marshal (he was a drinking buddy of mine and owed me a favor)

To make a long story short they let us go and my GF was mad so I dumped her on the spot.  

I didnt go to church for a couple of years after that and was completly turned off by religion untill I met a pastor who set me strait.

These people, while having good intentions, have VERY CHITTY methods of getting their point accross and do more harm than good.  This new pastor taught me that christ is in fact about love, not hate.  You can gauff all you want but its true.  

Love thy sinner hate thy sin.  That is one of christ's biggest messages and these exrtemests just don't get the point.

You religion haters cant hate us all you want and it does not bother me.  When you say my faith as a whole is wrong for the mis-deeds of the few, I will allways step in and condem them and correct you.

[AWMac]

Originally posted by Chairboy
Since you're convinced I'm trolling, can you suggest a better way to ask whether or not the extremists that did that stuff should be condemned?  Everybody questions my motives, but I still want an answer.  

Maybe one of you 'god fearing' types could figure out a way to get this information?  Or are you calling me a troll because you think that honest answers from the group would be 'unpopular'?  Before I posted this, I figured there might be some interesting conversation, but that in the end, everyone would agree that the specific methods used were inappropriate.  

Now, I wonder.  Is it possible that the silent majority of Christians approve of what happened to her because y'all should 'not suffer a witch to live'?  Do you feel that, in fact, that she's getting exactly what she deserves and that this is just a taste in anticipation of the fiery future that lay before her?

ONE person has said they disagree with what the extremists did to her.  ONE SINGLE PERSON.  Holy crap, are you all really that hateful that you think killing her cat and vandalizing her house is GOOD?

Opps you just made a mistake Chairboy....  GOD FEARING?.... first of all if you had not a lil sense of belief you'd not know the term "God FEARING" and 1st of all I don't fear GOD... I am at Peace... I just hang around to see what the Atheists are doing...I could die a 3rd time tomorrow and I'd welcome the Peace.

Been there before, no T~Shirts, just scares ...external/internal...

Sooo you lil troll before you start the "Religion" question do a lil research... it won't make you look soooo phucggin stoopid!

Not to late for you to get a Fuggin Life!

Happy Trails...

[demaw1]

Chairboy..........trolling...

  Come on guys wake up ,chairboy is not trolling....

   Except for the cat, I do not condem what was done.Where in the constitution does it say, someone can come into a town of 2400 people, that believe in any one religion, get upset by them invoking any deity they want,espectually one the country was founded on.Get the courts to turn the town upside down and believe many are not going to retaliate.

 How does one person have that right? If she didnt like how the town prayed,  She could start her own town . Isnt that how the pilgrims did it ? Isnt that how the mormans did it.?

  What ever they did, they did it in the name of FREEDOM ,not in the name of God. After all isnt that what our forefathers did? Most of them were christians, and yet in the name of freedom they particapated in the boston tea party, and started a war.

Many millions of christians have woke up to what is goin on,and  sooner or later the rest will.Atheist and others think you can sholve your religion down our throats,but you are wrong and your day is coming ,as sure as the sun rises it is. In history it always has it will here to.

  Yes choirboy you can be the best person the world has ever seen, and If you do not ask forgiveness for your sins, and realize you are made from dirt, you will go to hell.

 You will face the God that has already said....Your works are as filthy rags. Now far as I am concerned I hope you never change,ya I know most of my brothers and sisters will disagree,never the less dont change.

[Chairboy]

Gunslinger, Capt Apathy, & Demaw, thanks for your responses.  I was getting a bit worried there.  I think you're right, that those people did not represent Christianity as a whole, and thanks for taking the time to post.  As an atheist surrounded by religious folk, it gets a little intimidating sometimes and seems like people are willing to let the ends justify the means, that's why I wanted this reality check.

For the rest of you that kept telling me I'm trolling, bug off.  Your complacency and unwillingness or inability to identify evil is disgusting.  If you're really so blind that you can't tell when someone is making a heartfelt plea that grows from sincere concern and fear that mob mentality can grow unchecked, then I hope sincerely that you can change before you're in a situation where loved ones will suffer because of your inaction.

Civilization is only as strong as the first person to say 'now hold on a minute, that's not right'.

[Gunslinger]

As an atheist surrounded by religious folk, it gets a little intimidating sometimes and seems like people are willing to let the ends justify the means, that's why I wanted this reality check

Now put yourself in our shoes.

As a christian surrounded by athiests telling me my faith is a farce and I am of weak mind for beleiving in the divinity, it gets me mad.

When a small group of people get's "offended" and everyone must suffer and change thier way of life in order not to "offend" that gets me mad.  

I am tolerent of non-religious people even when they are becoming ever more intolerent of me.

[anonymous]

im atheist been around many who are deeply religous and have nothing but good to say about them. awmac i hear you about the 11th hour deal i guess from experience im just more of the "make sure the ******* that shot me dont get away everyone but the corpsman better be lookin for him!" type. was raised with religion myself just not compatable anymore. maybe im one quarter agnostic three quarters atheist all i can say is if there is someone or something after the big ride ive got a hell of a list of questions for him or it before im judged.

[anonymous]

oh and for gunslinger and awmac when i say atheist i have no problem sayin amen after other peoples prayers or going to church with buddies family if im staying with them and whatnot. religion and practices dont offend me in the least.

[Charon]

When a small group of people get's "offended" and everyone must suffer and change thier way of life in order not to "offend" that gets me mad.

Some people take their spirituality seriously. I'm agnostic. It's something I have put a lot of though and meditation into. It’s something I take very seriously. I think it's disrespectful to force my beliefs on others, but at the same time I feel it is disrespectful to my beliefs and to another's religion to "go along with it" without having those personal beliefs.

She was not in a private setting. When I go to NASCAR there is an invocation where Jesus is named. My wife (who is Jewish) and I go along with it silently because we have a right not to be there (not really true since she's there for work...but anyway). In a church or temple I go along with it silently and respectfully because I have a right not to attend and chose otherwise. But, at public meeting, where I have the same rights as any 200 other citizens it is different. I'll be dammed If I'll let any mob force me to give up those rights anymore than you would say a prayer to the moon goddess before you could participate in a public meeting.

It sounds like she tried to be accomodating:

Wynne tried to show respect, but she grew increasingly uncomfortable. She asked Mayor Henry Clayton Starnes for a nonsectarian invocation. He refused. She suggested a rotation of local ministers. No way.

But, even when she took the entire effort on herself to accommodate the majority that wasn't good enough:

Once she stayed outside the council’s meeting room until the prayer ended. She was told she had waived her scheduled opportunity to speak. A councilman asked for a public hearing on her protests and her proposed alternatives. A hundred townspeople turned out to support the status quo. Several Christian ministers filed statements defending the council’s policy. Cries were heard of “Hallelujah!” The mayor told Wynne: “This is the way we’ve always done things, and we’re not going to change.”

You guys with the Christian persecution complex should run the numbers.  

2002
Christian 82%
Jewish 1%
Muslim 1%
Other non-Christian 1%
Atheist 1%
Agnostic 2%
Something else (SPECIFY) 2%
No preference 10%
Don't know/Refused 1%

Most of those radical atheists, etc. are just trying to retain the right to not be a Christian if they so choose. Or to raise their children in an atmosphere free of prostelyzing, whether it overt or covert in nature.

Charon