A Christian's musings regarding Grace's thread

[wendyzski]

Many people on this board, pagans or whatever, have had extremely negative experiences with people who styled themselves as "good christians". This is bound to leave a few scars. I've been screamed at on public transportation and threatened on the street corner simply for wearing a symbol of a religion different from theirs.

I know some very wonderful people who are also Christians - one in particular who "puts the 'fun' in 'fundamentalist'", and it bothers me to see people be just as hateful towards those who they perceive as being part of a group that was hateful to them. I understand it I guess, but it still bothers me. I just try to be better.

And I sent out cards this year that said 'Seasons Greetings" with handwritten notes that said either "Merry Whatever!" or "Merry Everything!".

[Pansy Faye]

(And, no, I"m NOT suggesting that we become so incredibly PC that you can't make a joke about a "Priest, a Rabbi and a Druid" for fear of offending someone. Good gravy. :P )

O my blessed stars YES!!! I am so tired of the whole PC thing. No one today has a sense of humor anymore.

But we can leave that for another thread.

Blessing and the Peace of the Holiday Season to all. What ever you choice of holiday is. Pick one! :D

[Gwenyver Etaine]

Yes I'd admit the fundies of christianity can be hardcore and asshats,

Coffee, meet Mr. Monitor!


Good gravy...I haven't hear 'asshat' in ages! Reminds me of college, long, long ago!

[WenchyMom]

I picked up that one from here. I enjoy tremendously and have often called my roommate that in all good fun.

[Gwenyver Etaine]

I have used it in a LONG time, but we used to use it quite frequently when someone was being a deliberate....well....asshat.

[Emyrldlady]

I was raised Irish Catholic, my father was born in Belfast, I come from a huge family ( I have 76 first cousins, mostly all married with kids... do the math). I grew up in a strong Irish/Italian neighborhood. Stating that, I consider myself Pagan. I didn't have this big crisis of faith or some horrible falling out. It was subtle, over the course of my life little things didn't make sense to me. My parents raised me to question all things "without questions you have no answers". My father understood religious persecution, he was catholic in Belfast Northern Ireland. My mother wanted me to see that "one true religion" was not always true. She took me to revival meetings, to temple, the protestant church, the baptist church ect. She always said "Don't look down on others because they are different, look up to them instead." My father gave me reading assignments from the bible and we discussed them afterward and he reminded me that my interpretation was just that, "MY interpretation". It is becuse of this upbringing that I despise those people who tear down others religions without true knowledge of their own. I've read the bible cover to cover, several times. Most of the pagans I know have as well. Spouting verse when it is oportunistic and selective is annoying, if you are going to preach, do it well, think it through, talk to me, not at me, I'm more than willing to discuss my decisions regarding my religious choices. I respect your choices please respect mine.

A few years back I was in a play called "Dancing at Lughnasa" set in rual Ireland in the 30's one of the themes of the play was about the blurred lines of religion. One of my favorite lines in the play was "he is on his own distinctive spiritual search" I have adopted that as my theme. I consider myself more spiritual than religious.

An aquaintance of mine had one of the best theories on religion that I ever heard.

"If you want to worship your microwave, go right ahead, love it, worship it with all your heart, more power to you. But the minute you tell me that your microwave can beat up my toaster, we've got a problem."

[Gwenyver Etaine]

I respect your choices please respect mine.

*****

"If you want to worship your microwave, go right ahead, love it, worship it with all your heart, more power to you. But the minute you tell me that your microwave can beat up my toaster, we've got a problem."

I have no quarrel with your position. In fact, I agree. And, that was my position on this thread.

[Eric McTavish]

the bible was written by man therefore is can be wrong, it has been interpurted many times BY MAN which means it can be even more wrong.

A new monk joins an order know for the perfect translation of earlier texts of the bible into modern language... one day after a long day of work he ask the monk in charge, "has anyone ever made a mistake?"
The monk in charge responds "NO! We have never made a mistake!'
"Never?" asks the new monk "really?"
"let me prove it to you," Replies the older monk and down into the archives they go picking up random ancient manuscripts and comparing them to the translations and never a single mistake... this goes on for an hour until at last amongst the oldest manuscripts the older monk suddenly falls to his knees crying and clutching an ancient script, the younger monk, concerned for his master rushes to his side asking "what is wrong?" The older monk looks up with tears in his eyes, holds up the parchment in his shaking ands and whispers... it says CELEBRATE...not Celibate!!!!

[biker]

"If you want to worship your microwave, go right ahead, love it, worship it with all your heart, more power to you. But the minute you tell me that your microwave can beat up my toaster, we've got a problem."


Em, May I steal that from ya?

[Emyrldlady]

"If you want to worship your microwave, go right ahead, love it, worship it with all your heart, more power to you. But the minute you tell me that your microwave can beat up my toaster, we've got a problem."


Em, May I steal that from ya?

Go right ahead biker, after all I stole it from someone else years ago! Glad ya like it.