why is everyone so intrested in religion?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Oh, Reverend, I'm glad you came by. You are an expert on kook preachers. Can you vouch for the authenticity of this one?

Indeed I can. I have not met personally wit this bunch from Kansas, but I have met, actually, been acosted by people of like mindset. Occasionally I try to educate about these types wit an Ivory Tower thread such as the "Deliver me, Jesus" thread. It's a brutal world out there.

I have come to the conclusion that the hallmark of fundamentalism in its sickest forms is a lack of humor. So, contrary to the belief that the Kansas church is a spoof, they are entirely serious.

Originally posted by buckky
Forget the Church. People do want the Truth, but that is one hard thing to come by in our situation. We have no spiritual beings to commune with other than through faith, and that can get confusing. Look at all the different Faiths. All claiming to have the Truth. One mans religion is another mans cult. It's a true mess on earth trying to deal with the spiritual need. The Truth I feel is beyond us at this stage.

forget the church, forget the Truth (should that be the TRUTH(tm)?) People want biscuits and chocolate.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
[b]It is always a good idea to keep the enemy in sight.

And Christians are the "enemy" because ... ?[/b]

Let me count the ways... too, too many...

... mostly it is the arrogance and sense of entitlement of your mainstream christian population, imho.

Without even getting into the diddle your neighbour, make a buck evangelical types... TV brain-toasters busy making money off the elderly, gullible and lonely hearts of so many alienated people?

I think it's the collusion between the media, the church, the state and - nowadays - major corporations that keep people alienated - afraid and ignorant and suckers for whoever comes along and promises them happiness for a "donation" of only $9.99 - not to mention a white leatherette bible with personally autographed photographs of jesus christ our lord and saviour.

Originally posted by widget
Let me count the ways... too, too many...

... mostly it is the arrogance and sense of entitlement of your mainstream christian population, imho.

Without even getting into the diddle your neighbour, make a buck evangelical types... TV brain-toasters busy making money off the elderly, gullible and lonely hearts of so many alienated people?

I think it ...[text shortened]... leatherette bible with personally autographed photographs of jesus christ our lord and saviour.

Without even getting into the diddle your neighbour, make a buck evangelical types... TV brain-toasters busy making money off the elderly, gullible and lonely hearts of so many alienated people?

I wonder if mainstream American Evangelical Christianity is the only form of Christianity many posters in this forum have ever encountered.

I think it's the collusion between the media, the church, the state and - nowadays - major corporations

The Media and the Church? If you believed the mainstream media, every Catholic priest you run into is a child molester.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
[b]Without even getting into the diddle your neighbour, make a buck evangelical types... TV brain-toasters busy making money off the elderly, gullible and lonely hearts of so many alienated people?

I wonder if mainstream American Evangelical Christianity is the only form of Christianity many posters in this forum have ever encountered.

I ...[text shortened]... h? If you believed the mainstream media, every Catholic priest you run into is a child molester.

Let's take the high road and avoid that discussion. Please. Get a grip!

You may be right about the evangelical/tv exposure being many posters primary take on christianity. It would explain the completely my-country-right-or-wrong kind of responses that so many promising threads devolve into - on the one hand... and the Mr.Baiter-baiters - on the other hand.

If you don't think Bush, the media and the church are in bed on saving the world for Exxon and more bucks for everybody driving that particular bus, we can just close this particular digression off right about here.

I know some stellar christians, some very nice bahai, some great wiccans, even a few kindly atheists and agnostics, muslims, zoroastrians, etc.... truly religious people seem to me to transcend the texts... sometimes I think it takes organized religion to lead the spiritually inclined to holy water - but it can't oblige them to drink at the fountain of ecstatic experience that seems to bubble out of folks who find grace through whatever everyday "religious" doorway.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Pastor Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church:

http://www.godhatesfags.com/main/purpose.html
http://www.godhatesfags.com/main/faq.html
http://www.godhatesfags.com/fags/fag.html

Would you really call these people Christains? Their ideals are Christain ideals, but their methods and words are not. Protesting at the funeral of a murdred homosexual is an irresponsible publicity stunt, and not Christain behaviour.

As lucifershammer said, this is probubly the only form of "Christainity" that most American's have met. The pharisees of our time, building their faith on rules and regulations. 'You must do this', 'You can't do that'. sure you can, you shouldn't and you should try not too, but God forgives! if you do it and you are sorry, just ask him to forgive and he shan't condem you.

Jesus Saves is just a saying to them, it lacks meaning in their little world of hate and predudice. 🙂

Originally posted by bbarr
Because they corrupt the youth and increase the amount of hate in the world.

Can u prove it?

Originally posted by Nicolaas
Can u prove it?

Don't the 'godhatesfags' sites, as referred to in the previous zillion posts, prove this point?

Originally posted by Redmike
Don't the 'godhatesfags' sites, as referred to in the previous zillion posts, prove this point?

well, no. the post that bbarr was referring to was talking about Christains, and would you call the makers of said site Christains? And if so, then your perception of Christianity is a tad warped...

Originally posted by genius
well, no. the post that bbarr was referring to was talking about Christains, and would you call the makers of said site Christains? And if so, then your perception of Christianity is a tad warped...

More like the Christians the perception is based on are warped.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
More like the Christians the perception is based on are warped.

well, yes, but those who base their opinions soely on those are also warped. how can you judge a tree by it's fruit if you are only looking at a rotted branch?

Originally posted by genius
well, yes, but those who base their opinions soely on those are also warped. how can you judge a tree by it's fruit if you are only looking at a rotted branch?

How do you know which branches are rotten?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
How do you know which branches are rotten?

judge not lest ye be judged 🙂

my metaphor was far too harsh (for want of a better word) and i wasn't sure whether to use it. i don't fully beleive it, but i think it makes my point. again i vaguely judge to make a point:

how do you know which brances are rotten? well, those which preach love by practice hate.

Originally posted by genius

how do you know which brances are rotten? well, those which preach love by practice hate.

Are all hypocritical branches rotten, or just that variety?

Originally posted by genius
judge not lest ye be judged 🙂

my metaphor was far too harsh (for want of a better word) and i wasn't sure whether to use it. i don't fully beleive it, but i think it makes my point. again i vaguely judge to make a point:

how do you know which brances are rotten? well, those which preach love by practice hate.

Kinda circular logic there.

The proposition was that christianity increases the amount of hate in the world. An example was cited.

The defence seems to be 'but these people aren't christians - we know that because they preach hate'.