God is not Dead!

[dwayne1115]

This is Easter weekend, and I would like to point out that GOD IS NOT DEAD!

 

[D'Snowth]

I've noticed Christianity seems to be making a comeback as far as mainstream goes. I mean, we've gotten all kinds of Biblical and Christian-themed and related shows, miniseries, movies, and books that have somehow achieved mainstream success, considering Christian media is supposedly supposed to be prohibited from public as to not offend any non-religious people; case in point: mandatory prayer in school was banned in 1962 because an atheist mother forced her son to refuse to pray after the Pledge of Allegience. And, of course, there's the constant fight to get "In God We Trust" removed from our currency and from our courtrooms. Last Christmas there were billboards of a little girl writing a letter to Santa asking, "All I want for Christmas is . . . TO SKIP CHURCH! I'M TOO OLD FOR FAIRY TALES!" (humorless Hypocritical Humor, much?).

But then again, nothing is going to be changed. Religious people are going to continue to be persecuted for their faith, while irreligious people are going to continue to fight to have religion removed from our society on the grounds that it offends them.

 

[dwayne1115]

You bring up some very valid points. Something that I have noticed however is that on both sides the fight for whichever side has just become so hateful. I mean I can understand both sides I honestly can, but do we have to be so mean about how we share our message?

 

[D'Snowth]

In cases like that, I think that's why so many people are actually turning away from God rather than turning to Him. Yes, there are some people who get so aggressive and fanatical about their religion that they practically push it onto people, which is the wrong way to go about spreading the word of the lord.

Then of course, there's the problem of the crazed far right who are always going around spouting hatred towards certain groups (especially gays), which is not what God is about at all: God loves all people, as we're supposed to love our fellow man, so when certain religious fanatics go around saying things like, "God hates homosexuals and is going send them all straight to **** to burn for all eternity," is certainly going to turn people away who are mislead to believe in order to have a relationship with God, they have to hate certain groups of people for who they are, and therefore, are not going to want anything to do with God.

Admittedly, a friend of mine is one of those kind of fire-and-brimstone far-right fanatics who is regularly condemning gays and transgendered people on Facebook, and sometimes it gets to the point that I actually want to say STFU to her.

So, yes, both sides can get a wee bit extreme when it comes to pushing their views and beliefs onto the other side, which only makes the friction and tension worse.

 

[snichols1973]

In cases like that, I think that's why so many people are actually turning away from God rather than turning to Him. Yes, there are some people who get so aggressive and fanatical about their religion that they practically push it onto people, which is the wrong way to go about spreading the word of the lord.

Then of course, there's the problem of the crazed far right who are always going around spouting hatred towards certain groups (especially gays), which is not what God is about at all: God loves all people, as we're supposed to love our fellow man, so when certain religious fanatics go around saying things like, "God hates homosexuals and is going send them all straight to **** to burn for all eternity," is certainly going to turn people away who are mislead to believe in order to have a relationship with God, they have to hate certain groups of people for who they are, and therefore, are not going to want anything to do with God.

One of the worst examples of extreme far-right radicalism is the Westboro Baptist congregation of Topeka, KS, which is notorious for its use of "God Hates" slogans, funeral picketing, and their harsh criticisms of other denominations, ethnic groups, etc. ad nauseaum....

One of the good things about the MC Forum is having a place where people of diverse backgrounds can come together, sit back, relax, and respectfully share their thoughts and experiences in accordance with the TOS guidelines....

Have a Happy Easter / Passover weekend everyone.....

 

[D'Snowth]

Ah yes, the Westboro Baptist Church. The KKK of every group that isn't them.

 

[Drtooth]

And it's just one crazy family that refuses to disband, get a freaking life, or have any clarity or self awareness of any kind. They have such disgustingly insane beliefs that they think everyone is going to fire and brimstone and feel they need to warn the rest of the world about it. That level of fear isn't religion, it's a cult. While I know that some religions try to speak out against the extremists, it's a shame they aren't paid attention to as the worst of what humanity has to offer is louder and more arrogant than the softer, loving types. And that's true of every religion.

 

[beatnikchick300]

But then again, nothing is going to be changed. Religious people are going to continue to be persecuted for their faith, while irreligious people are going to continue to fight to have religion removed from our society on the grounds that it offends them.

The issue as I see it (being a secular pantheist, which means in terms of any sort of personal, supreme, anthropomorphic gods, I would be considered an atheist) is that it's well and good for people to practice their religions personally (something I have zero problem with; it's a free country, after all), but the government (as per separation of church and state) isn't supposed to side with any one religion over another (we'd have to allow equal time for every religion if we did that, and really, in schools, government meetings, and so forth, who has time for that?). And I don't see how atheists and atheist organizations putting billboards up is any different than religious groups doing it, or for that matter, any company advertising.

And it's just one crazy family that refuses to disband, get a freaking life, or have any clarity or self awareness of any kind. They have such disgustingly insane beliefs that they think everyone is going to fire and brimstone and feel they need to warn the rest of the world about it. That level of fear isn't religion, it's a cult. While I know that some religions try to speak out against the extremists, it's a shame they aren't paid attention to as the worst of what humanity has to offer is louder and more arrogant than the softer, loving types. And that's true of every religion.

Now, that's true. And I've come to realize that WBC is getting more laughably desperate to have someone, ANYONE in the media pay attention to them (if it weren't so pathetic, it would be comical) that they insert their Insane Troll Logic-based rhetoric into any, and every, news story under the sun.

 

[Iscah]

Happy Easter everyone. The pastor at church this morning had a wonderful story / mental image in his message today about a child, having been asked what was the first thing Jesus did after coming back to life, said that he would have come out of the tomb and shouted "TA-DAH!" (And then he re-described it later as "the divine ta-dah".) And I think that's just the most fantastic way of putting it! Plus I am still laughing at it as I write this, and probably will for some time...


On the other topic here - hateful people on both sides of the religion debate make me sad.

 

[dwayne1115]

Happy Easter everyone. The pastor at church this morning had a wonderful story / mental image in his message today about a child, having been asked what was the first thing Jesus did after coming back to life, said that he would have come out of the tomb and shouted "TA-DAH!" (And then he re-described it later as "the divine ta-dah".) And I think that's just the most fantastic way of putting it! Plus I am still laughing at it as I write this, and probably will for some time...


On the other topic here - hateful people on both sides of the religion debate make me sad.

"The Divine Ta-dah" I have to say I really like that! Thanks for shearing that.