The Bible and Love and Christians

[Drtooth]

I don't care what kind of pressure the mods are getting (and considering how often this thread is pegged for deletion, I have to assume that's what is going on). We're members too. If someone think gay marriage is icky and doesn't belong on a Muppet forum, remind them this is a site that has aliens with chickens, pigs with bulls, pigs with frogs, whatever Animal's parents were, etc, and move on with your day. If they want to remain sheltered, they should shelter themselves. While I'm not gay, it's rather offensive that this particular topic always seems to get stuck in people's craw. Gay people exist. A lot of gay people would like to get married. There are those who would dismiss this entire group just for the sake of ancient stories where the details are mostly lost in historico-cultural fogs.

It's not even that for me... it's the whole issue of sweeping gays under the rug, throwing them under a bus, etc. for the sake of getting votes, money or power by other means. Exploiting people, blaming a certain group or type of people and singling them out for what they are is how dictators like Hitler and Milosovich (however the heck you spell that) came into power... and we DON'T want to see that happen here.

Now, I don't think any of the members here who belong here mean any harm. There's just something to do with how they were raised, and while I can't say that it's enlightened to accept something that's been debated at face value, it's unfortunately their right to think that way... provided they know that people will disagree with that.

However, bullying, blaming, fearing, converting, and all that stuff IS barbaric. NO ONE wants to restrict anyone's rights... well, very disturbed people do, but rational thinking people realize a lot of stuff doesn't matter anyway, because... well... Wedge issues polarize and divide people and scare them into voting for people that would gladly step on the gas if they walked across the street.

People like the Bachmans aren't "Oh, we don't agree with gay marriage" or "Sorry, I feel it's a sin" (I don't care much for that, but if it's respectful we have to just leave it be)... they're the "we need to get rid of them" and "We need to make a profit off the government with proven dangerous methods." NO ONE HERE is like that. Any anger isn't aimed at members who just happen to believe in something that makes no sense to the others, it's aimed at people who MATTER!

 

[CensoredAlso]

it's unfortunately their right to think that way

It's also your right to think your way. Don't forget that. And even when you're wrong about other issues (as we all can be), it's still your right to think that way. I think we all take that for granted in this country. We have a sense of fairness that way, that many other countries can't imagine.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I think what everyone's trying to say is that we're trying more to make the effort not to target each other, but just bring to light those who are causes problems in society in the first place. The Muppets certainly had their share of bad guys they had to defeat.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Here's my reasons for posting and asking about if we should close this thread or not: 8 reports from folks using this thread.

(There wasn't any pressure to care about, Redpiggy--it's in that there were 8 reports about this topic alone all within a few weeks' course. Seriously. That is enough to make a moderator ask the question I did ask. It's easy to want to 'attack' at the moderation here, but you just have to understand there are reasons that things are done--whether trying to diffuse something before it explodes or giving folks 3-strikes and you're out. There's very few folks who even appreciate the job of a moderator and understand it's not a gestapo waiting to feverishly ban folks or close threads. It's even fewer folk who respect the fact that members here get away with a TON more than they would at other forums.)

Even though I've been so busy in my real-life I'm mostly on the side-lines lately and haven't even been over to MC in a while, seeing 8 reports on a post made me hop back in.

I would THINK all of the folks here would know that I'm VERY open-minded, and I side with no one other than folks who can participate as friends, and treat each other respectfully. It's all I've ever asked as a forum member and then a moderator. That rule, as any old-timer MC'er will tell you, is the way I've always been around here.

My other issue is that I really do feel like a lot of folks feel they are being left out in the rain while others are being allowed indoors. That is unfair. I don't want folks to have to feel that way.

 

[Bannanasketch]

Hey all,
I had this whole post made up with a message I had for this thread. It was very good and I was proud of myself for making it. And it was really long. And then I lost it. So, now, I just decided to post again with my message put much more simply.

I am challenging the members of this thread to actually open up a Bible and read about who the real Jesus is and you'll find some amazing stuff. You need to put away all preconceived notions about Christianity and actually get to know Christ and find out what it really means to follow him.

There, I just put my 5 paragraph post into two sentences. If you decide to not take my challenge, then fine but I wanted to offer it so that you actually get a sense of who Jesus really is. I'm done putting out my own opinions and I just want to point people to God's word now. Thank you.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I had this whole post made up with a message I had for this thread. It was very good and I was proud of myself for making it. And it was really long. And then I lost it.

Lol, I hate when that happens!

I am challenging the members of this thread to actually open up a Bible and read about who the real Jesus is and you'll find some amazing stuff. You need to put away all preconceived notions about Christianity and actually get to know Christ and find out what it really means to follow him.

You know I think that's even important for Christians to do. Just push away all the layers and trampings of 1000 years and just concentrate on what Jesus the man said and did in his lifetime.

You know people got so angry over John Lennon's "We're More Popular Than Jesus" comment. But if you read the whole original article, he was actually saying that he had no problem with Jesus, just that the religion as an institution was starting to lose its way and thus lose its influence in society (mostly in Britian, he later clarified).

And frankly as a Christian I think he was probably right. So I think it is important for people to step away from all the nonesense and just connect with the man Jesus was and what he alone represented at the time.

 

[RedPiggy]

And I'm still wondering why some people think we don't know the "real" Jesus. Anyone with basic concepts of story structure and characterization can tease out a "likely" Jesus. Anyone with a passing knowledge of religious history can determine what crept up during Christianity's 2000-year evolution. I mean, I know the question is most likely (I assume) asked in a nice way with good intentions, but over 40 pages, I would've thought it'd been clear by now that "Jesus" is not a mystery. Jesus was cool with lots of types of people, and learned to be cool with other types of people. That Christianity evolved into some factions that act just as Jesus complained about (namely, a sense of exclusionist holier-than-thou syndrome) is the most fascinating aspect of the religion.

 

[Bannanasketch]

You're right, a lot of Christians do need to get into the Bible. Over the past few weeks, I've decided to change my attitude and start reading the bible every day and I've been keeping to my word. Even though, I skipped a few days. In my opinion, I don't read becuase I HAVE to, I read becuase I GET to.

 

[Bannanasketch]

Redpiggy, open up a bible and read what Jesus had to say. I'm not saying you don't know about Jesus. Lots of people know about Jesus but it takes looking into scripture and accepting him to actually know Jesus. I think you'll find more on Jesus that you didnt even know.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Even though, I skipped a few days.

Lol, it's OK. Actually I honestly don't read it a lot. Probably because I got plenty of exposure in like 16 years of Catholic school, lol. And even then it wasn't so much the Bible, but rather textbooks on the Bible, which were frankly a lot more interesting than Algebra, lol.

But anyway, I think what Bananasketch is saying is Christianity often gets a bad rap in society because of the more extreme members who misinterpret things. And if people went back to the basics so to speak with Jesus the man, Christianity would start to at least make more sense to people.

Jesus was cool with lots of types of people, and learned to be cool with other types of people.

I think that sums it up pretty well, lol.

That Christianity evolved into some factions that act just as Jesus complained about (namely, a sense of exclusionist holier-than-thou syndrome) is the most fascinating aspect of the religion

Eh, the fact that human beings are hypocrites no matter what the ideology ceased to be fascinating to me a long time ago, lol.