Steven's Village (work, commission, firm)

[Dusty Rhodes]

Originally Posted by cobolt

The other thing that really bothers me is the thumpers "love" for the Jewish people. Their premise is that they love them because God commands them to do so because they are chosen. What the DON'T tell you is that their "love" has an ulterior motive: to eventually convert them to Christianity in order to bring on the second coming of Christ. I just want to puke even thinking about this. Talk about using people for your own benefit.

But.....THEY alone have the TRUE version of religion & are alowed, nay, DRIVEN by their superior souls to convert the heathen to their milk toast version of religion. How else could they boost up their pious self-image as they smile condescendingly on the "great unwashed heathen". Logically, one can not know the TRUTH when dealing with a BELIEF structure. A=A is truth, a thing is what it is. A=C may or may not be true, if true it is only A with a name change. If it is just a belief that A=C then the premise is a wish for A to be other than A, a belief, not a fact. Problems arise when the self deluded confuse there belief structure with truth. Because they believe, they want it to be true. And they are convinced by the hogwash that their beliefs are true and that they must, ordered by their belief structure, to convert all wrong thinkers to their belief structure. This is one hell of an ego trip!

[cobolt]

If they had the "truth" they would realize that there are no superior souls..everyone is on equal footing. I find it incredible that they believe that Muslims or Buddists or Hindus or whoever are going to hell...I think walking around all proud and tall like you have the truth IS a sin.....isn't that called pride? Isn't that one of the seven deadly sins and the greatest one at that? BUt it's okay because it's the "truth" or it's "commanded" according to someone's whacked out interpretation? The intention behind the action is still sneaky and underhanded if you ask me...It isn't based on a genuine love for a people, the human race, anything other than getting up to that big playland in the sky. Selfishness and pride and they have the monopoly on "truth?" Where's my gun already?

[Xa'at]

Oh man, this is a great thread!
Is it just me, or has there been a lot of missionaries on here as of late? [EDIT:Just noticed it's the same guy] Nothing grinds the ole' gears more than missionaries, arriving in villages with this messed up pretense that they're here to help the poor pagan natives... But if you look back in history, all missionaries have done is screwed them over again and again. One century later, half the native tongues are on the verge of extinction, native culture has been disneyized and sold in pill sized amounts to brainless cruise ship tourists, and alcoholism and crime are disturbingly rampant.
No wonder Alaska is the least religious state in the union. Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against spirituality, and I think our construct of god has done a lot of good in the world... but it seems like these day all our wars are holy ones and I'm sorry but that's very disillusioning.

[cobolt]

Xa'at...

If missioinaries were so concerned with the natives and their "souls," then the would see it is necessary for the native soul to live, to think, to breathe, to exist as it does. They wouldn't try to white-ify (I know it isn't a word) them. Put them in "civilized" clothes and pump their brains with "civilized" food and ideas. RIght... Those civilized ideas and food have 50% of Americans overweight and...and... and.... a pretty high violent crime rate. They (the thumpers) will say that others are ignorant and haven't seen the light? How do they know what someone else's light looks like? How can you judge a persons "relationship" by looking at them? How can you discern a person's spiritualality or soul???? Do they have to be flopping around, waiving their hands in the air, honking everytime they see Jesus, Allah, Budda,whoever? I think not. I think the best way someone can show me their inner love is to accept differences in others and respect that not everyone is carbon copy cookie cutter. I need some hot chocolate now!!!

[DannyL]

until someone comes charging at me waving a flag and a sword, their personal religion is really none of my damn business.

[Xa'at]

"You must spread some reputation around before giving to cobolt again..."

[DannyL]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

"You must spread some reputation around before giving to cobolt again..."

- took care of it for 'ya...

[arindoll]

"Jesus Christ is the Truth, the Way, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6 Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims don't believe in Jesus Christ as Lord. The Bible says unbelievers will go the hell, where there's weeping and gnashing of the teeth.
They found the Dead Sea Scrolls in a cave in Israel in the 1940's. Turns out they're an exact replica of the Jewish Tanakh...the Old Testament of the Protestant Bible. Archaelogy states that they were written about 800 years before Jesus was born. There are over 300 prophecies (predictions of the future) in these scrolls about Jesus: his birth, his life, the miracles he performed, and his death. Non-Christian history proves that they all came true with 100% accuracy....what are the odds of that happening if he's not God. There are other prophecies, not just about Jesus, hundreds of them...about battles and wars that have also been proven to have all come true with great accuracy, even to name certain rulers 100 years before they were born (Cyrus),...again all proven by non-Christian history.
Christians don't love others to get to Heaven or for any other personal gain, we love because Christ commanded us to in the 2nd commandment: Love everyone as you love yourself. You cannot get to Heaven by loving someone or by works at all...only through Christ, by believing in Him, repenting of your sins, and asking him to come into your heart and making him your Lord and Savior.

[DannyL]

Originally Posted by cobolt

If missioinaries were so concerned with the natives and their "souls," then the would see it is necessary for the native soul to live, to think, to breathe, to exist as it does. They wouldn't try to white-ify (I know it isn't a word) them. Put them in "civilized" clothes and pump their brains with "civilized" food and ideas. RIght... Those civilized ideas and food have 50% of Americans overweight and...and... and.... a pretty high violent crime rate. !

This has been one of my pet peeves for a few years. By shoving the "caucasion" diet and habits down their throats, it is killing an entire generation. They may think "free medical for life" is fair compensation, but I don't think so. I see it at work and all around me.
A generation raised on high protein, omega-3 rich diet and then introduced to MacDonalds, french fries, sugar rich soda, etc is what's doing it.
Now, overweight, diabetic, a walking heart attack waiting to happen.

Geez...I need a beer now.

[DannyL]

I guess any minute now the money requests are gonna start.......