Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Wow, it's not often that I come here (to the Christianity forum) but I was really shocked by this post. Not in a bad way, but a good way. I really am happy that there are people out there that do genuinely feel this way. I hate to dote on myself but I wanted to try and point out that I think my sentiments ring true for many atheists. Maybe not all, but many. Perhaps it's like the kid at school who gets picked on by jocks because he's nerdy? Many of them resent jocks as a whole because of their bad experiences, but they don't realize that they are not all like this. I think, on occassion, you will find that a wandering atheist enters this forum or the "Religion and Philosophy" forum and just starts hammering away at believers. They call them stupid, ignorant, or "pick your insult".
In a way, I can understand their feelings. I can understand the bitter resentment that these people feel. To be quite honest, I think if you looked at one of my very first posts (actually quite a few of my very first posts) you'd see the same resentment in me. I hadn't had a good experience with any sort of religious person and I think the resentment showed. However, if an internet forum, of all things, has the ability to allow people of a wide variety of beliefs, faiths or non-faiths, to come together, than why can't we apply this in our every day lives? It's really almost pitiful that we have shown it can happen without ever meeting face to face and yet human history shows it can't happen. (Well that's not entirely true, June and Montana did meet)
I'd like to add one other piece of advice, but I think that many people on here already know and understand it. I think that perhaps sometimes people misconceive good notions, good manners, and thoughtful ideas as solely those of a Christian. Perhaps that's where things are wrong? Maybe it's a person's own beliefs that make them feel as if the only way a person could do good things is because of their similar faith? I'm not trying to say anyone on this board does that, but that is the general impression I get of strangers I meet who ponder religion with me. So perhaps when I say nice things to my elders, I drop a dollar in a homeless guy's change cup, or I say something nice about someone, people perhaps get the wrong impression of me. Not that I plan on changing my ways because of it, but perhaps these are acts of kindness that strangers see as only people of faith can have? I think if the world stopped looking at them as "Christian things", "Islamic things", "Hindu things" or pick your religion(s) and started looking at them as entirely human things than perhaps there would be far less animosity towards one another?
Perhaps people feel the need to strike up conversations with me because sometimes I act how Christianity preaches? Please don't mistake that as an arrogant statement, but I do think that regardless of my personal non-faith in God I do think Jesus had some merit in his philosophy. I don't see why I can't practice his moral teachings while still remaining an atheist? Even if Jesus never actually existed, than the author who wrote it is worth listening to.
Oh, and I'd go fishing with any of you guys at any time! I'd love to talk about the evolution of fish
No seriously, I am truly flattered that you guys thought of me in such a way. I would love to go fishing any time and not talk about anything to do with religion. Now, if only you guys would read my previously linked opinion to your church congregrations on Sunday, particularly the one where I said.... aww nevermind I'm on your good sides for right now
Inspiring thoughts everyone! Shortly after I started this thread I had to leave for the rest of the day, so just checked in again this morning...
Quote:
Originally Posted by GCSTroop
No seriously, I am truly flattered that you guys thought of me in such a way. I would love to go fishing any time and not talk about anything to do with religion. Now, if only you guys would read my previously linked opinion to your church congregrations on Sunday, particularly the one where I said.... aww nevermind I'm on your good sides for right now
Hey - do you think that to stay on our good side you only need to say "nice, flattering" things? Tell us what you mean - we can all learn a thing or two. I think you were talking about this statement? -
Quote:
I wish that Christianity did a better job of trying to present that on Sunday mornings.
regarding this statement -
Quote:
Originally Posted by arguy1973
GSCTROOP ...I would have no problem knowing an atheist lived next to me..worked with me..or anything else...shunning people or belittling people is NOT what Christianity is about..regardless of their beliefs or lack of beliefs...from your post..I can see why you feel the way you do..
I just read your manuscript below I remember some of your posts when you first came here. The posts actually were very good, the thing was attitude, and I understand why..But you have evolved and adaped (I thought you would like those words) as much as we have to this forum to the point where we have become close friends and tolerate each other. I think the christian/believers here have learned to give newbies the benefit of a doubt when they first come here. I have seen a lot of people come in with a smirk on their face and a chip on their shoulder and have watched them "change" their attitude. I really feel that the athiests, Jewish, Christian and other religions have gained some respect and understanding of each other..And that pleases me
Last edited by Miss Blue; 10-13-2007 at 07:46 AM..
Reason: Content
Hey - do you think that to stay on our good side you only need to say "nice, flattering" things?
LOL! No, I don't, it was just a good natured joke
Quote:
Originally Posted by cg81
Tell us what you mean - we can all learn a thing or two. I think you were talking about this statement? -
Actually I was referring to the post you linked in the OP, but if you prefer I have a whole list of other opinions you could read to your Sunday congregation.
I don't know, not to be offensive, but I just don't see a lot of credit being given to what an atheist has to say in a church, do you? Forgive me if that's the skeptical side in me coming out
I just don't see a lot of credit being given to what an atheist has to say in a church, do you? Forgive me if that's the skeptical side in me coming out
Well, I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about, but if you would come to church and start preaching about there being no evidence for a God, you probably wouldn't be given alot of credit! After all, why are these people in church? But I'm thinking you're talking about something else..
I just read your manuscript below I remember some of your posts when you first came here. The posts actually were very good, the thing was attitude, and I understand why..But you have evolved and adaped (I thought you would like those words) as much as we have to this forum to the point where we have become close friends and tolerate each other. I think the christian/believers here have learned to give newbies the benefit of a doubt when they first come here. I have seen a lot of people come in with a smirk on their face and a chip on their shoulder and have watched them "change" their attitude. I really feel that the athiests, Jewish, Christian and other religions have gained some respect and understanding of each other..And that pleases me
Thank you blue, and that has started to become my point for a little while now. I've been kind of hounding out the "ignorance breeds hatred" thing in a lot of recent posts but I think it is a valid point. What the forum has enabled people to do is to learn about people of other faith's in a mostly non-confrontational environment so that we have a better understanding of one another. I think we've ALL learned from each other in the past 5 or 6 months on here (at least that's how long I've been on here) and I think if the whole world had the same experience with it we'd be much better off. I just don't know if my wrists and keyboards could take responding to 6 billion other people. I'd never sleep!
Oh, and yes, I cannot figure out, for the life of me, why I write as much as I do? I had problems with this in school as well. Teacher would say to write a 3 page report and I'd hand in 7 pages. I thought about writing a book, not sure on what, but I think that it may have to come in a two-book format similar to how long movies used to come with two tapes
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The glaringly obvious metaphor?
so just checked in again this morning...
