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I'm sure that all of these literate Christians remember that Jesus admonished His followers to pray secretly and not on the 'street corners.'
It's not unconstitutional to have a religious display in ANY public arena. What IS unconstitutional is to DENY those same rights to OTHER religions or for it to be state endorsed. That's all there is to it.
God didn't "make Atheists"....he made humans with the capability to engage in free thought and decision-making. He leaves it entirely up to the person whether to accept Him or not. They do so at their own behest, and knowingly accepting the consequences.
Strongly disagree. Your God in mans image, fully able bodied, 19yr old bullet proof mentality is telling on you!
If somehow I'm born on a desert Island without benefit of civilization, but yield my heart to God as fully as I'm able to discover righteous conscientious behavior in my circumstances, God acknowledges that fact. Even our great grand daddy Rabbi's agreed. Once empowered with knowledge it is a burden to carry & weigh decisions with greater maturity. This may tempt people into 'ignorance is bliss' maintaining a childish state, however, we are not to ignore evil or avoid maturity. We are to be fully aware and refrain from participating. There is a limit to turning the other cheek, and that is to refrain from standing still for it like a willing punching bag. The Bible does not prohibit self defense.
I believe even before civilization could reach Helen Keller through adaptive techniques, God could reach her because there is nowhere you and I can go out of our makers reach. These variable circumstances are not of my making, but of my makers. There's no hiding from the cockpit flight recorder installed in me turned in at the end of my lease. There is also no hiding from the larger flight recorder of context humans are blind to until death because their own BS is in the way. You'll get to find out just how blind with full sight you were in life with no further recourse of attonement possible. Stare for eternity at a life of serial regret, over needless collateral damage, or a life well lived. Hell is absolutely here on earth. It's also in the afterlife if we've done nothing but promote hell.
I've personally known atheists who far exceed their mastery of Christian ethics day in day out of their lives relative to our peers in the pews. They've only gone about it through honed self discipline of reasoning, but when they doggedly march up the very same mountain you're on using an alternative locus and calling God "Truth", can you really continue believing you're superior? More to learn from Doubting Thomas than meets the eye, if only you'll let yourself believe in the intelligent design of 12 unique perspectives instantly recognizing someone immensely brilliant despite their individual differences. What convincing did womankind need to comprehend Jesus? He was self evident. No legislation and no army necessary to reach her ears. How could it be that children and the most illiterate in the village saw clearly what a building full of Temple scholars could not? That's the handicap of theologians wrestling with themselves and utterly losing. Shall we obediently follow suit marching off that same cliff killing another brand of Cathars again?
The door is wide open for another century round of Solo Scriptura vs Catechism... all of this is irrelevant at best, an exercise in self deception at worst. No matter how it's sliced it yields grievous harm to GODS Church (not yours, mine, or Eastern priests in Bethlehem). The real litmus test lies in the criticism of the 7 churches. Seeing how in compliance or out of compliance your faith of origin is becomes the only authentic "ONE" there is. Where is that absolute line sorting Jew from Christian, Hindu from Budhist, when I've witnessed the righteous pepper themselves indiscriminately across the globe? For many of us dechurched (and perhaps unitarians/ quakers deserve credit for copyright), it's not a question of rejecting our maker. It's rejecting manmade embellishments corrupting/ obstructing the light of God. It's a form of independent study as my maker intended.
Use that test and see how many agnostics you meet are better Christians than self described christians. You'd be amazed. If you've the courage to be brutally honest with yourself minus the benefit of clergy to lean upon, which Church are you living out in words and deeds in your own life? What's the remedy for that? Legislation outside yourself? That internal measure, our appropriate stepping up to the plate of accountability in our lives, counts far more than the specific real estate we were occupying when accepting communion wafers, or lack thereof, on earth. Bottom line is, spend more energy as a living positive example of Christianity rather than chasing atheists around. The latter is all too often a departure from God.
It's not unconstitutional to have a religious display in ANY public arena. What IS unconstitutional is to DENY those same rights to OTHER religions or for it to be state endorsed. That's all there is to it.
Hmmm it's not unconstitutional for the Church of Satan to hold their very own Christmas parade displaying a cross upside down, either.
Which is sincerely representing the faith, and which is not? I'd side with tiger on that one for this very reason, and I'd side with you if anyone complained about the Christmas lights on your house. Much of this is a double edged sword and you need to pay keen attention to the core principles or find yourself strung out where you never meant to be.
I'm adamantly opposed to theocracy because which brand of theocracy jockeying for market share supremacy would then be in a position to reinterpret the constitution as it sees fit. This would include an Amish America, a Pagan America, a Muslim America, and/or a Satanist America. Separation of church and state protects the integrity of both entities equally. Canadians were very wise to affirm that as sharia law was trying to insinuate itself upon Canadian (secular) law. Secular law does not mean amoral or atheist law. It means enforceable law thats reasoned out and serves the general welfare (which includes all, not just chosen children of any brand).
It should never be put to a vote, as it's against the law to begin with.
It's like crying because they're allowing blacks in the school.
Seems like that would be a racist comparison, but sure you wouldn't be called on it. Comparing people, even a certain race, to a banner..........
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Yes.
I'm sure, God will approve of the removal of his existence, to be only something Christians are to talk about in the privacy of his/her home.
I suggest you read more in John, it tells Christians a different view. One doesn't have to be forceful, but there's ground to stand on, to keep the faith going.
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Our public schools are owned by the government therefore subject to the same rules as the government.
I.e.: Religion and government do not belong together.
Looks like America's getting in line, with the countries like Russia and China.
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Doesn't matter.
Facts should matter, weak answer at best
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Which is why the group that stood by this brave girl has stood by christians in the past.
HAHA, money had no issue. For every one Christian case, they've stood by, they probably are in line with 10 others, to remove anything God.
Hmmm it's not unconstitutional for the Church of Satan to hold their very own Christmas parade displaying a cross upside down, either.
Which is sincerely representing the faith, and which is not? I'd side with tiger on that one for this very reason, and I'd side with you if anyone complained about the Christmas lights on your house. Much of this is a double edged sword and you need to pay keen attention to the core principles or find yourself strung out where you never meant to be.
I'm adamantly opposed to theocracy because which brand of theocracy jockeying for market share supremacy would then be in a position to reinterpret the constitution as it sees fit. This would include an Amish America, a Pagan America, a Muslim America, and/or a Satanist America. Separation of church and state protects the integrity of both entities equally. Canadians were very wise to affirm that as sharia law was trying to insinuate itself upon Canadian (secular) law. Secular law does not mean amoral or atheist law. It means enforceable law thats reasoned out and serves the general welfare (which includes all, not just chosen children of any brand).
Oh please, nobody is talking about a damn theocracy. Give it a rest please.
I'm sure that all of these literate Christians remember that Jesus admonished His followers to pray secretly and not on the 'street corners.'
It was to not be showing other's that you are the one that made something happen or the one in charge. Glory is to the Father, Jesus said go and spread my name.
The part people ignore, is He also said.........If the people in the town will not welcome you, go outside the town and shake their dust off of your feet. This will be a warning to them."
Wow. The blaze is that hard up for customers I must sign away my first born for the priviledge of reading their propaganda? No thanks.
Religion can't have it both ways. If they reserve the right to exploit free society but not contribute, or to refuse service to an atheist in a soup kitchen line or homeless shelter for failure to convert, atheists do have the right to universally reject them in free society. Seems to me God made atheists for good reason to kick fake 'c'hristians in their sanctimonious 'chosen child' behinds. Praise be to my maker. Pure genius!
What in the heck are you rambling about??? Who said the florist was refusing to serve the girl based on her atheism? Where did it say the florist was religious? Who was refused service in a soup kitchen? Who refused to shelter an atheist in a homeless shelter? Who was trying to convert someone? Get a grip, lady. This story is about a girl who went to great lengths and fought her entire school to have a cherished 50 year old banner, written by a student from the first graduating class removed from a wall in the school. She won the battle. She lost the war.
Hmmm it's not unconstitutional for the Church of Satan to hold their very own Christmas parade displaying a cross upside down, either.
Which is sincerely representing the faith, and which is not? I'd side with tiger on that one for this very reason, and I'd side with you if anyone complained about the Christmas lights on your house. Much of this is a double edged sword and you need to pay keen attention to the core principles or find yourself strung out where you never meant to be.
I'm adamantly opposed to theocracy because which brand of theocracy jockeying for market share supremacy would then be in a position to reinterpret the constitution as it sees fit. This would include an Amish America, a Pagan America, a Muslim America, and/or a Satanist America. Separation of church and state protects the integrity of both entities equally. Canadians were very wise to affirm that as sharia law was trying to insinuate itself upon Canadian (secular) law. Secular law does not mean amoral or atheist law. It means enforceable law thats reasoned out and serves the general welfare (which includes all, not just chosen children of any brand).
When I was a kid, people had faith, just as they do now, however, they did not feel the need to trumpet it at every turn.
Far too much of what I see passing as 'practicing' Christianity today strikes me not as 'I am praising Jesus' but as "Look at me while I am praising Jesus.'
God knows what is in our hearts.
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needful sermon
