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.
pensive, I work around the US military but rarely live in the US (didn't vote for that idiot). I've seen more than my share of christian morality throughout my life, in christian schools, in the destruction of Jain and Hindu temples in the US... in the military community, yes, I've seen my share. I've seen the aftermath of it in southeastern countries as well. It's not pretty, IMO.
I prefer atheistic or non christian morality any day of the week. To me, it's softer, kinder and more gentle to those who don't believe as they do.
It's unfortunate but that's my life experience.
I do understand what you mean tho Chiegirl. I myself coming from a third world country find hard to believe that a country that claims to be christian can do so many hedious things in the world. Funny thing however, I found out that the US claimed to be christian until I got to this northern part of the americas. WHile I was living back there, it didnt even crossed my mind that they would claim such a thing. The Bible is clear however when it says.... "you will know them by their fruits" ...so if they show evil fruits, they are not trully christian. Like anything else in life.... I can say I want to be a nurse, but the reality might be that i dont. THe fact that I say I want to be a nurse doesnt mean that I actually do want to be one, or that I am willing to pay the price to become one. If I get a diploma and you see me working at the hospital and such....then chances are that I am in fact a nurse. Otherwise... I am not. Know what i am saying??
So let me get this right.... so loving my neighbour as I love myself is wrong? and being compassionate and forgiving to others is harmful? So seeking peace instead of war is not good?? Taking care of the vulnerable is unfair?? Be truthful to yourself and others is bad?
Again, this is not what I see in people who insist on letting me know that they are christian. If only it were. I see these traits more in the buddhist cultures of southeast Asia than I do anywhere else in the world.
I've lived on 3 continents and 6 countries. I find that christianity, as practiced in the US, to be greatly devoid of the traits you noted.
If I don't know the religion, and note moral behavior, I do naturally assume that the person behaving in a moral way is not christian. I went to 12 years of christian school, am in my mid 50s and have been around the block a time or two. My feelings are based on my personal experience.
noone expects much from anyone else who is non-christian.
This double standard is tiredsome and loathsome. I would much prefer if you measured christian morality not by the shortcomings of those who claim it as their faith, but by the morality itself.
This is where I find you to be illogical. No one expects much from anyone else who is non-christian? I beg to differ with you. I would like to just see people behave morally, and I do. I even see soldiers (some of them) behave with a great deal of integrity. It just seems that christians have to gloat over it, like they're special and lording their immaculate and superior behavior over the rest of the riff-raff. When they do so, it opens the door for others, like me, to note the hypocrisy of their behavior and their words.
I normally don't participate in religious discussions but the title of this thread caught my eye. So in response to the original poster:
One of my great-granduncles was a Shaker (in fact he was an Elder in a large Ohio Shaker community). During the early 1900s he published several books of religious aphorisms and short poems. One of his poems which caught my eye because it seemed "unusual" (given its' source) is this:
God doesn't want our prayers or praise,
He wants us to do good to others each day.
If God knows what is best to do,
He needs no instruction from me or you.
This seems like a very sensible and logical point of view to me!
So let me get this right.... so loving my neighbour as I love myself is wrong? and being compassionate and forgiving to others is harmful? So seeking peace instead of war is not good?? Taking care of the vulnerable is unfair?? Be truthful to yourself and others is bad?
Again, this is not what I see in people who insist on letting me know that they are christian. If only it were. I see these traits more in the buddhist cultures of southeast Asia than I do anywhere else in the world.
I've lived on 3 continents and 6 countries. I find that christianity, as practiced in the US, to be greatly devoid of the traits you noted.
If I don't know the religion, and note moral behavior, I do naturally assume that the person behaving in a moral way is not christian. I went to 12 years of christian school, am in my mid 50s and have been around the block a time or two. My feelings are based on my personal experience.
noone expects much from anyone else who is non-christian. This double standard is tiredsome and loathsome. I would much prefer if you measured christian morality not by the shortcomings of those who claim it as their faith, but by the morality itself.
This is where I find you to be illogical. No one expects much from anyone else who is non-christian? I beg to differ with you. I would like to just see people behave morally, and I do. I even see soldiers (some of them) behave with a great deal of integrity. It just seems that christians have to gloat over it, like they're special and lording their immaculate and superior behavior over the rest of the riff-raff. When they do so, it opens the door for others, like me, to note the hypocrisy of their behavior and their words.
Then christians ought to keep their words to themselves lest they be judged on them.
My point is that morality doesn't belong to any one group more than any other.
But if you keep drawings attention to how perfect and wonderful you are (as egotistical (read insecure/unsure) christians do), and everyone else is garbage and their beliefs are not important, you get the backlash when people notice your hypocrisy.
When you bring it on yourself, it is not a double standard that is tiredsome and loathsome. It is what you draw attention to. Your choice, don't blame others for your shortcomings.
(Not personal to you pensive, but to christians as a whole).
Moderator cut: Good morning everyone! Just a "gentle reminder" that we need to stay on topic...While you all make some extremely good points, at times we're veering a bit off course here. Thanks! --June.
Then christians ought to keep their words to themselves lest they be judged on them.
My point is that morality doesn't belong to any one group more than any other.
But if you keep drawings attention to how perfect and wonderful you are (as egotistical (read insecure/unsure) christians do), and everyone else is garbage and their beliefs are not important, you get the backlash when people notice your hypocrisy.
When you bring it on yourself, it is not a double standard that is tiredsome and loathsome. It is what you draw attention to. Your choice, don't blame others for your shortcomings.
(Not personal to you pensive, but to christians as a whole).
Ok chielgirl. I already wrote a bunch of things regarding your comments so I wont repeat myself here. You have obviously made up your mind about us christians and really any kind of intellectual conversation, or any other kind of conversation for that matter, is futile. You made up your mind already about me and my kind and what we believe. Good luck and take care!
Moderator cut: Good morning everyone! Just a "gentle reminder" that we need to stay on topic...While you all make some extremely good points, at times we're veering a bit off course here. Thanks! --June.
I normally don't participate in religious discussions but the title of this thread caught my eye. So in response to the original poster:
One of my great-granduncles was a Shaker (in fact he was an Elder in a large Ohio Shaker community). During the early 1900s he published several books of religious aphorisms and short poems. One of his poems which caught my eye because it seemed "unusual" (given its' source) is this:
God doesn't want our prayers or praise,
He wants us to do good to others each day.
If God knows what is best to do,
He needs no instruction from me or you.
This seems like a very sensible and logical point of view to me!
Thank you, Astrantia. I was inspired by your post, and relieved that someone remembered what the original topic of this thread was!
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.
