I'm Being Forced to Give Up My Religious Beliefs for your Comfort (believer, Christ)

[wildberries61]

Originally Posted by seahawksweetie

I, do have an issue however, with people knocking on my door asking me if I've found Jesus yet. I do not ask people I see if they have divinated and spoken with Goddess today.

You should say I thought He was in Heaven waiting for the second coming!!! Sorry just had to say that!!

Honestly, I will talk to anyone about my faith and relationship with God and His Son. I don't like Christians coming to my door and telling me about their church as if my faith isn't of importance, at least as important as their's.. This is what their churches teach them and for the most part I really have to ask is this to bring people to Christ or too THEIR CHURCH!!

What does a Wiccan Goddess look like? I'm serious.

[pladecalvo]

Originally Posted by wildberries61

You really should just let us be adults and use a few flame throwers. The ones that don't like it can leave the conversation!!!

Right On Dude!!

[seahawksweetie]

wildberries, I'll contact you separately to give you a link to what the image of Goddess is like.

As for everyone and their differing opinions, that is why I feel so blessed to live in America. We all can speak and worship as we wish.

I understand that Christians have their beliefs they follow and I understand that includes knocking on doors. Just don't be surprised, that when I answer the door and someone asks me if I have found Jesus yet, that I respond, "Why, is he lost?"

In all seriousness, we all should be very thankful and proud that we are here and are not mandated to follow a particular religion because our government says so.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

Originally Posted by seahawksweetie

wildberries, I'll contact you separately to give you a link to what the image of Goddess is like.

As for everyone and their differing opinions, that is why I feel so blessed to live in America. We all can speak and worship as we wish.

I understand that Christians have their beliefs they follow and I understand that includes knocking on doors. Just don't be surprised, that when I answer the door and someone asks me if I have found Jesus yet, that I respond, "Why, is he lost?"

In all seriousness, we all should be very thankful and proud that we are here and are not mandated to follow a particular religion because our government says so.

I agree, we are free to worship or not, believe or not believe. It's good to be reminded of that. And I like your response to finding Jesus.

[wildberries61]

Originally Posted by pladecalvo

Right On Dude!!

Hey, I'm no dude I'm a Chick!! Everyone must be afarid to throw the first flame!!!!

[FredNotBob]

Originally Posted by Hoosier_guy

I am a Christian and you are asking me to give up my religious beliefs and rights because my beliefs are offending you. It seems everywhere I turn I am asked or rather told that my beliefs and traditions are offending other religions.

You're not alone here; as a Wiccan, I've been told that my religion is 'wrong', that I am 'evil' and a 'devil worshipper', and that members of my religion 'sacrifice babies' (personally, I think the sick monster that started that particular rumor should seek counselling).

Originally Posted by Hoosier_guy

You’ve taken the crèche out of the town square. You’ve reduced “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays”. And now you want to take the Easter Bunny and just make him the bunny. The word Easter offends you.

Offends me? Hardly. Actually, what scares me is the constant Easter-time bombardment of TV commercials featuring bunny-rabbits that, by some freakish twist of nature, are apparently capable of laying eggs.

As for 'reducing' Christmas...it's a Catch-22, that one: either you offend someone who objects to the uber-commercialization of the holiday, or you remove 'Merry Christmas' from the workplace and risk offending someone's faith.

Originally Posted by Hoosier_guy

I am intolerant because I’m upset that these events are occurring. I am intolerant because I do not embrace others religions. I’m offensive and a stench to society because of my religious beliefs. If I share my faith, you slap me with your words. You mock me and reduce my faith to something that should be left in the history books.

Am I the intolerant one? You cannot tolerate my faith, Christianity because you want to “do your own thing…live and let live.” Why am I slapped for my so-called intolerance, and yet it is ok for you to be intolerant of my faith?

You're not 'intolerant' for refusing to embrace someone else's religion, nor are you 'intolerant' because you're upset. Both are your right. However....

Do I mind Christmas displays? No, not at all. If anything, I object to the *over* Christmas-ization of the holiday, where I'm confronted by yet *another* grinning plastic snowman, or overdecorated Christmas tree, or tinny 'Deck the Halls' played on a store's worn-out ten-year-old sound system.

Honestly, whatever the origin of the holiday, whoever it celebrates, there --is-- such a thing as 'too much' Christmas, or Yule, or Kwanza, etc.

Originally Posted by Hoosier_guy

I’m told to keep my faith to myself…it’s a private thing. If you consider yourself a Christian, you’ll remember that Jesus and the apostles did not keep it to themselves. They spoke to people about their faith. If you’re not a Christian, you don’t have to concern yourself with this specific.

You keep telling me to shape up; you’re not going to tolerate my religious beliefs anymore. Stop being double-minded.

(Forgive me, this is going to get long and rant-y)...

I agree, up to a point. Jesus and his Apostles didn't keep their faith to themselves, nor are we asking this of you. All we ask is that people listen (and don't just gloss it over, but actively *listen*) when we say we're not interested.

I have met some very, very nice Christian folk (you're fast becoming one of them, by the way ), and I've met the flip-side: the pushy, in-your-face, 'convert-or-else' Christian folk that attack our dignity, insult our deities, and (occasionally) assault and accost us and our children, and then get *upset* when we call them on their nasty conduct.

As for 'refusing to tolerate' your faith: the same rules apply to *all* the kids on the playground. If you want us to tolerate you, show _us_ (and our faith) a little bit of respect, first.

Originally Posted by Hoosier_guy

Stop commanding tolerance from me when you’re unwilling to tolerate me.

Try having your children taken away by the government because your Christian ex-spouse told the judge that you might attempt to 'sacrifice your child'.

Try losing your job, simply because a co-worker thinks you're a devil-worshipper and threatens to sue if you're not fired.

Try coming home, after work, to find rocks thrown through your window, beloved pets *beheaded* and left for you to find, and things like 'die witch' (and worse) spraypainted across your front door.

We're not 'unwilling' to tolerate you.

We're just tired of 'tolerating' people that have no respect for us, or for our beliefs.

[willowthewhisp]

Wow Fred. I never realised anyone could be so intollerant and so absolutely awful as to do things like that. How can people be so ignorant as to call you a devil worshipper and so horrible as to mutilate your pets and spray paint 'die witch' across your door?

In my opinion no-one who does something like that has the right to call themselves Christian.

[Hoosier]

Originally Posted by FredNotBob

You're not alone here; as a Wiccan, I've been told that my religion is 'wrong', that I am 'evil' and a 'devil worshipper', and that members of my religion 'sacrifice babies' (personally, I think the sick monster that started that particular rumor should seek counselling).



Offends me? Hardly. Actually, what scares me is the constant Easter-time bombardment of TV commercials featuring bunny-rabbits that, by some freakish twist of nature, are apparently capable of laying eggs.

As for 'reducing' Christmas...it's a Catch-22, that one: either you offend someone who objects to the uber-commercialization of the holiday, or you remove 'Merry Christmas' from the workplace and risk offending someone's faith.



You're not 'intolerant' for refusing to embrace someone else's religion, nor are you 'intolerant' because you're upset. Both are your right. However....

Do I mind Christmas displays? No, not at all. If anything, I object to the *over* Christmas-ization of the holiday, where I'm confronted by yet *another* grinning plastic snowman, or overdecorated Christmas tree, or tinny 'Deck the Halls' played on a store's worn-out ten-year-old sound system.

Honestly, whatever the origin of the holiday, whoever it celebrates, there --is-- such a thing as 'too much' Christmas, or Yule, or Kwanza, etc.



(Forgive me, this is going to get long and rant-y)...

I agree, up to a point. Jesus and his Apostles didn't keep their faith to themselves, nor are we asking this of you. All we ask is that people listen (and don't just gloss it over, but actively *listen*) when we say we're not interested.

I have met some very, very nice Christian folk (you're fast becoming one of them, by the way ), and I've met the flip-side: the pushy, in-your-face, 'convert-or-else' Christian folk that attack our dignity, insult our deities, and (occasionally) assault and accost us and our children, and then get *upset* when we call them on their nasty conduct.

As for 'refusing to tolerate' your faith: the same rules apply to *all* the kids on the playground. If you want us to tolerate you, show _us_ (and our faith) a little bit of respect, first.



Try having your children taken away by the government because your Christian ex-spouse told the judge that you might attempt to 'sacrifice your child'.

Try losing your job, simply because a co-worker thinks you're a devil-worshipper and threatens to sue if you're not fired.

Try coming home, after work, to find rocks thrown through your window, beloved pets *beheaded* and left for you to find, and things like 'die witch' (and worse) spraypainted across your front door.

We're not 'unwilling' to tolerate you.

We're just tired of 'tolerating' people that have no respect for us, or for our beliefs.

Excellent post! And I am SO sorry that you have to go through those things. How terrible!! People who do the kinds of things you're describing are just horrible. I truly don't understand people with that kind of mentality. If you ever need an ear to listen send me a DM.

[FredNotBob]

Originally Posted by Hoosier_guy

Excellent post! And I am SO sorry that you have to go through those things. How terrible!! People who do the kinds of things you're describing are just horrible. I truly don't understand people with that kind of mentality. If you ever need an ear to listen send me a DM.

Thank you! I didn't mean to sound so angry, just so's ya know. I'm really a nice guy! Honestly! Hey, put that sword down, okay? Please....?

[Hoosier]

Originally Posted by FredNotBob

Thank you! I didn't mean to sound so angry, just so's ya know. I'm really a nice guy! Honestly! Hey, put that sword down, okay? Please....?

Oh, I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about the people who do those horrible things like beheading the animals, taking kids away etc.