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.
what is it about Christianity that changes people into close-minded know-it-alls? i just don't understand it!
Have you ever been on a subway and see those bible-thumping whacko's? how does Christianity make THAT happen?
I can understand some of it. Once one is hit by the sudden revelation and suddenly "Understand!!!" There is this great urge to rush out and tell everyone, and that applies to deconverts too. And they get petulant and panicky when they are not listened to but get arguments. Deconverts and other types of Atheists get like that, too. I been there myself.
But the in-yore-face house-to-house brush -selling pyramid - company methods of evangelical theism are something that I can't quite get my head round. It is I am right and you are wrong with bloody great knobs on and, if that shows something of God that my enthusiams lacks, indeed, I don't admire, I can only wonder.
We have all fallen short of the glory of God. If we have all fallen short... then we are all sinners until we repent and turn from our old ways. When people TRULY become a Christian their whole life changes. They no longer live for themselves and humanist things, but they try to put more emphasis on bringing glory to God. The TRUE Christians motto is: "It's not about me."
I can understand some of it. Once one is hit by the sudden revelation and suddenly "Understand!!!" There is this great urge to rush out and tell everyone, and that applies to deconverts too. And they get petulant and panicky when they are not listened to but get arguments. Deconverts and other types of Atheists get like that, too. I been there myself.
But the in-yore-face house-to-house brush -selling pyramid - company methods of evangelical theism are something that I can't quite get my head round. It is I am right and you are wrong with bloody great knobs on and, if that shows something of God that my enthusiams lacks, indeed, I don't admire, I can only wonder.
The part that i really can't seem to understand is how it is they end up being rude and disrespectful and judgmental. How is that "following God's word"?
The part that i really can't seem to understand is how it is they end up being rude and disrespectful and judgmental. How is that "following God's word"?
Well, Jesus did vandalize a whole marketplace because he didn't like what the vendors we selling. Nothing like a little property destruction to get the faithful juices flowing.
Well, Jesus did vandalize a whole marketplace because he didn't like what the vendors we selling. Nothing like a little property destruction to get the faithful juices flowing.
Lolled, on my sofa. But I couldn't spred the cred. Something of the Law of diminishing returns on the Credits system.
The Iriekat saithed:
[quoet] damb [quoet} bugger [queot] ****
Quote:
The part that i really can't seem to understand is how it is they end up being rude and disrespectful and judgmental. How is that "following God's word"?
We see some of it in Paul and those who came after him,the gospel - writers. I'd have put it down to the art of Rhetoric but it's something we all tend to do: getting het up when the other feller will not even TRY to undertand what you're saying and especially if we can see that he's well aware that you are making good points and is just trying to wreck to game in the hopes of claiming a draw, then one does get steamed up.
There's a real basis of dislike for the 'others'; the opponents, the enemy. They can be called the worst that you can think of because they deserve it, even if it isn't true, and it probably is. There's the Righteous anger thing as well. Anyone who is seen to be opposing God and those who work in His name, yea and earn brownie points, thereby, are the enemy, and if they has any doubts about Stan (damb) Satin (bugger) Satan they quickly go out the window as how else could they come up with these perniciously logical - sounding falsities?
But the real basis of the anger is personal. There is (I am sure) a personal investment in being right. I have seen examples of people coming up with perfect garbage bolstered with an almost innate ability to lute it together with the supaglu of filibuster in order to maintain their position of not having to admit they are wrong.
Second only to the dogmatic worldview in frequency, it is a subset of it. Why not? It comes along with other evolution - given instincts, such as competing for mates, vying for attention and begging for credit points like a Pooch after table - scraps. We all like to feel that we are worth something. Thinking logically and actually taking a sort of pride in being able to admit when one is wrong does not come naturally, any more than playing the piano or Bungee - jumping. One has to get used to it.
The Dogmatic worldview panders to this innate instinct by exploiting our sense of tribe and our desire for a place in it by telling us that were are better. We are right, the others are wrong, Crap, pathetic. They can't beat us, they can't win, they can't fight. Their wings, if neccessary, are made of lead. It pervades all human thought from party politics to gender - rivalry and racism. And religion latches onto that like a bluebottle onto a juicy turd.
Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 09-15-2009 at 08:46 AM..
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.
But I couldn't spred the cred. Something of the Law of diminishing returns on the Credits system.
