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Yes, I am distrustful of religious fanatics but I would include fanatics from every other activity that people engage in (with the exception of sports-it's ok to be a football fanatic). We have racist fanatics, political fanatics etc. and the ones who promote violence to acheive their goals are of course the most dangerous. The whacko Rev Phelps is of course the very definition of a religious fanatic but I see virtually no support for him among mainstream religious people. I wouldn't label someone as a fanatic just because their views are far outside of the norm. I don't really care what people believe, I'm more concerned about their behavior and if their behavior infringes on the rights of others as they aggressively promote their agenda then it becomes a problem. I wouldn't label someone who is simply deeply religious and believes in things that I find preposterous to be a fanatic but they cross the line when they engage in behavior like protesting at the funerals of soldiers or gay people. I also would consider a few of the tv preachers whose primary goal is to line their pockets with money and live lives of luxury while they spew out ridiculous rhetoric to their millions of followers to be fanatics.
Any true Christian sees Mr. Phelps for what he is.... a dangerous nutjob.
I for one think he's a closet far left activist and his whole act is an attempt to make Christianity look bad. He has documented ties to Al Gore. Not saying Gore is in on his act but it proves he's been involved with the Democrats in the past.
Any true Christian sees Mr. Phelps for what he is.... a dangerous nutjob.
I for one think he's a closet far left activist and his whole act is an attempt to make Christianity look bad. He has documented ties to Al Gore. Not saying Gore is in on his act but it proves he's been involved with the Democrats in the past.
Now that has to be one of the wackiest theories I've ever heard.
generally their fanatic nature proves that they are not true believers. A true believer does not have to force their views on others but lives by example. Those fanatics just have something to prove, or generally a void to fill.
+1
Yes, GSC, I see your point. I've probably said elsewhere on this sub-forum that there are a lot of "cafeteria" Catholics, and those are generally the most relaxed ones, but still believe the overall message, teachings and try to live their lives that way. They, too, are quite pissed that the church tells them to avoid childbearing, which is a tough pill to swallow if the church ain't paying your bills.
Any true Christian sees Mr. Phelps for what he is.... a dangerous nutjob.
I for one think he's a closet far left activist and his whole act is an attempt to make Christianity look bad. He has documented ties to Al Gore. Not saying Gore is in on his act but it proves he's been involved with the Democrats in the past.
I agree with this actually. Mr. Phelps and his church is a living caricature of everything the left has against Christianity. What else could be his motives? There is nothing in the Bible to justify what he is doing.
If a person has to keep hitting me over the head with an agenda to CONVERT or to foretell DOOM AND GLOOM or to be SELF-RIGHTEOUS, and it's frequent enough, then I think they're poison...and chase them away.
I was raised Catholic, lapsed for about 5-10 years (boredom) and came back to practicing. I would NEVER want someone to become a Catholic unless they found it on their own. I have NEVER evangelized, especially when someone already has a religion. It's a violation of boundaries, in my mind.
Essentially, the few things I get from my religion are to try to live a life where I'm honest, treat others decently and work hard. In a nutshell, doesn't that encapsulate the New Testament? If so, why do I care which religion organization someone belongs to? I go to church to have a support system that sort of processes it the same way. I've found a few dogmatic Catholics, that I steer clear of, and a lot of "down-to-earth" / "don't wear it on your sleeve" practical ones.
So, do you find religious fanaticism offensive and suspicious?
I am distrustful of any man that talks of 'god' with one hand, while he picks the pockets of the faithful with another, whether spiritually, mentally or physically.
Many 'religious fanatics' simply want to line their own pockets with stolen gold, putting the lie to their 'religion' in the process.
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). We have racist fanatics, political fanatics etc. and the ones who promote violence to acheive their goals are of course the most dangerous. The whacko Rev Phelps is of course the very definition of a religious fanatic but I see virtually no support for him among mainstream religious people. I wouldn't label someone as a fanatic just because their views are far outside of the norm. I don't really care what people believe, I'm more concerned about their behavior and if their behavior infringes on the rights of others as they aggressively promote their agenda then it becomes a problem. I wouldn't label someone who is simply deeply religious and believes in things that I find preposterous to be a fanatic but they cross the line when they engage in behavior like protesting at the funerals of soldiers or gay people. I also would consider a few of the tv preachers whose primary goal is to line their pockets with money and live lives of luxury while they spew out ridiculous rhetoric to their millions of followers to be fanatics.
