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Post by Aryeec {E.F. Forester} on Jul 12, 2007 20:26:22 GMT -5
I'm just curious because I've started a forum where people of all types of religions can share their faith. If the whole idea of peaceful sharing works then I think there's quite a potential for growth.
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Post by GhostEggplant on Jul 13, 2007 16:40:34 GMT -5
Can we have a link to your forum, please?
Yeah, there's a lot of groups that do the sharing of religion thing. The World Council of Churches is one example (though it only includes Christians. You seem to be thinking on a bigger scale than that).
As for me, I'm a Mennonite. And you?
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Post by zemira on Jul 13, 2007 17:59:36 GMT -5
I'm an Atheist now, although I was born and raised a Catholic.
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Post by Aryeec {E.F. Forester} on Jul 13, 2007 23:45:02 GMT -5
I'm thinking on the scale of 'Pay It Forward'. I'm a Christian. I've only been one for just over a year, so I'm still curious. There's nothing on it yet, except the beginning of the "rules/be considerate/don't hate/be respectful" list. I can take all the help I can get. weallbelieve.proboards80.com/index.cgi
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Post by shyviolet on Jul 14, 2007 3:31:46 GMT -5
I'm christian (anglican) but only loosely so. My family and primary school are anglican, so it's just what I was brought up with.
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Post by Maliris on Jul 14, 2007 4:17:58 GMT -5
I, too, am an Atheist. Although I am rather interested in the mythological part of religions. All kinds of religions, that is... But I never liked RE at school. You know, religion is fine by me if people don´t try to convert me to their religions. As Germany is not laical we have religious education at school, where most of our teachers try to convince you to believe in their religion. And living in a small village on the country, well, people there let you know that they think of you for not being baptized and not going to church on Sundays. <.<"
I guess... I believe in different things.
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Post by shyviolet on Jul 14, 2007 8:48:58 GMT -5
Yeah, even though I am christian I don't like it when christians try to convert other people. It's like, other cultures have been getting along with their own religions for millennia and they've done fine, it's just rude to try to press your beliefs on someone else.
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Post by zemira on Jul 14, 2007 9:06:56 GMT -5
That's why I'm no longer Catholics. My parents are both uber-catholic, and I was forced to read the Bible a LOT when I was a kid. Once I got old enough to understand it, I realized that half of it was hypocritical, and the other half was just impossible. My mom realized it first and tried to get me back to being Catholic, and that pushed me further away. At that time, I had been thinking about becoming Christian because they didn't have as strict of rules.
Well, my dad found out that I was a Christian and he stopped talking to me for 6 months. Just because I wasn't Catholic anymore. And during high school, I became aware of agnostic and athiest. For a while, I was agnostic, but then I realized that I just didn't believe in God anymore either. So here I am.
But I actually read the Bible because my high school English teacher taught me that you can read things for fun without it being religious propaganda. So, I read the Bible as a literary work, and it's much more enjoyable that way. I still don't believe it, but I do believe that ifpeople who have religion and are happy and if they feel better because of it, then go ahead. Believe away. I'm not an athiest who tries to convince other people that God isn't real. Well, unless they try to show me "my sins" and turn me back "onto the path of rightesness". Then I like to mess with their heads.
But yeah. I'm ok with "zealots" as I playfully call them. ^_^
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Post by shyviolet on Jul 14, 2007 10:00:22 GMT -5
Um, surely Catholicism is a denomination of christianity?
Other than that, most of the atheists I know come from strongly religious families, I'm personally of the belief that while God exists, if you resent the act of worshipping Him you're doing something wrong. Therefore it's perfectly fine to be christian but never go to church. Being agnostic doesn't mean not believing in god though, it means not being sure what you believe. Much easier than being a proper atheist. *chuckle*
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Post by GhostEggplant on Jul 14, 2007 11:01:59 GMT -5
Um, surely Catholicism is a denomination of christianity? It is. Any Christians fighting to "protect" Christianity/God makes me angry. Christianity did fine nonviolently when it started, why can't it continue that way? Can people really think that what they're doing is right...? I don't mean to offend anyone, don't take this the wrong way!
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Post by shyviolet on Jul 14, 2007 14:06:36 GMT -5
Yeah, I never got that either. It's even in the ten commandments not to kill people, so I don't get why people who claim to be christian can just ignore that.
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Post by zemira on Jul 14, 2007 17:36:25 GMT -5
Yeah, I know Chathalosism is a demnomination of Christianity. But certain very very "devout" Catholics believe that any other religion, including what Catholism came from, is wrong and they are not worshipping God the proper way. That was what my parents were raised to believe.
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Post by Aryeec {E.F. Forester} on Jul 14, 2007 21:11:34 GMT -5
That's why I'm no longer Catholics. My parents are both uber-catholic, and I was forced to read the Bible a LOT when I was a kid. Once I got old enough to understand it, I realized that half of it was hypocritical, and the other half was just impossible. My mom realized it first and tried to get me back to being Catholic, and that pushed me further away. At that time, I had been thinking about becoming Christian because they didn't have as strict of rules. Well, my dad found out that I was a Christian and he stopped talking to me for 6 months. Just because I wasn't Catholic anymore. And during high school, I became aware of agnostic and athiest. For a while, I was agnostic, but then I realized that I just didn't believe in God anymore either. So here I am. But I actually read the Bible because my high school English teacher taught me that you can read things for fun without it being religious propaganda. So, I read the Bible as a literary work, and it's much more enjoyable that way. I still don't believe it, but I do believe that ifpeople who have religion and are happy and if they feel better because of it, then go ahead. Believe away. I'm not an athiest who tries to convince other people that God isn't real. Well, unless they try to show me "my sins" and turn me back "onto the path of rightesness". Then I like to mess with their heads. But yeah. I'm ok with "zealots" as I playfully call them. ^_^ I don't think the bible is hypocritical. The instances where it would seem so are when people of God do ungodly things because Satan tempted them. All Satan is is temptation. don't worry this isn't my way of evangelismThe whole point of the "impossible" things is that God can do anything, whether it seems real to us or not. I'm not bashing Catholics or anything, but every Catholic friend that I have either wants to be something other than Catholic, is pushed away and becomes atheist, or, rarely, has become extremely Catholic, like their parents. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't think it's wrong at all. It's just the radical ways in which people do. I'm against going up to people and saying 'Hi. I'm with the so and so church and I think you need to believe in God so you can be saved.' First off they don't even know if you're religious or not, unless they've stalked you or something. This happened to my Girlfriend the other day and she's already Christian. I am for casually bringing up your beliefs and telling someone about your faith if they ask about something. example: You're wearing a shirt that is a symbol of your faith, like a shirt that has a bible verse on it. They ask what's that mean and you explain what it means to you and share what you believe in and why. It is way more effective because you aren't forcing anything on the other person.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catholic - Old Testament - God - more father Christian - New Testament - Jesus - more son both need more holy spirit
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Post by GhostEggplant on Jul 14, 2007 23:08:39 GMT -5
Yeah, I know Chathalosism is a demnomination of Christianity. But certain very very "devout" Catholics believe that any other religion, including what Catholism came from, is wrong and they are not worshipping God the proper way. That was what my parents were raised to believe. Yeesh. Anyone here seen the movie Jesus Camp?
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Post by shyviolet on Jul 15, 2007 2:26:16 GMT -5
If you came from that kind of family I can see why you became an atheist. I've often thought that if my parents had pushed christianity on me more I'd hate it, but left to my own devices I'm quite happy with it.
That's not really the same thing as trying to convert someone, that's just explaining your beliefs. And even Christians have to admit that the Bible is slightly hypocritical in places. In the Anglican church we tend to focus on the New Testament, because most of the contradictions are between the two testaments.
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