I totally see where you guys are coming from. I'm not trying to invalidate your points. I'm just trying to help REVERSE a trend that I'm seeing, and that's the trend of what Christians are doing as a larger community. I think to lump all of Christianity together as a "traditional, fundamentalist" sort of group is just as ignorant. In my case, I've been ENCOURAGED to question my faith by other other people within my religion. For that reason it's very personal to me. Trust me, I live in one of the most conservative areas in the country. Fundamentalism is RAMPANT. People here practically think Jerry Falwell was a god. As a Christian, I don't deny that I am associated with people like that, but my hopes is that we can CHANGE that. I feel VERY negative direct effects of religion every day, even from close friends. But I'm also not going to turn a blind eye or simply tell them they're wrong. By truly trying understand their beliefs and not directly confronting it, I'm able to show people that there's more to my faith (and their faith) than a bunch of words in a book. You have to HELP people whom you'd rather not associate with understand that there's more to life. And I do believe that's a growing trend. You're seeing a rise in religious institutions such as the Unitarian Universalists and the United Church of Christ, both of whom encourage questioning and have a mission to show their fellow Christians the faults and harms of fundamentalism. But to simply turn away from that or fight it directly is only going to prolong the battle. You've got to create understanding and eliminate ignorance. I guess where I'm coming from is the idea that we have to be the bigger person, if we want things to change. And, to my knowledge, nobody has ever tried to combat the ideas of fundamentalism with that sort of approach. It's always fighting....and I refuse to fight. I want people to understand each other a little better and see that we actually have a lot in common. Call me naive, but I just want to help people get along a little better.
These are just lyrics not necessarily my own views; Blame It On God Artist : Deicide God is the reason we live in dismay It is his will that this world's suffering If we do not believe what you foretell We can expect afterlife will be hell You are the one who killed his own son We are the ones you're blaming it on Lust was created beginning with hymn When we indulge we are guilty of sin Torture our lives with confusion and lies Mass contradiction, religious facades BLAME IT ON GOD BLAME IT ON GOD BLAME IT ON GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LIAR Lord of salvation keep looking away It is your will that this world goes astray Take us each day from this place you unworthed Unfulfilled promise of heaven on earth You are the one who killed your own son We are the ones your hatred is on Children are dying and this you're content Where is your profit in what you have left No intervention from angels above God is the reason that Satan lives on
Well I think everyone can agree it's fine to express your opinion on this, whether you dislike christianity or follow it, but I think the reason this has caused such a heated debate is the way this opinion is put forward, because frankly it's put forward in an offensive manner. People here are arguing that if they want they can express their opinion that they dislike religion, which is perfectly fine I'm sure no one would argue that, but the point is your NOT just 'expressing your opinion', you're mocking other people's beliefs. Or at least the original post is. You wouldn't like it if people made fun of something you really believed in or cared about, it's fine to not believe in it and say so, just don't do it in offensive ways.
I think this will sum everything up (watch it, it's good): [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcARWCMpBb4[/YOUTUBE]
I agree, it's not your beliefs that causes the trouble it's that the original post was mocking our religion instead of just saying that you didn't believe in Christianity you also mocked it. I am fine with Atheism but mocking is intolerable. I'm not even a devout Christian and I still take offense to it for that fact.
I think it's hard to undertand each others point of view when both side feel so strongly about their beliefs and are 100% certain that they are right.
