A question about the religion you belong to..

[Guest Megalicious]

I noticed in FC's thread about going back to church that a few people mentioned "ignoring" the parts of the service or dogma of their faith that they don't agree with.  I'm curious why people would stay within one particular faith knowing this?  Is there a reason you don't seek a congregation or faith where you fully embrace their doctrine rather then picking and choosing?  Also... I'm curious about what those differences are.  What about your faith don't you agree with?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

to refresh phee's wondering memory..... =)

[Msterbeau]

I was on topic once. It was great!

[Guest Megalicious]

AHHHHHH!!!! :pulls out hair: :doh

Ok now that's over ...

[phee]

Thanks meg....

I guess being an agnostic... I really don't belong in this thread... heh.

[ZhukovCodeslinger]

Im too busy enjoying life to let someone else try and control my fun for my own good. I am plenty well equipped to get along with other people (if I so choose) and managed to do quite well in philosophy so I dont need hacks who studdied imaginary friends 101 to teach me their version of morality (which normally excuses their "closeness"with young boys)... you might call my religion zhukism (or put ism at the end of my real name). If you were lame enough to want to follow my teachings, you could be zhukinized or become a zhukinist (this is much funnier if you know my real name)

(notice how I did not mention HUGE PENIS at all in the body of this post)

[Fierce Critter]

If I REALLY like you, can I be a Zhukophant?

[The_Dark]

I'd only be a hypocrit if what I said was derogatory. It wasn't... it wasn't said in pretty words... but I didn't realize Ihad to put everything in pretty words.

[Msterbeau]

I'd only be a hypocrit if what I said was derogatory. It wasn't... it wasn't said in pretty words... but I didn't realize Ihad to put everything in pretty words.

I dunno... laughing at someone's religious beliefs seems to imply being derogatory doesn't it?

[phee]

I dunno... laughing at someone's religious beliefs seems to imply being derogatory doesn't it?

I would agree

[The_Dark]

So would I.. if the pointing and laughing ws in the same post as the Pagan comments. It's not. Re-Read. The pointing and laughing comment was not made directly at anything.

We each need to find the religion/mode of expression that best fits our needs and everyone is free to do just that. I'm also free to point and laugh at that expression.

[The_Dark]

You know.. Honestly.. I'm not a writer. I'm a talker. I best get my meaning across in a real conversation.

[Guest Megalicious]

So would I.. if the pointing and laughing ws in the same post as the Pagan comments. It's not. Re-Read. The pointing and laughing comment was not made directly at anything.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In which case I believe is even worse, because not only are you saying its ok to *point and laugh* at Pagans, you implying that its ok to *point and laugh* at any religion. THe the bottom line is ... just because it wasn't paganism you were making the statement towards, doesn't make you an less of a hypocrit.

[Guest Megalicious]

You know.. Honestly.. I'm not a writer. I'm a talker. I best get my meaning across in a real conversation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can have a REAL conversation and still remain respectful.

[Msterbeau]

You know.. Honestly.. I'm not a writer. I'm a talker. I best get my meaning across in a real conversation.

I hear that... I think most poeple do. You miss a lot without tone, inflection, facial expressions...

[ZhukovCodeslinger]

I noticed in FC's thread about going back to church that a few people mentioned "ignoring" the parts of the service or dogma of their faith that they don't agree with.  I'm curious why people would stay within one particular faith knowing this?  Is there a reason you don't seek a congregation or faith where you fully embrace their doctrine rather then picking and choosing?  Also... I'm curious about what those differences are.  What about your faith don't you agree with?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I ignore it all equally and only look at the historical aspects of it. I avoide Doctrine and Dogma at all costs. I guess thats the problem with education... once you are taught to think, it is very hard to unlearn that.

[Steven]

I ignore it all equally and only look at the historical aspects of it.  I avoide Doctrine and Dogma at all costs.  I guess thats the problem with education... once you are taught to think, it is very hard to unlearn that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

but there are many ways and modes of thinking.

I beleive what your getting at here, is your basic linear approach, very methodical, conceptual, structured, formatted, etc.......everythign that life is not.

And this is one of the grand failures of any religeous system of living - we cease to be in the moment as opposed to attempting to control the moment.

So perhaps education in and of itself is not the problem, but instead the problem is what we do with that information we take in. It (education/information) certainly does not make one wise on its own....its just data.

One has a tendency to sometimes allow data to be a controlling device. Thus we worship it, and its powerless and destined to failure.

This is exactly what Christ condemed the ruling religeous parties of his age for - for worshipping the law and having no attatchment whatsoever to God - in effect - The LAW ws their God. And so they were doomed, lost, and completely out of touch.

[The_Dark]

Where exactly did I say I would point and laugh in someone's face? Having a negative opinion about someone elses religion doesn't make me a Hypocrit. If I were actually slamming on someone's religion while at the same time bitching about someone slamming mine... then I would be a hypocrit. Thats not what I did though. I have not said anything negative about anyone's religion... not even when I was talking about Paganism. I said I don't think that Paganism is a religion in and unto itself. I gave my reason's for thinking that way.

[Msterbeau]

I'm also free to point and laugh at that expression.

Perhaps we're misunderstanding what you meant here... It seems like you meant it literally.

Thus the hypacricy exists because you feel it's OK to laugh (Implying a negative comment) at someone elses faith but you don't like when other's react negatively to yours.

[The_Dark]

Marc... come on man. Think about it. How often have you seen me giving someone shit about thier beleifs? Even when you know I strongly disaprove.

There is a HUGE differeance between having a low opinion of something and venting it to someones face.

[phee]

Marc... come on man. Think about it. How often have you seen me giving someone shit about thier beleifs? Even when you know I strongly disaprove.

There is a HUGE differeance between having a low opinion of something and venting it to someones face.

This is true... I don't see you pick on others beliefs, but I do see you get very aggressive about your own, to the point of sometimes "pre-emptivly" fireing back at others when you get the idea that they maybe having an issue with yours...

for example:

I might post: I was accosted by a "Christian" who was telling me I was going to hell and it really bothered me...

You might respond: Well my religion gets bashed all the time so you need to suck it up...

(that is paraphasing a lot BTW)

[Msterbeau]

Marc... come on man. Think about it. How often have you seen me giving someone shit about thier beleifs? Even when you know I strongly disaprove.

There is a HUGE differeance between having a low opinion of something and venting it to someones face.

All I'm going by is the statement you made. I took it at face value. My mistake.

Something for us all to consider... maybe this is a new topic: What is tolerance? Is it not expressing your dislike of other beliefs, or does it go further?

The dictionary says:

1. The capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others.