(March 24, 2012 at 8:54 pm)Christian Wrote:

(March 24, 2012 at 8:48 pm)Phil Wrote: And you really don't see how cult like that advice is? Gee, next thing he will be asking for your money.

My pastor is a learned person. I think he has authority to give me advise. And yes, I donate to my church every Sunday. It's my Christian duty to support my Church financially.

Boy, you may be polite but your dumb as a fucking rock, My question was And you really don't see how cult like that advice is? and that said nothing about your pastor or what you think is your duty. Either you should address what was written or you should just shut the fuck up.

(March 24, 2012 at 8:54 pm)Christian Wrote: And yes, I donate to my church every Sunday. It's my Christian duty to support my Church financially.

Ouch.. Does the church not have enough money? The Methodist church in my town has a homeless guy living behind it. Meanwhile they are rebuilding the big ol dome on the top..

(March 24, 2012 at 8:57 pm)Phil Wrote: Boy, you may be polite but your dumb as a fucking rock, My question was And you really don't see how cult like that advice is? and that said nothing about your pastor or what you think is your duty. Either you should address what was written or you should just shut the fuck up.

I am sorry.

Whatever else it's a good sign that you're willing to expose yourself to other opinions and not let some agenda-led pastor drag you around by the nose. No offense meant, but your pastor sounds like the one whose faith is weak if hanging around people who don't happen to share it is such a threat.

Incidentally, I'm taking you at face value for the time being. Even if you do turn out to be a poe, hopefully someone else will at least benefit from the exchange.

Alarm bells should ring when the pastor wants to avoid questions.

(March 24, 2012 at 9:05 pm)Insanity x Wrote: Alarm bells should ring when the pastor wants to avoid questions.

In my experience it isn't so much that the pastor wants to avoid questions since as Bart Ehrman pointed out most pastors have been exposed to the questions in seminary and already have very shaky to nonexistent faith. It is just that they will loose their livelihood if they admit their troubles so they prefer to live a lie. They just don't want to have their bread and butter exposed to the same questions thereby losing their meal ticket.

(March 24, 2012 at 8:45 pm)Christian Wrote: He said that I should not hang around rational people, as it will only make me become rational.

Fixed that for you.

Are you not concerned that your pastor is afraid that your faith will become 'weak'? Don't you wonder why that is?

Pro tip:


Welcome anyway.

(March 24, 2012 at 9:10 pm)Phil Wrote:

(March 24, 2012 at 9:05 pm)Insanity x Wrote: Alarm bells should ring when the pastor wants to avoid questions.

In my experience it isn't so much that the pastor wants to avoid questions since as Bart Ehrman pointed out most pastors have been exposed to the questions in seminary and already have very shaky to nonexistent faith. It is just that they will loose their livelihood if they admit their troubles so they prefer to live a lie. They just don't want to have their bread and butter exposed to the same questions thereby losing their meal ticket.

Sort of along the lines of $cientologists being banned from using the internet, or at most being granted strictly limited and supervised access. Can't have the faithful finding out there is no spoon!

Quote:My pastor is a learned person.

Well, so far I haven't seen any evidence of that.

Quote: I think he has authority to give me advise

Only self appointed authority. The claim of a non existent authoritas by priests and clergy as well as mankind's needs for organised religion are arguably the greatest confidence tricks ever perpetrated on the human race.

A strong faith will not change as a result of hanging around here. Doing so may raise doubts,as it should; only a fool never doubts his most basic beliefs. An honest man always admits the possibility of error and is ready to change his beliefs if they do not withstand scrutiny.

I'm glad to see you are beginning to think for yourself


PS 'advice' is the noun. 'Advise' is the verb. Hence it is 'to give me advice' or 'to advise me'

(March 24, 2012 at 9:17 pm)Stimbo Wrote: [quote='Phil' pid='260686' dateline='1332637801']

Sort of along the lines of $cientologists being banned from using the internet, or at most being granted strictly limited and supervised access. Can't have the faithful finding out there is no spoon!

Sort of but not exactly. Scientologists are not banned from using the internet. The "executives" have strictly supervised access but the rank and file members do not. You are most likely referring to operation Clambake and the original "Clam Nanny" but that was in 1998 and more or less dead in the water. Scientology under the direct influence of David Miscavige has essentially given up on drawing in new members from outside Scientology (since the information against is so widely disseminated) and they have plenty of members coming from 2nd and even 3rd generations of children within Scientology. Truth be told if they continue to push marriage and sex among 12 year olds (like they have done in the past), they will never run out of a ready supply of children that have been insulated from reality as Scientology kids are raised in a fairly strict type of bubble that is insulated from society.