RE: Request from a Christian.
January 1, 2017 at 2:46 pm
(This post was last modified: January 1, 2017 at 2:54 pm by Astonished.)
(January 1, 2017 at 2:39 pm)Dragonspride1995 Wrote:Then you should never have said 'we all sin'. You are very clearly putting me in the same category as you, as with everyone, regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof. And that you could think you deserve to rot in hell is just staggering. No wonder nothing I said is getting through.(January 1, 2017 at 2:29 pm)Astonished Wrote: The implication is that you consider us to all be on the same level of the playing field. This is not so. Firstly, I don't acknowledge the concept of sin as a thing, so your accusation that I engage in something that is touted to be negative is a false one (and by a judge who is a hypocrite, liar and murderer), and in fact breaks the commandment that you shall not bear false witness. Second, it implies I've got responsibility for something that I did not do (original sin) which is utter horseshit. Third, it implies I'm doing something that merits burning in hell for eternity. Fourth, it is an attempt (whether backhanded or overt) to inflict a guilt trip upon me which is a horrible thing to do to anyone, let alone with the previously mentioned implications that go along with it. I could go on, but honestly, that word is so unbelievably loaded, it is mind-blowing that you can't grasp that and think before you say something like that. And that's without even going into the idea that some people think sin is irrelevant and that faith in their imaginary friend is the only thing necessary for whatever fairy tale afterlife they've got in mind.
So if you didn't quite understand where I was coming from when I first replied to you, this is the underlying problem. There's this barrier of logic and perspective that is preventing you from seeing things in this way. I can say that I see things from your point of view because I was, however briefly, a person of faith. I daresay it is a complete impossibility for you to say the corollary of this statement is true for you.
What I will say now that I know you are trying to write a book about...I'm not really sure what the point would be from what I've read, to be honest...is that there is no way for you to clean up religion, to make it something pure, something good, something that has been romanticized in the way that you seem to believe it to be. That book is so full of hatred, intolerance, violence, mindlessness and the worst elements of humanity, it just cannot be done. That it's been able to fool people into thinking that for this long is, like the name says, astonishing. I can't even say it's a noble effort on your part because you've heard people telling you this before and just refuse to believe it. It's like trying to say that you can pet a hedgehog in the same way you can a dog or a cat. Not only is it not true but you'll get hurt trying to prove otherwise, and anyone else you try to convince to do so.
When I wrote that I wasn't even thinking about you. When I said that what I mean is that I am not better than you. I have no moral high ground, no podium, or self righteousness. I'm not implying anything behind that. I'm saying that i've done worse than that, and for that I deserve to rot in hell. As for everything else, I don't agree with it. You are entitled to your opinions.
And there are plenty of books like that out there. What is the intention behind this one? To say, "But I have the solution! I have a better path!" rather than "So let's do away with this poisonous dogma!"? Because that would be hypocritical or at least counter-intuitive. Especially if you limit it to Christianity.
Religions were invented to impress and dupe illiterate, superstitious stone-age peasants. So in this modern, enlightened age of information, what's your excuse? Or are you saying with all your advantages, you were still tricked as easily as those early humans?
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There is no better way to convey the least amount of information in the greatest amount of words than to try explaining your religious views.
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There is no better way to convey the least amount of information in the greatest amount of words than to try explaining your religious views.