Open discussion of the Christian Why We're Here thread

[Drich]

I think we all know what part of the human body you are, Drich.

Huh, thought he was a certain part of a horse's body.

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True, and I admitted to have done it myself in my earlier post. But the point I was making is that I suspect that the theists often don't actually realise how they are offending people. If you have been indoctrinated to see that something about other people is sinful and disgusting, then you'll feel that on an emotional level and believe it to be true even if you cannot rationalise it. But if you then disregard everything that the person says to you and continue sprouting forth your own indoctrination then it can be extremely hurtful to those who have tried reaching out to you. You are basically telling them that they are worth less as human beings. I admit this is why CL has previously rubbed me up the wrong way in the past even though I know that she doesn't intend it. I also admit that's why I didn't hold back making my thread about how I theism childish even though I knew that theists wouldn't find it offensive (even though it was not the intention behind it)

^this^

The number one barrier between better relations between theists and well meaning non theists is the cavalier assumption on the part of theists that we need fixing and they are entitled to attempt it.  (The number one barrier between theists and angry atheists is probably unresolved resentment toward theists which rightly belongs to other believers in the atheists' lives.)

Well, here's the thing. While many christians leverage their faith wrongly and place themselves over the unsaved making the feel and sometimes act superior, the truth of the matter is when the religion is broken down to it's core beliefs/tenaments one of the first things we must accept is that we all have no intrinsic moral worth or value before God. Then again I know many 'christians' get saved and used their new position too cast others down.. which is the oppsite of what we should be doing. Because even if we somehow knew we were all saved our job then becomes to shift people's thoughts from the OT form of spiritual justification to God from morality based works to atonement and redemption. where no one is better no one deserves Heaven that our perfered status is not because of who we are or what we have done but, a simnple gift from God, so that no man shall boast about what we have done.

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You're nullifying theists as people by assuming they were indoctrinated into those positions, rather than reaching them by rational thought.

You clearly do not understand what I am referring to and is evidence supporting my claim if you think this means you are being nullified to the same extent.

I'm speaking from personal experience. Church was pretty hit-or-miss when I was growing up, and we discussed none of the topics that she mentioned there. So, no, I wasn't indoctrinated.

So you can honestly say that you were just as likely to become a muslim or buddhist? Even if that were true in your case, it most certainly is not for most theists otherwise you wouldn't have certain religions predominant in different countries.

I was born into budhism, then southern baptist and can now say I am neither.