(September 5, 2012 at 2:46 am)cato123 Wrote:(September 5, 2012 at 2:14 am)greneknight Wrote: Thanks. I call myself a Christian because I'm an altar boy and have been one since I was 5. I sing Evensong in the choir EVERYDAY until last Easter when I was pulled out with other boys my age - something about choir rules and the fear that my voice might break. My vicar and bishop are of the view that I'm a fine Christian and a faithful child of Holy Church. I will be confirmed towards the end of this year when I'm back in England.
The above settles my standing as a Christian within the Established Church of my country.
Now, for what's in my head. For me God is NOT a being. He's not even stronger than newborn baby because at least a newborn baby exists. God is really a metaphor for goodness and truth. A metaphor doesn't exist as a being so it can't be stronger than a newborn baby. I hope it's clear.
Miracles are what illiterate peasants believe in. I don't.
Satan is a metaphor. There's no such thing as a satanic being. The same with demons. Heaven and hell are bunkum. They don't exist except, again, as metaphors. I'd like heaven to exist but it's like Narnia. I'd like for Narnia to exist too but so what?
The above sums up what I think in my head. Of course it's not carved in rock and I've only formulated my thoughts not long ago and I might change with fresh evidence coming my way but for the moment, this is my position.
Here I stand, I cannot recant.
I have something substantive to add to the current coversation, but I'm being cock-blocked...
Greneknight, I was hoping beyond hope, yet you let me down. You usually open up with the shit, but it took you until page three in this thread, which gave me false hope until I was aquainted with your usual betrayal. Do you know what I'm referring to?
Fucking stop the 'I've been an alter boy' bullshit. I'm not impressed. I was an alter boy...big fucking deal. So far, I love your contribution...just stop the alter boy 'I'm a better christian' than you ruse. If you think my slight condemnation is misplaced, then I challenge you to share with the rest of the forum the topics of conversation before and after mass with your fellow 'alter boys'. I can guarantee that it isn't about how bad ass you're going to be carrying grape juice and crackers.
I don't understand your complaint. I bring up my altarboy status as my CREDENTIAL as a Christian. People in forums usually think I'm an atheist because they're usually American and they only understand the fundy version of religion. So it's important I establish that I'm a Christian before I proceed to explain my thoughts.
They tried to get me blacklisted as an atheist in Christian Forums because in CF, if you're not a Christian, you can't post in many sections including the debate section. Hence, the importance of my credentials. Nobody says you've got to believe in rubbish in order to be a Christian. At least my church doesn't. We used to have a very important prelate who was Archbishop of York who denied that Jesus ever existed and nobody said he wasn't a Christian. At least I believe Jesus was an apocalyptic zealot, a real flesh-and-blood human although I don't accept him to be some bogeyman with magic.
So please understand whenever I talk about my position as an altar boy - I'm bringing up my credentials as a Christian.