Ever hear a christian say something so stupid.(Horror stories here)

[pineapplebunnybounce]

LOL really?

I think I should start saying I'm an atheist more, seems like I've missed a lot of fun reactions by saying "I don't believe".

You often times get a much different reaction to saying the actual word "atheist" than you do to other variations like non believer, etc. People seem to have a much more visceral reaction to that particular label.

I realize this, which is why I don't use it. I don't like discussing religion with people who would fly off the handle because I call myself and atheist. So when I say I don't believe, I safely avoid all these discussions until I know them better. Even then, usually it's them who bring it up. I have little interest in discussing religion with my few religious friends, who are mostly muslim, because I was raised not to, due to it being illegal to proselytize to muslims (and laws are liberally interpreted) where I grew up.

[Lemonvariable72]

You often times get a much different reaction to saying the actual word "atheist" than you do to other variations like non believer, etc. People seem to have a much more visceral reaction to that particular label.

I realize this, which is why I don't use it. I don't like discussing religion with people who would fly off the handle because I call myself and atheist. So when I say I don't believe, I safely avoid all these discussions until I know them better. Even then, usually it's them who bring it up. I have little interest in discussing religion with my few religious friends, who are mostly muslim, because I was raised not to, due to it being illegal to proselytize to muslims (and laws are liberally interpreted) where I grew up.

Ouch, they are that inconfident? Still I see your point, debating with every theist you meet is a good way to lose friends, and most of the time it's not worth that.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

I realize this, which is why I don't use it. I don't like discussing religion with people who would fly off the handle because I call myself and atheist. So when I say I don't believe, I safely avoid all these discussions until I know them better. Even then, usually it's them who bring it up. I have little interest in discussing religion with my few religious friends, who are mostly muslim, because I was raised not to, due to it being illegal to proselytize to muslims (and laws are liberally interpreted) where I grew up.

Ouch, they are that inconfident? Still I see your point, debating with every theist you meet is a good way to lose friends, and most of the time it's not worth that.

It's not a reflection of the people's faith, it's just how politics are played when it's intertwined with Islam. Many things are done not to reinforce the faith, IMHO, but to reinforce the special positions of muslims, which translates to political power over us nonmuslims. And of course, censorship is good for any corrupt government who need to stay in power. Or maybe it's part of shariah as prescribed by the Qur'an, not sure, I don't read the Qur'an.

But yea, not worth fighting over religions with people you've just met. The ones who are willing to let you poke holes at their faiths reveal themselves after a while .

[Angrboda]

Southern Baptist prayer guides:

"The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has published a series of prayer guides tied to non-Christian religions and their observances. The guides are intended to assist Baptists to pray for the salvation of all persons through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to learn about other religions in order to reach their adherents for Christ."

Hindu Prayer guide "Divali: Festival of Lights" :

The SBC released 30,000 copies of the guide just before the most important Hindu festival of 1999: the three-day celebration of Divali, a.k.a. Diwali and Festival of Lights. It has 16 pages, and includes short daily prayers covering a 12 day period. "According to Louis Moore, editor of the latest publication, the language is harsher in this guide [compared to other guides] because 'There is a clearer definition that Hindus are lost.' " This decision was probably made because Hinduism is a polytheistic faith, while other guides concerned monotheistic religions: Islam and Judaism.

Chandrakant Panse is a co-organizer of New England Hindus Against Religious Intolerance. About 60 people staged a peaceful march on 1999-NOV-21 outside the Beacon Hill Baptist Church on Cambridge Street in Boston, MA. They carried signs: "Respect All Religions" and "Intolerance is Un-American". Ms. Panse said: ''We're asking the Baptists to retract their malicious attacks on the Hindu religion and its people.'' The group was protesting a Hindu prayer guide distributed by the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Some of the statements in the guide are:

• ''Hindus seek power and blessing through the worship of gods and goddesses and the demonic powers that lay behind them."
  
• "Hindus lack a concept of sin or personal responsibility."
  
• "...the darkness in their Hindu hearts that no lamp can dispel.''
  
• ''...demonic powers lie behind Hindu gods."
  
• "...more than 900 million people lost in the hopeless darkness of Hinduism."
  
• "Walking through the streets of India during Divali is a sobering reminder of the power of darkness that lies over this land."
  
• "Mumbai [India] is a city of spiritual darkness. Eight out of every 10 people are Hindu, slaves bound by fear and tradition to false gods."
  
• "Satan has retained his hold on Calcutta through Kali and other gods and goddesses of Hinduism. It's time for Christ's salvation to come to Calcutta."
  
• Hindus live under ''the power of Satan.''
  

Respectively:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/sbc_pray.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/sbc_pray2.htm

[sarcasticgeographer]

People are stupid. What else is new? I think the stupidest I've personally heard (on a very long airplane flight) is that the song "Running with the Devil" is proof that Satan is in direct control of the rock and roll industry. That's someone with a low standard of proof.

Wait...you mean Satan is NOT in direct control of the rock and roll industry?

Well, that's bloody disappointing.

Boru

My first concert was the Scorpions and there were Christians holding signs stating that we have turned our backs on Jesus. At that moment, I forgot how truly satanic the Scorpions were. <note sarcasm>.

[Doubting Thomas]

The most stupid thing I ever personally heard a Christian say was "I think Santorum would be a good president" during the 2012 Republican primaries by the local Catholic priest.

Something else I've heard in the past said by someone else dismissing evolution: "They've never found the missing link and they never will."

[Jackalope]

My first concert was the Scorpions and there were Christians holding signs stating that we have turned our backs on Jesus. At that moment, I forgot how truly satanic the Scorpions were. <note sarcasm>.

My ex-wife's grandmother had some very nasty things to say about Styx.

Styx.

I shit you not.

No doubt, heard from her preacher.

[Crossless2.0]

My first concert was the Scorpions and there were Christians holding signs stating that we have turned our backs on Jesus. At that moment, I forgot how truly satanic the Scorpions were. <note sarcasm>.

My ex-wife's grandmother had some very nasty things to say about Styx.

Styx.

I shit you not.

No doubt, heard from her preacher.

Well, I have some very nasty things to say about Styx too, though I'm sure for quite different reasons.

At least the grandmother likely didn't have to suffer through Mr. Roboto.

[Captain Colostomy]

My first concert was the Scorpions and there were Christians holding signs stating that we have turned our backs on Jesus. At that moment, I forgot how truly satanic the Scorpions were. <note sarcasm>.

My ex-wife's grandmother had some very nasty things to say about Styx.

Styx.

I shit you not.

No doubt, heard from her preacher.

Damn! I wonder if it was because the River Styx came about as a pagan belief, or because Mr. Roboto was feared to be a Shinto Kami?

Heh...Styx. WTH?

[Jackalope]

Damn! I wonder if it was because the River Styx came about as a pagan belief, or because Mr. Roboto was feared to be a Shinto Kami?

Heh...Styx. WTH?

The former. That and a complete misunderstanding about the song "Fooling Yourself (the Angry Young Man)" (word in the church world was that it was Satan urging kids to kill themselves).

You can't make this shit up.