Christians/good people

[Catholic_Lady]

If a person lie that doesn't necessarily make them bad.Then everyone would be bad lol

Haha, very true!

Though I'd say deliberately lying to your children about something so big over the course of their whole lives is more severe than the occasional white lie, like telling your grandma you liked the sweater she knit you.

[KevinM1]

It depends on how they act on their Christianity.

I find the religion itself vile.  What it teaches, how it teaches it... what little good there is in it is buried under a metric ton of stuff that celebrates self-loathing, fear, subjugation, etc.  What I've noticed is that believers employ a lot of cognitive dissonance in order to twist it into a romantic notion.  Pop Christianity is very different than what's actually presented in the book.  And the religion is built on the foundation 'interpreting it correctly' because church leaders and believers know that the bulk of it describes an angry, capricious god that no one in their right mind would willingly choose to follow that entity.  So, they focus on the 30-something years of Jesus' life instead of the thousands of years when god acted like a dick.

Pop Christianity is a double edged sword.  On the one hand, it's a lot more palatable in some ways.  There's a huge PR push in acting like Jesus.  Loving everyone, being pacifistic, being charitable, etc.  Those are good ideas, even if the stated origin of them is dubious.  And people acting in those ways are doing good things.  On the other, there's a huge movement dedicated to turning America into Christian Saudi Arabia.  These are the people who push creationism in school, try to - literally - white wash history, who attempt to discredit science at every turn, who use phrases like 'legitimate rape'.  These are pushing a backwards and immoral agenda.

Sometimes, those are the same people, which makes things difficult.

Ultimately, I don't think religion in and of itself causes people to be good or bad.  I think it's a combination of biology (mental illnesses, perhaps... other chemical imbalances) and environment, in which religion is just one of many factors.  Which is why the typical Christian outlook that one can only be good if they believe is a bunch of BS.  Belief really has no bearing on one's actions because the true believer will always find a way to rationalize what they do.  Just like most other humans.

[Minimalist]

Pool, would you still consider it lying if what I teach my kid is stuff that I honestly believe to be 100% true? If so, this kinda contradicts your statement that Christians can be good people. If you see us all as liars, I don't see how you can see any of us as being good.

Depends.  Do you also teach them that you could be completely wrong?  Do you withhold evidence which might cast doubt on your positions?  It is very easy to cross the line between "teaching" and "propagandizing."

[robvalue]

The problem is, "being Christian" doesn't actually mean anything. Anyone can say they are Christian, and believe they are devoutly Christian, and believe whatever the hell they want. No one has the authority to say they are not a Christian. They can simply make their own new denomination in which Jesus is actually an especially sour lemon, and Judas was actually the daughter of God, or whatever.

Other Christians may call them dumb, as would I, but if they want to call that Christianity, that's their business. Everyone is forever calling each other "not true Christians", but there is no official standard, only the doctrine of each sect which could be anything.

[Catholic_Lady]

Pool, would you still consider it lying if what I teach my kid is stuff that I honestly believe to be 100% true? If so, this kinda contradicts your statement that Christians can be good people. If you see us all as liars, I don't see how you can see any of us as being good.

Depends.  Do you also teach them that you could be completely wrong?  Do you withhold evidence which might cast doubt on your positions?  It is very easy to cross the line between "teaching" and "propagandizing."

I don't have kids yet, but I'd say the answer to your first question would probably be NO. Because I really don't believe it to be a possibility that I could be wrong. I know that probably sounds really dump to people who don't believe, so go easy on me here lol. 

The answer to your second question would also be no, though. But I can't think of any such evidence. But if it came up, no, I wouldn't try to "hide" it from them.

[Minimalist]

The prosecution rests.  But thanks for the honest answer.

[Catholic_Lady]

The prosecution rests.  But thanks for the honest answer.

Any time, Min, any time. 

[Napoléon]

I really don't believe it to be a possibility that I could be wrong.

And here we have the pinnacle of intellectual arrogance.

[Crossless2.0]

Depends.  Do you also teach them that you could be completely wrong?  Do you withhold evidence which might cast doubt on your positions?  It is very easy to cross the line between "teaching" and "propagandizing."

I don't have kids yet, but I'd say the answer to your first question would probably be NO. Because I really don't believe it to be a possibility that I could be wrong. I know that probably sounds really dump to people who don't believe, so go easy on me here lol. 

The answer to your second question would also be no, though. But I can't think of any such evidence. But if it came up, no, I wouldn't try to "hide" it from them.

[Catholic_Lady]

I don't have kids yet, but I'd say the answer to your first question would probably be NO. Because I really don't believe it to be a possibility that I could be wrong. I know that probably sounds really dump to people who don't believe, so go easy on me here lol. 

The answer to your second question would also be no, though. But I can't think of any such evidence. But if it came up, no, I wouldn't try to "hide" it from them.

Sowwy. 

Don't hate me!! Lol.