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The only Non-Christian in a Philosophy of Religion class
October 21, 2011 at 2:49 am
I'm actually not sure where this topic would go, so I made the safer choice. lol
I am taking Philosophy of Religion this semester and at the beginning of the year, our Professor had us going around the room to introduce ourselves. She gave a list of things that we could talk about in our introduction (all on a voluntary basis) and one of the items was what Religion we adhered to. I was second to last to give my introduction, and it turned out every person in that class was a Christian, even our professor....all except me.
There was even a guy that said he was going to transfer to the same Christian college I de-converted at, so I made sure I mentioned that is where I left the faith. lol
I have been relatively quiet in that class, so far, but I am excited about how hated I am going to be come time we talk about Christianity. So far it has mostly been eastern religions and philosophies (Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism and Taoism), but today we started on the Abrahamic faiths with Judaism. I do believe I will have fun with this section, but much more fun when we get to Christianity.
I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any Church that I know of. My own mind is my own Church. - Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason
Dean
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RE: The only Non-Christian in a Philosophy of Religion class
October 21, 2011 at 3:12 am
Be cool and be honest...thats all I can suggest
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RE: The only Non-Christian in a Philosophy of Religion class
October 21, 2011 at 3:13 am
When life hands you lemons.....throw them at xtians.
May as well have some fun.
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RE: The only Non-Christian in a Philosophy of Religion class
October 21, 2011 at 3:17 am
Or demand a bottle of Tequila ? 
"The Universe is run by the complex interweaving of three elements: energy, matter, and enlightened self-interest." G'Kar-B5
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RE: The only Non-Christian in a Philosophy of Religion class
October 21, 2011 at 3:22 am
(This post was last modified: October 21, 2011 at 3:23 am by Pizza.)
(October 21, 2011 at 3:13 am)Minimalist Wrote: When life hands you lemons.....throw them at xtians.
May as well have some fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mt8I6cvFsM
Truly a wise man. 
It is very important not to mistake hemlock for parsley, but to believe or not believe in God is not important at all. - Denis Diderot
We are the United States of Amnesia, we learn nothing because we remember nothing. - Gore Vidal
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RE: The only Non-Christian in a Philosophy of Religion class
October 22, 2011 at 3:34 am
Just remember, you get more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.
(Not that that makes any sense -- why would bees want honey. Whatever.)
I'm in a similar situation in an ongoing group called Secular Bible Study. The title is misleading as there's no actual bible study, but the group basically brings together people from different backgrounds, theist or not, to discuss questions relevant to the bible (e.g. homosexuality in the bible, the sources of morality, etc.).
We're currently doing, "How Much Can We Learn About the Real Jesus?" -- which is somewhat underwhelming as the woman hosting it starts with the assumption that the Gospels are historical narratives and never looks back. Sure, I make a few strong points, but mostly I listen. In the process, I pick up things. Not the least of which is that, despite having strong views about the milieu of the time, I have no understanding of what a Pharisee or a Sadduccee is, much less the internal politics of the larger movements within Judaism at the time. That's an important point, and I've completely missed it until now. (I've yet to do the research, but at least now I know what I don't know.) There's plenty of time for both give and take.
If you feel intimidated by the prospect of confronting a group of Christians over their beliefs, then don't confront; this is an opportunity to learn from them, as well as an opportunity to teach. If you want to strike a middle ground, know the material well, and be prepared to ask simple, concrete questions that are neither rhetorical nor judgmental. And let the learning begin!
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RE: The only Non-Christian in a Philosophy of Religion class
October 22, 2011 at 4:57 am
(October 21, 2011 at 3:13 am)Minimalist Wrote: When life hands you lemons.....throw them at xtians.
May as well have some fun.
Or, when God gives you lemons.... FIND A NEW GOD.
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RE: The only Non-Christian in a Philosophy of Religion class
October 23, 2011 at 4:54 am
I appreciate all of the suggestions. I will be cordial in debate as long as they don't say something entirely stupid... But I think they will. When we were discussing Hinduism one Christian asked, "What happens when a cow dies?" Our prof explained, for the second time, reincarnation. The Same guy then asked, "What if he was hit by a car?" ...Our Prof explained it again. "What if he was murdered by a human." .... Our prof explained it again. He asked the same thing in several different ways. I was pissed off by the end of the class just because of how little this moron could understand.
I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any Church that I know of. My own mind is my own Church. - Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason
Dean
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RE: The only Non-Christian in a Philosophy of Religion class
October 23, 2011 at 11:05 am
(October 22, 2011 at 3:34 am)apophenia Wrote:
Just remember, you get more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.
Yeah, but if you rip their wings off, they will eat anything you give them. 
( quote from Kelly Bundy)
You make people miserable and there's nothing they can do about it, just like god.
-- Homer Simpson
God has no place within these walls, just as facts have no place within organized religion.
-- Superintendent Chalmers
Science is like a blabbermouth who ruins a movie by telling you how it ends. There are some things we don't want to know. Important things.
-- Ned Flanders
Once something's been approved by the government, it's no longer immoral.
-- The Rev Lovejoy
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RE: The only Non-Christian in a Philosophy of Religion class
October 23, 2011 at 12:20 pm
(October 23, 2011 at 4:54 am)Dean-o Wrote: I appreciate all of the suggestions. I will be cordial in debate as long as they don't say something entirely stupid... But I think they will. When we were discussing Hinduism one Christian asked, "What happens when a cow dies?" Our prof explained, for the second time, reincarnation. The Same guy then asked, "What if he was hit by a car?" ...Our Prof explained it again. "What if he was murdered by a human." .... Our prof explained it again. He asked the same thing in several different ways. I was pissed off by the end of the class just because of how little this moron could understand.
The best way to get Christians (especially stupid ones) all flustered is to ask them a million and one baffling questions.
My favorite thing to ask creationists is "Since Eve was just an afterthought to god, why did Adam have a penis and testes?"
Did he get those after he made her?
Why did he not foresee Adam's loneliness and make Eve at the same time as Adam?
Why did god not just kill Lucifer? Is he not powerful enough? Why did he allow evil to happen? Does he like drama? Is that why he felt it necessary to put temptation before Adam and Eve? If he loved them why did he do that?
Beat their heads in with reason.
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