Another lost interesting thread topic...

[jesperi]

I'm involved in yet another religious discussion on a message board. It had real potential but was unfortunately wasted. The topic was neutral to begin with: Discuss the pros and cons if Christianity had never existed. Given the nature of the site it immediately (and unfortunately) devolved into a Christan-bash-fest. I always find it amusing

Comments

An Update: Sigh...

[jesperi]

At 4:32 am the thread was locked just like I figured it would be: "I'd hoped for a change we might get a serious objective thread on Christianity. Instead we get the normal partially informed bashing. Topic locked

Re: An Update: Sigh...

[jesperi]

By the way genius (since I can spew all the vitriol I want here and nobody can stop me) something can't be sarcastic and true.

Sarcasm: "a mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against an individual"

Ironic: "given to irony"

Irony: "the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning"

Thanks for playing.

[jeriquan]

People love to compete for who'se the most oppressed... but just a thought that occured to me:

Christianity is a religion. It can't oppress you. Only the practitioners of a religion can oppress people.

[jesperi]

You are absolutely right. That's like suggesting that any idea can oppress you. It's just nonsense.

[nekochan369]

Also, let us not forget that Christianity rose to become a major world religion, but something else would undoubtedly have risen in it's place had it not caught on. There is nothing fundimentally wrong with religions. It can be said that practitioners of every faith can sometimes get carried away and do things that are then against the very philosophy that they claim to believe in. Of course then that can be chalked up to human nature any way.

There is a reason that I am a Pantheist. It doesn't matter what you believe, so long as you are happy and you're not a dick.

Also, you might want to check out the book unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity... and Why It Matters. I got it for my mom because she and I have had conversations about the very subject.

[jesperi]

From what it seems like David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons are saying (Just from reading reviews and summaries as I obviously haven't read the book yet) I think I'm likely to agree with their opinions. I think the Church has gone completely wrong as of late.

Most of the examples I was pointing in my posts were from the 2nd to the 12th centuries. I think, despite the modern perception, that the thousand year period between those dates the Church was actually way more on target with being 'Christ-like' than the modern incarnation.

Again, I reiterate the very important fact that all things must be viewed in the context of which they occurred. It’s easy to look back on the Medieval church and vilify it for its actions, however when you look at the actions of society around the Church-secular society-you realize just how tolerant the Church actually was.

[jesperi]

And you summed up my view of many of these people. They are fanatics. Even the rampant Atheists (and I have no issue with Atheism either) have fanatics among them and they are just as intolerant and filled with venom as the most fanatic Christian/Muslim/Jew/Insert Religion here.

[poizen37]

[brakes