I wouldn't let it bother you. Most of us heathens know and respect Christians and can separate the group form individuals in the group.

Since I'm fired up: People like Splendour walk around with this invisible merrit badge that says "I offended someone with the Word today, they hated me, I was persecuted, im like Jesus"

No you were hated and persecuted because you are an A$$ hole. Thats it. You werent persecuted because of the Word, or because youre a woman, they didnt make you the scum of the world because of the word, you made yourself scum and made them hate you because you are rude, arrogant, and have no mercy or compassion in your heart.

Its obvious there is some additional context behind that quote. It would be nice if you could have used the quote function so we can look at the actual post.

Maybe take it to another thread guys?
Start a discussion thread about who/what should be allowed?
If its a worthwhile discussion it should be easily accessable, not buried in a thread entitled "Re: Question for non Christians: Christian people/conversations youve enjoyed vs ones you've hated".
There are like 4 different dialogues going on and the one your having might be best in its own thread.

That said, im also going to reply to 2 points Splendour (the lady of much debate) made; so ignore them and continue your chats if you like-

Why is the devil allowed then? If all the devil does is destroy God's world, then why allow it to exist? If its part of God's plan; I would question the loving nature of someone who deliberately makes it harder to make an informed decision. If you say the choice is so important; why not make the choice easier from the information; if it is a choice from reason?
Or is the choice to determine the virtues/vices of the individual?
What is the purpose of the choice if it is justifiable to send people to hell.

You answered some of the points a bit in this; but i'd still appreciate more fleshed out direct responses if your game.

The only way to save a soul is if it is 'failing'; God is the one who frames the condition of this. Why does he need that war? What do you even mean appearance versus reality?

He created the struggle. Their is no need for victory if you never allow people to fail.
God framed and created the world and us; if perfectly knowledgeable; and hence therefore created and framed the struggle he tries to win.

what the hell are you talking about.. When I see a person( it does not matter if that's a female or male) that spews NONSENSE obviously I will think of that person as someone who is not thinking clearly.

Now it is you who is asserting stuff about me, while this is not true, calling me a hypocrite.

LOL...hold that glass up to yourself. You just became what you said you despise.

You're new and have no idea what these guys have tried to do en masse for years.

I'm torn on whether this post should be infracted too. It contains a personal attack but the personal attack is directly germain to his point.

so go read the whole thread...

You do not represent all women. If someone insults you, unless they stress the fact your a woman, they do not attack all women.
I 'champion' the rights of women as well, but if a woman is an idiot it would be an attack on woman's rights if i did not treat them the same as i would a man or someone who's sex i knew

I didnt become anything Splendour, I have always been someone who is uncomfortable with the way Christians behave in the name of Christ, and I've always been quick to state that in conversation.

Additionally, Im not "new" Look how long Ive been a part of 2+2. I spend prob an hour a day on here reading RGT only. The reason I dont participate is because the threads that are worth commenting in are quickly ruined by you or Pletho or a billion other mouths and I don't have time to unwind all the mayhem that you cause from your soapbox.

To answer your question OP, I first have a question for you, from a Hindu/Universalist

Why do you have to phrase your question in such a way that demonstrates that you have a perception that all non-Christians feel oppressed, and feel that Christians are “scum” and “baby eaters”?
Jokes aside, I think you have a fundamental misunderstanding of how Christianity is viewed from other religions viewpoints.

I was raised in Christian schools, had multiple Christian friends, and have been defending the validity of my religion from a very young age.
as a youngster, it wasn't confusing in all. My parents told me that everyone had their own way, and Christianity and Hinduism were all the same thing in the end. I learned all the Bible songs, Bible stories, and never really had too much stress about it that I can remember, usually looking forward to this snacks of grape juice and crackers, not really knowing what they represented.
In later years I went to prep school in the Northeast. We were required to go to one religious service a week.
The majority of the school went to the Protestant services, which I duly followed.
I did not like the fact that I had to wear a tie, the services were boring and stuffy, and the music, from a humongous pipe organ, would give me the creeps.
Then one day, one of the gang heard that there was an option of going to Jewish services, I soon switched. The Rabbi was a reformist, and accepted a come as you are philosophy, therefore on Sundays I used to just wake up, roll into Temple, and no matter if you were late you still got credit.
The best bonus was everyone got challah bread and a Shot glass of real wine.
It sure beat the Protestant services, during which if I was really hungry, I would brave the the embarrassing walk up to the altar to “eat the body and blood of Christ” a.k.a. Ritz crackers and grape juice.

I live in a 95% Christian community, which means I do continue to go to Christian functions very commonly, including weddings funerals Christmas communions etc.

The things I like about Christians are the good works done by churches, the great teachings of Christ, the value of treating your neighbor like you would treat your brother, the value of charity, and the importance of self reflection.
Also, contrary to my prep school experience, I found out that church services could be a lot of fun as well, with good food and good music at many of them, good people throughout all of them.

The list of things I don't like is topped off by my dislike of the part where you swear your allegiance to Christ, the one and only Savior. This is fundamentally what puts me off about all branches of Christianity other than Universalists.

Other things I find uncomfortable .
what I'm going to describe is probably more indigent to the south, because when this happens I think of my friends from New York City laughing in someone's face, but one thing that makes me cringe is when people try to convert me.

Obviously religious people on the street or at the mall etc. are easy to dodge by and get away from. It's particularly hard when you are stuck at a neighbors house, or in some other social setting, being held as a captive audience to listen to a “ converter".

I do understand evangelical viewpoint of why this is important, yada yada, but would like to relate a particularly funny incident.

When I was a medicine resident, I was taking care of this particularly sick woman with breast cancer, and rather than have any complaints about herself, probably reacting to the fact that I am brown, asked me if I was “saved”.
I was floored. this was a very deep question.
I tried to explain that I was raised as a Hindu, but believed in all religions. This did not suffice for this patient. She calmly explained that I would not go to heaven with this viewpoint, and that I needed to be saved. She proceeded to give me a brief capsule on what Hell is, followed by her personal testimony on her relationship with Christ.

At that point my cell phone went off. It was my brother who wanted to get my opinion on a potential Tracy McGrady trade rumor in the fantasy basketball league. I calmly looked at the patient and told her there was a really important thing that the nurses needed to see me about, and that I would catch up with her soon. I literally ran backwards out of the room.

I have encountered this several times since then, and the way I handle it is very simple, which most of you would probably doing my position.
I look the patient in the eye, tell the patient “yes absolutely, I have been saved and everything is all in his hands”. I even pray with patients when they've asked me to. I believe in the healing power of faith, and feel this is the most pragmatic approach to get the patients better.

Going back to the OP, I don't label a person as smart, dumb, good, or evil depending on their religion (with the exception for some extremes such as the Westboro Baptist Chruch).

I have a friend who is a Baptist Minister, a friend with a Ph.D in math that has a strong faith, and I would not consider either one of them to be stupid. We've discussed religion quite a bit and never had any problems. I'll actually take the time and talk with mormons who come to the door and discuss things. They usually seem surprised to not get the cold shoulder and are pleased to take the time and talk.



On the other hand, I've been involved in discussions with other christians where it pretty quickly gets to them being extremely judgmental upon my life (being a poker player for instance), and it usually degrades into them informing me I'm going to hell.

He isn't that new. I've seen him post a bit before here, just not recently.

That's a very humble approach, much to be admired from that. Professional and smart.
Gg sir, gg.

Well you already contradicted God today. Read 2 Tim.

Apologetics isn't a real culture y'know. Read the bible ....Paul says God is "not the God of the philosophers".

Philosophers never talk straight and suffer from personal bias.

Christians do suffer from bias too though...God's bias...as passed on through his Word...

Jesus was MOBBED...Pletho and I are MOBBED...

We are living the Word (and the Word is Jesus and his followers imitate him in all ways, if possible) and you are suffering an interpretation problem...

The Word was written to cut through the world's bs not accomodate it...

Well to clarify the joke, the non Christians eat babies. But thats besides the point.

I have lots of very healthy relationships with non Christian's most of my life long friends are not Christians, so Im not one of the Christians that feels marginalized, or like scum.

I phrased the question in this way, because certian Christian posters on this site (drawn from my experience with real world Christians who talk in the same way to non Christians) certainly do put themselves at odds with the rest of the world. They view themselves in such a way that there is unavoidable relational tension between themselves and people that arent Christians.

The point of the thread was to get responses from people that would demonstrate (as I think most posts have) to the Christians on here just what you said, that there is a way to engage in these kind of conversations that creates an environment of mutual respect, that the Christians on this forum don't have to create emnity between themselves and other posters in their conversations.

I certainly believe that at times there is unreconcilable tension based on some of our doctrines, but that isnt what I see as the main issue on this forum. I see tension that is based on a lack of tact and human respect of which the Christians on here need to be held accountable for.

I appreciate your response.

This is an interesting viewpoint, that the modern evangelical church could be looked upon as “the Pharisees”. they're more interested about the letter of the law, then the spirit of the law. They cast out the sinners instead of seeking them out, like Jesus did.

What the United States needs is a newer more enlightened church, that is less ignorant and in the dark. How can we bring people out of that darkness is the question.
Berating them on a message board probably will cause them to retreat further into their Christ-centric shell.

Apologetics might not be a culture; but it is something lots of people engage in; some with reason. I'd hasten to say it can give people good/correcting lives. A mass murderer engaging in apologetics in search of reform may well benefit from it.

How? How is it INATE in philosophy to do this? It may be that lots do; however Descartes tried to analyse from nothing, Rawls did to. Post-structuralism acknowledges bias and analyses "meanings of meanings". There is an INATE bias in dogmatic christianity towards any argument because there is no open mind, or search for the truth. You will always be on the defence or attack because you have a point to argue for. Its the same with any situation.

He is a Christian who differs from you therefore he is wrong? Both of you have professed varying interpretations of God and Christianity which differ from the mainstream. But your logic is actually better than his? How can you defend that other than saying "I think so". If its an interpretation is it not subjective? You talk of "feelings" and God talking to you; that suggests a God built on subjective differences, as such interpretation is an individual thing


God is the world's bs as he created it

I suggest you read the account of Stephen.

Saul mobbed Stephen before he became Paul.

"read 2 Timothy, because you contradicted God" This is what Im talking about, thats not how you engage in diolauge. The scripture isnt there so you dont have to communicate like a normal human with someon.

"Jesus was MOBBED" Jesus was mobbed by the tons and tons of people who were coming to him to receive the free gift of healing and mercy and compassion he was readily giving them. He was MURDERED by the Legally Zelous Pharisees. You are not being mobbed, you are being properly held accountable for your rude behavior. It is a joke that you think you are doing Christ a service, or immitating his humility. That you would compare your "sufferings" because of your arrogance and Bible beating with Christ's suffering at the hands of those who talk like you do is a joke.

You should post more imho. To clarify are you like Big Perm and Icancheckforvalue in a certain "theist" from a hinduistic preference with no specific overrarching faith?

just trolling you

...

Of course if I breathe a word of that in a mainstream evangelical setting, im warned that im bordering on heresy. But ya.

Dont get me wrong, Im not saying in any way that evangelicals or fundamentalist Christians are not Christians. Im saying that their interpretation of scripture and how it leads them to deal with the non Christian is absolutley messed up is a$$ backwards, and that is in my opinion because the tradition of men is preferred to the individual really getting up close and personal with the entire narrative of the Bible, and of the Gospels for themselves.

Anyone know where I can pick up a complete version of the Bible, before some of the books were removed?