Sane -- China, for one, persecutes Christians like crazy. There's an underground church there. I'm guessing my faith wouldn't be treated with the same respect in your home country. I know it wouldn't be in Iran, in particular. Bring a Bible to some of those nations, and you're asking for trouble. Try to share your faith with someone and it's a punishable offense. There are more than a few African nations that put known Christians to death. North Korea is a literal nightmare for anyone who professes faith in Christ. I've read...though I don't know if it could ever be confirmed...that more Christians were put to death for their faith in the 20th century than the previous 19 combined.
Deckard, I'm a Presbyterian, and I get that too. Particularly in some of the circles of friends I'm in. Again...I hate to use the word persecution, because I tend to reserve that for those who share my faith in other countries where the literal mention of the name of Christ lands your butt in prison. But there is an element of intellectual condescension, to be sure, in our culture, related to Christians. The funny movie that came out recently...what was the name of it?? about the kids in the church youth group and the hypocrisy of them...mandy moore was in it...can't remember the name. Seriously...could you imagine if a similar movie were made about people of another faith? I really don't have a problem with the movie...it was satirical, and there was valid criticism of the church in there...i plan on using the movie, when it hits DVD, to teach a sunday school lesson to the kids in our youth group...but can you imagine if we made a movie stereotyping young muslims like that in this country? or the backlash if we picked on the faith of young jews? It seems to me...and maybe i"m wrong...that the public would go nuts about that....but we laugh and shrug our shoulders when it's done about christians. just my thoughts...
oops meant to say that I haven't seen it yet so I can't comment on it but my best friend says it's one of his favorite films ever.
I'm confident you're right. Where I think you see the mindset that some have mentioned is when there is actual contact with people -- not merely passing by someone in a crowd wearing a t-shirt. Most people are fine, as long as they don't have to deal with these people personally. When some people (not all) find out I'm a preacher, they start acting like they hope I don't try out my Sunday morning sermon on them -- as if that's why I'm at the grocery store (or wherever). Then there are people like the guy who came to do an "energy inspection" at my home yesterday. He asked me what I do for a living, and immediately started asking question after question about this subject or that. He was just curious about what I believe. We had a good talk, and not once did I stand up and yell, "Repent, sinner!"
I, personally, feel there is a backlash also. Why in the world can one woman DEMAND a bible that has been in the front of the courthouse for 50 years be removed?!? If you're offended (GASP) don't look, b****! I'm really sick of this crap trying to pull God away from our society. You grew up with it. Live with it. Period.
Well that's a loaded question. People can feel threatened by it. Imagine someone tried to install a copy of the Koran instead. People think this country was founded by Christians. It wasn't.
I think we should install a loud speaker playing George Carlin quotes on religion right there on the Courthouse steps.
i don't get why a monument to someone for his donations to the Star of Hope is located at the courthouse. Why not put the monument in front of the mission? doesn't that make more sense? also that monument uses a neon light inside it. Who pays for the electricity to run that neon light? i'm guessing the taxpayers.
The George Carlin suggestion is a nice example of religious hostility. First, a Koran in public is suggested, which would be the closest reciprocal example to make. It is also a book and would fill all the same roles as the Bible, except from a different religion. But, for some, that isn't sufficiently in-your-face, so we get another suggestion. Except this suggestion doesn't much resemble the original in nature or content. Instead of containing purported religious truths, it instead just mocks and insults others. And, instead of being an object -- that can be studied or not studied as passers-by would like -- and a book -- that can be read (though not well, since you can't turn the pages) or not read as passers-by would like -- it is instead broadcast audibly so that no passer-by (except the deaf) will be able to avoid hearing it. It isn't at all analogous, but some people feel they need to increase the stakes in the religious conflict. Paying back a perceived wrong in equal measure is insufficient. I'm not sure, but NPR reported that Star of Hope paid for the maintenance of the monument. I don't know if that would include paying the electricity. I do think putting the monument in front of the mission makes sense but I don't know the history for how it got there in the first place. Considering how long it's been there, I'd consider the historical importance before having an opinion on what to do with it.
Yeah , atheist are hostile. We torture nonheritics, start wars to bring atheism to the believers, consider those who believe to be condemed to eternal fire, support atheistic suicde missions to terrorize people into accepting our merciful godless universe.
I grew up Southern Batist I became an Aethist for a while. . .then Agnostic Now. . I consider myself more Spiritual than anything However, I have watched people display their religion and summarily get discounted as nothing because well .. .they 'just a zealot' Just because something has a religious base does not automatically make it stupid, wrong, etc I think most religions have some VERY GOOD points and I won't knock anyone for practicing something that makes them feel good and keeps them on the str8 and narrow Rocket River
It seems most religions preach tolerence and practice discrimination, preach pacifism but allow themselves to be used as justification for violence, preach the omnipotence of God while decrying the deficiencies of His creation. I'm all for any philosphy that eases the lot of the masses. It's just my scientific opinion that is skeptical of a deity.
...ten years ago. Being Christian in China? no problem, met quite a few christians there who are open about it. Did some research about it with your hypothesis in mind and turned out I was dead wrong. No longer a government concern with Falun Gong, after that fiasco, Christians were preferred. On top of that, if you're not Chinese, they don't care what religion you are (as long as it's not falun gong). Don't forget that China was one of the few nations to let Jews enter their country without passports, let alone the dozens of ethnic minorities that have their own religions and are not persecuted by any means. There are dozens of churches in every city in China, and both Chinese and foreigners go there without any problem post-2001. Not debating, educating.
