First of all, Dancer, I would appreciate it if you not to try to make us religious people look stupid. I have already had this problem with Foxxie, and would prefer to not have it happen again.
Now back to the actual debate.
Not necessarily. When somebody says that, they are speaking of his personality traits such as love and compasion. If we were to take that literally than we would all look the same.
And @ Realusionist- If you're really that worried, then add the two latter scores. The poll didn't have as much thought and/or options as it needed. We've already talked about that.
[Edited by Toastman, 1/2/2010 4:00:09 AM]
I wasn't trying to make you look stupid I was just approaching the issue lightheartedly. Above everything else, my biggest issue with religion is how serious and defensive people get about it.
Your religion isn't like a trump card of debate and nor should it be excluded from criticism and scrutiny or even logical deconstruction. If I maintained a similar mentality I would supposedly get angry and offended whenever people start talking about their gods and what-not as it conflicts with my position on the matter. As it happens, I don't. Perhaps it is because I am smug and arrogant.
Also, you can't speak for other people regarding their interpretation of religious texts. I am sure the best way of thinking about it is in the way you described but, everyone seems to interpret it differently, including myself. Lets also not pretend your god has a personality, you're making it sound sillier then it already is.
Just as you are entitled to believe and interpret religion however you like, so am i and my interpretation is that, if god does exist, even though he doesn't, he would be a little bit gay.
Lets not start a world war over it.
You're missing my point. I welcome criticism with open arms. What you're doing is not constructive criticism. What you are doing is underhandedly making us sound stupid so as to make our points to seem less valid. It is a form of argument, and also a form of bullying.
And who said I was representing Christianity as a whole? I am speaking on my own behalf. If someone agrees with what I'm saying, that's fine and dandy. Otherwise, Niether one of us can speak for anybody else other than ourselves.
You seem awfully defensive and angry, you are just reinforcing my previous point. Telling me you are upset and feel you are being bullied just highlights what I said earlier about how people treat their religious beliefs like special moves in a debate.
If my points make you look stupid and make your points seem less valid then, perhaps I am simply succeeding in my position on this topic.
I get easily bored when talking to religious people about religion, they all seem to get upset and the conversation goes the same stale direction. Lets just move on and talk more about the gays if we have to.
[Edited by Dancer, 1/2/2010 6:02:08 AM]
And now you're just going on to even further to make it seem as if I am an angry, closed minded, up tight, religious freak who crys when someone even thinks of opposing them.
Don't flatter yourself. I am in no way angry. I actually love debates and love even more to be proved wrong. So if you can, please do so and I will gladly admit that you have beaten me.
I shall tell you the exact same thing I told Foxxie. We are not all the same. So stops treating us as a whole. I do not represent the Christian Faith as a whole, nor does it represent me.
[Edited by Toastman, 1/2/2010 6:33:02 AM]
Why can't I flatter myself? It makes me feel pretty good.
I really don't have time to teach every child on earth how to walk. Don't get upset, I'm not calling you a child, it's a metaphor.
feel free to re-read my previous posts on this matter as you have hardly even addressed one of the points I have made. Instead you just told me I am "bullying" you and making your points less valid. Now, you turn around and say that you love debates and being proved wrong.......
I like you a lot toastman, you're one of my favourite members but I'm not not going to go through the agony of trying to disprove an invisible, untouchable sky monster to someone who believes it exists.
I'll assume you were raised to be religious as I can see you are fairly intelligent. I am also fairly intelligent but was raised neutrally with no one telling me about god. I then unbiasedly did my own research when I was older and extensively examined both sides of the topic. I studied theology and got the highest grade possible in religious studies yet there is not a single part of me that thinks there is even a slight possibility that there is a god.
There's a case study for you.
There is nothing in the bible which mentions homosexuality. The verses which people use as examples of biblical condemnation are all in the Old Testament (and therefore specious concerning Christianity) and are all actually condemning pederasty.
The Old Testament is provided in the Christian bible to give context, not to provide any kind of religious guidance.
That is not entirely correct. The Greek scriptures contain various texts which state that homosexuality is not accepted by god. Romans 1:24-32; 1 Timothy 1:9-11; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 are pretty clear.
As far as my opinion goes over this, I think the law should allow it but no one should be mad at the churches for following what the bible says.
If you go back and translate it from the Greek, you will find the the most fitting word is "pederast". The translation is the result of bias of the translator.
Homosexuality was universally not condemned in the ancient world, unless it was an adult on a child. On the other hand, an adult could rape a child of the opposite sex and it was OK.
Important Board Topics
Trending Topics