Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Hip Priest
As someone religious, yet who isn't (I hope) a 'fucking cunt', and whose religious friends are also not (in my opinion) 'fucking cunts', I would just like to say that the word 'evangelical' has been hijacked and damaged just as much as 'liberal' has.
'Evangelical' really refers to the more-or-less essential attempts by a Christian to share the gospel with non-Christians. Many have abused the word, but they have, more fundamentally, abused the word 'Christian'. We are warned of these people in the Bible (the epistle of Jude, verse 4, springs to mind: For certain men whose condemnation was written about[b] long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.).
It's easy to try to silence people and tell them they should not speak, or just to bully and abuse, but fortunately most of us still live in countries where that sort of nasty dictatorial nonsense isn't yet practiced.
In Manchester recently, the local Muslims had put up a tent in the city centre. They shared beliefs, food and discussion with anyone who cared to join in, and it was a really good effort. I'm often handed stuff by jewish, Muslim and Buddhist groups, and I have to say that in most cases there is a genuine attempt between all parties to be tolerant and interested in each other's faith. The need to tear up each other's holy books, call each other 'fucking cunts' or issue command such as 'go to hell' and 'fuck off' are thankfully felt to be unnecessary. It's a good job that most people, religious or atheist, are more tolerant than some would like.
|
well you may be right, and i don't know the kind of evangelical christianity that you practice, but on this side of the atlantic we have a number of clowns who have hijacked the brains of the populace for their own political and financial ends. you will usually find them hollering "jesus" and hallellujas in every other sentence, and asking you for money on the tv, and screaming about being born again. assholes such as (to name a few)
jerry falwell (fortunately now dead)
jim bakker (ex-convict)
oral roberts
jack van impe
pat robertson (the 700 club)
jimmy swaggart
etc
and many, many many others-- many because it's a profitable con and a political force-- oh yes. i just don't remember all the name.
then there are scary types that are not necessarily on TV but who preach some of the most backwards and superstitions fundamentalism such as the southern baptists (the largest protestant denomination in america).
and then there are all manner of well-intentioned people who willingly flush their brains down the toilet and interpret the "bible" literally. i put that word in quotation marks because you have your jewish bible and then you have the gospel and what is what depends on who you talk to.
as long as people keep their beliefs to themselves i really have no problem, but when they try to keep others from living their lives as they see fit it becomes a war, and in that sense i do see myself at war with these people.
i did not intent to include you or many other innocent people in these categorizations; i have many friends and acquaintances that are, broadly speaking, christian, but none of them (obviously) are the lunatic fanatics that i've described above.
anyway, i forgot where i was going with this, but i invite you to watch a little of one of the groups i love to hate. or.. wait wait... you might appreciate this. start with 1 and follow the rest...
these are 2 separate documentaries:
1) "bible bashers"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U_B5SPkeNk
2) "the most hated family in america"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O228AQRvcqQ
then you'll realize what we're up against...