Thoughts and Prayers: The Religion Thread

Where am I?

A) Muslim heaven
B) Christian hell

 

Christian hell, and Muslim heaven. Which is why I (and anyone else) should have problems with Islam. It's underlying tenets, its very foundational principles, are rooted in violence and hate.

What is your point?

 

I'm not sure I understand the purpose of Hell.

 

You still aren't getting what I'm putting down. You are absolutely misrepresenting what I am saying, perhaps because you don't understand it.

Please don't try to define Judiasm to a Jew. You didn't do it very well and you really aren't qualified.

People are born into all faiths. That is where we start on our path in terms of faith, the families into which we are born. It's not that people can't choose another direction. My point is that most people don't. They just follow some version of the faith that they were born into. That is why, most of the time, faith is an accident of birth.

You can talk all you want about a decision to be reborn, but you were born a Christian and you then chose to once again be a Christian. That fits perfectly into what I'm saying. It may not be the Catholic Church, but it is still Christianity. As I said, most of us stay with some version of the faith we were born to, exactly as you have done.

 

I live in a state that is chock full of Southern Baptists and bammer fans because their parents were.

 

No. It isn't.

 

No, not exactly as I have done. But, OK. No one has any choice in anything, and nothing means anything, to anyone, and no thought or discussion is needed, about anything, with anyone.

Jeez.

 

Yes, they are. If you don't think so, we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

That is your take on the underlying tenets of Islam, one rooted in relative ignorance based on your knowledge of extremists.

An outsider's take on Christianity could see it as condemning those who do not follow its teachings as well.

Most religions have some part that is offensive to those who believe in something else. Judaism and Christianity have those aspects as well. Christianity plays on the fear of believers, telling them they will go to Hell not only if they do bad things, but also if they don't make it unerringly clear that they accept Jesus Christ as their divine savior. You may argue that such rejection isn't built into the tenets of the religion, but it is certainly part of its history and present. Judaism also plays on people's fears as well as their arrogance, referring to the Jewish people as the chosen ones.

 

How much time have you spent with Muslims? Should I barricade my door due to the Muslim family that lives down the block? Was my UMC pastor committing heresy by inviting an imam into our church during inter-faith dialogue sessions and worship services?

They are our cousins in faith. They worship the same God we do. Don't judge them all by the actions of a few. Just as we don't want our Christianity judged by the actions of a few.

 

Again, I never said no one has any choice. I'm saying that for most people, their faith is an accident of birth. You chose what you were raised with. Do you not see how an accident of birth put you on that path?

 

I thought I should let you know that your bigotry is showing.