Thoughts and Prayers: The Religion Thread

That's quite a string of seven words.

As for "preaching it" to other faiths, I don't. I just believe God is big enough to have room in his heart for all His children - even those who worship differently than we do.

 

I'm terribly scathing in what I say about the subject and there's no other way to be about it.

That said, words can be hurtful in a way that you don't intend or want to become hurtful, especially here.

 

It’s quite terrible, especially in families. How do I express my truly held belief that my family’s sincerely-held beliefs are psychological manifestations in reaction to a fear of death? And how do they express to their son whom they love dearly that they believe I’m going to hell?

There’s no way to do it.

 

I agree with your overall point, but it goes beyond annoyance for me. It is disrespectful. I grew up in the United States. I'm well aware of Christianity. Not learning about the basics isn't an option growing up in this country, whether you want to know about Christ or not. My best friend is a devout Catholic. One of his closest friends is a priest. If I wanted more of those answers, I know where to get them. Actually, my buddy is my go-to when I have questions about Christianity, mostly because based on my understanding, he is a better Christian than most of the pushy jackasses who have tried to bend my ear about The Word.

To be fair, I tend to be crankier about this subject this time of year, when it feel like pop culture is trying to shove Christmas down my throat. I'm already done with Christmas music, and the only Christmas movie I want to watch is Die Hard. Yippee ki yay, mother fuckers.

 

God is by definition everywhere in every moment in everything.

Religion is a path to God.

But it's not the only path to God.

 

Religion tells us that religion is the only pathway to God. That is the clearest sign that there are other pathways to God.

 

"In my Father's house are many rooms ..."

 

Here’s where it gets really thorny: They can’t not do it. They are literally commissioned by their God to do it. And when they do respect your request to not proselytize, they are trying to figure out ways to minister to you without you knowing it. They are simply doing what the Great Commision has instructed themvto do...which effectively infantilizes the entire population and never allows them to meet non-believers at a basic human level. Because always in the back of their mind is What would God have me do to show his truth to this person?

It’s an unbridgeable divide where both sides are talking to the other from a position of pity. Relationships, real human relationships, cannot form on such uneven ground.

 

I think those were the original lyrics ...

 

I don't know if it's pity on my part but you're pretty much spot-on.

 

Exactly.

Although I have to say as a matter of poetry, I lean hard here on 'many mansions.' I think it conveys the infinite, impossible majesty of the thing.

 

Here’s where it gets thornier: They are not commissioned by their God to do it, but by man’s religion to do it, and in the name of man’s religion rather than God.

The Bible is not God’s word, but rather humans’ word, and should be considered in that context.