The "Religious Right"

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by si_uk_lon_ok

What really pisses me off with the Christian right is the way they deal with deal people within the Christian faith who have difference of opinions. As in, not ramming social conservatism down your throat or viewing everything in black and white.

Batesline

See what Master Bates had to say about the Episcopal Church on batesline. I'm no theologian, but does he not imply that the Episcopal Church are worshipping the angels of Satan? Is not seeing the good works that the Episcopal Church does through God as Satanic the ultimate sin?

I don't think he's saying they are satanists, just pointing out a few episcopals that are not in agreement with the publicized precepts of the episcopalian faith.

Just sounds like the GOB network is working full force in that church to me.

[Conan71]

I grew up Episcopal, bouncing between St. John's & Trinity.  After attending and practicing Christianity of other faiths, I left the Episcopal Church for good in my mid- '20's.  I don't have a clue what the EC philosophy is these days, all I know is it quit working for me about 20 years ago.  Far as I was concerned the only part of "spiritual" that existed in the Episcopal Church was "ritual".  I also found the gospel preached in more charismatic faiths to be too punitive.  

One thing I'm certain has happened in the last 100 years within the Christian faith is man is demanding God bend to man's will, instead of man obeying His will.

I don't presently attend a church.  I know where my faith is, have a personal relationship with God, and that's what it's really all about in the first place.  The various sects of Christianity are merely paths to get to a personal relationship with God.  That's why there are so many different faiths.  A singular denomination obviously doesn't appeal to everyone, otherwise there would have never been a split from Catholocism (I realize there's a lot that goes into that, but for the sake of brevity...) and then all the subsequent splits within protestantism.

I don't feel it's up to men to judge who is and isn't worthy of God's grace, I've seen too much human judgement in church, and I've seen the gospel bastardized through various interpretations of men and women of the cloth who seem to have only their well-being in mind.

I figure if someone wears their Christianity on their sleeve to gain public office or gain my business, then they really don't have many merits which would justify my vote or my business in the first place.

[si_uk_lon_ok]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by si_uk_lon_ok

What really pisses me off with the Christian right is the way they deal with deal people within the Christian faith who have difference of opinions. As in, not ramming social conservatism down your throat or viewing everything in black and white.

Batesline

See what Master Bates had to say about the Episcopal Church on batesline. I'm no theologian, but does he not imply that the Episcopal Church are worshipping the angels of Satan? Is not seeing the good works that the Episcopal Church does through God as Satanic the ultimate sin?

I don't think he's saying they are satanists, just pointing out a few episcopals that are not in agreement with the publicized precepts of the episcopalian faith.

Just sounds like the GOB network is working full force in that church to me.

quote:     The female head of a church with a practicing homosexual bishop planning to "marry" his lover, a church that could accept into seminary the adulterous homosexual governor of New Jersey, a church that embraces splitting open babies' skulls and vacuuming their brains out, is complaining about Nigerian Anglican bishops coming to Virginia this weekend" to formally install the head of a parallel denomination, being a violation of ancient customs.  

Well, sodomy and Moloch worship are pretty ancient.

I took the last sentence too literally maybe.

[TheArtist]

Seems that man indeed makes god in his own image.

Ask a man how or what he believes on any subject.  Then a few days later ask him what god thinks.  You will most likely find that how he thinks is the way he thinks, god thinks.

If a man is domineering and believes in punishing those who don't believe or behave as he wants.  Most likely his god is the same way and he will find a church with others who think similarly. Don't forget he may just as likely do the same thing to himself.

If a person believes in understanding, growing, and patience.  Most likely his god is the same way and he will find a church with others who think similarly. Don't forget he may just as likely do the same thing to himself.

Which church or group of people will you find that you would notice the most in society?  Which group will tend to have a "louder voice"?

Those may not be the best examples but I hope you get my drift.

A Story:

Gas station between two cities.  Man stops there on his way to moving from one city to the next. Asks the old gas attendant what the people in the next city are like.  Old man asks, What were the people like where you used to live?  Young man says, They were obnoxious and self-centered.  Old man says, Well, you will find the people in the next city are the same way.

Later another young man moving from the same city to the next, stops at the same gas station and asks the old man what the people in the next city are like.  Old man asks, What were the people like where you used to live?  Young man says, They were kind, very giving and helpful.  Old man says, Well, you will find the people in the next city are the same way.

I believe that no matter what side you are on, left or right, it can be helpful to consider that everyone is imperfect and can grow.  That nobody, on either side, can make you feel inferior or annoy you, unless you give them permission to. That if someone is doing something that annoys you or that you think is wrong, you can either push them away or reach out to help them become better, (thus not someone who is doing something that is wrong).  All the while remembering that you yourself are imperfect and may be wrong.

It takes two to tango. You can choose to be the "adult" or better one. Or you can get down in the mud with them and be angry at them.


There is one other thing that I wish people would realize in our society. There are 2 different ways that people use to process the world. Not everyone fits exactly into each camp, but generally speaking people tend to one side or the other.

Way 1.   Information goes into the heart first, then into the brain.

Way 2.   Information goes into the brain first, then into the heart.

One person tends to feel that something is true, then  it.

The other tends to understand it, then believes it and feels it.

These two different types of people have a very hard time "getting" someone who is the opposite of them.  They will often disagree and argue and never seem to understand eachother.  This is a very good thing to know when dating btw lol.

These different people even tend to use different language when they speak.  Remember Bush and Kerry and how they would speak.  Bush would say,,, "I feel" and would pound his chest.
Kerry would say "I think" and was very analytical.  They very much fit into those opposite camps and you could see that they would look at the other and wonder just what alien planet they had come from.  They were talking at each other not too each other.  This was largely because they just processed the world completely differently.  Their brains literally work differently.

Be aware.  People on either side can be right and wrong, thats not what its about, its about how they get to their answers, for they can get the same answers but just not get there the same way.  One person trying to understand or explain something to another of the opposite  spectrum is going to have a next to impossible time trying to do so for they will be using their way of thinking.

There are 2 books I know of that are basically on the same topic but are written by authors who "process" the world in completely different ways.

The Road Less Traveled, by M. Scott Peck

A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.

Depending on which end of the processing spectrum your on, one book you will like reading finding it easy to read and understand, while the other book you may find completely irritating and even intelligible.

Ok psychology lesson and sermon over, pass the plate and please reach deeply into your hearts and donate generously. []

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by mr.jaynes

In my days living in the Tulsa area and just as I was starting out in the Cosmetology game, I once knew this very attractive woman, truly a sight for any man to behold, she looked that good. She had this beautiful mane of long, frizzed blonde hair, and if you were a stylist, you'd give your eye teeth to service her.

Sounds like any man would have liked to ser....

Ah, nevermind, this is a wholesome thread.

I don't mean that kind of "service."

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by mr.jaynes

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by mr.jaynes

In my days living in the Tulsa area and just as I was starting out in the Cosmetology game, I once knew this very attractive woman, truly a sight for any man to behold, she looked that good. She had this beautiful mane of long, frizzed blonde hair, and if you were a stylist, you'd give your eye teeth to service her.

Sounds like any man would have liked to ser....

Ah, nevermind, this is a wholesome thread.

I don't mean that kind of "service."

I know, but it was wide open and I just had to inflect some pig-headedness into the topic.  You painted a great picture with words, when you described this woman, I thought of about three or four that would have fit that physical image to a tee.

Very O/T but since you made the reference about the long, memorable locks I still think of an image from 20 years ago.  I was sitting in the old Dunkin' Donuts on South Peoria one Sunday morning drinking coffee and reading the Sunday World. (Since it happened on a Sunday, can we call it semi-on topic? [])

This young lady came careening into the parking lot in a black Porsche 356 Speedster with the top down, red curly locks flying at will, with Wayfairers on.  Just a vision to behold.  Sometimes I wonder if I dreamed it up.  Just one of those people, even though you never met, you will never forget.  No idea if she was Christian or not, but that really wasn't my point. [}:)]

[Conan71]

Artist-quite well written.  Though I think you had a case of role-reversal in your comments.  Re: Bush/Kerry- liberals generally "feel" and conservatives usually "think".  Or at least conservatives think liberals only feel. []

[TheArtist]

I don't know about that. Seems many on the right, rail against "intellectuals", ivory towers, and liberal professors.  Remember how they tried to peg Gore as and intellectual, someone who is not a regular guy like Bush. They would make fun of how he would use high fallutin language.  You know how those east coast latte' drinking types are.

But all the while these good ol boy, truck drivin republicans are framing the issues and are smart enough to know that knowing all the facts (or at least looking like you do) was not going to endear you to the  average voter.  I remember that election and they really pounded Gore on "being smart" and an "intellectual".

In one of those debates I wish he would have said...

 So what do you tell your kids when they go to school, don't learn to much or people won't like you?  You wont be able to be president.  Better to be popular than smart cause thats what wins elections?  Odd, when I was young I was taught you should learn as much as you can, you had to be smart to be successful. Is that not the way it is anymore? If you know a lot people will make fun of you?

However just being book smart isn't gonna do ya. People smarts can win over book smarts.

Thats one lesson Republicans have learned well and the Democrats are struggling with.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Artist-quite well written.  Though I think you had a case of role-reversal in your comments.  Re: Bush/Kerry- liberals generally "feel" and conservatives usually "think".  Or at least conservatives think liberals only feel. []

I thinkj liberals think and feel, and conservatives-real conservatives like William F. Buckley or William Kristol-even think. I think right-wingers like Hannity or Ingraham or Limbaugh or Gallagher, they don't tend to think, so much as they tend to emote, cop attitudes, posture and swagger-which some of their audiences confuse for intellectualism.

[Rowdy]

Hey I'm religious, so I'm right.  Let's close this topic since I pretty much summed it up.[]

[sgrizzle]

I've always wondered, what are Wayfairers?

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by mr.jaynes

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by mr.jaynes

In my days living in the Tulsa area and just as I was starting out in the Cosmetology game, I once knew this very attractive woman, truly a sight for any man to behold, she looked that good. She had this beautiful mane of long, frizzed blonde hair, and if you were a stylist, you'd give your eye teeth to service her.

Sounds like any man would have liked to ser....

Ah, nevermind, this is a wholesome thread.

I don't mean that kind of "service."

I know, but it was wide open and I just had to inflect some pig-headedness into the topic.  You painted a great picture with words, when you described this woman, I thought of about three or four that would have fit that physical image to a tee.

Very O/T but since you made the reference about the long, memorable locks I still think of an image from 20 years ago.  I was sitting in the old Dunkin' Donuts on South Peoria one Sunday morning drinking coffee and reading the Sunday World. (Since it happened on a Sunday, can we call it semi-on topic? [])

This young lady came careening into the parking lot in a black Porsche 356 Speedster with the top down, red curly locks flying at will, with Wayfairers on.  Just a vision to behold.  Sometimes I wonder if I dreamed it up.  Just one of those people, even though you never met, you will never forget.  No idea if she was Christian or not, but that really wasn't my point. [}:)]

Well, I must concede that she was FINE, and yes, she did look as if she had stepped from a Van Halen video (it was the 1980s).

[tulsa1603]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

I've always wondered, what are Wayfairers?

Remember those sunglasses Mazzios gave away back in the 1980's?  Haha.

[bugo]

quote:Originally posted by mr.jaynes

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

There's another thing that rankles me: these Shepherd's Guides phone books that supposedly list Christian businesses. If I want someone to install a new water heater in my home, whether he's a Christian is immaterial. It's whether he can do the job properly. Shepherd's Guides don't help in figuring this out.

Some people only buy from christian businesses which is also the only place they put the books.

I don't use it, you don't have to either.

In my days living in the Tulsa area and just as I was starting out in the Cosmetology game, I once knew this very attractive woman, truly a sight for any man to behold, she looked that good. She had this beautiful mane of long, frizzed blonde hair, and if you were a stylist, you'd give your eye teeth to service her.

And so one day, marvelling over her 'do, I asked who was responsible for maintaining it, and she said that a Christian hairstylist kept it up for her. And since it was clear that I probably wasn't going to get the job of servicing her, I referred her to my lady. She asked if she was Christian, I couldn't answer since we never talked religion while cutting my hair. She said that she would only go to a Christian hairstylist.

I had to scratch my head over that one, even now. Is this to say that a Christian hairstylist may have some creative edge over, say, an atheist hairstylist? Any ideas?

It's a superiority complex.  This type of xian thinks they're better than non-xians.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by bugo

quote:Originally posted by mr.jaynes

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

There's another thing that rankles me: these Shepherd's Guides phone books that supposedly list Christian businesses. If I want someone to install a new water heater in my home, whether he's a Christian is immaterial. It's whether he can do the job properly. Shepherd's Guides don't help in figuring this out.

Some people only buy from christian businesses which is also the only place they put the books.

I don't use it, you don't have to either.

In my days living in the Tulsa area and just as I was starting out in the Cosmetology game, I once knew this very attractive woman, truly a sight for any man to behold, she looked that good. She had this beautiful mane of long, frizzed blonde hair, and if you were a stylist, you'd give your eye teeth to service her.

And so one day, marvelling over her 'do, I asked who was responsible for maintaining it, and she said that a Christian hairstylist kept it up for her. And since it was clear that I probably wasn't going to get the job of servicing her, I referred her to my lady. She asked if she was Christian, I couldn't answer since we never talked religion while cutting my hair. She said that she would only go to a Christian hairstylist.

I had to scratch my head over that one, even now. Is this to say that a Christian hairstylist may have some creative edge over, say, an atheist hairstylist? Any ideas?

It's a superiority complex.  This type of xian thinks they're better than non-xians.

Oh, she was friendly enough, it was simply a matter of having a near-neurotic preference for a Christian hairstylist over any other.  wonder how one can tell a Christian hairstylist from a non-religious hairstylist? Or a Christian businessperson from a person who is simply in business?