|
Post by lemonysinlaw on Nov 12, 2003 8:00:56 GMT -5
I'm Jewish and Catholic but I believe in Buddha, not God. Which leads to debates between me and my friends, because some of them don't believe in god, some of them do. *shrugs*
|
|
|
Post by Kobolos on Nov 12, 2003 10:22:42 GMT -5
I only have time to address this one part, since I have to do my algebra homework. Both of you are probably more qualified than the rest of us for heavy duty theological debate, but I'll put in two cents anyway. Religion isn't fear, as it says in one of the epistles "The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear, but of strength and of a sound mind." Talk about damnation and devils and such isn't supposed to scare people, it's just a statement of fact. How you interprate talk like that depends on whether or not you believe in the Bible, I suppose. If you do trust it, then everything in there is for warning and advice. If you don't trust it, then it's intended to scare and dominate. Oh, I'd like to know what your politics are in relation to you beliefs. We can probably guess from the way you talk, but one or two things might surprise us. It shouldn't be about fear, but too many Christians make it into that. Jack Chick for example. If you think the fundementalist Christians aren't out to eradicate all other religions then you are sadly mistaken. It is a machine: You are going to hell because you do not believe as we do. You must convert or else bad things will befall you. Does that make Christians the Borg? I don't know. My mother does not know of my beliefs, I'm over 30 and she has no idea. She offers to pray for me and mine and unlike some people I'm not offended by that. If she is willing to pray to her god that I remain safe, I'm all up for that, I need all the help I can get. I have ideas that it all goes to a larger place, beyond individual gods and goddesses. If you study various texts you see underlying themes. Love for your fellow man, to do good, to be spiritual. What I disagree with is "If I don't tell you about my god and try to convert you then your blood is on my hands...." how can you say that to people? But it's been said to me. As for politics, I'm always for the best man (or woman) for the job. I will say this though...most if not all the acts and legislation that has been submitted to exclude and outright try to harm Paganism has been introduced by Republicans. (and if you can find something by a Democrat then I'm happy to append) I'll leave it at that. and if this was a heavy duty theological debate, I'd scream and run away. Goblin, I'm a bit confused -- your beliefs change but concerning the Dogma quote.. do you consider your beliefs to be ideas that can be modified based on each individual person? What Gods and etc do you believe in? I was also wondering.. these beliefs are based on what? The teachings of one person, of many, -- do you have something like the Bible to guide you? How did you come upon these beliefs (I believe you said you were raised a Southern Baptist)? Do you perform ceremonies, have services and if so what are they like? Like I said, ideas can be changed, beliefs are trickier. I'm not saying I don't have beliefs, I gave you a few previously. These are things I truely trust in, from my spiritual journey. Who's to say where that path will lie in another 30 years? ask me then and we'll see what's changed. I like individuality. None of my friendships are the same. Because no two people are the same. Who is to say that your relationship with Deity is the same? Although it is encouraged in some religions to follow the status quo. So yes, I think beliefs can be modified individuality. As I said, I'm of the opinion that we are missing this vast ocean, a central source. Therefore if you connect to deity and follow your path you will learn what you are here for. As I said, I was raised Southern Baptist. Now a few things came to my young mind.... If Adam and Eve were the first people, and Cain Abel and Seth were the first kids....where is Nod and who is this girl that Cain married? Why must you go to church to connect to deity? It is the house of the Lord. But....didn't God make everything? Couldn't I just spend my Sunday morning in the yard by a tree? My great Aunt Beulah had precognition. I didn't even know what that meant then, but she knew things before they would happen. Now...divination is specifically frowned upon in the big B. But how often do we see these kinds of things passed of as a "Gift from God" if the person is a good churchgoer and a "Mark of the Devil" if they aren't? My grandparents had a garden, so I communed with the earth from a baby. My father would only go to church once a year. To see me in the Christmas play. He would go fishing most of the time on Sunday mornings...and all I could understand was by this doctrine, my daddy is going to hell because he won't go to church. But a funny thing happened. as I grew older, after my parents divorced, I spent summers with my dad in Florida...and we would go fishing...the poitn of this is this...I felt more spiritual uplifted in the Florida Everglades than I ever had in church. It opened a whole world to me. I opened my eyes, and I saw the signs of the divine everywhere. Do I consider myself Wiccan? No, I like alot of the ideas of the faith but it too has some things I dislike. nature based religions have no formal "bible". I can't tell you what pagans before formal Christianity believed, I can't show you books of doctrine from the Middle ages, as most were lost. Yet I am on my spiritual path, maybe I walk the same steps as those before me, or perhaps steps I've walked myself in a past life. Who is to say? I have ceremonies, daily rituals, but I don't practice my faith with others. My connection to deity is private. I'm a Solitary. My wife is as well. She is on a similar path as I am, but she would consider herself more Wiccan than I. Do we do spells and hexes and divination for the lucky lotto numbers? Nope. It's a spiriual issue, not a magical one. Which brings me to another point I wanted to address: "Teen Witch kits" I like Buffy, I'm told Sabrina is a cute show, but at the same time, just like Christianity can be shown in a bad light, so can Paganism. If you are into this just to make love spells to get Todd to notice you, man are you in the wrong line. Except some people advertise this...there is a man in Britan named Kevin Carlyon, the "King of the witches" . www.kevincarlyon.co.uk/he's everthing bad about our way of thinking... more later. I'm off to work.
|
|
|
Post by Kobolos on Nov 12, 2003 23:29:21 GMT -5
Well, Goblin, I feel I need to be a witness and I need to be accountable. I don't necessarily feel your blood is on my hands if you don't become a Christian. However, I think God always gives me the opportunity to share and I should take advantage.. I don't always but I should definitely always try. Honestly I believe it helps with your walk to be connected with a church and God wants us to have fellowship with other Christians.. and sometimes church isn't always so spiritual as say a fishing trip but I wouldn't say someone is going to hell just because they don't attend a church. I asked if you had a "bible" because I wondered how exactly you er.. I'm not sure of the proper word, but how you discovered your faith. How you came upon these beliefs and what led you to this particular path.. No. We do not have bibles...as I said, most things were lost over the ages. for various reasons. As I stated before Swans, my faith was always there...in front of me, I just had to open my eyes.
|
|
|
Post by Tay Sachs on Nov 12, 2003 23:47:33 GMT -5
I am Greek Catholic (that's another thing that I don't like about Jack Chick, he bashes Catholics day and night, it's just a smidge offensive, but anyway...)
I did go to a Baptist/Fundamentalist church a few times in my early teens, with a friend who was desperate to convert me and to tell you the truth it really really really really wasn't my thing. But that doesn't mean Fundamentalist Christianity is not someone else's chosen religion, that it isn't what speaks to them. I made an effort to understand what she believed and failed miserably, so am I doomed to hell also?
|
|
|
Post by Kobolos on Nov 13, 2003 7:40:33 GMT -5
Goblin, I understand the concept of your faith being there in front of you.. and having a "feeling" that there is something more. However, your beliefs are not your creation, right? What I mean is how exactly did you learn about them, come about them? Did your wife introduce you, your neighbor? Did you just read something one day that turned you down this particular path? I'm just curious about those details.. what you've searched for, what you've read.. there is more to the world than Christianity and Paganism.. did you explore other religions first? I understand if those answers are too personal but I'm curious about that. Peach, I know there are differences in denominations.. but what exactly did your friend believe that you couldn't understand? I still don't get what Catholics believe exactly but earlier in this thread I believe someone said they do believe Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for our sins. Do you not believe that? I don't get why you said "am I doomed to hell also?"..? Before I go onto my Swan comments, I just want to say that I love the Catholic faith. My Christian friend and I were talking one day and I was referring to the Masses and such and I made he odd comment "I love the pageantry" and he said "what are the first letters? Pagan. " Unfortunately this is the way most Christians feel about the Catholics and it breaks my heart...they can be just as faithful, but they are a bunch of Mary worshippers and therefore going to hell. Swans, I didn't just wake up one day and say "well, I think I'll renounce the God of my childhood and be a witch." (Of which I don't really consider myself to be truthful.) Things happened in my life that brought me to where I am today. A journey if you will. I mentioned a few of them...questions about my faith as a young man, picking out things in the Bible that didn't make sense to me and why was there a bunny and eggs on the day we celebrate Jesus' resurrection? My Aunt Beluah that I mentioned and her husband Wade were strange ducks. They would listen to the radio to get the news and the obituaries then they would turn off the radio. They did not have a TV and when they visited the TV would go off in respect to then (often when my cartoons were on) but what they would do is read. The Bible mostly but they had a vast library and they were thinkers. My Aunt could explain things better than anyone in my family and often more than my pastor. When I was 16 I started working after school and on weekends. This prevented me from going to Sunday School because I would be so tired from working all night on Saturday. So in a way I had "backslid", I wasn't going to church regularly and people started worrying about my soul. Another thing started happening, People started appearing in my life. I met two women at different times in my life and then again later. Both were instrumental in opening my eyes to a larger world. But I did not form my beliefs from them, they were just a part of my shaping. The older I became the more I became uncomfortable in the Christian faith...be it living in the Bible Belt, dealing with evangalists during my radio years I'm not really sure. I was seeking answers and I turned to the only place I could go....books and later in about 95 I was introduced to the Internet and my world expanded still. I studied the principles of Catholism and other Christian faiths, and then I took a big step, I went outside everything I was taught. I studied the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, Hinduism (which I love also), Judaism, Confucianism, and then I did a bold thing when I met my wife. I read the Satanic Bible. When I was young there was a group called the "Rainbow Children" that had yearly gatherings. This particular year they picked the Big South Fork to gather. They were basically a bunch of "Hippies" yet the rumours started "they are devil worshippers" "the police said they will try to sacrifice your kids" "they sacrifice female virgins!" "no nevermind, it's actually blond haired blue eyed boys, keep yours safe!" and when they finally rolled out of town, with all the expectations of the Wicker Man...they were...hippies that meant no one harm. My point of this is misconceptions. I had always been told how truely awful the Satanic Bible was, if you even touch it it will open you up to demonic possession! So I did read it finally. La Vey was a smart man...he knew exactly what buttons to push. He went from a relative unknown to one of the most reviled and feared men in the last century. I disagree with some of Anton's notions, but there are alot of observations I couldn't just pass off. And that's my point...all these years I was scared of this book and come to find out it was more of a psychology manual than a dark Grimoire. I think another big turning point was my wife. I was with someone I wasn't afraid of hiding my thoughts and feelings with, and we are sort of on this path together in that sense. So to recap, yeah, I've read alot of stuff. It gives you balance, opens your mind to other ways of thinking. And now I know what the Easter Bunny has to do with Jesus' resurrection.
|
|
|
Post by Tay Sachs on Nov 13, 2003 15:14:44 GMT -5
I say doomed to hell because Jack Chick says so in no uncertain words, and so did my friend. And yes Kobolos, that is what I love about being Catholic, especially Greek or Eastern catholic, the incense and icons and rich colors...the Mary worshipping thing I have gotten used to. It's the most common question I get asked, next to "why do you have icons of Jesus Mary and the saints in your church, aren't you idol worshipping??" I didn't understand her religion so much as I couldn't connect to it. I have been Eastern Catholic or Greek Rite since I was four. This is the church I grew up in. www.archangelgabriel.org/_borders/photo-alter1.jpgAs you can see, it's different than traditional baptist christianity. Here is what Catholics believe in short form. One God with three natures, the father son and Holy spirit. We believe Mary was a virgin and remained so her entire life, Jesus was an immaculate conception without sin, lived 33 years and died on the cross and resurrected three days later. That's about it. It's pretty much like any other Christianity, the only difference is we have a lot of traditions others don't have. We fast from meat and milk for forty days and forty nights before Good Friday, we take communion every Sunday and believe it is God's body and blood, what else? I don't know. We hve icons and incense, and we pray to Mary that she will intercede on our behalf, not that she can act as a goddess but that she can ask her son for us, as an act of humility we go through her. We don't use musical instruments, only our voices. On Good Friday there is a violin, but that is the only exception to the rule. I could go on forever but who wants to read this post for an hour?
|
|
|
Post by Kobolos on Nov 13, 2003 15:48:36 GMT -5
Goblin, I didn't think that you just woke up one day and decided to be a "witch".. which is why I asked for the details. (: Thank you though for telling me your story.. and I agree misconceptions are horrible things, and you should explore things for yourself. I probably shouldn't feel attacked but a part of me does.. I know there are hardcore fundies, and I'm probably considered one but I still think there are misconceptions about us. You want to be sensitive to everyone yet it is hard to understand when someone isn't sensitive to you. It's like society wants to rip us apart, and it's not so much about trying to make someone understand. I think that's sad, and it honestly makes me see why fundies turn the world off and retreat into theirs. This really isn't in response to what you've said but I've noticed little catty remarks just in listening to the world and it's like we are two parents in a custody battle. We are both fighting in a way for the same thing yet we can't see one another's side.. and when I've tried to see other points of view it is just one attack after the other on Christianity. It makes me sick when people tell me to open my eyes to world, to read and question and UNDERSTAND when the same people telling you these things aren't capable of doing that themselves. They don't understand because they're not trying to understand others, instead they just want want everyone to understand them. I'm sure someone could turn what I've said around and apply it to Christians but the thing gets me is when someone says the Bible is a lie, and that Christianity is just an opinion not a fact. That's fine if we want to get into that but then they present their beliefs and their opinions as facts and the way we should all live. That we should understand them because they're right and we're wrong.. Again, this still sounds like Christians p; But it bugs me because they're debunking us and turning around doing the exact thing they accused us of doing. If one doesn't want to live by the Bible and accept Christianity that's fine but don't tell me I can't tell you how to live, and then turn around and tell me how to live by your rules. Isn't that the problem in the first place? Enforcing your opinions on someone else? Okay, sorry.. I'm just in a bit of a mood after reading some stuff (: And in no way was I was implying or straight out saying you act this way Goblin. I'm just ticked at others. I understand. I really do. I think the big problem with Christianity as a whole is that The Bible contains many passages exhibiting intolerance towards other religions, and almost no passages which actively promote inter-religious tolerance. I got this from Religioustolerance.org: The prophet Micah prophesied about a coming time when nations will stop making war. The various peoples of the world will live in peace and pursue their different religions, each worshipping their different Gods and Goddesses. Meanwhile, the Jews will continue to follow Jehovah. His prophesy came to pass for the known western world during the Roman Empire where religious were generally tolerated (except for the intermittent persecution of Christians). There has not been any period since the fall of the Roman Empire when tolerance of religious minorities has been generally observed worldwide. And I did want to bring this up at some point for discussion: A common and often preached message in the Christian Scriptures is that trusting in Jesus is the only way to be saved, and that only those persons who hear the Gospel and accept it will attain Heaven. However Romans 2:14-16 delivers a different and contrasting message. Paul writes: "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Paul is here discussing those individuals who have not heard of the Mosaic law. Their lives will be reviewed on Judgment Day; they may be saved and attain heaven if they performed sufficient good works while alive on Earth. thoughts?
|
|
|
Post by Tay Sachs on Nov 13, 2003 15:49:13 GMT -5
Swans, ever asked a pastor or friend to pray for you? Same thing. And thanks for bringing up the "hearts of men" thing, Kobolos, I have been looking for that passage to no avail. Here is another speaking about works "Faith without works is dead." Anyway, the Eastern Orthodox church teaches that ALL are saved already, even those who do not believe in Christ, just that those who do not believe are more sucseptible to tempation and sin. God immediately judges who will experience happiness or unhappiness or temporary punishment. Those who kept faith in Christ, didn't sin after baptized or repented before death, and did good works will find happiness after death. Those whose faith in Christ was lacking or corrupt, or sinned after baptism without repentance before death, or didn't do good deeds will find unhappiness after death. Those whose only transgression was not performing good deeds may be punished temporarily. Christ will return to resurrect and judge all for eternity in either heaven or hell. Level of reward is relative to one's deeds in life. Now I have to go to work shortly. so here. www.beliefnet.com/index/index_10029.html
|
|
|
Post by Kobolos on Nov 13, 2003 15:55:36 GMT -5
I say doomed to hell because Jack Chick says so in no uncertain words, and so did my friend. And yes Kobolos, that is what I love about being Catholic, especially Greek or Eastern catholic, the incense and icons and rich colors...the Mary worshipping thing I have gotten used to. It's the most common question I get asked, next to "why do you have icons of Jesus Mary and the saints in your church, aren't you idol worshipping??" I didn't understand her religion so much as I couldn't connect to it. I have been Eastern Catholic or Greek Rite since I was four. This is the church I grew up in. www.archangelgabriel.org/_borders/photo-alter1.jpgAs you can see, it's different than traditional baptist christianity. Here is what Catholics believe in short form. One God with three natures, the father son and Holy spirit. We believe Mary was a virgin and remained so her entire life, Jesus was an immaculate conception without sin, lived 33 years and died on the cross and resurrected three days later. That's about it. It's pretty much like any other Christianity, the only difference is we have a lot of traditions others don't have. We fast from meat and milk for forty days and forty nights before Good Friday, we take communion every Sunday and believe it is God's body and blood, what else? I don't know. We hve icons and incense, and we pray to Mary that she will intercede on our behalf, not that she can act as a goddess but that she can ask her son for us, as an act of humility we go through her. We don't use musical instruments, only our voices. On Good Friday there is a violin, but that is the only exception to the rule. I could go on forever but who wants to read this post for an hour? Peach, I think the church pic is beautiful...
|
|
|
Post by Tay Sachs on Nov 13, 2003 16:10:59 GMT -5
Thanks, I have a lot of good memories there.
|
|
|
Post by Kobolos on Nov 14, 2003 10:46:45 GMT -5
If I may ask, which study bible do you prefer? I chose that passage because it has been interpreted different ways. I'll let you get back to me on that one. As for Romans 3:20-
There's a great deal of confusion today about the law of God. Many say His laws were nailed to the Cross with Jesus and that Christians are no longer obligated to keep them since the New Testament says you are saved by grace.
I'm interested that you brought up stone age people, Swans. Do you consider Adam and Eve, the source of Original Sin to be stone age aboriginals as they are considered the first people?
(and when I say first people, I don't believe you can read the creation account of Genesis 1-2 and the fall of man in Genesis 3 and conclude anything other than Adam and Eve were the first people.)
In Romans 5:12, “sin entered the world through one man, and through sin - death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned.”
So if Adam and Eve were not stone aged aboriginals then why do we have fossilized remains 6 million years old?
And by Bible standards Genesis 1:18 says "And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."
Which was Eve by most accounts unless of course you've read into Jewish accounts where we meet Lilith.
I'm not sure you are familiar with the Kabbala, but here is a recap for you:
Zohar 3:19 Come and see: There is a female, a spirit of all spirits, and her name is Lilith, and she was at first with Adam. And in the hour when Adam was created and his body became completed, a thousand spirits from the left [evil] side clung to that body until the Holy One, blessed be He, shouted at them and drove them away. And Adam was lying, a body without a spirit, and his appearance was green, and all those spirits surrounded him. In that hour a cloud descended an pushed away all those spirits. And when Adam stood up, his female was attached to his side. And that holy spirit which was in him spread out to this side and that side, and grew here and there, and thus became complete. Thereafter the Holy One, blessed be He, sawed Adam into two, and made the female. And He brought her to Adam in her perfection like a bride to the canopy. When Lilith saw this, she fled. And she is in the cities of the sea, and she is still trying to harm the sons of the world. (Patai81:455)
If we go along with the Lilith vs. Eve idea or theory (that being that Lilith, the mythological First Woman, some have also speculated that Lilith may have been the Serpent that tempted Eve in Eden), unfortunately we still are left with the notion that women are inherently sinful or bad. Without getting into questions as to how or why God, who is theoretically a benevolent and omnipotent Deity, would create such creatures, we have to deal with this world-thought. The differences between Lilith and Eve, however, is the notion that Eve at least is redeemable because she 'cleaves' to her husband and wishes to be right or good in the eyes of God. Lilith, however, rejected the notion of servitude (after all, despite the quality of the dust she was made from, she received the same Breath from God that Adam did and therefore was equal) or supplication and willingly rebelled, and therefore is irredeemable.
What this is all building to is the thought I had today and it is this...Paganism is dominated by women (even so much that the Lord is often forgotten for sole worship of the Lady which is incorrect. Christianity is, lets face it a male driven religion. (Catholics however have a female entity in their doctrine as well in Mary although there is some question in translations of Jesus being "firstborn" of Mary, implying other children after.)
Eve ate from the "forbidden tree" before Adam did. Adam ate from the tree after Eve. The woman was deceived FIRST. Because of Eve causing Adam to sin by eating from the forbidden tree, the ground is "cursed." God doesn't forgive them, but damns them and humanity -- thanks to Eve (the woman)! (GENESIS 2:4-3:24)
"Adam was not decieved but the woman was" (1 TIMOTHY 2:11-14)
"Woman will be ruled over by the male" (GENESIS 3:16) It is clear that in Christianity, the very first woman is blamed for wrongdoing, but not the very first male. He was just deceived. Why is that?
|
|
|
Post by Tay Sachs on Nov 14, 2003 10:49:28 GMT -5
Most Catholics don't hold Mary as high as Jesus. The ones that do are confused, and I won't be held accountable for the fact they're morons. Just like there are bad fundamentalists and bad lutherans and bad hindus, Catholics are no different in that regard. I don't hold Mary higher than Jesus though, if that's what you are asking.
|
|
|
Post by Kobolos on Nov 14, 2003 18:48:11 GMT -5
Somehow I blame this all on Pester. I use NKJV The Holy Bible Baptist Study Edition formerly titled The Believer's Study Bible. I'm sorry but I don't see how it says the Gentiles will be saved by their good works.. maybe you need to point out the exact phrase that makes you think that passage is saying that. 14. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. that's the quotes. I'd hear more of how you think it *doesn't*
|
|
|
Post by Tay Sachs on Nov 14, 2003 23:14:10 GMT -5
I have to side with Kobolos on this one. Only one more reason I am cautious about reading the bible, there's five millionish translations, pick one and it's totally different than the next.
|
|
|
Post by Zeller on Nov 15, 2003 1:16:06 GMT -5
I've had questions and problems with "beleiving" in christian faith since i was very young, possibly younger than 6. Until about 4 years ago, i didn't seriously start questioning the very base of faith, and that had a lot to do with my obsession (still ongoing) with actual definitions of words. Honestly, beleiving in something is knowing something, not wanting something to be true becasue it's romantic or because it benefits you. I can't remember a time when i didn't have conversations with my cousins about what we thought "heaven" or "hell" or "angels" were like, but we were never very serious about it. it was always an extension of play. Once i began to reflect on this, I think I decided that's all anything was. For about 3 years, I was alone in what i beleived, because my favorite cousin and conversation budy moved to some remote town with his stepmother and father. While he was gone, i came to a cautious conclusion that there was no reason to worry about any of it. I find the bible to be a questionable source, almost entirely because i've never felt a sense of "knowing" from it, and I've never thought of the stories in it to be anything more than stories. There's no proof in any direction; you can only beleive what you feel. I think it's easier and more progressive to think about the structure of society and inner happiness.
I think that pleasure is the root of everything. There's nothing beyond that, no matter how hard you look, albight perhaps intelligence. Basically, I think i should try to have as much fun as i can while i'm living, and just not think about dying. Becuase I have never been without consciousness, then it is impossible for me to imagine accurately anything else. So just let it go, and live.
When my cousin returned, he didn't want to talk about "that kind of stuff" anymore, and he "converted" to a Methodist. He has since gone through 3 other "conversions", and each time he totally renounced anything he had beleived before. He always told me that he was searching for the right fit, but i've never really understood that. There is a zero probability that you will ever find someone who belevies exactly what you beleive if you can think for yourself. I beleive what i want to and just say Unitarian Universalist on the PSAT surveys. Everytime i tried to have a conversation with him, it was always the sam argument that "the bible said so". He justified prosecuting lesbians and gays, practicing evangelism, and telling me constantlt that i was going to hell. If you took away his bible, he would be left with nothing. It felt as though my best friend had died, and i had received one of the people we used to dread in returm. He lied to me, and that is the bottom line.
I am, in no intentional way, saying that all Christians behave like James, I am only trying to communicate that for some people, Christianity triggers deep memories and doubts that make it especially difficult not to be a hypocrite.I know much more about Daoism, Buddhism, and the Hare Krishna faith than i do about any branch of Christianity becuase of this reason.
I love aspects of Catholic culture, but in the enviroment of my extended family, it suddenly becomes a social structure similar to that of an unpopular girl that yearns for popularity's mindset. I should probably point out that i can't stand this because it isn't accepting of yourself at all. I can't see why anyone would want to be part of the uninclusive, dronish clique like the ones at my schools. I'm sorry if you don't know what i'm talking about anymore, but this is how i talk, and unfortunately, how i write.
|
|