Good morning and peace to you, dear LouBell! It's been awhile since we've "talked" and I was SO glad when you came back to the Board (I knew you were "okay", relatively speaking). I'm not sure who you're addressing... believers or unbelievers. It's not really clear. The only person I can answer for... and I perceive your questions to be sincere and coming from a place of truly wanting to understand, so I would like to respond as to ME... a "believer"... if I may. Thank you!
do you care if there is a god or not?
No more than I care, say, that there are my children or not. Or my husband. Or my puppies. Or you dear folks. Translation: it is what it is. I care ABOUT God... just as I care about the former persons I mentioned.
Do you care if you have found a religion and others haven't?
Me? Absolutely not. I haven't found a religion (well, not one that I would associate with - none exist). That I have been found by Christ and others haven't? The truth is that, no, I don't really care. I really am selfish that way. Takes too much time/energy. However, my Lord DOES care whether Israel finds him... those who are looking for him. So, because of my love for HIM, I have offered myself to tell them... IF they want to know. If they don't... hey, more power to 'em, I say. He doesn't, though. He wants them to find him... so, he still sends some to call out to them.
How serious is it if people don't agree with your spiritual agenda?
It is absolutely not serious at all.
Do you feel you have to defend yourself to the point of disrepecting another ... just to be "right"?
I don't... not to that point. No one should. Do I feel that I have to defend myself... and sometimes others will take that as disrespecting another? Yes, of course. It's... what "we" do. Both: defend ourselves... and take it as disrespect when someone pushes back when we've challenged them. We shouldn't have to do the one... and we shouldn't do the other. If we've called on someone to defend their religion, faith, belief... and we become disrespectful in doing that... we shouldn't feel "disrespected" if that one gives back as good as they get.
If so WHY?
Because I have just as much a right to believe what I wish to... just as others have a right to believe... or disbelieve... what they wish to. And to publish that belief... just as others have a right to publish theirs', including their disbeliefs. Where I live... it's the law... and people could literally be sued for their conduct against it (i.e., the slander and libel).
Neither have a "right" to disrespect the other, but there is no law against it so many engage in that. Unfortunately, the track record of "christians" have cause many to have such contempt for them that that sentiment crosses over to all who profess faith in God and Christ. But it's not singular to us: every belief has undergone some manner of this at some time or another in man's history. Currently, it's happening for those who profess belief in "Allah." Because of the heinous conduct of some, all are considered bad, worthy of bombing, torture, etc., by some folks.
What blows MY mind, often, is how people "expect" christians to "act." Passive at all times, lay down and take whatever others say to/about you, and worse, about God and Christ. I don't know where they get that, though... other than what they "have heard it said" about this. Or they put more store in Paul. But that really isn't the case... and I posted to that a bit ago: how Moses often spoke. How some of the Prophets spoke. How Christ himself is recorded to have spoken, even to those he loved. Being a christian isn't necessarily commensurate with being a doormat. Never has been. Heck, David was a christian... and he killed people. As did Cyrus, Darius... Peter's zeal caused him to step up to defend my Lord by cutting off a man's ear (with a sword he obviously knew how to wield).
Everybody has a point where they will take no more. Some get to that point and push back. Some, having already been pushed and pushed, stop it at the door. They stand firm and "take the charge." And if "fouled" might just shove back. I am one of those. Doing so is not an unforgivable sin. One should TRY to be mild, etc., but there are times when others don't respect that. Especially today.
Today, we live in a world that has contempt for passivity. Bullies abound the world over (in my country children are committing suicide over it!). Rather than respect another's beliefs and doing so mildly or with some level of accommodation, some believe it their life's work to "stamp out" all semblances of faith... or faith that doesn't agree with theirs. Stamp it out literally, if not technically. Makes them, in MY mind... no different than religion that trots around the earth trying to forcibly stamp out disbelief... or pagan belief... or different beliefs, etc., on the grounds that such is not "like" what THEY believe... or is "heathenism" or something like that. I personally see no difference between the two camps, of those who do this.
I ask this because I've come to a place in my life where I can respect everyone's view - whether I agree with it or not.
Me, too, truly! But respecting other's beliefs doesn't mean I have to suppress mine... OR let another mislead others... perhaps even lie (about God, Christ, or my faith/belief), either unknowingly or blatantly, directly or indirectly... and not speak up. It depends. For me, it depends on the intent.
I'm happy to associated with you, have a cuppa, be kind and discuss any subject.
See, now, I would have the cuppa and be kind... but the subject depends. There are some subjects (few, but some) that I won't discuss. One example is, say, you bashing your husband. Or him bashing you. Or someone at work bashing someone else. Etc. For me, those are just WAY too uncomfortable and I just don't like going there. There are a few others subjects, but those are my main no-no's. You got problems with him, you should talk to him. He won't talk? See a counselor. Now, if you BOTH want to talk... openly and honestly... I'm there, if I can be. But one against the other while the other isn't there (unless you're being abused in some way, which is another subject - but just to bitch and whine about him)... not my cuppa tea.
I don't have to be right and don't mind if I am wrong - on any given subject.
Nor do I. I don't, however, believe I should have to defend... to the degree I'm often called upon to do... what I believe. If you told me that you truly believed in the FSM... I might ask you why (might; might not). If you said, "Because the Bible says..." then I might engage your further to see what you believe the Bible says... and perhaps show you what the Bible actually says about it. If you ask me about MY God, I would share that with you. In some instances, I might share even if you didn't ask. If you said, "I don't want to know about it, SA", however, then I would say, "Okay, fair enough - I won't discuss it with YOU any more."
But, if you get mad at me because what you thought the Bible said it doesn't... or what you thought it said is accurate, but isn't... or you get mad at me because you don't believe my God exists, in spite of what I share with you about it... or you get mad at me because I'm still sharing with others... and you start attacking me, calling me derogatory names, questioning my sanity, trying to get others to attack me in the same/similar ways, slander/libel me... or my God/my Lord... then you should probably shouldn't be surprised if I give what YOU put out there back TO you: it is yours, after all. You should probably expect me to take my stand... and not back down. First and foremost because that it what YOU would do. Otherwise, what is the point OF my faith... if you can just come along, tell me I'm wrong, and tell me to stop talking about and go sit down somewhere and shut up. Really? Who are you to tell me such? (Not you, dear LouBelle, of course not... but those who do). Just like you don't like me telling YOU about it... I don't like you telling me I can't tell others, anyone. Just as you ask me... who died and made YOU God?
I know, I know - time for the much overused mantra: "But you're the 'christian.' You're supposed to just take it." Another lie. The only time my Lord "just took it"... was when the time came for him to be arrested, put on trial, and murdered. By the government. But he didn't just take it from the Jews... or his disciples. Again, folks have been lied to. But there record is there, if anyone cares to read it.
I realise that we all have an opinion - I may not like yours, or may not agree with it, but you have the right to it and that is what I respect.
You do, dear LouBelle, at least as to me and my faith/beliefs/opinion, whathaveyou... and I truly appreciate that and thank you for that! But we are not the same, right? You "do" you, and I totally respect that. All I want is for folks to let me "do" me. If Simon/moderators haven't booted a person from the forum, then such person still retains the FREEDOM... to "do" themselves here, yes?
Some are offended if you don't yield to their way, some scream and shout / rant and rave that they are right and you are wrong wrong wrong. SO WHAT? As long as this is not physically/mentally/emotionally harming anyone - why does it bother the person so much....
That's my question: As long as this is not physically/mentally/emotionally harming anyone - why does it bother the person so much? Why do they care? There is a reason.
I know why...people are so identified with their ego that what they believe and what they perceive as truth defines who they are.
While I'm not sure I can agree with the first part of that, I certainly believe the last part. I am defined by who... and what... I believe I am. Isn't everyone?
They cannot see past that. If they let go - well then what to identify with next?
But then, that applies to all, does it not? If one lets go with their [current] belief... what to identify with next? Same, though, if one were to let go of their current disbelief? What/where/who, then?
One thing on the Board that is a curiosity to me: there are folks whose faint hearts cannot "stomach" the passion and/or "argumentative" nature of others. It's not necessarily hidden who such folks are. To newbies, perhaps, but not those who've been here for some time. If one KNOWS another's... ummmmmm... tendencies... and knows they can't stomach them... why read what such ones post? Why not skip over... the post if not the thread? Why let others'... engagements, even conflicts... get to you... if you can't "handle" it? I realize that there are many here who would prefer a place of peace and sanctuary. The ONLY way that can happen, though, is for everyone to have the same faith, beliefs, ideals, thoughts, etc. But isn't that what cults foment?
Most of the people here are coming from backgrounds/experiences that say, "NO, you CAN'T believe/state things different from us. If so, you must LEAVE." That is the only thing I literally hate about this Board - those here to try to do the same thing. Whether they say it flat out... or try to influence that result by how they treat others. I think the folks here who intentionally set out to run certain folks from the Board are reprehensible and cowardly. Since they aren't strong, confident, or "right" enough to influence to the degree they want to by their arguments... they bully. Sometimes subtley, sometimes more formidably, sometimes outright, sometimes brutally. Just like the fomenters of cults do. Such ones, IMHO, haven't left a single thing behind; in fact, they've become worse. It is that hypocrisy... crying about how cults are... while engaging in cultish behavior... that turns MY stomach.
THAT... I won't sit quiet for, sorry. I can't.
So, that's MY take on it, dear one. Perhaps it will help you (and others) "understand", at least from my point of view. Perhaps not. The wonderful thing is that is doesn't really have to.
Again, peace to you!
Your servant and a slave of Christ,
SA
