I have a Dream...finally, fulfilled!

[Aren]

I just tend to find that Christians in general get a bad wrap. I'm a fan of moderation in everything, but there's an awful lot of hating on Christians that I've noticed around the place, and I'm not comfortable with it. I don't condone hating on anyone, especially not a group who, by and large, are very good people.

My boyfriend's Christian, I'm an Atheist.

As far as I'm concerned, there are the people who follow Christ's example, and love people kindly and quietly, and don't judge them. Et cetera. Those people are Christians.

Then there are the loud, annoying, brash hypocrites who claim the mantle of Christianity but have never read the Bible for themselves and who enjoy using lawsuits to attempt to settle the 'persecution' against 'Christians'. Those people are not Christians.

You will never catch me hating on Christians. You will catch me hating on not-Christians - and quite often.

[Asaryu]

I couldn't agree more. There are an awful lot of people who will use a religion as a mantle to put on when they feel it is useful to be morally superior. It bugs the hell out of me too.

I will tend to make people clarify these sorts of things, though. I tend to find it is very easy to brand a large group of people based on assumptions and impressions from a non-representative sample. Stereotyping is difficult to combat. I've been trying for 2 years with my housemate, who still seems to think that 'Christian' means 'bigot', and that everyone who doesn't believe the same thing as him must be wrong. He's even got a few good friends that are Christian, but he just acts like they've let him down when it gets mentioned. He's a sad case, I fear.

[Pneumonica]

by Pneumonica on Sat Nov 08, 2008 12:23 pm:

But quit with the goddamned relatives, it's freaking sickening, it's sad, it's pathetic, and it proves your own shortcomings.

That's a personal attack.

Accepted. I retract my prior indignation.

[Don Alexander]

But maybe just a message to Pneu and Scaramouche. Turn down the volume on the ad homs, 'kay?

Okay, you're the second person who's done this, and the first time I endorsed a policy of "let it slide, don't turn it into a flame war", and I've felt like crap for having done that. This time I won't.

Point to an ad hominem attack I've made, or apologize. And yes, I've made an ultimatum - no, I won't turn back from it. I've been affronted, but if you can point out to me a place where I've made an attack, even where I wasn't aware of it (that is to say, if I stated something whose meaning to someone who didn't see it from my angle would be an ad hominem attack), then I will apologize for it or at least identify it as such and retract my indignation. Otherwise, I've been slighted.

Well, maybe I misunderstood something, but the stuff before this line seemd to be adressed at Scaramouche:

But quit with the goddamned relatives, it's freaking sickening, it's sad, it's pathetic, and it proves your own shortcomings.

Top of page 5.

To which Scaramouche responded some posts below with:

However, ignoring those facts and declaring that mentioning facts indicates personal shortcomings (ie. making personal attacks rather than addressing the facts) does show shortcomings. It reveals a mind driven by emotions rather than rational thought, and a desire to shift focus away from facts and toward emotive debate and often insults.

These were the two posts I was referring to. And I am slightly miffed that I just tried to make you guys quieten down a bit (what bear has been doing all along too) and you say I slighted you. ;)

Edit with note to bear: Sorry for bringing this up again. I just read Pneu's post and immediately responded with reading the further posts. I fully accept Pneu's retraction too. Hugs to everyone, free bailey's and Cthulhu Fries!! And medals!! This concludes this meeting of G.R.O.S.S.!! :lol: :lol:

[Bear]

See, all we needed to be polite and happy again was the threat of a Beary-Mod with a Pitch-fork jumping up and down on people. lol