A Message for Pianistimo

[jakev2.0]

[jlh]

TLDNL

[nicco]

Brilliant.

[Derek]

You know...that guy's level of anger reveals a tremendous insecurity I think. I really believe most people who are THAT angry about religious people, must have a burning desire for something spiritual in their lives. If they were fulfilled by something, they wouldn't be ranting like that.

Also... perhaps I am an outlier amongst the faithful, but I really think there is a significant difference between personal faith and organized religion. He seems to be most angry about the brimstone, hellfire and child-disownership-due-to-grave-sin factions of christianity and other religions. Well heck, I'm angry about that too! who isn't?  But he seems to throw those evil people in with all of the faithful. And not all of us deserve that, I don't think. I believe in God, but when I raise my Kids, I am never going to force them to go to church or to believe a certain way. My parents didn't. They did, perhaps, gently indoctrinate me by reading C.S. Lewis to me, but they never shoved anything down my throat. All my exposure to faith my whole life was simply an act of love on the part of my parents.  So, maybe I'm unique amongst the faithful, I don't know. Perhaps that guy needs to be told there are people out there with powerful faith in God who have absolutely no interest in homogenizing the entire world or shoving their ideas down anyone's throat.  Even if there were three christians left in the world I would still hold my beliefs. I don't see them as irrational because there can't be any proof one way or another that God exists. And since believing in him seems to be such a tremendous augmentation to me, I conclude that it is a tremendously rational thing *for me* to believe in. I recognize many people borrow on the religious capital inherited from their ancestors and simply live by a christian moral code and that this, and a small bit of spiritualism on top of it is enough for some people, but I've found that characterizing God as a being I can talk to, as silly as that sounds, makes Truth, Beauty, Love, etc, all seem far more real to me.

[pianistimo]

thanks, Derek!  i believe that, too.  other people's private lives has never been any interest to me.  i don't care if someone is homosexual or believes differently - but if the ASK a reason for the faith which lies within me - i will simply say 'read the bible.'  it's all there.  nothing to say, really.  sometimes the interpretations get messed around - but it's really up to each individual person to read what they do carefully.  life is like going into a library.  you choose which books you want to believe and agree with - but also you have to consider what is 'common sense.' sometimes the most common sense ideas are the simplest.  therefore - people assume you are stupid to choose them.

as i see it - get angry about causes like world hunger or basic human needs that are unmet.  i am way more upset about children going hungry than two girls kissing each other.  i would never step between them (for obvious reasons).

[nicco]

Cut the crap. He's right and you know it.

[opus10no2]

Funny as always, but he does bring up some interesting points, aswell as a few that I disagree with.

I fundamentally do not respect organised religion, and I laugh in the pitiful face of pianistimo's bible bashing.

[pianistimo]

nicco, you don't know me.  i may respond to threads on here - but typically i do not talk about religion or the bible unless someone asks me.  often christians are too busy working to worry about 'reality show' trivia. 

[thalbergmad]

but typically i do not talk about religion or the bible unless someone asks me. 

Hmm, not so sure about that.

[pianistimo]

well, it was only when pianowolfi started going on about the pink sun that was setting and how it was fate telling him something bad was going to happen that i couldn't control my tongue.  i said that God only has good things in mind for people.  but, somehow pianowolfi thought that it was an omen.  i said 'if God made the sun - why would it have any power whatsoever.'  i think he got on the plane happier for my telling him that the previous night.  you know, didn't worry about the plane crashing - or something happening to his bike. 

occasionally, i do just say what's on my mind - but usually not if a lot of people are around.

[thalbergmad]

i said 'if God made the sun - why would it have any power whatsoever.'  i think he got on the plane happier for my telling him that the previous night.  

I am sure he was absolutely overjoyed.

Thal

[pianistimo]

don't tell i said this.  he's going to be cycling for several weeks.  this thread will be long disappeared by then. 

i just think you have to set people straight if they are going to get depressed about somethign that hasn't even happened yet - and might never.  especially for the reasons they think.  to me, the bible IS reason and faith together.  if God is all powerful - why would he use his power to do us harm by coloring the sun pink so we would know we are in trouble.  He just doesn't think like that.