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If you're open to discussion I'd like a word less on the tenants of Christianity but more on the experience. Many highly conservative Christians are portrayed a

If you're open to discussion I'd like a word less on the tenants of Christianity but more on the experience. Many highly conservative Christians are portrayed as angry, blind, even openly judgemental and rude. E.g. I read an article on NYT discussing some conservative Christians talking about how all gays need to be put to death. Do you feel judgemental or upset when people exist that are very wrong according to your morality? What is it like to be so drawn to God? Why God and no one else? How do you feel about people that don't perceive God or don't experience religious experiences that would point to God existing?

iamthepieman 11y ago
> Do you feel judgemental or upset when people exist that are very wrong according to your morality? No. Something I stil haven't found a way to explain is that I can disagree with someone or even think that someone's very personal decision is not a good one without feeling ill will towards them. One of the fundamental teachings of christianity that many non-christians (and some christians even) are not aware of is that a person does not need to be good to be a believer. A person who is convicted by god to believe in him IS good. So if every person on earth suddenly agreed with me and other christians on moral issues it would be a hollow victory without those people also understanding Gods love for them. So I do not focus my efforts on moralizing the world or turning it into a theocracy. I focus my efforts on being an example of Gods love to those around me. I cannot fathom that someone who is truly gripped by their faith would wish death upon anyone. To me, whatever those people say, they need to be converted as much as anyone else.
- SolaceQuantum 11y ago
  I see, neat! Thanks for enlightening a bit. I still have a long way to go to understand Christianity, it seems.
  - emilecantin 11y ago
    It's quite simple, really: «Love one another». This is THE thing that Jesus said we should do, and it takes precedence over anything else. For example, sure, some minor book in the Bible might say that's it's kinda bad to be gay, but hating other people that disrespect a minor recommendation is contrary to the most important commandment.
    - SolaceQuantum 11y ago
      I struggle to grasp this concept when USA, a very Christian county, doesn't seem to have policies that follow loving each other. Income inequality is rising and there is plenty of argument on who can marry whom, etc. It's very strange that a religion founded on love has not been in some military conflict more than a decade or two.
      - iamthepieman 11y ago
        I'm Not sure exactly what you're saying here. (I understand that perhaps English is not your native language) There are many christian churches and religious groups that function more as social organizations than religious ones. I wish they organized around something besides religion as it would make it less confusing but I don't really have a problem with this. I just don't expect the same views and behaviors from them as I would from myself or from people who take their religious beliefs more seriously. Most political leaders in the United States these days make only the most feeble attempts to convince constituents of their "faith". So it should not surprise you that this country is not a beacon of Christian values in policy or actions.
        SolaceQuantum 11y ago
        Sorry, I can't speak properly when I'm on my phone. Now I'm on the computer I hope I can be a little more clear. I struggle with the notion of Christianity = love when (arguably) one of the most Christian countries is rife with problems and conflict distinctly un-lovelike. America has horrible education, especially for the children that need it most. It incarcerates a huge amount of people (many used for forced labor) and as far as I know there is a large culture behind punishing more than rehabilitating. Its healthcare system charges people to broke when they need it most, and the mental health system is bad on its own merits. If the majority of the people are based on a religion of loving each other, how can this happen in such a country?
cpursley 11y ago
> some conservative Christians talking about how all gays need to be put to death I live in the deep south and have never heard such viewpoints from a Christian.
- SolaceQuantum 11y ago
  http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/11/16/opinion/campaign-stops/ted-cruz-and-the-anti-gay-pastor.html?referer=https://www.google.com/ http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/11/16/opinion/campaign-stops/... Forgive me, I'm not from USA, is Iowa the deep south?
  - eric_the_read 11y ago
    Not even close. It's firmly situated in the midwest, about 685 km from the nearest town in what I'd call the deep south (Fayetteville, AR).
    - SolaceQuantum 11y ago
      Oh. Thank you for the clarification!

iamthepieman 11y ago

> Do you feel judgemental or upset when people exist that are very wrong according to your morality? No. Something I stil haven't found a way to explain is that I can disagree with someone or even think that someone's very personal decision is not a good one without feeling ill will towards them. One of the fundamental teachings of christianity that many non-christians (and some christians even) are not aware of is that a person does not need to be good to be a believer. A person who is convicted by god to believe in him IS good. So if every person on earth suddenly agreed with me and other christians on moral issues it would be a hollow victory without those people also understanding Gods love for them. So I do not focus my efforts on moralizing the world or turning it into a theocracy. I focus my efforts on being an example of Gods love to those around me. I cannot fathom that someone who is truly gripped by their faith would wish death upon anyone. To me, whatever those people say, they need to be converted as much as anyone else.

SolaceQuantum 11y ago
I see, neat! Thanks for enlightening a bit. I still have a long way to go to understand Christianity, it seems.
- emilecantin 11y ago
  It's quite simple, really: «Love one another». This is THE thing that Jesus said we should do, and it takes precedence over anything else. For example, sure, some minor book in the Bible might say that's it's kinda bad to be gay, but hating other people that disrespect a minor recommendation is contrary to the most important commandment.
  - SolaceQuantum 11y ago
    I struggle to grasp this concept when USA, a very Christian county, doesn't seem to have policies that follow loving each other. Income inequality is rising and there is plenty of argument on who can marry whom, etc. It's very strange that a religion founded on love has not been in some military conflict more than a decade or two.
    - iamthepieman 11y ago
      I'm Not sure exactly what you're saying here. (I understand that perhaps English is not your native language) There are many christian churches and religious groups that function more as social organizations than religious ones. I wish they organized around something besides religion as it would make it less confusing but I don't really have a problem with this. I just don't expect the same views and behaviors from them as I would from myself or from people who take their religious beliefs more seriously. Most political leaders in the United States these days make only the most feeble attempts to convince constituents of their "faith". So it should not surprise you that this country is not a beacon of Christian values in policy or actions.
      - SolaceQuantum 11y ago
        Sorry, I can't speak properly when I'm on my phone. Now I'm on the computer I hope I can be a little more clear. I struggle with the notion of Christianity = love when (arguably) one of the most Christian countries is rife with problems and conflict distinctly un-lovelike. America has horrible education, especially for the children that need it most. It incarcerates a huge amount of people (many used for forced labor) and as far as I know there is a large culture behind punishing more than rehabilitating. Its healthcare system charges people to broke when they need it most, and the mental health system is bad on its own merits. If the majority of the people are based on a religion of loving each other, how can this happen in such a country?

cpursley 11y ago

> some conservative Christians talking about how all gays need to be put to death I live in the deep south and have never heard such viewpoints from a Christian.

SolaceQuantum 11y ago
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/11/16/opinion/campaign-stops/ted-cruz-and-the-anti-gay-pastor.html?referer=https://www.google.com/ http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/11/16/opinion/campaign-stops/... Forgive me, I'm not from USA, is Iowa the deep south?
- eric_the_read 11y ago
  Not even close. It's firmly situated in the midwest, about 685 km from the nearest town in what I'd call the deep south (Fayetteville, AR).
  - SolaceQuantum 11y ago
    Oh. Thank you for the clarification!