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Scoffing and Religion s/o "evil"


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Now, here's something I've been wondering for a long time.

There's no right answer here, but I think it might be nice to just toss these ideas around.

 

On the "things that you were told were evil" there's now a "scoffing@beliefs" tag.

 

Now. . . I see how someone could believe this. There are certainly people on this board who do believe that evolution is evil, truly of Satan. Quite possibly there are also some who believe similarly about playing cards, certain toys, cartoons, women not covering their arms, women in pants, men with long hair, etc.

 

How do we square this, trying to recognize people's strongly held beliefs, but airing our disbelieve and, yes, even our scorn of some of them?

 

For me, I _don't_ respect religious beliefs, particularly. I respect peoples' right to have them, of course. And I like many religious people; I understand the need that humans seem to have for religious belief, but mostly, I don't hold religion in any esteem whatsoever, and sometimes I truly disdain it. I try to be polite, but I also am fine with airing my views about certain things I find fringe and absurd (eg. unicorns and debit cards being from Satan).

 

So, I'm not trying to be rude, or stir a pot, but I just think it's interesting that we have a whole thread dedicated to beliefs (that most of us think absurd in the extreme) where many of us believe that respect of religion is important.

 

What do we do about this?

 

Discuss! :)

 

:lurk5:

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I don't know. I'm with you though.

 

I will admit I specifically didn't post on that thread because my response would have been, slightly tongue in cheek, "Coffee, alcohol, and shopping on Sunday. :)" I stopped because I thought it would offend the LDS ladies on here (since I used to be LDS) since you can't hear tone through a message board.

 

I think as long as we are being respectful, people need to understand. There are things that work for others that don't work for us, and that's ok.

 

I get tired of people being offended because I don't agree with them. It's not a personal attack on your religion if I don't agree with you. However, I do believe it is always my responsibility to be respectful.

 

Two way street and all...

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I hope this doesn't sound judgmental, because I don't mean it that way, but I did think while reading through that thread, "This would never fly if we were laughing about people who believe you shouldn't eat pork, for instance." I think sometimes we feel it is ok to make fun of religious or cultural beliefs we grew up with and have left behind in ways we would never make fun of other beliefs. I do think it is preferable to show respect for others in the midst of disagreement, even if one thinks that the other person's customs are ridiculous. And no, I didn't attach that tag to the other thread. :001_smile:

Elaine

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I don't know. I'm with you though.

 

I will admit I specifically didn't post on that thread because my response would have been, slightly tongue in cheek, "Coffee, alcohol, and shopping on Sunday. :)" I stopped because I thought it would offend the LDS ladies on here (since I used to be LDS) since you can't hear tone through a message board.

 

I think as long as we are being respectful, people need to understand. There are things that work for others that don't work for us, and that's ok.

 

I get tired of people being offended because I don't agree with them. It's not a personal attack on your religion if I don't agree with you. However, I do believe it is always my responsibility to be respectful.

 

Two way street and all...

 

I wouldn't have been offended, and I agree with your post. :)

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I think it's the attitude.

 

It's one thing to think drinking liquor is evil. It's another thing to point at those people who drink and talk about how those people are bad. It's one thing to say women look nicer in dresses, and quite another to go out of one's way to pass judgment on particular women's clothes or say that women who wear pants are all alike and have some bad quality (aggressive, manly, promiscuous).

 

I myself have called people on a fair amount of gossip and judgment-passing in gatherings when having these types od discussions, and people generally find me totally annoying, make a face, and basically stop inviting me to their house. I'm not complaining.

 

I also think there's typically a sense of smugness that the speaker is safe and "good," while the vast majority of others are totally evil and dangerous, and we should stay away from them, and by merely wrapping ourselves in a cocoon of pants-avoidance and no cable, we will be safe from the heathen hoardes.

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Well.... I am a born-again, young-earth creationist far-from-perfect follower of Christ. I also respect the rights of others to believe however they wish.

 

I think many of the items on that thread were based on unbiblical assumptions. I use a little logic- if wearing pants and dancing makes my daughter a wicked sinner, will wearing skirts and never dancing again guarantee her perfection and salvation and prevent her from ever sinning again? No? Then maybe it isn't the jeans or ballet that's the problem. *ALL* rap music is from the devil? Listen to the words in my video linked in my siggy. Only Classical music is appropriate for the pure and holy? Well, many of them were the rock stars of their day- their bios would make even a liberal pastor's toes curl. Hymns? Isaac Watts was perhaps the Toby Mac of his day- his departure from the Psalmody was a scandal. Today his songs are revered by some as if Jesus himself wrote them and set them to music.

 

Sadly, I have seen many people turned away from church because of man-made rules and prohibitions. Sad when we search for a new church we have only two questions: What do you teach, and what are your views on dance? You'd be surprised how hard it is (around here) to find a church that teaches Truth and doesn't vilify dance.

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I'm the OP of the other thread and I am a Christian. I didn't start the thread to make fun of anyone. The fact that I was told as a kid that the Smurfs were evil is funny to me, though. I haven't met many adults who actually believe that stuff today, but I guess that's wrong. Sorry if the thread offended anyone.

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I am a practicing, Bible-reading, Jesus-loving Sunday School teaching Christian. I almost left Christianity because of the oppressive, ridiculous beliefs expressed in that thread. So many people left the Church because of all these extra-biblical teachings. And it angers me. A lot. I respect the right of people to teach their kids that Sesame Street is evil because Bert and Ernie are gay. Those people should respect my right to think they are wrong and deluded. I'm sorry, but if you teach your kids that the little blue people on the TV are trying to win them over to Satan, you are a) missing the whole point of Jesus and b) likely in need of a mental health check up. Harsh? Yep. It irks me when people mess with Jesus and make up Bible stuff just to fit their agenda.

 

I respect the right of parents to decide that Harry Potter isn't right for their family. That's good for you. But when you tell your kids HP is evil, guess what? Your kids go out and tell my kids they are evil because they read HP. Kids do that stuff. My kid saw a campaign sticker supporting the other presidential candidate and made borderline rude comments to someone. I had to have a serious talk with him about respecting the rights of other people to believe what they want to believe. I don't want my kids going out and d@mning everyone to he!! because they believe differently, and I sure as heck don't want your kids to condemn mine.

 

Forgive me if I offended anyone. My dh woke me up early, I'm PMSing, and worried about my fil.

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I hope this doesn't sound judgmental, because I don't mean it that way, but I did think while reading through that thread, "This would never fly if we were laughing about people who believe you shouldn't eat pork, for instance." I think sometimes we feel it is ok to make fun of religious or cultural beliefs we grew up with and have left behind in ways we would never make fun of other beliefs. I do think it is preferable to show respect for others in the midst of disagreement, even if one thinks that the other person's customs are ridiculous. And no, I didn't attach that tag to the other thread. :001_smile:

Elaine

 

I'm with Elaine. (And no, I didn't tag the thread, either. :tongue_smilie:)

 

I refrained from commenting in that thread. But honestly, I feel it is rather rude and mean spirited. It's a whole thread making fun of 'those people' who hold 'those beliefs'. Why is that ok?

 

A fair number of things people are scoffing at in that thread as 'so ridiculous' I actually agree with. Yes, I think many things in that thread are to be avoided. Not that I think those things are necessarily, by themselves, ****ing someone to eternal hell. But I do think many of the things mentioned in the thread should be avoided by true followers of Christ. I base this belief on many scriptures in the Bible; however, one in particular that sums it up nicely would be:

 

Phillipians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

And I also agree with Elaine that there seems to be, today in our society, an unfortunate allowance for scoffing at those who hold certain Christian beliefs, where scoffing at those who hold beliefs (be they Jewish, Muslim, pagan, wiccan, atheist, whatever) are *never* to be scoffed at. *THAT* would just be rude. :tongue_smilie: But those crazy fundie Christians? Yeah, it's ok to laugh at them.

 

Makes me think of this verse:

 

Matthew 5:11-12 - Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

 

:001_smile:

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I don't know. I'm with you though.

 

I will admit I specifically didn't post on that thread because my response would have been, slightly tongue in cheek, "Coffee, alcohol, and shopping on Sunday. :)" I stopped because I thought it would offend the LDS ladies on here (since I used to be LDS) since you can't hear tone through a message board.

 

I think as long as we are being respectful, people need to understand. There are things that work for others that don't work for us, and that's ok.

 

I get tired of people being offended because I don't agree with them. It's not a personal attack on your religion if I don't agree with you. However, I do believe it is always my responsibility to be respectful.

 

Two way street and all...

 

I'm LDS and this would not offend me. The question was asked and this is a fair answer. (Although I wouldn't call coffee, etc. "evil" myself.)

 

Now it would be different if you said, "And people who believe it is immoral are idiots." That would be offensive. But you didn't do that.

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I hope this doesn't sound judgmental, because I don't mean it that way, but I did think while reading through that thread, "This would never fly if we were laughing about people who believe you shouldn't eat pork, for instance."

 

I understand your point, but not wanting to eat pork, or any meat, or drink alcohol, or consume caffeine, is generally not a wholesale condemnation of society. I think it can be perceived this way -- one of the reasons a lot of the non-Muslim French population seems to find Muslim French people so irritating has to do with dietary issues, because it is seen as soooo essential to their culture to eat some specific pork dishes. I don't think the same is generally true in the US, where there is a much greater variety of diets and dietary habits, both religious and otherwise.

 

I think it also has to do with how the groups holding the restrictive beliefs behaves and is perceived by others. For example, the Nation of Islam was/is seen in a positive light by urban African Americans precisely because of their rejection of drugs and alcohol and very stringent behavioral standards. They were seen as hard working and impressive. I think the same might be said for Mormons. But other groups that might, for example, have certain distinctive clothing styles or food, irritate mainstream society for other reasons. So, for example, imagine a group of people with some common background (be it religious or cultural/religious or something else) are very obnoxiously strict about the food they eat, but leave trash lying around outside and around their house, and scream at their kids in public, and the wives are typically abused. This doesn't leave a good impression at all. The members of the group don't appear to be spiritually admirable when we look at the "big picture" of how these people seem.

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I'm the OP of the other thread and I am a Christian. I didn't start the thread to make fun of anyone. The fact that I was told as a kid that the Smurfs were evil is funny to me, though. I haven't met many adults who actually believe that stuff today, but I guess that's wrong. Sorry if the thread offended anyone.

 

Oh, dear, Horton.

 

I hope I didn't put you "on the spot".

 

I think it was a terrific thread, and very interesting!

 

I figured some folks would be offended, somewhere, but. . . yanno, there are some things that are so, so, so fringe, even for most people. . . I think super fringy people tend to accept the fact that their views are not the norm (at least this was my personal experience as a once-super-fringer) and that's what's something they enjoy--it's something the elevates them above the likes of the sinners who indulge in them. :) The fact that people find their beliefs strange helps support their beliefs. (Bethany posted the exact scripture! Not to say Bethany feels this way. . . but that this scripture is how folks generally support it.)

 

But, I was interested in the "scoffing" tag, too.

 

:)

Edited by Ipsey
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I didn't read the whole thread before posting my taught-evils. I have read through since & yes, some posts are disrespectful. I hope that mine wasn't. Even though I know some of my taught-evils aren't that out-there like some others were IMO, I didn't mean to offend those who believe them. I actually believe some things mentioned by others are, in fact, evil - or at least have a strong possibility of being evil. It doesn't offend me that people think that belief is out-there.

 

It would offend me if people who share my faith ridiculed my faith. I didn't see that personally in that thread but it may have been there for some.

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I'm the OP of the other thread and I am a Christian. I didn't start the thread to make fun of anyone. The fact that I was told as a kid that the Smurfs were evil is funny to me, though. I haven't met many adults who actually believe that stuff today, but I guess that's wrong. Sorry if the thread offended anyone.

 

I would never let my kids watch the Smurfs. If you'd really like to know why, it's because Gargamel frequently uses things our family would consider representative of witchcraft in the cartoon. How do I know? Because my parents let me watch the Smurfs when I was a kid. :tongue_smilie: It's the same exact reason we don't let our children read or watch Harry Potter. I have nothing against the little blue creatures themselves. In fact, I think the Smurfs themselves are rather cute; including the way they talk. :D

 

And if our children ever asked us why we don't watch the Smurfs or Harry Potter, dh and I would be honest with them and reinforce our beliefs about having absolutely no participation with things resembling/relating to witchcraft. And if another child asked my children why they don't watch Harry Potter or the Smurfs, our children would be honest with them about why.

 

Just wanted to give a glimpse of where *my* family is coming from.

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Oh, dear, Horton.

 

I hope I didn't put you "on the spot".

 

I think it was a terrific thread, and very interesting!

 

I figured some folks would be offended, somewhere, but. . . yanno, there are some things that are so, so, so fringe, even for most people. . . I think super fringy people tend to accept the fact that their views are not the norm (at least this was my personal experience as a once-super-fringer) and that's what's something they enjoy--it's something the elevates them above the likes of the sinners who indulge in them. :) The fact that people find their beliefs strange helps support their beliefs. (Bethany posted the exact scripture! Not to say Bethany feels this way. . . but that this scripture is how folks generally support it.)

 

But, I was interested in the "scoffing" tag, too.

 

:)

 

You are quite right in assuming that I don't feel that the scripture I quoted (Matthew 5:11-12) in any way 'elevates me above the likes of the sinners' who scoff at my beliefs. I am not elevated above anyone; I, like Paul, consider myself 'the chief of sinners'.

 

I was just sharing my opinions and feelings about the other thread. :001_smile:

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Well I am a christian and I posted in the thread. Not everything I heard was from religious people, but a good number were. As a child it didn't make me love God and Jesus more. It made me fearful and judgmental of others who were different than me. I missed out on experiencing a lot of the beauty (which I believe God created) of this world because I was too busy trying to decide if an act, person, subject etc was evil or not. I do believe in evil, just not the extent I had modeled as a child.

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I've always been one to think that freedom of speech needs to be tempered with a good dose of common sense. Yes, you're free to believe that the smurfs are the devil, but if you go around telling the world, people are going to laugh at you. If you feel the need to tell everyone you meet that kids making peace signs are secretly Satan-worshipers, people are going to roll their eyes. I respect the right to hold whatever beliefs people have, but I'm not going to respect the beliefs themselves, especially when we're talking about blatant bigotry. The constitution does not protect your right to enjoy your bigotry or paranoid schizophrenia without condemnation. Sorry.

Edited by Mergath
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I think it's the attitude.

 

It's one thing to think drinking liquor is evil. It's another thing to point at those people who drink and talk about how those people are bad. It's one thing to say women look nicer in dresses, and quite another to go out of one's way to pass judgment on particular women's clothes or say that women who wear pants are all alike and have some bad quality (aggressive, manly, promiscuous).

 

I myself have called people on a fair amount of gossip and judgment-passing in gatherings when having these types od discussions, and people generally find me totally annoying, make a face, and basically stop inviting me to their house. I'm not complaining.

 

I also think there's typically a sense of smugness that the speaker is safe and "good," while the vast majority of others are totally evil and dangerous, and we should stay away from them, and by merely wrapping ourselves in a cocoon of pants-avoidance and no cable, we will be safe from the heathen hoardes.

 

Excellent post, Stripe. I very much agree with you on all counts.

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I've always been one to think that freedom of speech needs to be tempered with a good dose of common sense. Yes, you're free to believe that the smurfs are the devil, but if you go around telling the world, people are going to laugh at you. If you feel the need to tell everyone you meet that kids making peace signs are secretly Satan-worshipers, people are going to roll their eyes. I respect the right to hold whatever beliefs people have, but I'm not going to respect the beliefs themselves, especially when we're talking about blatant bigotry. The constitution does not protect your bigotry or your paranoid schizophrenia. Sorry.

 

:001_huh:

 

Um, Mergath, this is exactly what is bothering people about that other thread.

 

Just because someone 'believes that the smurfs are the devil' does not make them a bigot or a paranoid schizoprenic.

 

That seems likie a rather harsh judgement to make on someone simply based on the fact that they don't allow their children to watch a specific cartoon. (Or make a peace sign, or drink caffiene, or whatever else 'fringe' belief they hold.)

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Well, I am one of those things many people listed as evil. I'm Catholic. If I can laugh at that and the fact that the current (or perhaps all) leaders of my church is the Anti-Christ, I think everyone ought to put on their grown up underwear and take the thread in the spirit it which it was intended.

 

The question was what things were you taught as a child that you found to be false in respect to Christianity. Personally I'm glad so many people realize that the billion Catholics in the world today are not the epitome of evil.

 

And to be totally honest any reasonable adult who had the ability to research and think for himself who still believes the extra-Biblical carp or out-and-out lies about many many of those things listed ought to be able to take a bit of scoffing.

Edited by Parrothead
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Well, I am one of those things many people listed as evil. I'm Catholic. If I can laugh at that and the fact that the current (or perhaps all) leaders of my church is the Anti-Christ, I think everyone ought to put on their grown up underwear and take the thread in the spirit it which it was intended.

 

:iagree:

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Well, I am one of those things many people listed as evil. I'm Catholic. If I can laugh at that and the fact that the current (or perhaps all) leaders of my church is the Anti-Christ, I think everyone ought to put on their grown up underwear and take the thread in the spirit it which it was intended.

 

So if I decided to start a thread asking everyone to list what they felt was a 'ridiculous' belief that, say, Muslims (or Jews, or wiccans, or pagans; pick one :tongue_smilie:) hold, that would be ok? We would then all still 'put on our grown up underwear and take the thread in the spirit in which it was intended'?

 

I tend to think NOT.

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:001_huh:

 

Um, Mergath, this is exactly what is bothering people about that other thread.

 

Just because someone 'believes that the smurfs are the devil' does not make them a bigot or a paranoid schizoprenic.

 

That seems likie a rather harsh judgement to make on someone simply based on the fact that they don't allow their children to watch a specific cartoon. (Or make a peace sign, or drink caffiene, or whatever else 'fringe' belief they hold.)

 

Well, first of all, I edited my post to more clearly state what I was thinking.

 

Sorry, but some of these fringe beliefs are just nutty. Like I said, people are free to have them, but I'm free to laugh at them. And if someone thinks that gays are eeeevil or that the smurfs are... whatever they think the smurfs are, I'm going to laugh at them.

 

However, I'm also running on a hefty dose of Nyquil at the moment, so I should probably avoid contentious threads until I'm not quite so loopy. ;)

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Well, first of all, I edited my post to more clearly state what I was thinking.

 

Sorry, but some of these fringe beliefs are just nutty. Like I said, people are free to have them, but I'm free to laugh at them. And if someone thinks that gays are eeeevil or that the smurfs are... whatever they think the smurfs are, I'm going to laugh at them.

 

However, I'm also running on a hefty dose of Nyquil at the moment, so I should probably avoid contentious threads until I'm not quite so loopy. ;)

 

It's ok Mergath. I still like you. :D

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So if I decided to start a thread asking everyone to list what they felt was a 'ridiculous' belief that, say, Muslims (or Jews, or wiccans, or pagans; pick one :tongue_smilie:) hold, that would be ok? We would then all still 'put on our grown up underwear and take the thread in the spirit in which it was intended'?

 

I tend to think NOT.

Yeah, go for it. I think that thread would be pulled though.

 

And quite frankly the thread in question was not limited to Christians of any stripe. Go back and read the OP in that thread. Anyone of any religious belief could have participated. Muslims could have listed things they found to be not true yet they were taught so as children. Same for Jews, Pagans or anyone else.

Edited by Parrothead
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Yeah, go for it. And quite frankly the thread in question was not limited to Christians of any stripe. Go back and read the OP in that thread. Anyone of any religious belief could have participated.

 

But that's exactly my point, Chucki. I *wouldn't* start a thread scoffing at other's beliefs.

 

And yes, I realize anyone of any religious belief could have participated. But we ALL know that thread is making fun of fundie Christians. That's the whole POINT of the thread.

 

ETA: I realize the OP herself did not specifically mention 'Christian' beliefs. But you only have to get to the SECOND post to find that specifically mentioned. And that's ALL that is talked about in that thread.

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So if I decided to start a thread asking everyone to list what they felt was a 'ridiculous' belief that, say, Muslims (or Jews, or wiccans, or pagans; pick one :tongue_smilie:) hold, that would be ok? We would then all still 'put on our grown up underwear and take the thread in the spirit in which it was intended'?

 

I tend to think NOT.

 

However, I do tend to think the responses to the OP were in the spirit meant.

 

No one listed "pork" "Saturday Sabbath" "Believing Jesus died on a cross" etc.

These would be foundational beliefs of some religions, and no one pointed to fundamental beliefs, so to speak. Granted, some said "the pope" but it was also mentioned in the passing that the poster believed that claiming the pope was satanic was scoffable. (unless that's offensive too. Surely to some it's evil to claim that the scoffing of the evil-pope claim. . . evil, or at least insensitive.) :)

 

Point is, smurfs are not anyone's religious belief, one way or another. They're an outward expression of your faith. I don't think you're meaning to conflate the two.

 

It would have been different if OP had said. "What do you find laughable about other people's religions?"

 

She asked in general about "evil" and often times, while the evil things came from a religious place. . . some didn't, and it was the disconnect between the foundations of the faith and the claims of "evil" that people found strange.

 

Er, at least that's what I'm thinking. . . (thinking aloud here!)

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But that's exactly my point, Chucki. I *wouldn't* start a thread scoffing at other's beliefs.

 

And yes, I realize anyone of any religious belief could have participated. But we ALL know that thread is making fun of fundie Christians. That's the whole POINT of the thread.

Wanna take a poll about how many non-fundie Christians were told many many of those things? Betcha you'll be surprised at the results.

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But that's exactly my point, Chucki. I *wouldn't* start a thread scoffing at other's beliefs.

 

And yes, I realize anyone of any religious belief could have participated. But we ALL know that thread is making fun of fundie Christians. That's the whole POINT of the thread.

 

That wasn't the whole point of that thread. My gma wasn't a fundie Christian, but was the one that told me Boy George was going to send me to hell. A friend of a whole 'nother flavor was the one who was worried about us letting our kids play Dungeons & Dragons. I did not start it as a way to make fun of the beliefs of any particular group. I am very sorry it bothered you, though.

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Bethany, I'm truly very sorry that it hurt you. I honestly didn't start it as a way to make fun of anyone.

 

That's very sweet of you, Horton. I don't hold any ill feelings towards you, or anyone else who posted in that thread, really. I get that it was supposed to be in a spirit of 'fun'. I do. In fact, I have some of my own teachings from my childhood that I no longer hold to that would fit in perfectly with that thread. But I didn't post them, because it's very likely someone else here DOES hold those beliefs, you know?

 

But since someone started this thread, I thought I'd share my feelings on it. :001_smile: Just wanted to share my perspective.

 

Yes, I totally get that here, as well as IRL, my beliefs (and those of my dh/children) are often considered 'fringe'. We don't watch tv, don't go to movies, don't listen to secular music, and don't 'do' Harry Potter, for example. And I'm really ok with being considered 'out there' for that. :001_smile:

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But that's exactly my point, Chucki. I *wouldn't* start a thread scoffing at other's beliefs.

 

And yes, I realize anyone of any religious belief could have participated. But we ALL know that thread is making fun of fundie Christians. That's the whole POINT of the thread.

 

ETA: I realize the OP herself did not specifically mention 'Christian' beliefs. But you only have to get to the SECOND post to find that specifically mentioned. And that's ALL that is talked about in that thread.

 

No, we don't all know that. I didn't take it as such. I was told many things were evil as a child by non religious people. I was also told about the boogey monster, the tooth fairy, Santa, and the Easter bunny. I see many of these are beliefs of childhood, not the property of Christian belief.

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Yeah, go for it. I think that thread would be pulled though.

 

And quite frankly the thread in question was not limited to Christians of any stripe. Go back and read the OP in that thread. Anyone of any religious belief could have participated. Muslims could have listed things they found to be not true yet they were taught so as children. Same for Jews, Pagans or anyone else.

 

Yep, and we just don't have the variety of backgrounds that are going to bring too many Jews, Pagans, Muslims into the mix. It's a question of demographics here. Most of our experiences with being told what's evil and what's not come from Christian backgrounds (though, again, what Cabbage Patch dolls really have to do with Jesus is a stretch.)

 

I have a Muslim friend from Saudi Arabia who told me that she was taught tampons were from Satan and would send you to hell. She no longer believes that and thinks that's pretty weird and not mainstream Islam. If were here on the board, I'm sure she'd feel ok posting that.

 

(Ipsey, doing her bit for diversity.)

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The biggest problem is trying to MAKE other people believe what you believe.

 

Saying "I hate smurfs and everyone must hate smurfs with me!" is the problem. Not "I hate smurfs."

 

:iagree: This is how I took the thread. It wasn't about what beliefs people heard about and found amusing, it was -what things were YOU told as a child that you had to avoid to not be da***d-.

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Well, I am one of those things many people listed as evil. I'm Catholic. If I can laugh at that and the fact that the current (or perhaps all) leaders of my church is the Anti-Christ, I think everyone ought to put on their grown up underwear and take the thread in the spirit it which it was intended.

 

The question was what things were you taught as a child that you found to be false in respect to Christianity. Personally I'm glad so many people realize that the billion Catholics in the world today are not the epitome of evil.

 

And to be totally honest any reasonable adult who had the ability to research and think for himself who still believes the extra-Biblical carp or out-and-out lies about many many of those things listed ought to be able to take a bit of scoffing.

I completely agree.

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But that's exactly my point, Chucki. I *wouldn't* start a thread scoffing at other's beliefs.

 

And yes, I realize anyone of any religious belief could have participated. But we ALL know that thread is making fun of fundie Christians. That's the whole POINT of the thread.

 

ETA: I realize the OP herself did not specifically mention 'Christian' beliefs. But you only have to get to the SECOND post to find that specifically mentioned. And that's ALL that is talked about in that thread.

 

Because the vast majority of the people on this board and posting in that thread *are* Christians. They just think some of the things other Christians have told them are silly. It's not because Christians are being singled out; it's because Christians are main people posting.

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So if I decided to start a thread asking everyone to list what they felt was a 'ridiculous' belief that, say, Muslims (or Jews, or wiccans, or pagans; pick one :tongue_smilie:) hold, that would be ok? We would then all still 'put on our grown up underwear and take the thread in the spirit in which it was intended'?

 

I tend to think NOT.

 

 

Oh please. Pick pagans and Wiccans. Because there are an absolute buttload of whacko pagans out there. Most of us with pagan-ish leanings will gladly tell you our crazy survivor stories!! :lol::lol:

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Yep, and we just don't have the variety of backgrounds that are going to bring too many Jews, Pagans, Muslims into the mix. It's a question of demographics here. Most of our experiences with being told what's evil and what's not come from Christian backgrounds (though, again, what Cabbage Patch dolls really have to do with Jesus is a stretch.)

 

I have a Muslim friend from Saudi Arabia who told me that she was taught tampons were from Satan and would send you to hell. She no longer believes that and thinks that's pretty weird and not mainstream Islam. If were here on the board, I'm sure she'd feel ok posting that.

 

(Ipsey, doing her bit for diversity.)

 

I should have just agreed with this post. I didn't get quite that far.

 

My middle dd asked another girl in her PE class one day what she was going to be for Halloween. The girl told my dd that Halloween is the Devil's birthday. Sorry, I think that's a silly thing to say. In fact, that family came to our Halloween party last year. The difference between saying that is silly and saying not eating pork is silly? One is scripturally based and the other isn't. "Halloween is the devil's birthday" is not a *religious* belief based on scripture.

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Wanna take a poll about how many non-fundie Christians were told many many of those things? Betcha you'll be surprised at the results.

 

:iagree::iagree:

 

My parents raised us in this hippy dippy RCA church that tried very, very hard NOT to be fundamentalist and I still heard at least half of that crazy stuff.

 

Especially that Catholic popes were the devil. :lol::lol:

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:iagree::iagree:

 

My parents raised us in this hippy dippy RCA church that tried very, very hard NOT to be fundamentalist and I still heard at least half of that crazy stuff.

 

Especially that Catholic popes were the devil. :lol::lol:

 

One of the people who tried to "missionary friend" us tried to convince me that not only is the Pope the anti-Christ, but he and Obama are really in cahoots and trying to take over the world -- together. :D. I was more amused than offended, at that point, but I really have had experiences in this area that blindsided me. That is not fun.

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What has always bothered me is that Christians are seen as fair game for scoffing but not other religions, especially Muslims. This seems especially true on message boards for some reason.

 

I used to post on a freethinker/ atheist board and there were countless posts scoffing and demeaning Christianity... some people even had scoffing name like "yayzookreesto" or "christonastick." But if anyone posted anything even slightly critical of islam they were called a biggot and a racist.

 

So I just try to tread lightly with all religions-- but the free for all on Christians really bothers me, even though I'm not particularly religious, at least not by standard terms.

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I would never let my kids watch the Smurfs. If you'd really like to know why, it's because Gargamel frequently uses things our family would consider representative of witchcraft in the cartoon. How do I know? Because my parents let me watch the Smurfs when I was a kid. :tongue_smilie: It's the same exact reason we don't let our children read or watch Harry Potter. I have nothing against the little blue creatures themselves. In fact, I think the Smurfs themselves are rather cute; including the way they talk. :D

 

And if our children ever asked us why we don't watch the Smurfs or Harry Potter, dh and I would be honest with them and reinforce our beliefs about having absolutely no participation with things resembling/relating to witchcraft. And if another child asked my children why they don't watch Harry Potter or the Smurfs, our children would be honest with them about why.

 

Just wanted to give a glimpse of where *my* family is coming from.

That is different. Not watching something, because it doesn't align with what you believe would be appropriate (or displays something that you consider inappropriate) is different than saying, "Smurfs are evil, a means of the devil, and will entirely corrupt a home and send your kids to hell".

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That is different. Not watching something, because it doesn't align with what you believe would be appropriate (or displays something that you consider inappropriate) is different than saying, "Smurfs are evil, a means of the devil, and will entirely corrupt a home and send your kids to hell".

 

:iagree: Exactly. I refused to by my dds Bratz dolls because I thought they were trashy and in poor taste. They're not evil, just tacky IMO. If someone else wants to buy their kids Bratz dolls, great! I certainly don't think their girls are going to grow up to be prostitutes just because they allowed Bratz dolls in their house.

 

I think most of the people posting in the other thread were speaking of extreme beliefs. Remember the post about the mom burning the kid's Care Bears because mom thought they were evil? That's extreme, and is does a lot of damage to children. I was spanked for listening to New Kids on the Block. That's extreme, and it's destructive. There is a huge difference between refraining from _____ because it goes against your beliefs and telling (and therefore scaring) your kids that everything is evil and will lead you straight to he!!.

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I have interestingly. Not Smurfs in particular, but I've read (possibly even here) that some approve of Veggie Tales because the characters are saved (unlike other cartoon characters).

 

I don't apologize for thinking that's silly! Sorry, but I really don't.

 

Ah yes, the prosyletizing produce. Nope. Nothing wacky there at all. :lol:

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Maybe not much here in this forum, but in many other places there is plenty of scoffing of Islam.

 

I think that the other forum is talking more evil or satan manifesting itself or himself in an earthly form. My parents didn't let me watch much tv because it wasn't morally good for us. If she had said that Three's Company was brought to us by Satan, that would be different.

 

Edit: In the other thread not forum.

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I have interestingly. Not Smurfs in particular, but I've read (possibly even here) that some approve of Veggie Tales because the characters are saved (unlike other cartoon characters).

 

I don't apologize for thinking that's silly! Sorry, but I really don't.

 

I think they approve of Veggie Tales because those cartoons display Biblical values that mainstream TV shows don't. So, in a sense, the characters are 'saved' because that's how the scripts are written. In that case it's not a rejection of TV itself, but the messages that are often written into the TV shows. I doubt anyone actually believes a cartoon character is saved.

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