I was talking to a a coworker about the the Rick Warren interview or whatever it was, and he said how this was like a step back. I agree what kind are we coming to when a Church official gets to question the United States Presidential Candidates. I know that the evangelicals vote so the candidate have to pander to them, but what does this mean for our country? The thing that bothers me the most about evangelicals, extremist, fundamentalist whatever you wanna call them they is that they feel that their way is the only way. Lately something else is bothering me. their view of God, The God they believe in is Cold, Unforgiving, not understanding, and Closeminded. This bothers me the most Living in the south I can't offer a different idea without being told that what I said was Blasphamy. If I met God and he was like this I think I would be disappointed. I just can't believe that God is so Black and White. They make it seem that it is this way and no other way and no way around it. This bothers me I just can't belive this I won't belive this. The God I believe in is Warm, Forgiving, Understanding, Wise and much more complex than anyone on earth can begin to comprehend. I just feel that God is more complex than what people portray God as a Man the first and ultimate being has a gender that is ridiculous. That is just one of the things that bothers me. People say that you have to give ten percent to the church. What does God want with your money! Then there is this whole idea that if you are not christian you are going to hell. well the years before christianity everyone went to Hell? What about native Americans who for years and years were never exposed to any version of Judao-Christian society all went to hell. I'm sure that all religions are a gateway to God. It just makes me upset that people are so Close minded especially about something as huge religion.
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We are thinking alike. I discuss it here and here. I don't listen to what they say they will do, I watch what they have done.
What Obama and McCain alike have done, is divorced Fundamentalist lovers ONLY because the heat got too hot. This does not mean the divorce is forever, only until the heat dies down, as you so adroitly point out.
whew! where to start? :) c-dell, the candidates choose to pander to the fanatical christian zealots precisely because they are stupid enough to give their 10% or more. that translates into- 'tell them what they want to hear and they will give my campaign money and vote for me'- make no mistake, the shepherds of these flocks know this quite well, hence the private jets or 4 mansions with gold fixtures, etc. religion has absolutely nothing to do with believing in god. the two are mutually exclusive. i won't get into my personal beliefs in your space so i will leave it there.
God doesn't need our money. The tithing rule came from Paul's epistles and it may be in the Old T as well--I have to check that. I see a Christian counselor who thinks I am falling away from the faith; I replied: I am not an evangelical who is going to shout out Praise the Lord. In fact, I see things in them that don't make me think of Christ at all." I've been undergoing a lot of spiritual rethinking, which the Church would call heresy, but it just might be freedom. You can read my blogs for that--I won't go there here. But I do agree; God is more complex than any book says he/she is. Most religions have sacred texts; only one (The Koran) is a genuine revelation from God via the Angel Gabriel and the rest were written by man. Whether the Holy Spirit inspired them or not, they have to be flawed because we are flawed.
I didn't know that about Warren, but I am not surprised. I suppose he supports McCain. I too, loathe that religion must be thrown in--we are a theocracy in practice. I couldn't believe that Newsweek devoted an issue to Obama's faith journey. Who cares? He can worship his computer for all I care, just get us out of this mess!
The Christian Right is so blind and I tire of arguing with them. They erroneously believe that someone has to be a literalist, a Bible thumping evangelical to be competent to hold office. Bull. Most prominent Christians get caught with their pants down or their hand in the cookie jar. Bush was evangelical and that should be proof alone that the faith is not a guarantee of sound governing.
As for God, I think we only have a glimpse. I have my views which I won't utter here, but they are different that what I used to believe. But the next time I see some rich Christian living in a mansion and taking first class flights, I will know to stay the hell away from them. Can you see Jesus doing that? Hell, no! These evangelicals are lost.
Yeah, I'm so tired of hearing the words, Faith Based. The concept is being applied to politics, education, morality and even science much to the detriment of all of these things.
The problem with Faith Based thought is that so little of it is based upon actual fact. The majority of it is superstition, hysteria and intolerance. Most of the Faith Based issues are not based upon supportive and nurturing concepts rather they are based upon reactive and fear based attitudes.
Faith Based people are very clear what they are against,and very simplistic about what they believe in. God never said, "Be stupid and go forth to populate the Earth."
The bible is very clear in it's opinions about magic, divination and other such devices, but never once does it condemn actual science or attempt to lump it in with the black arts.
Today's Faith Based thought is political in nature rather than God based.
(I think this is a terrible thing Carl Rove did to the Ecumenical community in this country!)
I'm tired of hearing Conservative opinion justified by calling it Faith Based as if those two simple words elevate such prattle into the realm of the incontestable or irrefutable.
Believing in a thing does not give it substance or validity or make an opinion factual...
Sorry, that's reality based thought, something so many Christian Conservatives seem to have an impossible time dealing with.
Some things are mixed up here, due to 400 years of history, unexamined. There's nothing wrong with bringing God into our political life. Indeed, whatever we consider God - which is simply whatever we live and move and are in, what we ultimately trust - we always bring into every discussion. We don't change that by pretending otherwise. We just get sneaky, and essential things don't get examined. That way, how will we ever wise up about anything?
As I've written elsewhere in detail, American Christianity has always been about avoiding persecution by a combination of sucking up and domination. The same people who want to make everybody else say their prayers in school, claiming that this country belongs to them and the others have no rights here that any Christian is bound to respect, ostentatiously affirm that that same country affords liberty and justice to all, shilling for all its abominations and injustices of the past 400 years to this day. Can we imagine such a performance from Jesus or any of the prophets - whom they claim to believe?
Just the title alone, made me do a double take! I am proud that you are expanding your mind beyond the fence post. Keep exploring, keep asking questions. In the end you will either join them or die free. George Clinton said it best, "Free your mind and your ass will follow. Groomed we are from and early age. Fear God, God gone getha, on and on. Is God something to be feared, or admired? I choose to admire. God is go amazing that we can't even begin to comprehend. God chooses each and everyones journey. I LOVE YOU! 6/13/88 3:16 P.M. THANK YOU CREATOR!
Sometimes, people create God in their own image. In other words, They can claim a certain "moral authority" by referring to a concept of God that is authoritarian, autocratic, hierarchically situated, omniscient (as such people often project themselves to be). You notice that many times they talk as if they actually know the will of God, especially when they see others violating it. But is it God's will that they violate, or their own?
I don't know much about the interview, because it wasn't really publicised over here, but I must admit, in a democracy it seems kind of ill-advised.
I agree with you on evangelicals, and it does I've often thought, seem a curious way of looking at it.
I;m catholic, and we're somewhat more fotunate; we don't really have damned and saved- we have damned and penitent- we accept that everyone sins, it's just whether you genuinely mean it when you're sorry that really counts.
You want answers? Read your Bible, it's the source.
I would urge you, indeed you and your friends, to acquire a copy of C S Lewis' 'The Screwtape Letters'
Good to receive your comments too! :)
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