I sure did.

It happened two years ago and I used to be friends with this girl whose family was from El Salvador and they were Christians. Everything went fine before this incident happened, there were no problems (the only problem was her younger brother, who acted like an @$$) between us until her parents thought I had thrown myself into her back inappropriately, when in fact, it probably was rest of the kids in my class who had gotten impatient in the class lineup and had probably shoved other people into other kids. I was mad that they thought that because I never would do that to someone, even if it's a friend!

Not long after that time, my friend's parents were planning to go to some barbeque that some of their church friends held and I went with them because, well, I happened to be at their house on that day and they couldn't leave me alone at their place...

When I was at the BBQ, there was a prayer time in the living room and after all this bible reading, they wanted to pray for me (It never felt like a compliment to me) and their kind of prayer for me was some guy putting his palm on the back of my head and putting so much force on it that it hurt alot and some women had their hands on my shoulders and wherever else and someone told me that "Jesus was going to give me a new heart"- some comment I never took seriously...

When they were done with the prayer, they asked me if I felt good and I lied to them by saying I did- In fact, I wasn't feeling good about it.

Now that it's happened, I don't really think of christians a certian way anymore because of this incident happening...

I tell people around me about this because I have always wanted to find others with the same experiences, not to gain symapthy

The Church of Christ culties targeted me when I was in college. They preyed on students who dined alone in the cafeteria and appeared isolated. I fit the profile.  They invited me to sit with them in the dining hall, and they started inviting me to their social get-togethers.  I knew almost right away they were born again Christians, but I didn't know they were affiliated with the notorious Church of Christ.  I didn't have a problem with them being  Christian and I was happy to talk Scripture with them.  I did notice when we met for discussions, the head honchos proposed all the premises we discussed, and they made sure their conclusions were the final ones.  The long and the short of it is, they tried to reel me in.  When they saw I wasn't gonna bite, they deserted me.  I did remain chummy with a couple of them, but most of them ostracised me. No big loss! 
I then befriend Father Jack and Sister Kathleen (the campus chaplains at Salem) because they were among the few who would deign to dine with great unwashed.  They revealed to me that the head honcho of the Church of Christ chapter had been at Salem for eleven years.  The church paid for him to take just enough credits to gain access to campus facilities but never have to graduate.  The chaplains also told me they had to counsel, and even deprogram, many students who had their lives taken over and controlled by the Church of Christ.  Like any cult, the Church of Christ drew you in with friendship and gradually controlled your entire life.  They discouraged members from seeing their families if their families did not approve, they also restricted the social lives (friendship and dating) of the membership to other members.  If you broke with them, they subjected you to blackballing, harrassment, threatening you with damnation.  They didn't do this to me because I never "joined," as it were.
The same group approached me numerous times when I transferred to UMass.  The Church of Christ was banned from the UMass campus in the late '80s after a series of ugly events.  They came back as a "club" not a "church."  They called themselves "The Upside Down Club," so named because the Lord will "turn the world upside down" when He returns.  I was polite with my "no thank yous" at first, but when the SAME d*ckwads  kept accosting me with their opening line, "Hi, we have a club on campus...," I took to saying, "Yeah, I gotta club on campus too, a Louisville slugger back in my room, and I'd appreciate it if you creeps wouldn't hassle me anymore!"
::)

Sort of... my dad was the product of a "forbidden marriage" between a Roman Catholic father and a Jewish mother.  Because of that, his extended family on both sides basically outed my dad and his parents from their families.  My dad didn't meet most of his aunts and uncles until he was in his 40's when his cousins finally convinced their parents to lighten up a bit..  So I grew up only having my mom's side of the family, who all lived across the nation from me.  I didn't really notice much at the time, but now I wish I had gotten to know my dad's extended family.  I've only met them once or twice.

Not exactly, but I used to be Catholic.  When I was 13, I realized how stupid the religion was.  Too many gimmicks, like the holy bread and putting water on newborn babies, and no respect for the environment or animals.  Plus Heaven and Hell are just total BS.

I'm not sure if I had, I live in Jersey, I've never had face-to-face experience with a real fundie. Some of my friends at school are pretty religious Irish and Italian Roman Catholics, but they're all accepting of gay marriage in one form or another, yet all anti-abortion. Yet, I don't get in their faces about it. When my dad was in law school  after his mother, a Holocaust survivor, died, a bunch of fundie activists at Harvard told him she was currently burning in hell for being a Jew. I'm sure I've vaguely known anti-Semitic people who didn't like me for being Jewish, that was the reason why they didn't like me, I'm pretty sure-you know, pick on the little kike sort of thing. But I've been at some gatherings with some Orthodox Jewish relatives and relatives of family friends, and it feels pretty weird being openly gay and openly reform Jewish around them, it's a different sort of Jewish. Like they've given me dirty looks, some of the kids my own age who're Orthodox.

Tell me more about the Church of Christ, what exactly are they?

Not exactly, but I used to be Catholic.  When I was 13, I realized how stupid the religion was.  Too many gimmicks, like the holy bread and putting water on newborn babies, and no respect for the environment or animals.  Plus Heaven and Hell are just total BS.


I believe in heaven, but hell is BS for sure.

Some christian girl in my Advisory class knew I liked the UK band The Cure and told me Robert Smith worshipps the devil (complete bullcrap because she had no proof that he EVER does that) and that I should go to church so that I can go to heaven (anyone goes to heaven, not just religious people!). I have a 17-year-old friend who does go to church, but he doesn't ram any of it down my throat and I like that!

Nothing truly harrowing to me personally but some of the better mini-stories I'll share (I have no idea the religions involved here):

~We had a neighbor do some yardwork once for us on his own volition. Turns out he'd rather cut up a storm-downed tree (that the county would have taken care of anyway) on his wedding anniversary (in hopes to gain a new convert to his church) than spend the day with his wife. When we didn't "convert" (ie, go to their church the very next Sunday) we got harassed on a weekly basis for nearly 3 months by him and his wife.

~One lady actually forbid me to see her son anymore (my then best friend) and nearly had a seizure when she found out we were planning on playing Dungeons and Dragons. That 45 minutes of one-way conversation was one of the most bizzare I've ever had.

~ I was in a car once with what I thought was a fairly normal guy until I mentioned in passing something about religion (what, I can't remember). For the next 4 hours of the trip I was bombarded with every hell and brimstone, repent now, blah, blah, blah thing I think has every been written.

~My wife's aunt's funeral was roughly the same thing as above. 10 minutes on remembering the dead, 2 houring in freezing ass cold weather about how if we don't all repent now we're going to hell. Given the weather and the speech I actually for a moment prayed I could go to hell to warm up and get away from the sermon.

~In a recent case of mistaken identity I answered the door thinking my sister was knocking (I caught a glimpse at her through the window). Turns out it was missionaries, who, while polite and nice, gave me a feeling of being in the Twilight Zone. I can't say that was a bad experience though it was pretty disturbing.

~One of my former co-workers whenever he got mad (at us or a customer) would start going off on the end of the world is at hand, yada, yada, yada. I always somehow found that I needed to use the bathroom about 1 minute into his rant, which was convenient because any more than a minute into his inaneness he started talking in tongues/gibberish.

I'v been approached by holy rollers of various sorts on a few occasions.  Once, while carrying a case of beer into the house for my father (I was a teen) I was lectured on the sinfullness of drink by some Jahova's Witnesses.  I listened politely for a few, then excused myself saying that I was thirsty and needed a beer.

As a Teaching Assistant a student tried to convert me during my office hour (so I had to listed).  I told her she was waisting her time because I was a "Godless Communist".

When I first moved to VT a local minister stopped by inviting us to join his church.  Thanked him for his welcome but no thanks, I'm a born again pagan.

I had a bad experience with a religion in 1998.

When I lived in LA, I relied on 3 main Technical Recruiters to get me jobs.  One of them got me a position as the main Computer Tech for an organization that I can describe as nothing but a cult.  I was given directions to their headquarters, and it was a turn of the century hotel at the top of Mt. Washington in Los Angeles.

I reported to the "Mother Center" of "Self Realization Fellowship", and had a 3 hour interview.  The next week I was told I had the position, and reported back.  For the first week they were not sure what to do with me, since I was the only member of the technical staff who was not a member of the Church.  They wanted me to go through their "User Manual".  The information was so sketchy and out of date, that I ended up doing a complete rewrite.  Finally I finished that project, and I was sent down to work at their printing facility.

Now this facility was HUGE.  Their only work was printing things for the Church, the main thing being the book "Autobiography Of A Yogi".  This was like Mein Kamph for members, and everybody had a copy.  They would also give away copies to people they wanted to join.  Since I lived a 2 hour drive away, they gave me a copy on audio tape.

The religion was a mish-mash of Eastern Mysticism, and Christianity.  And withn 3 weeks, they tried to get me to join.  It seems that those that are members automatically tithe 10-20% of their income back to the church.  And in addition, they normally work for much less then outsiders like I made.  I was making more then my supervisor was.  One of the Journeyman Printers I became friends with was permanently broke.  He made minimum wage, and tithed back 10% of that!

My major problems occured within 2 weeks of each other.  The first is when they started to get more firm on my joining the Church.  I would politely refuse, stating that I was happy with my own religion, and had no desire to convert.  Then my fiancee died.

I asked for 3 days off to take care of some things, and then when I returned to work the recruiting stepped up even more.  They were offering me "free counseling", in addition to several paid days of attendence at one of their retreats.  And I would get these e-mails, about how my fiancee dying may have been a sign that I was really needed elsewhere.  And since those ties are now cut, I was free to persue other beliefs.

After about 2 months of this, it was obvious to them I would not be converting.  I went to work one day, and my key card would not let me in the gate.  I drove up to the "Mother Center", and was refused entry by the guard, stating that my entrance provlidges had been revoked.  I called my recruiter, and they told me my contract had been terminated.  They gave an excuse stating that I had made to much overtime.  Of course, it was always on 1 day, when I had to stay an extra 2-3 hours to do a backup of the server and a rebuild of the database.  And it was consistant, every Thursday.

I later found out that after me, they went through 4 other Technicians.  One of them started working, and left for lunch and never went back.  After going through 5 techs in less then 6 months, the agency dropped them as a client.

I had an encounter with the International Churches of Christ when I was in university, too. I went to a few of their get-togethers and decided to quit after that. It was mostly a bunch of people sitting around a table, talking about the bible. I thought they seemed nice, though maybe a bit assertive.

It was only much later that I heard about their reputation for being an authoritarian cult that tries to control the lives of its disciples. I also heard about their reputation for corruption in how they abuse financial contributions to provide an extravagant lifestyle for themselves. One of the meetings I went to was at the house of one of the church officials, and I thought his home was remarkably lavish and upscale. I found it a bit odd that a preacher could be getting paid so much money.

Another encounter I had with a religious cult was when I was walking by the headquarters of the Church of Scientology in my city when I stopped for a minute to look in the window(don't know why... guess maybe I thought I'd see Tom Cruise, or something). This guy inside saw me and he came out and gave me this 90-second spiel on Scientology and then tried to get me to buy a copy of Dianetics for 9 dollars.

Nothing truly harrowing to me personally but some of the better mini-stories I'll share (I have no idea the religions involved here):

~We had a neighbor do some yardwork once for us on his own volition. Turns out he'd rather cut up a storm-downed tree (that the county would have taken care of anyway) on his wedding anniversary (in hopes to gain a new convert to his church) than spend the day with his wife. When we didn't "convert" (ie, go to their church the very next Sunday) we got harassed on a weekly basis for nearly 3 months by him and his wife.

~One lady actually forbid me to see her son anymore (my then best friend) and nearly had a seizure when she found out we were planning on playing Dungeons and Dragons. That 45 minutes of one-way conversation was one of the most bizzare I've ever had.

~ I was in a car once with what I thought was a fairly normal guy until I mentioned in passing something about religion (what, I can't remember). For the next 4 hours of the trip I was bombarded with every hell and brimstone, repent now, blah, blah, blah thing I think has every been written.

~My wife's aunt's funeral was roughly the same thing as above. 10 minutes on remembering the dead, 2 houring in freezing ass cold weather about how if we don't all repent now we're going to hell. Given the weather and the speech I actually for a moment prayed I could go to hell to warm up and get away from the sermon.

~In a recent case of mistaken identity I answered the door thinking my sister was knocking (I caught a glimpse at her through the window). Turns out it was missionaries, who, while polite and nice, gave me a feeling of being in the Twilight Zone. I can't say that was a bad experience though it was pretty disturbing.

~One of my former co-workers whenever he got mad (at us or a customer) would start going off on the end of the world is at hand, yada, yada, yada. I always somehow found that I needed to use the bathroom about 1 minute into his rant, which was convenient because any more than a minute into his inaneness he started talking in tongues/gibberish.







The same girl from my advisory class told me something along the lines of that if I didn't go to church/convert to god, I wouldn't go to heaven

I believe in heaven, but hell is BS for sure.


Huh?  ??? Hell can be right here on earth, my friend...and I don't necessarily mean that literally. Buddhists have said that heaven and hell can be in the here and now, but they seem to view each of the two as a state of being, as opposed to a physical place. Then again, I guess if it's here and now, it *can* be as real as the nose on your face. I'm not an expert on Eastern philosophy, so I'm sure someone else can better explain it. 

There are some crazy religious people out there.

But its important to remember that the actions of individual people don't necessarily reflect the religion as a whole.  Every institution has its odd balls.

I used to live in Tulsa, OK-home of the "Bible Thumpers Hall of Fame". I had a neighbor who showed me her ring which had her "rebirth" stone in it.  ??? I also had another another nieghbor who showed me these comic books about the church teachings-some of them were pretty scary.

I also have been to Bible discussion groups with some friends. I just had a very strange feeling when I was there. I think they were on the verge of a cult or something-I never went back.

When I was in the A.F., I worked this guy and the suject of religion came up (I'm not too sure who brought it up). I went on and on how I thought Oral Roberts used God to make his $$$ and how I thought he was a hyprocrate. After I was going on for about 10 minutes or so, the guy looked at me and said, "I'm a graduate of ORU."  Oh sh*t  Years later, the guy became my commander.  :-[  But funny thing was, after I left there, I read an article in the Stars & Stripes (an overseas military newspaper) that the same guy was backing this woman under his command, who was a witch in her freedom to practice her religion.  :o That really shocked me.

I used to volunteer at the local food shelf and was on the board of directors with all the local clergy. Every meeting was started off with a Christian prayer which kind of bothered me since I am not a Christian-and some of them knew I wasn't. But that didn't matter to them which is what really bothered me. The Baptist minister's wife started helping out at the food shelf. She put her arm around me and asked, "So, what church do you go to?" I said, "I don't go to a church because I am a Pagan." She said, "Well, we can change that." EXCUSE YOU?? I don't try to convert anyone to my religion and I don't want anyone trying to convert me to theirs! It does bother me that everyone ASSUMES the everyone is Christian. There are many, many other religions in this world.

I have been told that I am going to Hell several times-I tell them, been there, done that.

Oh yeah, one more story-those pesky Jehovah Witnesses (need I say more?  ;) )



Cat

Well, I was a Catholic, but I left the Church.  As I got older, I found their dogma/rhetoric to be against my own common sense and I didn't want to be a part of something so hateful and exclusionary.

My friend, before she moved here and after she left Maryland, lived down in N. Carolina for a few years. All the girls there wore these rings of chastity until they were married, protecting their virginity. They represented their marriages to their father and God, and then once they were married they were married to their husband and God. It was an upper middle-class neighborhood in Charlotte, N. Carolina, but everyone was a Baptist, and some of them were fundamentalist (no secular music or dancing, etc.) Since then, it's imparted a huge fear of sex on her part. Her brother was in a soccer league down there that had them pray before soccer games, and since her mother is Jewish (if secular) and they're technically Jewish it was very strange. I think there were a few reasons they left: one, her mother was creeped out by the whole atmosphere and her father, who is originally from Mississippi, hated the South and wanted to leave. Two, her dad got a better job with the American Stock Exchange up here.

Most of the Catholics who live in NJ tend to be pretty accepting...alot of the religious ones even believe I can go to heaven while being Jewish and gay. I've never exactly been told I'm going to hell for being a JAG (Jewish-American Gay.)

My bad experience with the Scientologist cult goes like this. Once, I was in the subway in Harvard Square in Boston, and I had no clue dianetics was a cult thing. I got my reading done on stress, and it was of course off the charts (I think it's rigged.) The guy who was taking my "dianetic reading" looked like a brainwashed nut, talking in a tone of voice and method to me that scared me, trying to interrogate me...and the way he looked me in the eye was creepy, he knows you can get people to do anything if you look them in the eye. I kept refusing to buy a $9 paperback on dianetics, and he eventually just gave up and let me go when I told him I needed the money to take public transportation back to Wellesley College, where I was staying with my friend at the time, about a year ago.

I used to live in Tulsa, OK-home of the "Bible Thumpers Hall of Fame". I had a neighbor who showed me her ring which had her "rebirth" stone in it.  ??? I also had another another nieghbor who showed me these comic books about the church teachings-some of them were pretty scary.

I also have been to Bible discussion groups with some friends. I just had a very strange feeling when I was there. I think they were on the verge of a cult or something-I never went back.

When I was in the A.F., I worked this guy and the suject of religion came up (I'm not too sure who brought it up). I went on and on how I thought Oral Roberts used God to make his $$$ and how I thought he was a hyprocrate. After I was going on for about 10 minutes or so, the guy looked at me and said, "I'm a graduate of ORU."  Oh sh*t  Years later, the guy became my commander.  :-[  But funny thing was, after I left there, I read an article in the Stars & Stripes (an overseas military newspaper) that the same guy was backing this woman under his command, who was a witch in her freedom to practice her religion.  :o That really shocked me.

I used to volunteer at the local food shelf and was on the board of directors with all the local clergy. Every meeting was started off with a Christian prayer which kind of bothered me since I am not a Christian-and some of them knew I wasn't. But that didn't matter to them which is what really bothered me. The Baptist minister's wife started helping out at the food shelf. She put her arm around me and asked, "So, what church do you go to?" I said, "I don't go to a church because I am a Pagan." She said, "Well, we can change that." EXCUSE YOU?? I don't try to convert anyone to my religion and I don't want anyone trying to convert me to theirs! It does bother me that everyone ASSUMES the everyone is Christian. There are many, many other religions in this world.

I have been told that I am going to Hell several times-I tell them, been there, done that.

Oh yeah, one more story-those pesky Jehovah Witnesses (need I say more?  ;) )



Cat






Yeah, that's the trouble with being around some religious people, they try to convert you

After what happened, I'm not converting to christianity or anything related to it because now I don't feel all that comfortable w/ some christians...

since I was a rotten teenager my parents shipped me off to Florida to the Scientologists.
It was really bad.
I can't smell certain smells cuz they still make me ill and I can't swallow vitamins cuz I was given tons and tons.
and we drank cups of peanut oil..

It was just gross and wrong. 

My friend, before she moved here and after she left Maryland, lived down in N. Carolina for a few years. All the girls there wore these rings of chastity until they were married, protecting their virginity.
You know what those "chastity" rings more likely mean? They mean the wearer takes it in the dupa!
;D

JAG (Jewish-American Gay.)
Hey, I thought that show was about Navy lawyers!
:o

My bad experience with the Scientologist cult goes like this. Once, I was in the subway in Harvard Square in Boston, and I had no clue dianetics was a cult thing. I got my reading done on stress, and it was of course off the charts (I think it's rigged.) The guy who was taking my "dianetic reading" looked like a brainwashed nut, talking in a tone of voice and method to me that scared me, trying to interrogate me...and the way he looked me in the eye was creepy, he knows you can get people to do anything if you look them in the eye. I kept refusing to buy a $9 paperback on dianetics, and he eventually just gave up and let me go when I told him I needed the money to take public transportation back to Wellesley College, where I was staying with my friend at the time, about a year ago.


Harvard Square was the best place in all of New England to meet religious cranks.  You had your Hare Krishnas, your Evangelical Christians, your "Jews-for-Jesus," your Scientologists, your Satanists, your Pagans, and sundry other spiritual headcases milling about...not to mention godless commies (quite literally, in the case of Harvard Square!).  I use the past tense because every time I go back to Harvard Square, I find it has died a little more.  It has been turning into a suburban shopping mall for the past fifteen years, and the pace is accelerating!
Anyway, the Scientologists can be totally horrible if they catch you "unawares."  Tom Cruise is a good example of Scientology in practice. They are totally self-righteous and touchy as hell about it.  I used to just say something like, "Huh huh, Diuretics! Don't let the negativity goblins eat you up!," and toss the leaflet in the nearest receptacle!

Satish is correct, it's actually the "International Church of Christ" I was referring to. The Boston chapter, AKA, the Boston Church of Christ was particularly notorious in the late '80s.
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/i02.html
http://www.spiritwatch.org/icoc.htm

I also had another bad experience with religion recently.  See, there was this guy who called himself "Harmonica"...
:D

I was just back at Harvard Square...the people are still utterly nuts. You can find every religious group you mentioned and more, and every variety and color (going to purple and green) of homeless person. Much more really nuts than New York is these days. In NYC and NJ, we just have the Falun Gong, the JDL, Skinheads, and the Jehovah's Witnesses. And NJ is the skinhead capitol of the country, by the way.

not all Christians are bad people...and not all Christians that try to tell others about God, are necessarily "shoving their religion down others throats"....some of them actually just care about people...and don't want bad things to happen to them.  I look at it this way...if you aren't interested...fine. I have no problem telling someone about my beliefs, or sharing things with them....but I won't/don't beg anyone to do anything...that's just defeating the entire purpose.  It just seems like this forum likes to totally bash Christianity just because of a bad experience or two. I am sure people of all religions have had bad experiences....that's life.

not all Christians are bad people...and not all Christians that try to tell others about God, are necessarily "shoving their religion down others throats"....some of them actually just care about people...and don't want bad things to happen to them.  I look at it this way...if you aren't interested...fine. I have no problem telling someone about my beliefs, or sharing things with them....but I won't/don't beg anyone to do anything...that's just defeating the entire purpose.  It just seems like this forum likes to totally bash Christianity just because of a bad experience or two. I am sure people of all religions have had bad experiences....that's life.


Tammy Faye's a pretty caring person, from what I saw of her on the Surreal Life. Just glad she isn't against gay people!  :)

I'm not gay by any means, I'm just glad she doesn't make any bad comments about people and their sexuality

not all Christians are bad people...and not all Christians that try to tell others about God, are necessarily "shoving their religion down others throats"....some of them actually just care about people...and don't want bad things to happen to them.  I look at it this way...if you aren't interested...fine. I have no problem telling someone about my beliefs, or sharing things with them....but I won't/don't beg anyone to do anything...that's just defeating the entire purpose.  It just seems like this forum likes to totally bash Christianity just because of a bad experience or two. I am sure people of all religions have had bad experiences....that's life.



I don't know if anyone here has said that all Christians are bad people.  Some of my best friends in this world are deeply religious people, and I have zero problem with them.  I think what people are bashing are the people that have given them their bad experiences.  I don't hate all Catholics, my family is Catholic after all, I just don't like what they teach and chose to abandon the faith in favor of something I can follow; my own logic. 

I don't know if anyone here has said that all Christians are bad people.  Some of my best friends in this world are deeply religious people, and I have zero problem with them.  I think what people are bashing are the people that have given them their bad experiences.  I don't hate all Catholics, my family is Catholic after all, I just don't like what they teach and chose to abandon the faith in favor of something I can follow; my own logic. 


Yeah, some of my good friends are religious Catholics...I have no problem at all with Christianity, nowadays, anyway.

I don't know if anyone here has said that all Christians are bad people.  Some of my best friends in this world are deeply religious people, and I have zero problem with them.  I think what people are bashing are the people that have given them their bad experiences.  I don't hate all Catholics, my family is Catholic after all, I just don't like what they teach and chose to abandon the faith in favor of something I can follow; my own logic. 


That's my friend Michael is like, he's religious and I have zero problem with him!  :)

I used to be Irish Catholic but you know, you grow...George Carlin

I spent 8 years in Catholic School so I have read alot of bible passages.
My bad experience came from a bible thumper we called Bible Bob.He would
corner anyone he could find and preach the bible.One day I gave him a few
passages to read.From that day on he left me alone.The Passages:
Do not go to church..(Matthew-6: 5-9)
Anti-family values..(Matthew-10: 34-39 and 23:9)  (Luke-14: 26)

There are many more about rape,murder,homosexuality,prostitution,incest
and child pornography.Bible Bob hated what I showed him, he told me I would
spend eternity in hell but he left me alone.

Probably the only "bad" experience I had was when I was working at a store as a cashier and was wearing my cross necklace that my dad had given me.  A customer came to check out and asked me if I was Catholic because the cross was a "Catholic" cross (???)  When I said "Yes, I was raised Catholic" he then asked if I had "been born-again" and I said that I didn't think that was any of his business.  He then proceeded to tell me that all Catholics are going to hell and that the only way to heaven was "true" Christianity and unless I denounced Catholicism and "accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior", I'd follow the rest of the Catholics into Hell.  I told him that if closed minded people such as him were the only ones in Heaven, I'd gladly spend eternity in Hell.  He called me a blasphemer, quoted a few bible verses, I responded with a few of my own and he seemed shocked that I knew bible verses because "you Catholics don't know the Bible"  I told him that anyone can quote bible verses, but that doesn't give them a "free pass" into Heaven and that someone as obviously bigoted and hateful as him would have to do a hell of a lot more to get in.  He said "May God have mercy on your soul" and started to leave.  I said "God knows my soul is good, I'm sure he has doubts about yours".  He turned and looked at me with a dumbfounded look on his face and walked out of the store.  I never saw him again...

Oh, and there was the time I was sitting in DFW airport waiting for my flight and someone came up to me and asked me if I had "accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior" and I told them "No, I haven't....I'm a satanist" and she started backpedalling and talking jibberish and doing the sign of the cross.  I've never laughed so hard in my life ;D

Other than that, most Christians I know are pretty good people.  Of course, there are a few whackos out there, but I think that can be said of any religion.  I could give a rat's ass what religion someone is, if they're good and kind and a generally nice person, that's what matters to me. :)


I think if somebody asked me if I had Jesus Christ as a personal savior, I think I would be careful

Probably the only "bad" experience I had was when I was working at a store as a cashier and was wearing my cross necklace that my dad had given me.  A customer came to check out and asked me if I was Catholic because the cross was a "Catholic" cross (???)  When I said "Yes, I was raised Catholic" he then asked if I had "been born-again" and I said that I didn't think that was any of his business.  He then proceeded to tell me that all Catholics are going to hell and that the only way to heaven was "true" Christianity and unless I denounced Catholicism and "accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior", I'd follow the rest of the Catholics into Hell.  I told him that if closed minded people such as him were the only ones in Heaven, I'd gladly spend eternity in Hell.  He called me a blasphemer, quoted a few bible verses, I responded with a few of my own and he seemed shocked that I knew bible verses because "you Catholics don't know the Bible"  I told him that anyone can quote bible verses, but that doesn't give them a "free pass" into Heaven and that someone as obviously bigoted and hateful as him would have to do a hell of a lot more to get in.  He said "May God have mercy on your soul" and started to leave.  I said "God knows my soul is good, I'm sure he has doubts about yours".  He turned and looked at me with a dumbfounded look on his face and walked out of the store.  I never saw him again...

Oh, and there was the time I was sitting in DFW airport waiting for my flight and someone came up to me and asked me if I had "accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior" and I told them "No, I haven't....I'm a satanist" and she started backpedalling and talking jibberish and doing the sign of the cross.  I've never laughed so hard in my life ;D

Other than that, most Christians I know are pretty good people.  Of course, there are a few whackos out there, but I think that can be said of any religion.  I could give a rat's ass what religion someone is, if they're good and kind and a generally nice person, that's what matters to me. :)


Is this common in Chicagoland?

I have said this many, many times before (but I'm sure some "newbies" haven't seen it yet), I feel that religion is VERY PERSONAL! I can only tell people what I believe and they can tell me what they believe. I don't agree with someone saying "You HAVE to believe this" or "You HAVE to believe that". That is why I don't believe in orginized religions. I have also said (and yes, I am repeating myself again) that to me, it doesn't matter WHAT you are (i.e. Christian, Jew, Pagan, gay, strieght, black, white, hispanic, etc. etc.) but it is a matter of WHO you are. I do have a prejudice against one group of people-and that are @$$h0les-and they come in every shape, form, color, and practice every religion known to man.




Cat

Probably the only "bad" experience I had was when I was working at a store as a cashier and was wearing my cross necklace that my dad had given me.  A customer came to check out and asked me if I was Catholic because the cross was a "Catholic" cross (???)  When I said "Yes, I was raised Catholic" he then asked if I had "been born-again" and I said that I didn't think that was any of his business.  He then proceeded to tell me that all Catholics are going to hell and that the only way to heaven was "true" Christianity and unless I denounced Catholicism and "accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior", I'd follow the rest of the Catholics into Hell. 
http://www.nutofthemonthclub.com/images/mixednutl.jpg
They're everywhere!!!

I don't even engage guys like that, I just tell 'em to to take a hike!

http://www.nutofthemonthclub.com/images/mixednutl.jpg
They're everywhere!!!

I don't even engage guys like that, I just tell 'em to to take a hike!



Nice post with the picture of the nuts!  :)

Sort of.  Far, far west suburb.....Denny Hastert's town, in fact :o


Like out near the prairies West?  I've never been to Chicago, but I feel like I have been there for some reason.

Yep, in the middle of cornfields....at least it used to be that way....now, it's more like suburbia, but there was a cornfield right across the road from where I used to work ;D


Is that like Elgin and Joliet and Aurora and Naperville, the exurbs?

Is this common in Chicagoland?



I don't believe so, and I lived there for 19 years before we moved.  I'm not saying that Chicago is the bastion of tolerance, but I don't think it's pervasive and in your face.  There's all kinds of people everywhere you go.  I just don't want anyone thinking my hometown is a bad place. 

Is that like Elgin and Joliet and Aurora and Naperville, the exurbs?



Joliet is not a suburb of Chicago.  Joliet is in Will County, and I don't believe Will County makes up part of Chicago's suburbs.  Elgin, Aurora and Naperville, are I believe suburbs, but they aren't out in cornfields.  You don't get flat farming country until you get down I-57 a ways and hit Champaign-Urbana/Springfield and the like.

Joliet is not a suburb of Chicago.  Joliet is in Will County, and I don't believe Will County makes up part of Chicago's suburbs.  Elgin, Aurora and Naperville, are I believe suburbs, but they aren't out in cornfields.  You don't get flat farming country until you get down I-57 a ways and hit Champaign-Urbana/Springfield and the like.



What states make up the Midwest, in your mind?  I think Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Iowa are 100% Midwest.  I would also say western Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, the Dakotas, and the eastern parts of Montana and Colorado are quite Midwestern.  Basically, the area between the Rockies and Applachians that's not part of the South (although places immediately east of the Rockies that are culturally tied to the mountains, such as Cheyenne and Denver make the eastern fringe of the West).

Joliet is not a suburb of Chicago.  Joliet is in Will County, and I don't believe Will County makes up part of Chicago's suburbs.  Elgin, Aurora and Naperville, are I believe suburbs, but they aren't out in cornfields.  You don't get flat farming country until you get down I-57 a ways and hit Champaign-Urbana/Springfield and the like.


Yeah, Joliet probably really isn't a Chicago suburb. It's like Bridgeport to NYC, it's within outer Chicagoland but it's not part of the core suburbs.

Nice post with the picture of the nuts!  :)

Hey, first picture of my nuts online!
8)

My father was Catholic, my mother Episcopal, and I don't have much use for either/or.  I live in a very diverse city where there isn't much religious tension.  We had some neo-nazis come in to the area for a while, and others of that ilk, but they gave up.

My father was Catholic, my mother Episcopal, and I don't have much use for either/or.  I live in a very diverse city where there isn't much religious tension.  We had some neo-nazis come in to the area for a while, and others of that ilk, but they gave up.



My mother is also Episcopal, my dad (and I am NOT making this up) is an Athiest Jew who just joined the Society of Friends (the Quakers). My grandmother is Jewish, my brother claims to be a Jew but I don't think he is really practicing. My sisters: Unitairian, Episcopal, agnostic, and Catholic and I'm a Pagan.  ;D ;D ;D


Try figuring that out!!  :D :D :D



Cat

I have said this many, many times before (but I'm sure some "newbies" haven't seen it yet), I feel that religion is VERY PERSONAL! I can only tell people what I believe and they can tell me what they believe. I don't agree with someone saying "You HAVE to believe this" or "You HAVE to believe that". That is why I don't believe in orginized religions. I have also said (and yes, I am repeating myself again) that to me, it doesn't matter WHAT you are (i.e. Christian, Jew, Pagan, gay, strieght, black, white, hispanic, etc. etc.) but it is a matter of WHO you are. I do have a prejudice against one group of people-and that are @$$h0les-and they come in every shape, form, color, and practice every religion known to man.




Cat




Amen To That!

I'm semi-agnostic, spiritual reform Jewish. My father was raised culturally Jewish but not religiously and my mother was raised religiously so, but her mother was raised secularly. I've been semi-secular for the past few years and I'm thinking of joining a synagogue and finally getting my bar mitzvah when I go to college.

I'd guess the "far reaches" of Chicago suburbia are like that because they were pretty homogenous, German Midwestern areas before the Chicagoland suburbia reached them. Now, they might be changing a little as more tolerant Chicagoans move there, but it's still probably somewhat like that. I know DuPage County, particularly the Wheaton area, is known for being conservative and being a bit religious right.

I myself am an Agnostic.  I believe in Spirituality, but there are times where I feel nihilistic.  I'm not an Atheist, because I don't rule out the possibility of God.  In fact, I think there probably is a God of some sorts.

Meaning, I don't find ANY religion to be 100% unlikely, but I don't find any to be 100% likely either.  I doubt monotheistic religions are correct, because they seem contradictory to me, but I wouldn't totally rule out the possibility that I'm going to burn in hell for my non-religious views.

I myself am an Agnostic.  I believe in Spirituality, but there are times where I feel nihilistic.  I'm not an Atheist, because I don't rule out the possibility of God.  In fact, I think there probably is a God of some sorts.

Meaning, I don't find ANY religion to be 100% unlikely, but I don't find any to be 100% likely either.  I doubt monotheistic religions are correct, because they seem contradictory to me, but I wouldn't totally rule out the possibility that I'm going to burn in hell for my non-religious views.





I don't believe any religion can be 100% in line with someone's beliefs-which (again) is why I don't believe in orginized religion-and my religion is just that-MINE! I practice it the way I feel it should be practiced-and no one can tell me that I am doing it right or I am doing it wrong. I believe that everyone has to find his/her own path to follow. Yes, there can be people on similar paths but not the same. As Joseph Campbell said, "Follow your bliss."



Cat

I don't believe any religion can be 100% in line with someone's beliefs-which (again) is why I don't believe in orginized religion-and my religion is just that-MINE! I practice it the way I feel it should be practiced-and no one can tell me that I am doing it right or I am doing it wrong. I believe that everyone has to find his/her own path to follow. Yes, there can be people on similar paths but not the same. As Joseph Campbell said, "Follow your bliss."



Cat


Totally agreed. It's all what you choose to do and find your own path, which can be within an organized or individual religion, or within no religion at all.

Actually, if you look at a "red/blue" map of Illinois, other than Cook County, much of the rest of the state is conservative/religious right :o  I know the area I live in CERTAINLY is...as is the area I grew up in (Dennis Hastert's hometown).


Cook County has roughly 43% of the state's population, and is overwhelmingly democratic. The other counties that voted Dem include Alexander County (small county at Illinois' foot, about 9,000, near Cairo), Calhoun (another tiny Mississippi River county), Champaign County (big college area), Fulton County (west central Illinois near Lewistown), Henderson (another tiny, tiny Mississippi River county), Jackson County (around the university of Carbondale), Knox (near Galesburg), Madison County (densely populated Mississippi River area just north of St. Louis), Mercer (another tiny MR county), Peoria (just barely went Dem), St. Clair County (St. Louis poor 'burbs), Rock Island, and the Tampico area. Lake is just barely Republican, DuPage has a fairly high Republican majority (long known for being highly conservative, where alot of conservatives fled out of the city), a big lead in Kane and McHenry, and a slight one in Will.

St. Clair County


Or as I call it, Dodge city. As in, 'Get the hell out of'

Didn't you move across an ocean to be there? ;)


You go drive around through East St. Louis at 3am on a Thursday night.

I've been forced to atend Baptist churches before. No thank you. That religion is mental. Those are some of the worst times I've ever had.

I remember one time when I was like 17 a couple of Mormon girls came to our door, and they were like "Good Afternoon, we're from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and we'd like to share our love for Jesus Christ with you." I was totally not expecting this becuae no prosyletisers had ever come to our door before. So to get them out of my hair I lied and told them we were Jewish, because I figure almost nobody f*cks with the Jews these days (at least not in Sarasota, F.L.), especially not a couple of Mormon girls. They were like "Oh, well that's a very nice belief to have." Then they left.

I've been forced to atend Baptist churches before. No thank you. That religion is mental. Those are some of the worst times I've ever had.

I remember one time when I was like 17 a couple of Mormon girls came to our door, and they were like "Good Afternoon, we're from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and we'd like to share our love for Jesus Christ with you." I was totally not expecting this becuae no prosyletisers had ever come to our door before. So to get them out of my hair I lied and told them we were Jewish, because I figure almost nobody f*cks with the Jews these days (at least not in Sarasota, F.L.), especially not a couple of Mormon girls. They were like "Oh, well that's a very nice belief to have." Then they left.



That didn't work for me. I answered the door to a Jahovah Witness once and he asked me my name. When I told him my last name (the one I was born with), he asked me if that was French (or whatever he said), I said, "No, Jewish" and it didn't seem to bother him and he just went on and on with his spiel.  ::)



Cat

That didn't work for me. I answered the door to a Jahovah Witness once and he asked me my name. When I told him my last name (the one I was born with), he asked me if that was French (or whatever he said), I said, "No, Jewish" and it didn't seem to bother him and he just went on and on with his spiel.  ::)



Cat


My sister has the habit of opening the door and telling them she worships Satan. They leave very quickly.

I had a bad experience with Christianity. His name was Harmonica.

The Church of Christ culties targeted me when I was in college. They preyed on students who dined alone in the cafeteria and appeared isolated. I fit the profile.  They invited me to sit with them in the dining hall, and they started inviting me to their social get-togethers.  I knew almost right away they were born again Christians, but I didn't know they were affiliated with the notorious Church of Christ.  I didn't have a problem with them being  Christian and I was happy to talk Scripture with them.  I did notice when we met for discussions, the head honchos proposed all the premises we discussed, and they made sure their conclusions were the final ones.  The long and the short of it is, they tried to reel me in.  When they saw I wasn't gonna bite, they deserted me.  I did remain chummy with a couple of them, but most of them ostracised me. No big loss! 
I then befriend Father Jack and Sister Kathleen (the campus chaplains at Salem) because they were among the few who would deign to dine with great unwashed.  They revealed to me that the head honcho of the Church of Christ chapter had been at Salem for eleven years.  The church paid for him to take just enough credits to gain access to campus facilities but never have to graduate.  The chaplains also told me they had to counsel, and even deprogram, many students who had their lives taken over and controlled by the Church of Christ.  Like any cult, the Church of Christ drew you in with friendship and gradually controlled your entire life.  They discouraged members from seeing their families if their families did not approve, they also restricted the social lives (friendship and dating) of the membership to other members.  If you broke with them, they subjected you to blackballing, harrassment, threatening you with damnation.  They didn't do this to me because I never "joined," as it were.
The same group approached me numerous times when I transferred to UMass.  The Church of Christ was banned from the UMass campus in the late '80s after a series of ugly events.  They came back as a "club" not a "church."  They called themselves "The Upside Down Club," so named because the Lord will "turn the world upside down" when He returns.  I was polite with my "no thank yous" at first, but when the SAME d*ckwads  kept accosting me with their opening line, "Hi, we have a club on campus...," I took to saying, "Yeah, I gotta club on campus too, a Louisville slugger back in my room, and I'd appreciate it if you creeps wouldn't hassle me anymore!"
::)
There's a Church of Christ near me, in Northfield NJ, my roommate used to go...he told me some things I found rather odd..they take Scripture figuratively(when most Protestant churches take it literally), they have no cross in the sanctuary, and they don't believe in using instrumental music in their services, which meant quite literally you sang a capella...

I used to be Roman Catholic. One time I went to Mass, the priest smelled like a boozer...and then I could see him leering at the females coming up for Communion...needless to say, I never went back to the church. I am so turned off by what Roman Catholicism seems to be....false.

I believe in God being a tolerant and accepting God...that is why I honestly have a problem with most organized Christian churches...Yes I read the Bible occasionally...and I listen to music like P.O.D. because I find it uplifting....so many churches shut out so called 'sinners' especially gays and lesbians...there are even churches that are not Americans with Disabilities Act compliant, they seem to not want 'cripples' in their church, they are cold to those with disabilities that do attend....at least some churches are like that around here.

My sister has the habit of opening the door and telling them she worships Satan. They leave very quickly.

I had a bad experience with Christianity. His name was Harmonica.

Heyyyyy...that was MY joke!
;)

Harmonica was a Naggnostic.  His religion was nagging people about religion!

I think the JWs are used to people telling the "I worship Satan," or coming to the door buck nekkid, or siccing dogs on them or whatever.  I just say "No thank you, goodbye" and shut the door. It's a little abrupt, maybe rude, but I reeeeallly don't want to let those guys get their foot in the door--literally--so they get the cold shoulder.  Actually, last time I talked to JWs was when I was housesitting for my sister.  I had an excuse.  "I don't actually live here, I'm housesitting." But then the guy asks if he can talk to me anyway!
::)
So then the guy asks if they can come back when "the owners" are at home.  I said, "Uh, no you had better not!"  My brother-in-law is as patient with religious zealots as I!

I believe in God being a tolerant and accepting God....

I hope so, 'coz if he's that Old Testament-style God, my ass is fried!
:o

I believe in a tolerant and accepting God, it actually says so in the Old Testament that God became tolerant and accepting after Sodom and Gomorrah.

I don't believe in a God with a white flowy beard there, per se. I believe there is a spiritual undercurrent to the universe, and the best way to live is that (vaguely) according to Jewish strictures, and these two interrelate in some way. More, I believe in Judaism as a lifestyle and something that has been passed down to me through all the trials and tribulations my people have had to go to.

Applause for that one ;)
Yeah, Harmonica tended to drive me nuts with all the religion stuff...If I wanted that I'd watch the 700 Club(which I never watch)...So many organized Christian churches are full of hypocrisy and rhetoric IMO. I prefer to believe in a loving, accepting, tolerant God and Jesus...not the vengeful God and Jesus those churches use to exclude certain people.

I believe in a tolerant and accepting God, it actually says so in the Old Testament that God became tolerant and accepting after Sodom and Gomorrah.

I don't believe in a God with a white flowy beard there, per se. I believe there is a spiritual undercurrent to the universe, and the best way to live is that (vaguely) according to Jewish strictures, and these two interrelate in some way. More, I believe in Judaism as a lifestyle and something that has been passed down to me through all the trials and tribulations my people have had to go to.


I do believe in God (though I have to admit my faith isn't always that strong) but I think the idea of a 'vengeful God' etc. was sort of promulgated by the Ancient worldview of the Hebrews (as was usual of most Ancient people, using supernatural events to explain the world), and I think the idea of God is sort of over-humanised. I've never really understood the need to humanise ever aspect of an omnipotent being such as God. I've always thought God should be beyond things like anger and vengeance; if he controls everything, why should he care if on little thing goes wrong? He can fix it in the blink of an eye. But then again, we can't understand everything.

I do believe in God and I think SHE must have one hell of a sense of humor.  ;D ;D ;D





Cat

I do believe in God and I think SHE must have one hell of a sense of humor.  ;D ;D ;D





Cat


EXACTLY,  :) :) ;D ;D. BTW, about the Mormons and Jews, they think we're all going to be converted automatically and we really belong with the Mormons, we just haven't been clued on yet. They posthumously converted hundreds of thousands of Jews killed in the Holocaust and then were forced to apologize and de-convert us. They always took records of all the Jews in Europe, so they could "save and convert" us in the event of the Holocaust.

I have a book called "The Lure Of The Cults & New Religions" by Ronald Enroth- I thought some of you might be interested in it if you check it out

I used to be Roman Catholic. One time I went to Mass, the priest smelled like a boozer...and then I could see him leering at the females coming up for Communion...

Without the above point of view, your Roman Catholic experience would have been incomplete!
Acceptable substitute: priest leering at choir boys...
;D

My sister has the habit of opening the door and telling them she worships Satan. They leave very quickly.



I've done that a couple times.  Then one morning, these Jehovah's Witnesses came to the front door and they asked me if I found Jesus. 


I told them he was naked, tied up in the basement. 


You know, I haven't had one of those types come by the house again.

I've done that a couple times.  Then one morning, these Jehovah's Witnesses came to the front door and they asked me if I found Jesus. 


I told them he was naked, tied up in the basement. 


You know, I haven't had one of those types come by the house again.




I found Him alright, I found Him a bit preachy!

"I FOUND JESUS. HE'S IN THE TRUNK"
--'80s bumper sticker

I found Him alright, I found Him a bit preachy!

"I FOUND JESUS. HE'S IN THE TRUNK"
--'80s bumper sticker


We just tell them we're Jews...but next time I'll try that! I think they quit our block.

I've done that a couple times.  Then one morning, these Jehovah's Witnesses came to the front door and they asked me if I found Jesus. 


I told them he was naked, tied up in the basement. 


You know, I haven't had one of those types come by the house again.





;D ;D

I remember when I first got my place and they came calling, I invited them in!!  and they stayed.........and stayed.........probably cos' I was politely listening until I started getting irritated by the amount of time they were hanging for,   I said OK I'm really  gonna need to go out now. I did answer the doorbell when they came the next week but told them I didn't feel their religion was for me. At all. End of.

The local Jehovah's Witnesses don't come here because I have a NO SOLICITATION sign on the front door. They know they are not welcome here.

I should tell them that yes I know Jesus, and he allows blood transfusions...I think that's nutty that JW's would not want their lives, or the lives of their loved ones, saved that way, they would rather let them die..that I can't fathom.

I've done that a couple times.  Then one morning, these Jehovah's Witnesses came to the front door and they asked me if I found Jesus. 


I told them he was naked, tied up in the basement. 


You know, I haven't had one of those types come by the house again.






That's funny.


You could also say, "Have you checked the lost and found?"  :D :D ;D ;D




Cat

My foster mother was a Fundie Christian, so extreme she would not allow rock music, dancing, or stylish clothing in her house, yet it was okay for her to go to bingo or senior-citizen dances at the Somers Point firehouse or Cologne(NJ) Grange...

Hypocritical, I think!

Not exactly, but I used to be Catholic.  When I was 13, I realized how stupid the religion was.  Too many gimmicks, like the holy bread and putting water on newborn babies, and no respect for the environment or animals.  Plus Heaven and Hell are just total BS.
                                                                  exactly religion is bogus

That's funny.


You could also say, "Have you checked the lost and found?"  :D :D ;D ;D




Cat




By the time those two came to the door, I had already been solicited by their "religion" 4 times that week.  It's like some crazy cult where if you recruit a few new victims....I mean members, you get a 4-slice toaster or something.

Anything that spawned the hell that is Wacko Jacko can't be good.

I find Mormons quite annoying....Hey mormons, I drink caffeinated colas!

There are still Mormons who practice polygamy even though their church banned it 100 years ago! Shame on them!

Mormons are hypocrites too, it seems.

Bad experiences with religion.. Well let's see:

-Growing up from the age of 5 to 13 I lived in a small, very conservative Christian town. Because I wasn't religious and didn't attend a church I was completely ostrisized(sp?) socially, having no real friends to speak of until junior high.
-I had numerous religious freakos try to scare me as an impressionable kid by telling me my dad was going to hell(because he was atheist).
-When I was 10 one of my aunts on my mother's side died, and at the funeral I was quite sad, crying heavily. And this lady came up to me and told me I shouldn't be sad because she had gone on to a better place, and she just upset me worse. My uncle on my dad's side, who like me(now) is atheist,  was very irritated by this.

^Dude, are you a straight-on atheist or an agnostic?

I'm an agnostic.  I think being 100% sure there's no God is just as conceited as being 100% sure there is a God, but of course there's grey areas between being an agnostic and being a hardcore atheist.

When talking about the Christian God, I'm a softcore atheist.

Bad experiences with religion.. Well let's see:

-Growing up from the age of 5 to 13 I lived in a small, very conservative Christian town. Because I wasn't religious and didn't attend a church I was completely ostrisized(sp?) socially, having no real friends to speak of until junior high.
-I had numerous religious freakos try to scare me as an impressionable kid by telling me my dad was going to hell(because he was atheist).



Ahhhh, the milk of human kindess.  When I was young I had a friend(Catholic) who was worried about going to hell because of the "grave sin" of "impure thoughts".  He got over it, but young kids(6,7,8) are taught that the thought is the same as the deed.  Then, I had a Baptist neighbor(we were Episcopal) who got my mother to send us to Christian Bible Day School for two weeks in summer with her kids. My mother, unlike 99%, respected the religions of others and did not fear, in fact encouraged, exposure to other religions.  At the end we had to attend a revival meeting, well I refused to stand up and be saved, thought it all a bit too over the top.  I wasn't allowed back in their house after that.

I find Mormons quite annoying....Hey mormons, I drink caffeinated colas!

There are still Mormons who practice polygamy even though their church banned it 100 years ago! Shame on them!

Mormons are hypocrites too, it seems.


I saw a program on Mormons and polygamy on A&E

I'm an agnostic.  I think being 100% sure there's no God is just as conceited as being 100% sure there is a God, but of course there's grey areas between being an agnostic and being a hardcore atheist.

When talking about the Christian God, I'm a softcore atheist.



That describes me perfectly.

That describes me perfectly.


*Applause*

I find Mormons quite annoying....Hey mormons, I drink caffeinated colas!

There are still Mormons who practice polygamy even though their church banned it 100 years ago! Shame on them!

Mormons are hypocrites too, it seems.



I knew one Mormon who was very, very sweet and an extremely nice person. I'm sure he was the exception, not the norm.




Cat

I knew one Mormon who was very, very sweet and an extremely nice person. I'm sure he was the exception, not the norm.




Cat




My cousins (my dad's brother and his wife/kids) are all mormons, and they aren't bad people.  You really wouldn't know they were mormons unless you personally knew them.

^Dude, are you a straight-on atheist or an agnostic?

I'm an agnostic.  I think being 100% sure there's no God is just as conceited as being 100% sure there is a God, but of course there's grey areas between being an agnostic and being a hardcore atheist.

When talking about the Christian God, I'm a softcore atheist.


I am an atheist. Although, there is a philosophical division within atheism.  You have hard atheism, and as you said, soft atheism.  Neither believe in God, but the difference between the two is that a hard atheist believes that there is no God and there is no possibility of one.

A soft atheist on the other hand, like myself, believes that there is no God because of a sweeping lack of evidence.  But we don't rule out that there cannot be some kind of higher power in the universe.  We just take the attitude of "I'll believe it when I see it and I ain't seen it yet".

So in a way you could call soft atheism agnostic atheism.  As odd as that sounds.

^That would more or less sum up my beliefs.

I think "God" is probably simply the Universal Energy of the Universe, that were feel detached from because of our brains.  I'm God, you're God, my cat is God, a rock is God, the Sun is God.

^that's very similar to Native American animism, actually, Donnie.  They believe everything has a spirit.

I think that all self-aware minds in the universe could actually be part of a larger conciousness, and that our ego of the "self" seperated from the whole is just an illusion we create for ourselves.  Kind of like the concept of time,  which does not exist in reality.  Everything that has ever happened or ever will happen is continuosly happening, including right at this very moment.

^that's very similar to Native American animism, actually, Donnie.  They believe everything has a spirit.

I think that all self-aware minds in the universe could actually be part of a larger conciousness, and that our ego of the "self" seperated from the whole is just an illusion we create for ourselves.  Kind of like the concept of time,  which does not exist in reality.  Everything that has ever happened or ever will happen is continuosly happening, including right at this very moment.


Ever seen I Heart The Huckabees?

No, why?

The Northfield Church of Christ tried to get my roommate to go back to their church, and they also tried to recruit me as a member!

I see Mormon missionaries in Atlantic City all the time...they never approach me though. Maybe they think of Atlantic City as Sodom and Gomorrah in the modern era...they're there to save the souls of those who want nothing more than a big payout from those one-armed bandits at places like Resorts International, Borgata, and Trump Plaza...

I am an atheist. Although, there is a philosophical division within atheism.  You have hard atheism, and as you said, soft atheism.  Neither believe in God, but the difference between the two is that a hard atheist believes that there is no God and there is no possibility of one.

A soft atheist on the other hand, like myself, believes that there is no God because of a sweeping lack of evidence.  But we don't rule out that there cannot be some kind of higher power in the universe.  We just take the attitude of "I'll believe it when I see it and I ain't seen it yet".

So in a way you could call soft atheism agnostic atheism.  As odd as that sounds.


The lack of evidence thing you mentioned reminds of me of the fact that some of the important religious figures mentioned in the bible are said to have possibly never exsisted

A soft atheist on the other hand, like myself, believes that there is no God because of a sweeping lack of evidence.  But we don't rule out that there cannot be some kind of higher power in the universe.  We just take the attitude of "I'll believe it when I see it and I ain't seen it yet".



I don't want get into this too deep, but...isn't having a belief without concrete, 100% irrefutable evidence called "faith" for a reason?

I don't get what you are driving at gmann.

I don't get what you are driving at gmann.


I'm not sure that I'm driving at anything. I'm just pointing out the fact that faith is a belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence, and it doesn't just apply to religious matters. For example, science often has to explain the unexplainable with a theory. Sometimes that theory is proven true, but it's just an educated guess until the proof comes along. Maybe I'm comparing apples with oranges here, but I see some parallels.

Now that it's happened, I don't really think of christians a certian way anymore because of this incident happening...

I tell people around me about this because I have always wanted to find others with the same experiences, not to gain symapthy



That's sad.  But IMO you shouldn't judge "Christians" that way- there are a LOT of various religions who claim to be Christians.  There's Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists.  Then there's you're charismatic Pentecostals (possibly what you had an experience with), Assembly of God, Church of Christ.  Baptists- who are divided to ever more types: Southern Baptists, Free Will Baptists, Independent Sovereign Grace Baptists (like me).  Hey, even Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are considered part of the Christian religions.

Then there's those sorta non-denominational-but-still-*somewhat*-Christian groups.  That's what I had a bad experience with my freshman year in college.  Mind you, I believe every word in the KJV Bible.  Because I believe in a Sovereign God who will always keep His word prevailing- the purpose of His Word and His Will is accomplished, unhindered by man's misinterpretation.  I mean, if the KJV is all people had for hundreds of years but it contained a lot of errors, that would mean that man is more powerful than God in that he stopped His Truth from prevailing.  But that's impossible, as God has infinite power.  (BTW, no matter what you've heard the NIV and other new translations are not translated from the "original" manuscripts.)
Ok I know a lot of you on here disagree with me a lot, but try to see where I'm coming from in my beliefs and maybe you'll understand why these people p*ssed me off.

I was pretty excited that I found a group of very kind people who...well at least they SAID they believed the KJV and really got into the word.  Finally I could have a good talk with people other than the usual Bethel Baptist group about predestination and election....but well that's a whole other story...sort of.  But then things start seeming a little fishy.  Like when one person would "speak in tongues" and then translate it themselves.  Then another person would "prophecy."  I began to notice that the people would say pretty much the exact same thing every time they did it.  Well at least it opened my eyes to study more in depth about spiritual gifts and not just believe that "speaking in tongues is BAD" like I'd always been told.  After talking to my big sister and my brother about their take on it, and then studying more in my Bible to find out for myself what the Day of Pentecost really was and WHY we don't speak in tongues. 
But like this group of people was telling me, I didn't believe that speaking in tongues was "proof" of salvation.  Then they told me "Tongues is a gift that God gives to you when he saves you, but we will teach you how to manifest it."...  ???  Does that make any sense to you?  Well things started getting even more weird.  They said they praised a Sovereign God, but one day they told me that God can't overstep the power of man's free will...that doesn't make any sense either!  Oh how they loved the KJV, but then they showed me certain verses that they had to make their OWN corrections to.  Strange enough yet?
Well it finally REALLY struck my nerves one day, after they had been pressuring me to pay $50 to take some "Foundations" course where you learn the basics.  The guy in charge told me all the things I would learn, which was basically stuff I learned growing up in Sunday School.  One question stumped me: "Who Jesus Really Was"  I asked him just what in the world kinda question is that?!  OH! So now you guys don't preach the Trinity?!!!  (The Father, the Son, & the Holy Ghost are 3 different manifestations of the One God)  I only knew of one verse off the top of my head  John 10:30 where Christ said "I and my Father are one"    Now, if someone wanted to correct on why this was a scriptual error, wouldn't it make sense that they turn to another passage to compare?  That's what most religious debaters do.  All he had for me was something along the lines of "Well yeah, Jesus Christ DID say that I and my Father are one, but well if you see a man and his son walking down the street you wouldn't think that they're the same person? That's silly isn't it?"  Obviously he forgot he was talking about the powerful GOD and not mortal humans.
So I went home that night, disgusted that these people denied an all-powerful God that they CLAIMED to preach.  I studied my Bible hard over the next few days looking for more BIBLICAL proof to back me up.  I came across John 1:1 & 2- "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God."    I John 5:7- "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."  Revelation 19:10-13- "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  His eyes as a flame of fire, and on his head many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  And he clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God."
Well, that's good enough for now, I thought.  So the next time I went, one lady came and sat next to me and was going on about how excited she was about some other class she was going to take and why these classes are good and people are raised in different churches that teach different things like Jesus and God are the same person.  Hmm, I'm getting the feeling that this was a well-rehearsed conversation to have with Ruth, the girl who was raised in a Baptist church.  So I start opening my Bible to the passages I had found, and listening to her give the same bull-honkey non-Biblical explanation I had already heard, and why I should take the class because they "REALLY GET INTO THE WORD!"  I guess I had rehearsed how I would present the verses to them, and I had my Bible turned to the passage in Revelation. Now, I hadn't even had a chance to open my mouth yet, and then the lady covered the page with her hand, looked at me, and firmly stated, "I see you've turned to Revelation.  But you see, we don't go there.  We don't read that book.  You see, that hasn't happened that so it doesn't apply to us."   
WHOA!!!!!  Yes, so the majority of Revelation talks about the end times, but that means we shouldn't be aware of what WILL happen?  Besides, nobody knows WHEN it will happen, it may be upon us very soon.  Besides, there's verses in there that talk about the Sovereignty of God- don't tell me it hasn't happened yet, if you believe the Bible and really study the word like you say you do, then you know that has always been.  Rev. 1:8- "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."  And did you know that the first chapters of Revelation contain letters written to 7 different existing churches at the time?  How exactly do you explain that hasn't happened yet?  Needless to say, I never went back to that group again.

Now some of you will probably be like "Oh you're not tolerant of other people's different beliefs yada yada yada."  I'm pretty set in what I believe, and I don't want to argue with anyone.  My problem I had was that these people CLAIMED to teach something, and totally contradicted themselves by what they REALLY taught.