Atheism in Christian societies - DPChallenge Forums

11/29/2007 05:41:32 PM · #127

Okay, I just can't resist one more post on this...

What word do Christians in the US use when they're asked their religion? Do they say 'I'm a Christian', or do they specify which church they belong to? (Like a protestant might say 'Anglican') - Because to me, the word 'Christian' is the umbrella term to describe a number of subsets.

To describe yourself as a 'Christian' is like calling yourself a Monotheist (i.e. it's a word used to describe a category, rather than a specific religion)

11/29/2007 05:42:17 PM · #128

Originally posted by Gordon:

Originally posted by jhonan:

Originally posted by Gordon:
He is still the first minister in Northern Ireland, isn't he ?

You mean Mr Paisley who denounced the Pope as the anti-christ? That guy? lol!

I think I said he was outspoken, didn't I ? :) Anyway - he's also somewhat representative of quite a few people I've met in NI and Scotland too.

Yeah, I went to a few of these matches too. ;-)

11/29/2007 05:43:20 PM · #129

Originally posted by RonB:

Originally posted by thegrandwazoo:
So Ron, do you think that the use of the word "Water" means baptism or is it a metaphor for enlightenment or realizing god consciousness?

It means amniotic fluid.

HUH? How can you have amniotic fluid and be born of the spirit? Is not amniotic fluid something that is associated with being born of the flesh?

I don't think Christ meant amniotic fluid.

11/29/2007 05:44:30 PM · #130

Can we get back to the part where all the people who think God is right up there with the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus debate about which faith is or isn't Christian?

11/29/2007 05:46:18 PM · #131

Originally posted by routerguy666:

Can we get back to the part where all the people who think God is right up there with the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus debate about which faith is or isn't Christian?

Hey leave the tooth fairy out of this!!!!

:-P

11/29/2007 05:51:48 PM · #132

I'll tell you what has disturbed me, is the way the 'true' Christians on here are so intent on disproving Catholicism is part of Christianity. I mean, what's the problem? - Are they attempting to disassociate themselves from it or something?

Why don't they dissect a religion like Islam, that's a bit easier for them to pick apart, rather than a religion like Catholicism which is so closely related to their own. Or perhaps they like a challenge?

I honestly don't understand why there is such desperation to prove Catholics aren't Christian. I mean, is the Pope a Catholic? :)

RonB

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

11/29/2007 05:56:00 PM · #133

Originally posted by thegrandwazoo:

Originally posted by RonB:

Originally posted by thegrandwazoo:
So Ron, do you think that the use of the word "Water" means baptism or is it a metaphor for enlightenment or realizing god consciousness?

It means amniotic fluid.

HUH? How can you have amniotic fluid and be born of the spirit? Is not amniotic fluid something that is associated with being born of the flesh?

I don't think Christ meant amniotic fluid.

You don't HAVE amniotic fluid ( unless you're pregnant ).
A fetus is carried in the womb ( amniotic fluid ) and soon after the amniotic sac breaks ( as in "my waters broke" ) the baby is born ( born of the flesh, or born of water ). When a person is "born again" he/she is said to be "born of the Spirit" ).

11/29/2007 06:05:03 PM · #134

Originally posted by RonB:

Nice try.

Jesus, himself said:

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."

John 3:5-7

You seem to be contradicting your own quote from John "The Baptist".

That use of the word "Water" by Christ, to me , means Baptism. At least that is how I take what he was saying to Nicodemus. Not that he had to been born from a womb. Heck that is a given or the supposed conversation could have never taken place.

11/29/2007 06:09:50 PM · #135

This gets better by the minute.

Besides, when I made the original post I was kind of looking for insight or advice from Atheists who have been through de-conversion and how they cope with the reaction of their friends, family, and society. Also, how they deal with the upbringing of their children.

I wasn't expecting a thread-jacking by fundamentalists (or whatever you lot call yourselves) picking apart the fact I mixed the phrases Catholic and Christian when describing Ireland.

Look, I'll request a change to the thread title if it really offends you so much, and you can go back to being happy Christians.

Message edited by author 2007-11-29 18:11:30.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/29/2007 06:11:44 PM · #136

Originally posted by jhonan:

happy Christians.

That's a different lot entirely.

11/29/2007 06:12:40 PM · #137

Hey I am a Pastafarian. I guess you could call me a flour and egg fundamentalist. I will stop jacking your thread. (Did I just type that LOL)

:-P

11/29/2007 06:13:02 PM · #138

Yeah, that's why you posted in Rant.

11/29/2007 06:14:30 PM · #139

Originally posted by routerguy666:

Yeah, that's why you posted in Rant.

muhahahahahaaaaa! You've seen right through me!

11/29/2007 06:16:20 PM · #140

Originally posted by jhonan:

Originally posted by routerguy666:
Yeah, that's why you posted in Rant.

muhahahahahaaaaa! You've seen right through me!

It was pretty transparent flame baiting. Or are you seriously curious if the US is as religiously nuts as your country - where people kill each other for decades over religious differences?

In case you were sincere, no, it's not like that here.

11/29/2007 06:22:29 PM · #141

Originally posted by routerguy666:

Originally posted by jhonan:

Originally posted by routerguy666:
Yeah, that's why you posted in Rant.

muhahahahahaaaaa! You've seen right through me!

It was pretty transparent flame baiting. Or are you seriously curious if the US is as religiously nuts as your country - where people kill each other for decades over religious differences?

No, actually, I really wanted to know what the US was like. Over the course of this thread I had no idea about the whole Catholic/Christian thing until I read it here. In fact, this thread has already answered my question about which country is more religiously nuts.

And by the way, I live in the Republic of Ireland, not the North. If you're referring to the troubles in the North then I'll add that religious differences were somewhere near the bottom of the list.

11/29/2007 06:37:19 PM · #142

America is all peace and harmony. That's about it.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/29/2007 06:39:11 PM · #143

The bigotry and hostility seems less overt than it was in the West of Scotland, but still fundamentally as present and as divisive as I remember.

11/29/2007 06:47:46 PM · #144

Originally posted by Gordon:

The bigotry and hostility seems less overt than it was in the West of Scotland, but still fundamentally as present and as divisive as I remember.

You're saying that there is hostility between denominations in the US similar to that (historically) between Catholics and Protestants in Scotland?

I naively thought Catholics were generally accepted in the US as fellow Christians (the Irish ancestry links, JFK etc.) - I never realised there was a catholic/protestant divide over there. Does it stem from the 'catholics aren't christians' argument presented in this thread? Is that what it's all about?

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

11/29/2007 06:50:57 PM · #145

Originally posted by jhonan:

Originally posted by Gordon:
The bigotry and hostility seems less overt than it was in the West of Scotland, but still fundamentally as present and as divisive as I remember.

You're saying that there is hostility between denominations in the US similar to that (historically) between Catholics and Protestants in Scotland?

I was comparing it to the current situation in Scotland really. Though with less football I suppose.

11/29/2007 06:56:14 PM · #146

Originally posted by Gordon:

I was comparing it to the current situation in Scotland really. Though with less football I suppose.

But without the football, where can they do battle?

Bebe

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

11/29/2007 07:38:53 PM · #147

.

Message edited by author 2007-11-30 09:38:58.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

11/29/2007 08:00:45 PM · #148

Originally posted by jhonan:

I naively thought Catholics were generally accepted in the US as fellow Christians...

They are. RonB commonly bends his definitions to whatever fits his position du jour. Water doesn't really mean water. A day isn't really a day. In earlier threads, he uses Catholics as examples of Christians.

Originally posted by RonB:

I live in the U.S. where only 76 percent of Protestants and 64 percent of Catholics (the two largest "Christian" denominations in the U.S.) even admit to the existence of God...

This is usually the part where he'll come back and claim that by "Christian" he didn't mean Christian. Whatever. It's like battling a cartoon character... just when you think you've got him, the laws of physics or reason no longer apply. *sigh* :-/

Message edited by author 2007-11-29 20:01:48.