#Evil for Henry
11 messages in this thread
I haven't turned 180 degrees – perhaps through more discussion and longer
messages, you've come to understand what I'm saying better.
Mother Theresa may not be a Lutheran or Calvinist, but Lutherans and
Calvanisits will tell you they are Christians.
Henry,
How can you be a poet and give so little weight to words?
"Christianity is Evil" is an unconditional damnation of a faith. You're
saying Lutherans and Calvinists are "Christians," so I guess you mean
"Christianity" is anyone or anything claiming to be "Christian." Thus your
original statement may — must — be expanded to:
Lutheranism is Evil
Roman Catholicism is Evil
Calvinism is Evil
Presbyterianism is Evil
Gnosticism is Evil
Copticism is Evil
American Baptism is Evil
Southern Baptism is Evil
The Assemblies of God is Evil
Seventh-Day-Adventism is Evil
Congregationalism is Evil
Episcopalianism is Evil
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is Evil
Dignity is Evil
The United Church of Christ is Evil
The American Society of Friends is Evil
Methodism is Evil
Christian Science is Evil
Greek & Russian Orthodox is Evil
and you claim to see the world in shades of grey? What nonsense.
Hey! How'd you get page one of my new book, "What's evil in the world today"
???? –Ben–
No grins, and somehow I believe it.
-John
Well, there is no book… but notice *I* wasn't grinning either.
Ben,
Ah… I'd heard something along the lines that you were writing a new
book and not knowing what the subject intailed was really believing that
Thomas's statement was in there. I know a lot of folks that really do feel
that way (as it appears you do) and while I disagree with it, it sure is
something to think about.
-John
No, I wouldn't write a book like that, though I do feel that religon is one
of the world's major problems. I do _not_ have an "answer" to the worlds
problems, nor to the insecurity that religon addresses, so I have nothing to
say. Furthermore, I'm not knowledgeable enough about life in general to write
such a thing – only for myself can I claim any such knowledge, and even then
it's shaky. I know enough, and am sure enough of my position to state it –
but have no recommendation to folow thru with, so I don't presume to open my
mouth. Yet. –Ben–
Exactly – I damn the faith but not necessarily everyone in it or who
practices it, which is my original point.
And, that's where the "grey" comes in.
Henry,
The grey is there, in the statement you just made. One cannot be 'in a
faith'. One who practices a philosophy must of necessity be moulded by that
philosophy, their actions reflecting the tenets of that philosophy. To say
that you damn the phiosophy yet not everyone who practices it is a
nonsensical statement. You might as well say 'Red is a terrible colour, but
not all reds are terrible."
Please note that one who only professes to practice according to a
philosophy, yet does not, is not an adherent of that philosophy except in
lipservice. There are indeed plenty of those. If someone tells you he is
nonviolent, then proceeds to break your nose, you would hardly agree with his
statement, but would certainly think of him as violent.
-larry
Ah, Henry, I think we're homing in on it. You damn the Christian faith. What
tenet or tenets of the Christian faith do you find so damnable? What did you
mean when you said that the teachings of Jesus were "undeniably beautiful"?
I will pick this up later once I rest from this discussion, and get my
thoughts together better.