The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #77888 Message #1394136
Posted By: Jerry Rasmussen
31-Jan-05 - 07:55 AM
Thread Name: BS: Disprove 'Christianity'...You can't.
Subject: RE: BS: Disprove 'Christianity'...You can't.
While I give you the benefit of the doubt, Mike and accept that you meant well by this thread, I have serious problems with it. The whole question (or in your case, a challenge) of proving, or dissproving faith is an oxymoron. It is a specious, more destructive than helpful approach to anyone's belief. Intentional or not, it is insulting to my Muslims sons and my agnostic son. And to all my friends on here who do not believe in God. And there are many. It is wounding to people, not encouraging. It is even discouraging to me, and makes me question whether I should even mention my faith. I don't see my life as an example for anyone else, and I don't feel it is my responsibility to "Save" anyone else. My only responsibility is to live the most loving life that I can, be honest about my weaknesses, and give thanks for what I call my blessings. Others find that word discomforting, or too "loaded," and they will express it in a different way.
For any Christian, the first call after loving God, is to love your neighbor as yourself. For me, that means encouraging and supporting others, praising them for their good works and respecting their beliefs. If I offend others in here, stating what I believe on occasion, it is not my intent and I am sorry for it. I do it, because my faith is part of who I am. If it is not part of who someone else is, I still respect and love them the best that I can.
I also, by the way, find claims of being "saved," very troublesome. I occasionally meet up with a Christian who immediately asks me, "When were you saved?" First of all, the state of my soul is a private matter, that I wouldn't discuss with someone else. More importantly, I see some Christians who want to divide the world into the "Saved" and the "Not-Saved." No one knows another person's heart, or the reason for their actions, just as I don't know Mike's. There are people who do good deeds for selfish reasons, and people who do something that appears to be mean-spirited, with a good, if misguided heart. And some of the finest, most loving people I have known in my life are Atheists.
Sad to say, maybe it's time to take a break from discussing Christianity for awhile. I hate to say that, because I know that there will continue to be more of the 100 Things I hate about Christians threads springing up. I just don't want to be a part of
offending people.
I wish you well, Mike. I believe that your heart is in the right place. I just can't walk beside you in this way.
Jerry