well, as long as we're back into FDR, this thread (see also the page before that page) about the Philadelphia speaking gig, and the subsequent discussion about FDR'ers (incl. Stef) feelings about religion sure sheds some new light on that old Tyler thread, and shows their true colors. Cool that there is some resistance though

LowKey just took it a little bit too far so that now they'll start to pound him on that and he'll have a hard time getting out of that hold and sticking to his good points.

anyway, carry on, relapse on my part

Funny on the previous page to see Realist unwittingly wade into the Ron Paul debate and then get ambushed with the same indoctrinated arguments Stef has been using for years, almost verbatim.

Of course, Ron Paul is a living joke.

I don't think it ever occured to Molyneux that a lot of these religious folk either

1) Believe that they are christians and that that entails following the bible for notions of what is "right" or "wrong", while at the same time believing that killing non-believers or gays or midgets is wrong (is this an illogical stance? Sure, but who the hell said every single person strives for the utmost consistency?)

2)Are not even aware of these violent parts within the bible -which I suspect includes most christians.

I wonder where Stef's evidence is besides those verses? Usually Christians are studying the Bible and trying to obey what they feel God is asking them to do. Does Stef see Christians running around all over Canada up there killing gays, atheists, and disobedient children every day? It seems to me that if Christians felt it were a major issue that needed to be brought out in the teachings of the Bible, you might see that happening more often, don't you think? Especially fundamental extremists do study and take the teachings of the Bible pretty seriously, and if that were indeed a major component that needed to be addressed in all seriousness, there would probably be some groups that would be out there "obeying to the max". I just don't see it going on.

The Christians that I do see in my every day sphere of contact are behaving in an opposite manner, however. This summer I know those who are traveling to build homes, schools for those who are unable to do so for themselves. Will the workers offering these services ask if the people are atheist, agnostic, gay, or disobedient children first? Nope. They will just go and build for them, humans happy to help other humans.

I am also acquainted with a group of semi-retired Christians who have formed a group who go weekly as "reading buddies" into the lowest performing public school in our county. They just go and spend time, each one-on-one with a child who noone else will take time to read with. Are these trouble children? Yes. Are these disobedient children? Yes. They read books with them and try to help them improve their reading skills.

And last time I checked, I don't think Mother Theresa traveled around Calcutta asking people if they were gay, atheist, or disobedient children before handing them bread or water.

Evidence.

What about FDR? Do they openly welcome diversity? Evidence please.

LowKey lost it btw. He could still score some points, but he missed the real opportunities (about verbal abuse, and about religious people not wanting to kill atheists etc.), and then mentioned that he himself was religious (and a former soldier) and the latter two are enough reason for FDR'ers to be comforted in their prejudices and not take anything in anymore.

There is a reason that they are called Christians and not Biblians. It's because they only have to believe in Jesus Christ being the savior and whatnot. All that stuff in the Bible can just be window dressing depending on what sect of Christianity they reside in.

If they really believed that atheists should be put to death, they'd do it. A slight problem is that pesky First Commandment. No murdering allowed. By FDR logic, anyone who murders can't be a Christian (cause they have to believe all of the Bible is literally true, don't you know?)!

"But hey, they can rationalize killing atheists as not being murder. Just like parents do with all the evil abuse they do! Haha!" Yeah, if they can rationalize anything in the Bible away, they can rationalize the violent parts away, too. And that's what most of them do!

Can't non-believers go back to just saying that believers are incorrect instead of saying that they're making the Apocalypse into a self-fulfilling prophecy?

And I mean, also...