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From: daveb@pogo.UUCP
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: Christian logic (or lack) was Re: one more time
Message-ID: <2773@pogo.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 4-Oct-86 18:42:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: pogo.2773
Posted: Sat Oct  4 18:42:33 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 5-Oct-86 05:36:19 EDT
Reply-To: daveb@pogo.UUCP (Dave Butler)
Distribution: na
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR.
Lines: 62

Kiki, I'm glad you decided to let me have my faith. eg:

> Then don't believe it!  You have your own mind and can make rational 
> decisions. Believe in Krishna and his supernatural form, if you'd like.  
> Follow the teachings of Siddhartha and reach a state of "nothingness" if 
> that's what you think is right.  As a Christian, I don't expect you to 
> believe anything. 
> You can do whatever you want; I've got what I want!
 
    That's right Kiki, you and other Christians believe in you faith because 
it makes you feel good, and I'll believe in my faith because it makes me
feel good. But, neither you or any other has the right to demand that I
accept *your* faith because it will make *you* feel better. You grudgingly
agree to this, but many Christians don't.
    I remember the annual Boy Scout Camperee in eastern Washington. On Sunday
morning every boy, except those few who were Jewish, were required to go to
church services (either Catholic or Protestant). It didn't matter who you 
were or what your faith, or lack of it, was, if you weren't Jewish then you 
went to services. Some boys would always ask to be excused, and that's when 
the "fun" started. First, the Scout Leader came over to talk with the boy, in 
the midst of the other scouts. Amidst catcalls of "Aw come on, watcha fraid 
of?", the Leader would ask questions like "Is there anything in your religion 
that forbids you to go to a Christian service?", "Do you see anything wrong 
with Christianity?", "Why are you afraid of going to services?". If this 
didn't intimidate them sufficiently, Camperee officials came over in full 
uniform and took the boy to one side. They explained that every boy had to be 
supervised, and all the supervision was distributed between three groups : 
the Catholics, the Protestants and the Jews. If the boy asked to remain 
with the Jews, who were not having a Sunday service, he was told that was 
impossible. That particular group was just for Jews and that He'd have to 
choose one of the other two groups. The experience would be good for him 
anyway. No boy, to my knowledge, ever made it past that level of intimidation.
    While working at a summer job, I remember second level manager being
forced tell a noon prayer circle (which included a first level manager) to 
quit presuring others to join the group.
    I remember watching the news about 2 years ago when a Christian Yellow 
Pages came out in California. The yellow pages were so that Christians 
could be sure of the religion of the business owners in the area. It seemed 
that it had its biggest negative effects were seen by small family businesses 
(eg: dry cleaners, groceries, hardware stores, etc) that decided not to 
publically declare their religious preferences (big chain stores weren't 
hurt, after what good Christian would give up Mcdonald's).
    I remember being harangued on my college campus by evangelists (Only
in my day it was Holy Hubert and self proclaimed Saint Ray. I wonder if 
they're still around), I and my girlfriend insulted just because we
walked by.
    No Kiki, not all Christians are willing to allow us heathens to remain
out of grace. They're even willing to be insulting and use mild extortion
to force people to be saved. They consider it not only their right, but
their duty to convert the rest of the world. In a way, I do appreciate
your grudging allowance for me to have my own non-christian point of view,
but it is the above stated Christian attitude that makes me bristle easily 
when a Christian goes on a diatribe about the obvious silliness of other 
religions.

				Enjoyed this Immensely,
				(Not meant sarcastically)

				Dave Butler


    Remember: Silly is a state of Mind, Stupid is a way of Life.