Announcement

Collapse

Apologetics 301 Guidelines

If you think this is the area where you tell everyone you are sorry for eating their lunch out of the fridge, it probably isn't the place for you


This forum is open discussion between atheists and all theists to defend and debate their views on religion or non-religion. Please respect that this is a Christian-owned forum and refrain from gratuitous blasphemy. VERY wide leeway is given in range of expression and allowable behavior as compared to other areas of the forum, and moderation is not overly involved unless necessary. Please keep this in mind. Atheists who wish to interact with theists in a way that does not seek to undermine theistic faith may participate in the World Religions Department. Non-debate question and answers and mild and less confrontational discussions can take place in General Theistics.


Forum Rules: Here
See more
See less

Christians behaving badly

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Christians behaving badly

    I start this thread with a few trepidations. Here are some things I am NOT saying:

    1. Some Christians behave badly therefore Christianity is bad/dumb.

    2. If some Christians behave badly it must mean Christianity is untrue.

    3. The Christians behaving badly in these snippets are somehow representative of all Christians.

    It's easy on this fairly conservative Christian site to find threads where the 'bad' behaviour of adherents to other faiths, or liberals, or agnostics, or atheists is held up for disapproval or mockery. Perfectly understandable.

    I just thought that it might be useful to remind ourselves that Christians are also prone to extremes or lunacy from time to time. See it as an opportunity for humility and integrity, which is honestly how I intend it.

    Here's one:

    If you’re a “bright” kid, you may want to avoid being near this pastor. He’s not bright, but he is dangerous.

    In a sermon that reads more like a swaggering brag after a bar fight, a pastor tells his congregation about the time he had enough with a kid who was too smart to properly respect God, and the pastor’s violent reaction.

    The pastor says that while working at a youth group in Calgary, he came across a “smart aleck” kid who irked him. “He was a nice kid, but he was one of those kids who was a real smart aleck,” the pastor begins, already making mock punches in the air, as if reliving the moment. “He was a bright kid, which didn’t help things, right? It made him more dangerous.”

    According to the pastor, one day the kid was really pushing his buttons and “not taking the Lord serious,” and so the pastor did what any reasonable adult in a position of authority would do – provided that adult had major anger issues and was in need of professional help: He punched the kid “as hard as [he] could” in the chest. Showing no signs of remorse, the pastor says that he “crumpled” the kid and then stood over him, lecturing him about taking God more seriously.

  • #2
    Originally posted by pancreasman View Post
    I start this thread with a few trepidations. Here are some things I am NOT saying:

    1. Some Christians behave badly therefore Christianity is bad/dumb.

    2. If some Christians behave badly it must mean Christianity is untrue.

    3. The Christians behaving badly in these snippets are somehow representative of all Christians.

    It's easy on this fairly conservative Christian site to find threads where the 'bad' behaviour of adherents to other faiths, or liberals, or agnostics, or atheists is held up for disapproval or mockery. Perfectly understandable.

    I just thought that it might be useful to remind ourselves that Christians are also prone to extremes or lunacy from time to time. See it as an opportunity for humility and integrity, which is honestly how I intend it.

    Here's one:

    I would agree with you that this is abysmal behavior from a Christian.
    Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
    1 Corinthians 16:13

    "...he [Doherty] is no historian and he is not even conversant with the historical discussions of the very matters he wants to pontificate on."
    -Ben Witherington III

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by pancreasman View Post
      I start this thread with a few trepidations. Here are some things I am NOT saying:

      1. Some Christians behave badly therefore Christianity is bad/dumb.

      2. If some Christians behave badly it must mean Christianity is untrue.

      3. The Christians behaving badly in these snippets are somehow representative of all Christians.

      It's easy on this fairly conservative Christian site to find threads where the 'bad' behaviour of adherents to other faiths, or liberals, or agnostics, or atheists is held up for disapproval or mockery. Perfectly understandable.

      I just thought that it might be useful to remind ourselves that Christians are also prone to extremes or lunacy from time to time. See it as an opportunity for humility and integrity, which is honestly how I intend it.

      Here's one:
      And that kid was... Albert Einstein!
      "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." Isaiah 3:12

      There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by pancreasman View Post
        I start this thread with a few trepidations. Here are some things I am NOT saying:

        1. Some Christians behave badly therefore Christianity is bad/dumb.

        2. If some Christians behave badly it must mean Christianity is untrue.

        3. The Christians behaving badly in these snippets are somehow representative of all Christians.

        It's easy on this fairly conservative Christian site to find threads where the 'bad' behaviour of adherents to other faiths, or liberals, or agnostics, or atheists is held up for disapproval or mockery. Perfectly understandable.

        I just thought that it might be useful to remind ourselves that Christians are also prone to extremes or lunacy from time to time. See it as an opportunity for humility and integrity, which is honestly how I intend it.

        Here's one:
        Psychological issues expressed through physical violence is a lot rarer than psychological issues expressed through more "couched" means. I believe that dogmatic abuse--not the rare expression of violence we see here--represents a bigger, but, admittedly, more ambiguous problem. How does one guage the damage done by doctrinal abuse, which can be far more destructive than that punch? And it certainly isn't limited to Christianity.

        Comment


        • #5
          "not taking the Lord serious"

          THERE is the REAL issue! It's "seriously".
          The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by pancreasman View Post
            I just thought that it might be useful to remind ourselves that Christians are also prone to extremes or lunacy from time to time. See it as an opportunity for humility and integrity, which is honestly how I intend it.
            I don't think this is someplace we want to go. It would be too easy to devolve into a peeing [OK, mods?] contest between Theists and Non-theists on who's folk are nastier. Anger, insecurity and emotional instability isn't owned by any single group.

            Just because there are entire threads on T-Web devoted to making non-theists look bad doesn't mean that we should provide a parallel universe.

            So, I'll pass on this thread.

            NORM
            When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land. - Bishop Desmond Tutu

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by NormATive View Post
              I don't think this is someplace we want to go. It would be too easy to devolve into a peeing [OK, mods?] contest between Theists and Non-theists on who's folk are nastier. Anger, insecurity and emotional instability isn't owned by any single group.
              But, in all honesty, a Christian Pastor should understand he is held to a higher standard.
              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                "not taking the Lord serious"

                THERE is the REAL issue! It's "seriously".
                You know, that's EXACTLY what I thought too.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by NormATive View Post
                  I don't think this is someplace we want to go. It would be too easy to devolve into a peeing [OK, mods?] contest between Theists and Non-theists on who's folk are nastier. Anger, insecurity and emotional instability isn't owned by any single group.

                  Just because there are entire threads on T-Web devoted to making non-theists look bad doesn't mean that we should provide a parallel universe.

                  So, I'll pass on this thread.

                  NORM
                  Yes, I understand that. I don't intend it to devolve into that. I just think for the sake of balance Christians need to 'own' their loonies too. The reaction so far has been all that I hoped and I applaud the Christians here for their mature reactions.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    All our lives we wait for pancreasman's approval. It's like winning the Oscar. *sniff*
                    "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." Isaiah 3:12

                    There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by pancreasman View Post
                      Yes, I understand that. I don't intend it to devolve into that. I just think for the sake of balance Christians need to 'own' their loonies too. The reaction so far has been all that I hoped and I applaud the Christians here for their mature reactions.
                      I cringe when I hear about anything like you have posted here in this thread. Sadly, unlike you, most people lump us all in the same boat. And most Christians lump all non-believers into the same boat, too.

                      Tweb has been a huge eye-opener for me. I love so many people here, believers and non- alike, and I think the key is to treat each person as an individual and recognize that we are ALL human and have deep failings.

                      Thanks, pman, for bringing this up.

                      Now, if we could just teach Darthy some manners........


                      Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Here's the video,

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by darth executor View Post
                          and that kid was... Albert einstein!
                          lol!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Christy View Post
                            Here's the video,
                            #thingsthatneverhappened
                            "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." Isaiah 3:12

                            There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by mossrose View Post
                              I cringe when I hear about anything like you have posted here in this thread. Sadly, unlike you, most people lump us all in the same boat. And most Christians lump all non-believers into the same boat, too.

                              Tweb has been a huge eye-opener for me. I love so many people here, believers and non- alike, and I think the key is to treat each person as an individual and recognize that we are ALL human and have deep failings.

                              Thanks, pman, for bringing this up.

                              Now, if we could just teach Darthy some manners........
                              You know Moss, recently I was at live discussion group with some friends. Sort of like tweb, only in person. The subject of ridicule came up. Its incredible that on the Christian side we don't think about our words when we call atheists names like "baby-killer, homo lover etc..." while some people ridicule those of us in Christendom with just as bad of words, we need to be better, for this behavior is far from ok....
                              A happy family is but an earlier heaven.
                              George Bernard Shaw

                              Comment

                              Related Threads

                              Collapse

                              Topics Statistics Last Post
                              Started by whag, Yesterday, 03:01 PM
                              39 responses
                              137 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post tabibito  
                              Started by whag, 03-17-2024, 04:55 PM
                              21 responses
                              129 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post Hypatia_Alexandria  
                              Started by whag, 03-14-2024, 06:04 PM
                              80 responses
                              425 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post tabibito  
                              Started by whag, 03-13-2024, 12:06 PM
                              45 responses
                              303 views
                              1 like
                              Last Post Hypatia_Alexandria  
                              Working...
                              X