[Tj3]

Sorry mate, I don't know how to dumb it down, I find it quite self-explanatory. I guess we'll just leave it at that.

Well, live in your world if you wish.

[Alty]

ClassyT, I have to admit that at first I too thought you might be SassyT, but your writing styles are very different. Sassy's posts were very difficult to read, yours are very clear and concise. I think it's the fact that you have similar user names and you are both Christian and come onto the Religious discussions boards that had me thinking you might be one and the same.

Personally I think it's best to let by-gones be by-gones, move forward, don't look back.

It's difficult to remain calm when discussing religion, it's a touchy subject. Even when two people of the same faith get together there can be problems, but here we have many different people with many different beliefs. To find common ground is almost impossible.

I don't know where the Golden Rule first started, but I do think all of mankind should follow it.

As for apologizing, I think that we've all said things to each other that we should apologize for, every single one of us. Sometimes it's better just to turn the other cheek. :)

[Tj3]

One day, after months of fighting with each other, I sent Cred a PM and asked if we could let by gones be by gones and start fresh. He didn't hesitate to accept what I offered and since then we have been very civil to each other, in fact, I consider him a friend.

I have yet to see Cred be willing to drop his nastiness for a Christian. I have offered him the same and he has rejected it. I have sen him willing to be civil with anyopne who opposes Christianity, but NEVER a Christian.

Doesn't the bible say, judge no lest you be judged?

Read the whole context, Alty. It does not say NOT to judge, but to judge with righteous judgement.

http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/judge.html

[Tj3]

As for apologizing, I think that we've all said things to eachother that we should apologize for, every single one of us. Sometimes it's better just to turn the other cheek. :)

Alty, as I said once before, anytime that you are ready to drop the shields, I am here and the door is always open. I hold nothing against anybody, and would love to see you be willing to discuss things respectfully. I think that some apologies are due, but that is not a condition for my willingness to welcome you whenever you are willing to walk through that door.

The ball is in your court. Words are easy. Actions speak louder.

[Alty]

Words are easy. Actions speak louder.

I agree Tom.

[inthebox]

I'm going to pipe in and I hope that Cred is okay with me sharing this story.

When I first came to this site I butted heads with Cred like you wouldn't believe. If we were on the same thread together it would eventually be closed because we would fight like cats and dogs.

One day, after months of fighting with eachother, I sent Cred a PM and asked if we could let by gones be by gones and start fresh. He didn't hesitate to accept what I offered and since then we have been very civil to eachother, in fact, I consider him a friend.

If he's really as hateful as you all think, how do we both manage to get along? I believe in God, he doesn't, yet we are both kind to eachother. Why? Because we're both good people.

Doesn't the bible say, judge no lest you be judged?

I don't mind Cred, he keeps it interesting, and he does get me at least to think more about what and why I believe. ;)

I don't mind you Alty. Please don't misinterpret that fact that I disagree with you or Cred as anything more than just that.

Yes - forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us :)

[Alty]

I don't mind you Alty.

LMAO, I don't mind you either inthebox. :) I don't mind when someone disagrees with me, as long as the do it respectfully, but, I have to admit, I will fight back if I feel insulted or pushed. My bad, have to stop that. ;)

[classyT]

I have yet to see Cred be willing to drop his nastiness for a Christian. I have offered him the same and he has rejected it. I have sen him willing to be civil with anyopne who opposes Christianity, but NEVER a Christian.


http://www.geocities.com/smithtj.geo/judge.html

And therein lies the problem. I actually think that if Cred would drop the attitude he might actually LIKE me even if he doesn't agree. But he is more than just a little disagreeable. HE is NASTY AND I believe it is because I am a Christian. There really is no other reason for it. I disagree with plenty of people here... none have treated me as poorly as Cred. I'd like him to put his money where his mouth is and say his sorry and lets start over. This is the perfect thread for it.. the Golden Rule. I will start... Cred, if I have said something that has offended you, (me, NOT sassyT) then I apologize. I don't know what it could have been but nevertheless I am sorry. Now, whether you apologize to me, makes no difference, I forgive you for being nasty to me anyway. THAT is how to follow the "golden rule".

[classyT]

Hello spit:

"Him that has the gold, makes the rules".

Since I have some gold, I'm making the rules. Here they are; I've been reading.... Holy smokes! You guys HATE each other. That' ain't cool. So, put that hate on me. I'll take your sins upon myself. You are now free to love again. Go forth and multiply.

What? A Jewish carpenter can't offer an opinion?

excon

I don't hate anyone.. I disagree with some but HATE... naah. And Uh, you might want to take some of your own advice... 'jewish carpenter"....i have read some of your posts in politics. I'd say you weren't real fond of the "rightys" as you call them. That's OK. There is nothing wrong with having an opinion and speaking your mind. That is all we are doing... I think.:)

[classyT]

ClassyT, I have to admit that at first I too thought you might be SassyT, but your writing styles are very different. Sassy's posts were very difficult to read, yours are very clear and concise. I think it's the fact that you have similar user names and you are both Christian and come onto the Religious discussions boards that had me thinking you might be one and the same.

Personally I think it's best to let by-gones be by-gones, move forward, don't look back.

It's difficult to remain calm when discussing religion, it's a touchy subject. Even when two people of the same faith get together there can be problems, but here we have many different people with many different beliefs. To find common ground is almost impossible.

I don't know where the Golden Rule first started, but I do think all of mankind should follow it.

As for apologizing, I think that we've all said things to eachother that we should apologize for, every single one of us. Sometimes it's better just to turn the other cheek. :)

Alty,

I certainly will turn the other cheek... but I am enjoing ever so slightly making my point about the golden rule. I just think if someone posts that they follow it.. then they should make good on it. That's all.

[Alty]

I'll be the first to admit, I don't always follow the Golden rule. Can I try for Silver or bronze? ;)

Just remember, we're all human, none of us perfect, we all make mistakes. :)

[Tj3]

Alty,

I certainly will turn the other cheek...but i am enjoing ever so slightly making my point about the golden rule. I just think if someone posts that they follow it..then they should make good on it. thats all.

Well said. I find it ironic that too often those who speak about respecting other beliefs, about tolerance, etc. are too often those who are the biggest violators!

[Alty]

Well said. I find it ironic that too often those who speak about respecting other beliefs, about tolerance, etc., are too often those who are the biggest violators!

I agree.

[classyT]

I'll be the first to admit, I don't always follow the Golden rule. Can I try for Silver or bronze? ;)

Just remember, we're all human, none of us perfect, we all make mistakes. :)

Hey, I am the FIRST to admit it. I think the "golden rule" is waaay harder than it sounds... I don't care WHAT faith you are.

[Credendovidis]

I have yet to see Cred be willing to drop his nastiness for a Christian.

What a nonsense and steer produce!! The reality is that I have never dropped my by Tommy Smith acclaimed nastiness for any Christian for what he/she BELIEVES. I have always shown respect for the various religious main beliefs.
Where I am strong wording is where theists claim their religious BELIEFS as truths, as if there is even the smallest possible iota of valid supporting evidence for that .
All I do is pick balloons full of hot air, blown up by fundamental theists!!

I have offered him the same and he has rejected it.

More nonsense and steer produce!! Tommy Smith NEVER has offered a fair and even truce. Simply because it is not in his own interest.
He knows that whatever he BELIEVES to be "true" is completely in the area of religious BELIEF and not in the area of reality.
There is nothing for Tommy Smith to be gained from a truce with me.
Any SUGGESTIONS thereto so far were always based on his BELIEFS and on respecting his personal interpretation of these BELIEFS.

If Tommy Smith really want to have some "truce" on this board, why does he not offer that - and the basis of that "truce" - for everyone to see ? As on a fair and equal basis?

We all have seen over the last months how Tommy Smith lamented about being "harrassed" by various people. But we ALSO have seen Tommy Smith "harrassing" various people here on this same board.

We even have seen board management NOT intervening - despite various repeated requests thereto - to moderate in some topics, specially those where Tommy Smith repeatedly and deliberately tried to destroy the entire topic with his repeated creationist's lists full of totally off-topic steer produce.

We also have seen Tommy Smith's participation - if not driving force - in all the aggression, nittpicking, and senseless BS'ing on this same board.

Yes, I have rejected in the past (on Answerway) Tommies unfair, unbalanced, and selfserving offered "truce".
The reality is - as I already stated - that Tommy Smith NEVER offered a real and fair "truce". I would be pleasantly surprised if he ever did, and - specially - if he ever kept to it himself - as specially that last one does not seem to be in his nature...

I have sen him willing to be civil with anyopne who opposes Christianity, but NEVER a Christian.

You only can see if you open your eyes and clear your mind from your own religious bias and personal prejuces.
I fear that the cause of this view mentioned by Tommy Smith is entirely located in that field.
I have lot's of Christian friends, I am married blisfully with one for 40 years, I am connected in many ways with vicars, rabbis, imams, priests, bishops, archbishops, etc. all around the world, with whom I have and had polite and respectful discussions without any nastiness. None of these persons ever resorted to the type of deliberate aggression and nastiness that Tommy Smith is so wellknown for here and on various other Q&A boards.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

.

.

[Credendovidis]

The topic here is : The Golden Rule :

Tj3 and many other "christians" claim that the golden rule comes from the Bible, and it is not and certainly never has been a standard by which atheists live...

The reality is that the golden rule was wellknown long before the first letter was ever started on the first Bible chapter.
The reality is that the golden rules comes not from the bible. The bible just accepted it as a valid and sound way of life guideline.
Just as almost all other religions did accept exactly the same : the golden rule is therefore NOT some form of property of Christianity.
Atheists have - just as all other people - used the golden rule to live a proper , prosperous, and safe life.
Atheists did not abuse the golden rule for their own views. Many "christians" however abused - and still abuse - the golden rule to support their own religious delusions.

Believe whatever you prefer, but at least accept that others may have different views !
Why can't so many "christians" show more respect for other world views, and drop all their apparent feelings of hatred and revenge?

===

And I still have not seen anything that carries any validity to Tj3's claim that the golden rule comes from the Bible, and that the golden rule is not and certainly never has been a standard by which atheists live...

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

.

.

[excon]

Hello:

In MY atheist church, they teach us to treat everybody like crap - specially Christians...

Bwa, ha ha ha.

excon

[Tj3]

What a nonsense and steer produce!!

The usual first line, eh, Cred?

The reality is that I have never dropped my by Tommy Smith acclaimed nastiness for any Christian for what he/she BELIEVES. I have always shown respect for the various religious main beliefs.

The first half is right when you say that you never dropped your nastiness for Christians. As for the second half - well, it would only be the naïve who have not seen you in action who would fall for that,

Where I am strong wording is where theists claim their religious BELIEFS as truths, as if there is even the smallest possible iota of valid supporting evidence for that .

Just as you claim your BELIEFS as truths, as if there is even the smallest possible iota of valid supporting evidence for that .

More nonsense and steer produce!! Tommy Smith NEVER has offered a fair and even truce. Simply because it is not in his own interest.

Really, Cred? That is interesting, because later in the same message, you say:

----------------------------------------
Yes, I have rejected in the past (on Answerway) Tommies unfair, unbalanced, and selfserving offered "truce".
----------------------------------------

So I have suggested an end to the nastiness and you have every time rejected it. So I stand by my earlier comments.

I am not at war with you, so I do not need a truce, but once again, here is my suggestion - drop your nastiness, drop your abuse, drop your attacks and let's have a respectful discuss based upon the issues. If need be, and if you have personal issues against me, let's take it off line and discuss with a view to putting to aside, and let's move forward, starting anew, and let discuss on the following basis discussions to be respectful, which means stay on the topic alone, with no comments regarding the person.

I await your response.

[Tj3]

The reality is that the golden rule was wellknown long before the first letter was ever started on the first Bible chapter.

Well, let's look at the two assumptions that come from this:

1) You are assuming that the source is not Biblical. So far you offered no evidence for that. You assume that some other documents are older than the first instance of this in the Bible, but you have not validated that statement.

2) Second, you have not validated why you believe the source to be not Biblical. This appears to be point that you have missed. Usually where similar things appear in difference document (and for the time being, let's assume that to be the case), it typically refers to a common source. All you have done is identify some documents that you claim to have existed and claim to have been older than the Bible (a point which remains unvalidated in any case), but you have not addressed the point that the source itself of the Bible is God, and in such a case, God would be the likely primary source.

[albear]

Hello:

In MY atheist church, they teach us to treat everybody like crap - specially Christians....

Bwa, ha ha ha.

excon

Oooooooo can I join