[magprob]

The basic premise of the Christian religion is that the Son of GOD walked the earth for 33 years and then was killed on the cross. He arose after three days and told his followers to spread the news. That is what they are trying to do still. That is what they were told to do by their GOD. You don't have to listen. If someone bugs you about it, tell them to bug off. If it comes over your radio or TV, either change the station or just turn it off. If they come beating down your door, you can call the police and if they actually break into your house, you have a right to defend yourself. If you see two or three of the perpetrators standing on the corner, just cross the street. It really is easy to avoid.

[startover22]

magprob, I agree, avoid conflict if you can! I am mostly too polite to other people to tell them to be quiet or to just plain ole walk away. If I would avoid it in the first place it would be easier!

[magprob]

magprob, I agree, avoid conflict if you can! I am mostly too polite to other people to tell them to be quiet or to just plain ole walk away. If I would avoid it in the first place it would be easier!

Wouldn't it be much more polite to tell them you are not interested and simply walk away. Then, you are not wasting their time nor yours. Where I live, I tell Mormon missionaries that all the time. It doesn't seem to upset them, they should be used to it. :p

[startover22]

Yes, to an extent. Sometimes I really want to tell someone something and even though they didn't want to hear it, they liked it when I was through. BUT, I will take your advice and tell them that I don't want to waste their time. Thanks for that!

[yverob2]

What events and figures have shaped the development of Islam in the United States?

[NeedKarma]

I treat them the same as telemarkaters, I do want to waste their time.

[NeedKarma]

what events and figures have shaped the development of Islam in the United States?

None that I can think of... or you can start a new thread.

[startover22]

My husband will sit there and have a full on conversation with the telemarketers on the phone and I get so mad at him because he gets them all excited and then says sorry not interested! I just say that at the beginning and hang up before they can say another word.

[NeedKarma]

There is a school of thought that believes that if you waste their time it makes that marketing method economically not viable. I just want to do my part. :)

[startover22]

Yes, I guess so!

[alkalineangel]

My husband likes to speak to them in aborginal tongue... one time they put a spanish interpretor on for him... lol...

[MikeHelen]

why is it that people who claim to be "christian" usually seem to be closed-minded and judgemental (the very opposite of Christ)? i am not trying to insult anyone in particular, i am just saddened because i feel like i am losing my faith....i dont proclaim to know all about God, or have any answers, but why can't people accept the fact that we will NEVER have the answers? i have faith in a higher power/intelligent designer (God) and believe that Jesus, if he in fact existed, was surely one of the most spiritually advanced humans to ever walk the earth. i WANT to believe...but lately it is getting harder and harder--the so called "bible churches" and "non-denominational" churches seem to be the worst at proclaiming their truth as THE truth, and judging other people as unworthy.
i was raised Catholic and after trying a bunch of different denominations, i have come back to the catholic church, as it is the one i feel the most comfortable in, and i have had a great experience with my priest. i was pregnant when he married me and my husband, and he was so kind to us both. many of my baptist friends think the catholics are evil and pagan and blablabla. i am so tired of hearing it. why can't we all just get along? im starting to think if jesus came back to earth, he wouldnt attend any church at all, he woul probably be more at home sitting in silence with a buddhist monk in nature.
anyways....does anyone else have this problem??:rolleyes:

It doesn't sound like you are losing your faith in "God".

It sounds like you are losing your faith in people.

Believe me there are many more good people in the world than not.

Just keep doing your best - and sometimes the best you can do for people is pray for them, whether you agree with them, disagree, like them or dislike them.

God Bless you.

Helen

[ActionJackson]

[QUOTE=rachie]1)"why is it that people who claim to be "christian" usually seem to be closed-minded and judgemental (the very opposite of Christ)?
2)"why can't people accept the fact that we will NEVER have the answers?"
3)"and believe that Jesus, if he in fact existed,"
4)"judging other people as unworthy."
5)"many of my baptist friends think the catholics are evil and pagan and blablabla."
6)"if jesus came back to earth, he wouldn't attend any church at all"
QUOTE]

1) Christians and non-Christians alike are human and prone to imperfection. I would venture to guess that you might even fall into that category. Your post sounded pretty judgmental from what I read. There's an old saying that goes, "preach the gospel, with words if necessary." Be the kind of person that you think others should be and you become an example.
2) On the contrary, we have the answers and they are in the Bible. It's a matter of trusting or not trusting what you read.
3) That statement speaks volumes about your current level of faith. Remove the "if" and you will be on the right track. He not only "existed" He exists!
4) The Bible proclaims that we are all unworthy. None of us is good, no not one. Evil comes forth from our heart continually (Psalms 14:3). We were all born with sin nature. That's why Christ came, taught, and died on the cross for you and me. He took on the sins of the world so that we might have everlasting life.
5) All Catholics are sinners as are all Baptists. Many of the teachings of the Catholic church are contrary to the teachings of God's Word as found in the Bible. Part of the formation of the Roman Catholic church came as a result of Constantine's blending of pagan traditions and some of the teachings of Christ. There is a certain level of idolatry within the Catholic traditions.
6) I tend to agree that Christ would probably not attend most of the denominational, mainstream churches in our land and in the world. That's why He would be as hated today as He was while He walked the earth some 2000 years ago. There's nothing new under the sun.

[ActionJackson]

Ma'am, you are forgetting that there was no Scripture for the first 300 years of Christianity.

Huh? Christ and the Apostles quoted the Scriptures many times.

Exodus 24:12 "... commandments which I have written... "
1 Kings 2:3 "... as it is written in the Law of Moses... "
Matthew 2:5 "... thus it is written by the prophet."
Romans 1:17 "... as it is written, The just shall live by... "

Were Christ and the Apostles just joshin' when they were talking about that "written" stuff? Since I assume that you would agree that Christ was a Christian as were His Apostles, I guess we would have to agree that there really were Scriptures around for the first 300 years.

[ActionJackson]

Where does it say in Scripture that "everything you believe should come from scripture"

Revelation 22:18, "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19, And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

Proverbs 30:5,6 "Every word of GOD is pure: His is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him, Add thou not unto His words, Lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

Deuteronomy 4:2 "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you."

Galatians 1:8, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."

Of course, this doesn't mean that you can't believe that pasta is better than rice or that pine trees smell better than lemons. But when it comes to a man's soul and the subject of Christianity, it's best not to venture into the muddy waters of non-Scriptural conjecture or man's traditions.

[ActionJackson]

what events and figures have shaped the development of Islam in the United States?

Modern Christianity has lost its savor. The mainstream church is a bit namby pamby. Just accept everyone and everything just the way it is and turn the other cheek and don't judge and let's just be as un-Christlike as we can be, generally speaking. I mean, who has the courage to go from town to town preaching the Word of God like Jesus Christ did? Who has the courage to flip the money changers' tables over and whip them for buying and selling in the temple? The reason Islam flourishes in the United States is twofold: 1) The Christian community is cowering in a corner somewhere and won't do a single thing to stop it and 2) the Islam community is not afraid to assert their beliefs whether the rest of the world likes it or not. They stand for something while we no longer stand up for anything. We sit in our comfortable pews on Sunday (if you're a 1st day Sabbath keeper) or Saturday (if you are a 7th day Sabbath keeper) then go home and play video games or watch wrestling. Anyway, your question really didn't have anything to do with this thread. You should start a different thread if you want to discuss a different topic. No worries though.

[ActionJackson]

My husband will sit there and have a full on conversation with the telemarketers on the phone and I get so mad at him because he gets them all excited and then says sorry not interested!! I just say that at the beginning and hang up before they can say another word.

I just let my fax machine pick up the phone. Just a tad bit off topic though. Not the end of the world.

[bushg]

Up until I was around 9 or so I went to a penecostal church. No pants, no t.v. no music other than religious... etc every body but them was going to hell including the snake handlers penecostal. Then after that I went to bapist... I never really heard them talk about anyone other than non believers going to hell, of course I couldn't believe in them after all I was brought up to believe they were going to hell. At around 15 I gave up on church. When I moved to Ohio jevoah's witness introduced themselves to me I studied with them for awhile.. but couldn't get the grasp of the no blood rule but OK for organ transplant.. also that only a certain # of people were going to heaven. I gave up on that. I thought about mormon's, couldn't get the hang of it. I've explored wicca's etc. But the one religon I seem to like if I was ever going to join a sect would be Bahai seems like it is for the good of every one and no one goes to hell. Just to mention this I have a lady that lives next to me judging by her happiness catholic religon has something going on. She is the most happiest , elegant , neighborly lady that I have ever met and she never try's to force her religon on anyone. How refreshing... I truly believe that she will be in a grand place someday. So I shy away from religon and just try to take care of the earth and the things and people on it the best that I know how.:)peace

[stargazer10]

why is it that people who claim to be "christian" usually seem to be closed-minded and judgemental (the very opposite of Christ)? i am not trying to insult anyone in particular, i am just saddened because i feel like i am losing my faith....i dont proclaim to know all about God, or have any answers, but why can't people accept the fact that we will NEVER have the answers? i have faith in a higher power/intelligent designer (God) and believe that Jesus, if he in fact existed, was surely one of the most spiritually advanced humans to ever walk the earth. i WANT to believe...but lately it is getting harder and harder--the so called "bible churches" and "non-denominational" churches seem to be the worst at proclaiming their truth as THE truth, and judging other people as unworthy.
i was raised Catholic and after trying a bunch of different denominations, i have come back to the catholic church, as it is the one i feel the most comfortable in, and i have had a great experience with my priest. i was pregnant when he married me and my husband, and he was so kind to us both. many of my baptist friends think the catholics are evil and pagan and blablabla. i am so tired of hearing it. why can't we all just get along? im starting to think if jesus came back to earth, he wouldnt attend any church at all, he woul probably be more at home sitting in silence with a buddhist monk in nature.
anyways....does anyone else have this problem??:rolleyes:

I did not read any of the other posts, but I will say that I too have this problem.

I do not associate myself with any specific religion because I do not really think we can know which religion is correct. There may be aspects of each religion which are correct and aspects which are incorrect. And since religion is based off faith we cannot know for a fact what religion is "correct." So I believe that each religion (and each scientific theory) is right in some way (meaning I am open minded).

I am always questioning religion and beliefs held by myself and by others. Something that I do accept whole-heartedly is the evolution theory because there are scientific facts (tons of evidence) which supports it. I think that you can believe in a God or gods (whichever you prefer) AND the evolution theory at the same time. It bothers me when people automatically dismiss evolution and tell me that they believe the Bible is literal. If the Bible was literal, the Earth would only be a few thousand years old (instead of the science proposed millions of years). I am not dismissing the Bible. What I am saying is that the Bible is (to me) a metaphor not a history book (at least with the book of genesis, especially the creation story),

[ActionJackson]

But the one religon I seem to like if I was ever going to join a sect would be Bahai seems like it is for the good of every one and no one goes to hell. Just to mention this I have a lady that lives next to me judging by her happiness catholic religon has something going on. she is the most happiest , elegant , neighborly lady that I have ever met and she never try's to force her religon on anyone. How refreshing...I truly believe that she will be in a grand place someday.

So instead of adjusting to the Word of God, you're looking for some sort of religion that will adjust to you. A religion of no rules or higher calling. A religion that will not require any work or self-adjustment on your part. No right, no wrong, no nothing. Heck, why go to any church if that's what you're looking for? You can get that at your local pub.

So because the lady next door is happy, she's going to a grand place? I'm happy (though not very elegant). I laugh a lot. But I'm Christian, not Catholic. Does that mean that I get to go to a grand place too?