One thing I’ll guarantee next year. Someone will start a, “What are you giving up for Lent?” thread. Someone will respond, “I’m giving up Christianity for Lent.” or “I’m giving up religion for Lent.”
That shouldn’t be blamed on SDMB’s tendencies towards anti-religious reactions, that should be blamed on the SDMB’s tendencies towards throwing out the obligatory obvious joke.
Meh. It was inevitable she’d get in trouble with religion. Lissla Lissar is always in a Cult Jam.
Ladies and gentlemen may I please present to you…win.
You may be conflating posts–I was the one who posted about not finding temperance and prudence when it came to sex here. I really don’t see what you’re seeing in any of those posts. Sex is many things to many people; that clearly comes across in that thread.
You read the thread that way? How? Why? Autolycus is not saying his Catholic faith “rules”–no one is saying that any of their faiths’ “rule”. What I see are several posters relaying stories about their own struggles with the same issue, and some saying that perhaps this isn’t the best place to mull things over. I honestly don’t see how that equates to “my team rules/your team sucks” Which is “your team”? 2 admitted agnostics (me and someone else-Teleperien?) stated that we have also struggled with this issue and found casual sex to be not our cup of tea. So, the “team” isn’t even Christian.
People of faith tend to be partisan toward their faith and the doctrines they are taught or believe. What is refreshing in that thread is that several have come out to say, hey Catholic/Baptist/whatever didn’t work for me, but this is how I resolve it. Or, hey, I struggled and fell, but know I’m forgiven and so keep fighting the good fight etc. IOW, support for** Autolycus**–which is the purpose of the thread.
The “team” seems to run the gamut in that thread. Autolycus is probably the strongest Catholic in that thread, and I’m probably the strongest atheist. Despite that, not only do we get along on the boards, but we’ve managed to become friends IRL as well. We can do that because we respect each other’s beliefs.
Do you think a play called Waiting for Cecil might be successful?
That’s what I meant. There is no “team”–which is why I put it in quotes. I just think that Autolycus won’t get a lot of support in his choice of abstinence (if that is indeed what he chooses)–the religion or lack of it from those who support him or don’t is irrelevant. I could be quite wrong re my supposing. I hope I am.
Seeing that I am not actually Jodie Foster, with the star-power of her extra “e”, I’m still at sea as to what the hell Liberal was talking about. But that’s okay; I like it here.
Well, maybe Lib was simply being e-conomical with his letters. 
Well, I know what you’re sayin’, but there is indeed a long history of anti-Christian pileons here, and so it wasn’t an off-the-wall prediction. As to whether or not it was an *accurate *prediction, consider that perhaps the existence of the prediction influenced some people to hold their tongues when they might otherwise have posted.
I can often stop my toddler before she hits by saying, “I know you might feel like hitting!”, and she checks herself. My prediction halts the behavior. I find many adults not unlike toddlers.
I cry out for I am persecuted by the evil atheists, They cast lots for my garments. They taunt me with ridicule. They give me vinegar when I thirst. And now I say… Father… mow 'em down, baby, mow 'em down!
You think the Dope is somehow exceptional in this?
My team Vs Your team is the simple definition of the world dude.
Best evidence for evolution yet.
Who would do the waiting? Ed Zotti and Slug?
I might pay good money for that–if they climbed on chairs and jumped off at the same time, pan-fried placenta and took showers etc. while waiting. That’d be some Theater!
Regardless of who is getting persecuted, I don’t like people who persecute. That’s a road that goes both ways and it chaps my ass every time.
It is weird, though, the topic of saving sex for marriage. I became a Christian because it seemed that Christianity “got it” when it came to morality issues (love your neighbor, love your enemy, monogamy is romantic, etc.). Christianity didn’t mold my beliefs, I was simply attracted to it because it aligned with much of my personal philosophy. It is really easy not to sin under a philosophy which matches your instincts. The annoying part is that people tend to react to virginity as though a person could only be an oppressed religious nut in order to wait for marriage (which is sometimes the case, but I’m offended when people assume that is always the case). The only reason I am a virgin is because I think it is extremely romantic to share one’s first sexual experience with The One, and to commit to a lifelong relationship to that one person alone. We all have different ideas of what is and is not romantic. This perspective of mine does not make me “oppressed,” “religious” or “ignorant.”
Contrary to popular belief, I don’t have to fight with myself not to have sex.
I’ve had “better than sex cake.” It was good, but I could easily wait several years before having it again if I made the lifestyle decision to lose weight, and sex is, supposedly, not even as good as that cake. Unless, of course, the pleasure derived from such cake is exaggerated. (If I share a slice of “Better Than Sex” with my girlfriend, can I still call myself a virgin?)
People keep saying to keep Jesus out of other people’s bedrooms and that is a valid point, but they also try to force him into mine by making such assumptions. In other words, I have made this lifestyle choice not because of Christianity, but as my personal way to express dedication and love for my future spouse, nothing more. I wish more people could understand that.
I think the patience to wait is also something I would like to seek in a lifelong partner (I’m a very sensitive person at times. I need someone with a proven track record of patience).
I think it would be fair to say that if you asked some of the more outspoken atheists what’s wrong with religion, the answers would focus on Christianity a fair bit, but that’s probably just because of its prominence in the culture where they happen to live.
I don’t think Christians are really persecuted here. I’ve never noticed any lions.
In my years of forum surfing, I’ve found that the more Liberal the forum community is, the more anti Christian they are as well. For instance, we all know that most hippies are hardcore liberals, well, I frequent a Phish forum and over there if you start a thread about Christianity, they will just about ban you, but not before casting their stones and beheading you.
This shit is hilarious. Persecution? A few unkind words from total strangers? There are Christians being tortured and killed in many places. They are the ones walking the walk. Words are nice and all but standing tall for what you believe is the real test.
My friend who is Jewish made the front page of the New York Post on Wednesday because he was helped by a Muslim man who jumped in to help him when he was getting beat down for saying, “Happy Hannukah” to some people who said “Merry Christmas” to him. I posted a thread about it on another message board. People chimed in with mildly hateful rhetoric about Muslims to the tune of, “This is great, but of course Muslims are evil.”
It’s not just here, it’s everywhere. Every message board has its bigots. Liberal multiculturalists think they can’t be bigots, but often they are as bigotted as anyone else.