Why Angellous is not a Christian

[Reverend Rick]

Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.

Would it be off topic to ask why you do not believe in the Revelations of John? (if you indeed feel that way).

 

[lunamoth]

Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.

Would it be off topic to ask why you do not believe in the Revelations of John? (if you indeed feel that way).

Hi Rev Rick,

Can you expand on what it means to 'believe (or not believe) in the Revelation to St. John'?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.

Would it be off topic to ask why you do not believe in the Revelations of John? (if you indeed feel that way).

With respect to John, it seems to me like the inclusion of "his" Apocalypse in the canon was a joke played on evangelicals.

Nobody has ever understood that book, so any belief in it is placed on a blind guess on interpretation.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

AE, please respond to post #20. I'm not trying to rib you. :no: I'm simply curious.....thus I come here to this "Education" forum. You seem to have defined why you are not an Evangelical.

You seem to define your Christian beliefs as an agreement with the teachings of Jesus (Love one another. Be nice to one another. Don't point fingers at one another. Don't kill one another. etc...etc...)

Yet those teachings are readily apparent in a myriad of religions on Earth, now and in the past. Why hold fast to the singular religion of Christianity?
Do you believe that God directly created/fathered Jesus?
Is Jesus (in your opinion) divine? ....or just a very nice and wise man who was nailed to a cross for suggesting out loud how wonderful it would be if we could all just get along?

Christianity is how I experience God.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

It seems from your posts here that you are NOT happy with your church: as opposed to your religion, which you still hold to (I gather?).

It holds on to me.

 

[DallasApple]

Im not a Christian with you Angellous...

Love

Lana

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Ah, what the hell.

Maybe I am a Christian.

 

[Alceste]

However, do you think that when Christians attack each other it is helpful to taking the love of Christ out into the world?

I think it is. Jesus was quite a ****-disturber himself, don't you know.

From the perspective of an outsider, the evangelicals have hijacked your religion and ruined its credibility. I like to see some healthy, intelligent criticism from other Christians. I don't consider it an "attack" any more than sticking the cotton candy in the top cupboard so the kids don't make themselves sick gorging on it is an "attack". It's just the right thing to do. We heathens have been doing all the heavy-lifting for too long. It should not be up to us to point out the theological failings and religious ignorance of Christian fundamentalists. We're not supposed to be Christ's torch-bearers - you are. I've been waiting to see this kind of criticism from Christians for over a decade, ever since Karl Rove stole your religion. I had just about come to the conclusion mainstream Christians don't give a pickled fig for the fate of their own church, so why should any of the rest of us?

Angellous, you should write a book. :bow:

 

[Buttons*]

I think it is. Jesus was quite a ****-disturber himself, don't you know.

From the perspective of an outsider, the evangelicals have hijacked your religion and ruined its credibility. I like to see some healthy, intelligent criticism from other Christians. I don't consider it an "attack" any more than sticking the cotton candy in the top cupboard so the kids don't make themselves sick gorging on it is an "attack". It's just the right thing to do. We heathens have been doing all the heavy-lifting for too long. It should not be up to us to point out the theological failings and religious ignorance of Christian fundamentalists. We're not supposed to be Christ's torch-bearers - you are. I've been waiting to see this kind of criticism from Christians for over a decade, ever since Karl Rove stole your religion. I had just about come to the conclusion mainstream Christians don't give a pickled fig for the fate of their own church, so why should any of the rest of us?

Angellous, you should write a book. :bow:

I think he pretty much has to for the PHD anyway

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Angellous, you should write a book. :bow:

That's exactly what I'm doing now.

I have outlines for four books, and my first one should be published in anywhere from two to four years. I really don't know how fast the wheels turn.

I have to be real careful not to express stuff on RF that I am working on in real life.

 

[Alceste]

I think he pretty much has to for the PHD anyway

I meant specifically on the subject of the fundamentalists' hijacking of Christianity, but sure, on whatever.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I think it is. Jesus was quite a ****-disturber himself, don't you know.

From the perspective of an outsider, the evangelicals have hijacked your religion and ruined its credibility. I like to see some healthy, intelligent criticism from other Christians. I don't consider it an "attack" any more than sticking the cotton candy in the top cupboard so the kids don't make themselves sick gorging on it is an "attack". It's just the right thing to do. We heathens have been doing all the heavy-lifting for too long. It should not be up to us to point out the theological failings and religious ignorance of Christian fundamentalists. We're not supposed to be Christ's torch-bearers - you are. I've been waiting to see this kind of criticism from Christians for over a decade, ever since Karl Rove stole your religion. I had just about come to the conclusion mainstream Christians don't give a pickled fig for the fate of their own church, so why should any of the rest of us?

Angellous, you should write a book. :bow:

In the Bush years, it's been a perfect storm.

Evangelical Christians received a lot of media attention, spinning that they put Bush into office. No doubt this was aided by no small dishonesty in Florida.

Well, the evangelicals used Christianity to further BOTH Bush's fascism (theocracy) and his legal and illegal wars (just war), and sometimes even his war crimes (torture and Gitmo).

Then, on the Catholic side, we have problems with pro-life issues - using their power in the UN to deny women in developing countries access to sex education and health care (including but not limited to abortions). In the USA, there's the sex scandals and cover ups.

To large swaths of Christians, including many evangelicals, Roman Catholics, and every other strand, these scandals are foreign to our religious experience.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I think he pretty much has to for the PHD anyway

You got dat right.

It's wearing me out, let me tell ya.

 

[autonomous1one1]

Ah, what the hell.

Maybe I am a Christian.

maybe?

That's exactly what I'm doing now.

I have outlines for four books, and my first one should be published in anywhere from two to four years. I really don't know how fast the wheels turn.

I have to be real careful not to express stuff on RF that I am working on in real life.

You got dat right.

It's wearing me out, let me tell ya.

Sounds like enough to wear anyone out, Angellous, but we know you can take it. How does your thesis relate to your 4 books? On another subject, one can come up with several reasons why you wouldn't want to express stuff on RF before publication, but what are your reasons? Would that get into copywrite problems?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

maybe?

Sounds like enough to wear anyone out, Angellous, but we know you can take it. How does your thesis relate to your 4 books?

The thesis calls for further research, which I am happy to do.

The books themselves are rooted in what are now addendums to chapters or appendises.

On another subject, one can come up with several reasons why you wouldn't want to express stuff on RF before publication, but what are your reasons? Would that get into copywrite problems?

Can't expect someone to buy the ice cream truck if I'm giving it out for free.

 

[autonomous1one1]

....Can't expect someone to buy the ice cream truck if I'm giving it out for free.

Yes, that is one that came to mind. Aside from that, would a problem surface if someone wrote within RF and then later published some of the material in a book?

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Yes, that is one that came to mind. Aside from that, would a problem surface if someone wrote within RF and then later published some of the material in a book?

haha I don't know because it's not gunna happen

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Yes, that is one that came to mind. Aside from that, would a problem surface if someone wrote within RF and then later published some of the material in a book?

Seriously, if it was something that you posted yourself on RF, I don't think that there would be a problem.

As a scholar with a snoody international readership, it may generate some less than friendly responses if someone googled a sentence and a website popped up.

Then again, it might be a good thing.

 

[autonomous1one1]

haha I don't know because it's not gunna happen

True, for you. Is there any guidance from RF management on this issue for others?
EDIT - never mind, you have already answered the question while this post was being written. Thank you. One's mind works at half the speed of yours when one's body is three times the age.

 

[autonomous1one1]

....However, do you think that when Christians attack each other it is helpful to taking the love of Christ out into the world?

From my perspective you raise a most excellent point, Ms. Moth. If one is not careful in offering constructive 'criticism' the critique can become but yet another division and another hindrance to showing and accepting the most important message. Again from my perspective, love has to be incorporated into any offering of potential correction (always from one's own view) to another's perspective.