Abra, I think you need to realize that some of the ways you express your views can be extremely offensive to other people. People hold their beliefs as sacred and your disgruntled attitude with Christianity comes off as very nasty at times.

But, yes, I know, it's a totally hopeless goal.

I'm fully aware of that.

Well, a lot of people become extremely offended by any suggestion that Jesus isn't the son of God or that the Bible might not be the "gospel truth".

That can't very well be avoided if I'm going to take the position I take.

Moreover, if they are "offended" because I'm simply not accept these things as the "gospel truth" then what I can say? I'm not about to pretend that accept them just for the sake of trying to not offend someone.

They seem to have absolutely no problem at all with offending my spiritual views. (i.e. basically any spiritual view that does not include Jesus as "The Christ" and the Hebrew Bible as the absolute verbatim "Word of God".

Ironically if I was an atheist I couldn't care less what other spiritual people think. The very fact that I'm a spiritual person is what causes all the 'static' between Christians any myself.

They flatly refuse to respect, or even acknowledge, my spiritual views as being valid, yet they expect me to bow down and worship their religion as the absolute truth of "God".

How is that showing 'respect' for me?

So it seems to me that they merely get what they dish out.

But I confess that Catmandoo is just trying to share the "joy" of her spiritual views. MorningSong is too.

Unfortunately, unless a person confesses Jesus Christ as Lord, all they want to do is "pray" for people.

Which is an insult in and of itself.

It's basically telling people that they don't respect their spirituality.

It's I'm just trying to get them to SEE THAT.

But, yes, I know, it's a totally hopeless goal.

Christianity is a divisive religion that can only "unified" after it has dominated and assimilated the entire world.

But even then it would just turn in on itself, each denomination and sect accusing the other of nothing being "True Christianity" until there is only one sect standing.

Can that ever truly work?

I personally don't think so.

It's just constant finger-pointing until the "last denomination" is left standing.

They insult each other.

Well, a lot of people become extremely offended by any suggestion that Jesus isn't the son of God or that the Bible might not be the "gospel truth".

That can't very well be avoided if I'm going to take the position I take.

Moreover, if they are "offended" because I'm simply not accept these things as the "gospel truth" then what I can say? I'm not about to pretend that accept them just for the sake of trying to not offend someone.

They seem to have absolutely no problem at all with offending my spiritual views. (i.e. basically any spiritual view that does not include Jesus as "The Christ" and the Hebrew Bible as the absolute verbatim "Word of God"

Yes I agree.

But now, I want to practice the third law of the Universe. The law of allowance.

Let them do as they please, and post whatever they want. I was wrong for barging in, as Morningsong was not addressing me personally. A better person would have just let it go, and let it be. I want to be a better person and that simply means that I will not give those things any more of my attention.

That is not to say I don't enjoy a good discussion or argument now and then, and I will say what I think to people who approach and address me who are trying to convince me to think and believe as they do.

That is not to say I don't enjoy a good discussion or argument now and then, and I will say what I think to people who approach and address me who are trying to convince me to think and believe as they do.

1. You continuously call them "Hebrew fables". That is quite offensive. You don't see people continuously stating "your belief fables".

2. You continuously take things out of context so that the verses you state don't have the same meaning as original. And then argue when someone states this.

You continuously call them "Hebrew fables". That is quite offensive. You don't see people continuously stating "your belief fables".

Christianity automatically renounces all other spiritual faiths and religions as being "false". So if you believe that to be "offensive" then Christianity is an innately "offensive" religion to everyone who does not accept its claims.



I try my very best to paint the best possible portrait of Jesus I possibly can.

There are many different theories and beliefs about who and what Jesus was and what he stood for.

Are the Christians "offended" by the Jews renouncing Jesus as "The Christ"?

Are the Christians "offended" by the Muslims refusing to believe that Jesus was the son of God or that he had ever been crucified?

If not, then they shouldn't be "offended" by my suggestion that Jesus was most likely a Mahayana Buddhist Bodhisattva and that he actually taught against the ways of the Torah and instead taught the ways of Buddhism.

There is nothing "offensive" in that at all, unless you are automatically "offended" by any suggestion that Jesus might have not been the son of God, and/or "The Christ".

~~~~~

You're the one who decides to be 'offended' by that.

Yet you don't expect me to be 'offended' when you try to claim that your views are the "only true word of God" and that all other pictures of God are false.

Seems rather one-sided on your part if you ask me.

Christianity automatically renounces all other spiritual faiths and religions as being "false". So if you believe that to be "offensive" then Christianity is an innately "offensive" religion to everyone who does not accept its claims.

Are the Christians "offended" by the Jews renouncing Jesus as "The Christ"?

Are the Christians "offended" by the Muslims refusing to believe that Jesus was the son of God or that he had ever been crucified?

What could he call them that would not be offensive?

Cowboy wrote

I'm didn't mention anything particular about a certain religion. It is irrelevant if Christianity automatically renounces other beliefs to be nothing but fables.

Cowboy wrote

I was talking about discussions. I was talking about someone personally demeaning another's beliefs. I was speaking of a CERTAIN persons' actions. Not the belief in general.

And besides that, mostly all religions denounce the other's. Christianity is nothing special in this particular aspect.

Again, irrelevant. No one here is speaking particularly to a Jew or Muslim. And again not one person of these particular beliefs in this forum(s) has directly said they were fables, fairy tells, make beliefs, ect.

Then perhaps you should also call them "beliefs" instead of calling them "truth."

When you call them "truth" you should expect an argument from those who do not agree with you.

You call them truth, He calls them fables. Your'e even.

"Truth"
"Fable"
"Truth"
"Fable"
"Truth"
"Fable"
"Truth"
"Fable"
"Truth"
"Fable"
"Truth"
"Fable"

Just call them "My belief is... Say, 'I believe this to be true."

And he can say "I believe that to be false or fable.

Conversation over.

So you can both stop offending each other.

Exactly.

I totally agree. Cowboy refuses to speak in terms of "beliefs" he's always preaching his 'beliefs' as thought they are absolutely 'truths' and even quite often demanding that they are indeed "truth".

~~~~~~

By the way, let's not confuse the issue here. I'm not 'offended' by Cowboy's views and opinions. Although I do view him as someone who refuses to respect my views.

I do respect his view.

I've told him on many occasions that I accept that his beliefs are cool with any supreme being that might exist and I believe that his relationship with a supreme creator is indeed a valid relationship.

I do not need to recognize the Hebrew Bible as absolute truth in order to do that. Just because I see those stories as being fables doesn't diminish Cowboy's sincerity to know and worship "god".

Unlike Cowboy, I recognize that anyone can have a relationship with the supreme "creator of life", even secular scientists who say they are "atheists".

Like MorningSong claims, "I believe that God does not care about Religion". Only unlike MorningSong, I actually believe that.

So I respect Cowboy's spirituality. The sincerity of his spirituality is not dependent upon the truth of any "religion".

I accept that.

But he has consistently refused to acknowledge the sincerity of my spirituality or relationship with the creative source of Life that we often label as "god" or "God".

That's where the problem lies Cowboy. It lies with your refusal to respect my spiritual relationship with the creator, not with my refusal to respect yours.

Evidently you're upset because I refuse to worship your specific "religion".

That's where the problem lies Cowboy. It lies with your refusal to respect my spiritual relationship with the creator, not with my refusal to respect yours.

Evidently you're upset because I refuse to worship your specific "religion".

I doesn't matter to me what "religion" you follow. And I do respect your spiritual beliefs. They are yours and I hope they make you happy. Original point being, I do not go around renouncing your beliefs to mere fables, fairy tells. I may have said I BELIEVE them to be fables, but I do not out right tell you that your beliefs are fables. That is my entire point, it is a line of respecting other's beliefs. If you BELIEVE them to be fables, good for you. Again, it's totally different when one says they BELIEVE them to be fables and they ARE fables. Two totally different meanings to those statements.

But cowboy, you DO state your beliefs as if they are truth, not your "beliefs." THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

If you do not acknowledge this, I am through talking to you.... about anything. Its pointless.

And if you believe them to be fables, as we know you do, there is no need to state it over and over and over and over. We're all well aware you see them as fables.

I may state it as fact, as how people discuss in discussions. But again I do not denounce other's beliefs, I do not state they are fairy tells, fables, lies, ect. I do not state it in an attacking way.

Then understand this once and for all. You cannot state your beliefs as fact and then ask others not to state their beliefs as fact.

Understand that!