Keeping Religious Zealots Out of Power

[_GoodK]

It is hard to call Gaz's religion what it really is

And what is that?

A sinister fairy tale.

[_richardMdBorn]

I haven't read the whole thread, so I apologize if someone else has already quoted this. My text for Gaz is this

52and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him.
53But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem.
54When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"
55But He turned and rebuked them, [and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of;
56for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."]

Luke 9

[_Hally McIlrath]

Gaz, you said earlier that you would disown your children, should they "go gay." This disowning is, however, a regrettable circumstance; law prevents you from doing what you actually prefer, namely, drowning them like kittens in a sack, should you be faced with that eventuality.

(Quick tip -- you said you were spending time with Mrs. Gazelam last night; I'm a girl, so I feel pretty confident that I understand how the girl mind works. I think it might be best if you do not let on to Mrs. Gaz that you have both contemplated the instance in which you feel it would be right to kill your own children, and that you have also determined the best methodology in which to carry it out. We women tend to frown upon anyone killing our children, and one could even say, especially their own father.)

But anyway, back to my question. I'm just curious -- in your willingness to murder your own children, what makes you any different from the mothers at Jonestown, who fed poisoned Kool-Aid to their children? And do you admire their actions, in standing up for what they believed?

I'd like you to point out any difference there might be between you and them, since I myself am having trouble distinguishing even one.

Thanks. :)

[_Gazelam]

Gaz,

Something else that always comes to mind when this topic comes up (and I've involved myself in this topic too many times to count) is the Christian goal to be Christlike. I see nowhere in the New Testament where Christ refers to a human being using derogatory slang words. He addresses them by name, by gender "woman" and reserved his most scathing criticism for the religious community.

I think that's worth calling to mind.

Jersey

In reference to Herod:

Luke 13: 32
32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

[_Gazelam]

Sethbag,

What makes you think the citizens of the city would have been able to "attack" them? And why would such an attack have "ended it all"?

The people of the city could have broken in and attacked them. Lot knew what the angels were there to do, and was trying to stop it. The people were not exactly helping. Lot feared that the angels would destroy the city then and there before he could rescue anyone.

[_Droopy]

The recent posts by Gaz have made me realize, in a way that I hadn't before, the importance of keeping religious zealots out of positions of power--both civil and ecclesiastical.

You would not support Al Gore for president then?

Personally, I never want a man who can't wait for the day homosexuals get their throats slit to be in any position of authority.

Examples?

And, the danger isn't only from fanatical Mormons who may believe like Gaz. There are dangerous Christian Reconstructionists lurking, planning for the day they can establish Old Testament penal codes as the basis of our criminal justice system

Examples?

There are groups of Christians so fanatically pro-Israel that they nearly worship Israel as a nation. I don't think such believers can be trusted to make reasonable and objective policy decisions re: the Middle East.

Examples?

Fanatical Muslims gaining a political majority is, to my mind, a real danger.

Well, finially, a believable statement, and some actually existing fanatics.

I certainly plan to consider the religious convictions of anyone--from the folks running for school board to Presidential candidates--before casting my vote.

As an anti-religious bigot, I'd expect nothing less from you.

Hopefully, religious zealots will remain on the fringe of society. Moderate and reasonable religious men and women should take care to condemn religious fanaticism where they find it, lest such grotesque and disfigured beliefs become the norm.

Just cries out for defininations of the terms "moderate" and "fanatic" doesn't it?

[_Gazelam]

Hally,

Jesus said in Matthew 9:13 -- I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.

How do you respond to that? Can you? Can you respond, and still maintain that one must be sacrificed by blood atonement, when Jesus said he would rather have mercy?

What Christ was saying here is actually a quote from Hosea 6:6. Mercy, Love, Charity, and other godlike attributes, take precedence over sacrifices and ritualistic performances. The religion of the Pharisees was one of form, ceremony, rules, and sacrifices, a religion which held them aloof from publicans and sinners; if , on the other hand, they had possesed the pure love of God, they would have viewed all men with Mercy and compassion.

I actually taught a young homosexual man on my mission. I had been teaching his mother and sisters. They were ready to be baptised and were attending church on sundays in preparation. On one particular sunday the talk in sacrament meeting just happened to be on the immorality of homosexuality. After the meeting the mom said that she and her family could not be baptised.

We asked her why, and she brought up that her son was gay, and as long as he was she couldent be part of a church that condemned him. We asked to meet him, and she made the arrangements. When we met him he was wearing Daisy Duke style shorts, a yellow shirt, and a pink sweater over his shoulders. He also had lots of makeup and spoke in the classic gayspeak tone. We taught him the first discussion, and he agreed to read and pray about it.

As the lessons went on his appearance changed. The makeup dissappeared. The clothing became more modest and proper. He complained that as he spoke to his friends about how he felt and the things he was learning, they were leaving him. He realized that the way he was living his life was against the very nature of the universe itself, and a sin in the eyes of God. He agreed to be baptised, and was. When we left the area his mother and sisters were also baptised, and he was blessing and passing the sacrament in a suit and tie. He was making new friends in his new ward, and was a far better man for it.

Homosexuality is a choice. The rampant spread of it in these modern times is due to the forced indoctrination of it in our media. nearly every show on television features some character like this who is seen as amusing, and everyone treats them as if nothing is wrong. It is sick and depraved, and needs to be done away with. I think in my household we may soon be following Porters example and getting rid of the TV in our home. I might not be able to control how these shows are presented, but I can control their being pumped into my home.

[_Droopy]

It's unusual to see someone so open about their own bigotry.

Yes, isn't it. But the real question now becomes:

who's

bigotry?

[_Jason Bourne]

Hally,

Jesus said in Matthew 9:13 -- I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.


Homosexuality is a choice. The rampant spread of it in these modern times is due to the forced indoctrination of it in our media. nearly every show on television features some character like this who is seen as amusing, and everyone treats them as if nothing is wrong. It is sick and depraved, and needs to be done away with. I think in my household we may soon be following Porters example and getting rid of the TV in our home. I might not be able to control how these shows are presented, but I can control their being pumped into my home.

Why do you keep ignoring your own apostles that state the church does not know if it is a choice or nature. Why do you ingnore the command to forgive all even if they do not repent?

[_GoodK]

It is sick and depraved, and needs to be done away with. I think in my household we may soon be following Porters example and getting rid of the TV in our home. I might not be able to control how these shows are presented, but I can control their being pumped into my home.

Gaz, really, I like to avoid talking directly to idiots like yourself, but I just can't help myself.

Do you think having a television in your home might influence your children to be gay?

Or are you really scared they will be more tolerant of other human beings than you are?

Probably a little bit of both.