[Misc] Christians seem to be really good people

[Blues Guitarist]

I’ve had the Jehovah’s witnesses on my door with kids. KIDS. It’s not right.

I invite them in and quiz them about the Bible for hours. I know it better than them. They don’t come back

 

[DJ NOBO]

Woah there....you didn't mention tits before.

The nasty manipulative adulterous cow did have decent jubblies tbf

 

[birthofanorange]

The nasty manipulative adulterous cow did have decent jubblies tbf

A gift from god, perhaps?

 

[Triggaaar]

Thing is No-one thinks they’d get sucked into something like that until they do.

Pre-covid I had regular visits from JWs, because most people would just slam the door in their faces, while I'd happily talk religion with them. They still write to me, but they haven't visited me since covid. There is more chance of me converting them to atheism than them me to their religion.

I was impressionable, naive, young and maybe a bit lonely and they were in. Chuck in a nice pair of tits and within months I was happy to give up my money, identity and family.
I still shudder when I think of the church services. Crazy stuff with people “speaking in tongues“, renouncing the devil and worst of all they went on for 3.5 hours.

Awful, but at least you got out

 

[Triggaaar]

The nasty manipulative adulterous cow did have decent jubblies tbf

Well we can all agree with that. God bless her for sharing.

 

[raymondo]

I wonder how many people brought up in Christian countries who are devoutly Christian accept they would probably be devoutly Muslim if they were raised a Muslim in an Islamic country, or a Hindu in a Hindu country, or whatever, and whether that makes them ask themselves any questions about what they believe.

Good post

 

[raymondo]

I married a Christian, became a born again and became part of a Christian cult.
I alienated myself from all my family and friends as they were the devil , apparently.
The church leaders were obsessed with converting (usually vulnerable) people which they attempted with the enthusiasm and ruthlessness of teenage lads going out on the pull. Once these converts submitted the leaders dropped them and moved on.
They were also very keen on getting a share of my income.
Meanwhile my devout goody two shoes (ex) wife cheated on me before and after we got married. She first admitted she cheated (after insisting she hadn’t) on the night before we got married . She later said her timing was to get it off her conscience when she judged it was too late for me to back out.
I can confirm Christians are not all nice people.
And if any of your friends/family get involved with a fishy religious organisation don’t underestimate it. They are very clever when they have their teeth into you. And they’ll try and take everything.

Sounds like she wasn't really a proper Christian to me, and the cult was about control of people and their money.

Well done for getting out (the cult and the marriage)... must have taken one helluva lot of will power, and I hope you got to be mates with your family again .

 

[raymondo]

Almost every Christian I've met seems to be a genuinely really good person. Like, ridiculously good - always wanting to do the right thing, and aspiring to be the best person they can be.

Not sure if it's just Christian values, or whether it's the belief that there is a God judging them for their actions, but either way for whatever reason they seem to be very good people... model citizens, almost.

Makes me wonder whether the demise of Christianity is a bad thing - and that atheism has resulted in selfishness and narcissism, where nothing matters but oneself.

In my experience Christians in the UK seem to be quite well off. Just saying... that's what I've noticed.

 

[kuzushi]

Well you'll be pleased to hear that the persecution of Jews is now illegal in this country, so no, the Christians that I know do not persecute them. However, you will no doubt be shocked to learn that many Christians have persecuted Jews a huge amount over the last 2,000 years. If you want to look into it, I suggest you sit down, because it really is quite awful.

Of course I am aware of the historical situation, but the person who mentioned persecution of Jews by Christians wasn't talking about that, or at least it didn't seem like it. It was phrased in the present tense, which is why my question was in the present tense, too. And I don't think it's got anything to do with laws, because in this country there hasn't been much in the way of persecution of Jews that I am aware of since they were banished by Edward Longshanks back in the 13th century, and there were no anti discrimination laws until very recently in this country's history. Since then (the 13th century) we haven't had the kinds of pogroms that have taken place in places such as Russia, so I think I was justified in expressing surprise at the assertion that Christians are persecuting Jews these days. It was Oliver Cromwell who let them back in during his time in charge, and we as Brighton fans seem to be benefiting. So in a way we can thank Cromwell for our current success.

 

[kuzushi]

Of course I am aware of the historical situation, but the person who mentioned persecution of Jews by Christians wasn't talking about that, or at least it didn't seem like it. It was phrased in the present tense, which is why my question was in the present tense, too. And I don't think it's got anything to do with laws, because in this country there hasn't been much in the way of persecution of Jews that I am aware of since they were banished by Edward Longshanks back in the 13th century, and there were no anti discrimination laws until very recently in this country's history. Since then (the 13th century) we haven't had the kinds of pogroms that have taken place in places such as Russia, so I think I was justified in expressing surprise at the assertion that Christians are persecuting Jews these days. It was Oliver Cromwell who let them back in during his time in charge, and we as Brighton fans seem to be benefiting. So in a way we can thank Cromwell for our current success.

The whole thing is somewhat confused by the question of what a Christian is.
There's true Christianity, which is what Jesus taught, and there is what humans have made of his teachings, and the two are often two quite different things. Being a Christian is not about becoming a member of a church. It's about believing in Jesus, believing in the resurrection, and seeking to follow Jesus in your daily life:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
Jesus was not about using religion for political purposes, even if that's what his enemies tried to accuse him of.
He said that, although he is indeed a king, his kingdom was not of this world, which is why his followers did not fight to prevent his arrest. When his enemies tried to catch him in a trap by asking whether it was right to pay taxes, he asked whose head it was on the coin. When they said Caesar's, he said to give to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what is God's.
Jesus responded by asking whose face was engraved on the coins used to pay the taxes. When they answered it was Caesar's face, Jesus replied with the now-famous verse, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's” (Matthew 22:21 NASB)

He told us to do to others as we'd like others to do to us, and he said that the greatest commandments in the Old Testament were to love the Lord your God with all your heart mind soul and strength and to love your neighbour as yourself. He told us to turn the other cheek and to go the extra mile. He told us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. He washed his disciples' feet as an example, and asked whether they understood the significance of what he'd just done.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. 13 ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’

 

[DJ NOBO]

Sounds like she wasn't really a proper Christian to me, and the cult was about control of people and their money.

Well done for getting out (the cult and the marriage)... must have taken one helluva lot of will power, and I hope you got to be mates with your family again .

Thanks Raymondo.
Yes, she wasn’t a proper ChristIan. She was a confused person - bought up in a strict extreme Christian family, which part of her wanted to rebel from. I thought I could rescue her, I guess, and ended up in the middle of a battlefield.
I went to the opposite extreme of being a good Christian chap after we split up. It was lonely and soulless, but necessary as i got something out of my system.
The relationships with friends and family are long since repaired. I’m happily remarried. Indeed all the cult stuff feels like a dream now.

 

[Triggaaar]

Of course I am aware of the historical situation, but the person who mentioned persecution of Jews by Christians wasn't talking about that, or at least it didn't seem like it. It was phrased in the present tense, which is why my question was in the present tense, too.

The person who mentioned persecution of Jews by Christians was me and I was talking about that - the persecution of Jews by Christians since the two religions split. And it's not like Jews don't get persecuted anymore.

 

[raymondo]

Thanks Raymondo.
Yes, she wasn’t a proper ChristIan. She was a confused person - bought up in a strict extreme Christian family, which part of her wanted to rebel from. I thought I could rescue her, I guess, and ended up in the middle of a battlefield.
I went to the opposite extreme of being a good Christian chap after we split up. It was lonely and soulless, but necessary as i got something out of my system.
The relationships with friends and family are long since repaired. I’m happily remarried. Indeed all the cult stuff feels like a dream now.

Hmmm @DJ NOBO sounds like the whole thing was very complex. Yes, I think a lot of people like to try a rescue project...rarely works .
Very glad to hear you are in a good place now .
You did good!!

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

The person who mentioned persecution of Jews by Christians was me and I was talking about that - the persecution of Jews by Christians since the two religions split. And it's not like Jews don't get persecuted anymore.

I have in the past helped with locking up a synagogue in Brighton, and when you compare the typical measures needed at a synagogue to the typical measures needed at a church, the idea that there's no anti-jewish persecution becomes laughable.

 

[kuzushi]

The person who mentioned persecution of Jews by Christians was me and I was talking about that - the persecution of Jews by Christians since the two religions split. And it's not like Jews don't get persecuted anymore.

True, there is still much antisemitism around.
When the two religions split, it was Jews such as Saul of Tarsus (who had an encounter with Jesus, whereupon he became a follower of Jesus and ended up writing a large chunk of the New Testament) who were persecuting Christians.

Did you know that Christians are the most persecuted group in the world, it appears?

https://www.cato.org/commentary/christianity-worlds-most-persecuted-religion-confirms-new-report

Christian persecution 'at near genocide levels'

The foreign secretary attacks "political correctness" as report warns the religion could "disappear".

www.bbc.co.uk

Christians are most persecuted group in the world, study says--Aleteia

One third of the world suffers from religious persecution, and Christians as the most persecuted of religious groups, are at risk of disappearing.

aleteia.org

 

[kuzushi]

I have in the past helped with locking up a synagogue in Brighton, and when you compare the typical measures needed at a synagogue to the typical measures needed at a church, the idea that there's no anti-jewish persecution becomes laughable.

I just want to put on record that I did not say that there is no anti-Jewish persecution, and neither do I think that.
What I was questioning is the suggestion that Christians are particularly responsible for it.

 

[BadFish]

I just want to put on record that I did not say that there is no anti-Jewish persecution, and neither do I think that.
What I was questioning is the suggestion that Christians are particularly responsible for it.

To be fair you don't really have an unbiased view point on this.

Some impressive mental gymnastics are in progress to avoid acknowledging the point made.

I guess that is the side effect of faith.

 

[Berty23]

The most religious people I know read the Mail, express or the telegraph and vote Tory. I simply can’t compute how the these things go together. Which part of the bible does Jesus discuss the wealthy keeping the money and actively trying to keep it away from the poor? I simply don’t understand how the same people who pray for refugees in sunday prayers then read the Mail and repeat the bile.

Take your pick of the stories. The Good Samaritan? I don’t see many of them behaving like Reece mogg, trump etc.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I just want to put on record that I did not say that there is no anti-Jewish persecution, and neither do I think that.
What I was questioning is the suggestion that Christians are particularly responsible for it.

To be clear, I'm not accusing you or anybody else here of anything.
I honestly don't trust myself to express anything beyond a desire for tolerance and understanding regardless of the specific detail.
And if that sounds soppy to anybody reading it later, f*** you.

 

[BadFish]

The whole thing is somewhat confused by the question of what a Christian is.
There's true Christianity, which is what Jesus taught, and there is what humans have made of his teachings, and the two are often two quite different things. Being a Christian is not about becoming a member of a church. It's about believing in Jesus, believing in the resurrection, and seeking to follow Jesus in your daily life:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
Jesus was not about using religion for political purposes, even if that's what his enemies tried to accuse him of.
He said that, although he is indeed a king, his kingdom was not of this world, which is why his followers did not fight to prevent his arrest. When his enemies tried to catch him in a trap by asking whether it was right to pay taxes, he asked whose head it was on the coin. When they said Caesar's, he said to give to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what is God's.
Jesus responded by asking whose face was engraved on the coins used to pay the taxes. When they answered it was Caesar's face, Jesus replied with the now-famous verse, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's” (Matthew 22:21 NASB)

He told us to do to others as we'd like others to do to us, and he said that the greatest commandments in the Old Testament were to love the Lord your God with all your heart mind soul and strength and to love your neighbour as yourself. He told us to turn the other cheek and to go the extra mile. He told us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. He washed his disciples' feet as an example, and asked whether they understood the significance of what he'd just done.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. 13 ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’

How do you feel about those people who use Jesus and the rest of your faith to carry out such unchristian acts?

The Catholic church protecting paedophile priests, evangelical extremists taking money from their flock. Us presidents using Jesus to justify war, the list goes on.

As an agnostic this makes me angry, you must be furious about this.