Ratt Mhule Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I think that's great that you can have friendships with people outside your faith. Obviously I can do the same. I wish everyone could...but there are many who can't. Once they find you're not a believer it gets in the way of them being able to see you for you. Many want to save your soul and feel like it's their duty to do so. And many who don't even know you presuppose you're of the devil and you're a bad person. They say they'll pray for you as if your life is worthless unless they do. That they're somehow better than you because they know god. My uncle is gay and has been since I've known him. And my grandmother (a devout baptist) refuses to speak to him. He's pretty much not a part of the family because her religious dogma has told her he's going to hell. As a Christian, it is not our job to "save your soul" We are called to tell people about the good news of God/Jesus Christ, but it is the Holy Spirit's job to convert that person. It cannot be done by a human being. And I don't go around telling people I will pray for them bc they are lost souls. That is not a very nice thing to do first of all bc as you said, I am not better than anyone else. I pray for my family and friends in private and ask God to watch over them and bless them and never abandon them. I do not go around telling my friends I am praying for them bc I think they are going to hell. They are my friends for goodness sake. If they ask if I pray for them, obviously I will tell them I do. I choose my friends on their character, not their religious beliefs. One of my very best friends is gay and lives in Michigan. He says there is a catholic church there that has a mass exclusively for homosexual people. It is nice to see that the church is starting to accept everyone as the world and times change. Just my opinion... Link to comment
knapplc Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I think that's great that you can have friendships with people outside your faith. Obviously I can do the same. I wish everyone could...but there are many who can't. Once they find you're not a believer it gets in the way of them being able to see you for you. Many want to save your soul and feel like it's their duty to do so. And many who don't even know you presuppose you're of the devil and you're a bad person. They say they'll pray for you as if your life is worthless unless they do. That they're somehow better than you because they know god. My uncle is gay and has been since I've known him. And my grandmother (a devout baptist) refuses to speak to him. He's pretty much not a part of the family because her religious dogma has told her he's going to hell. To be fair, this works both ways. I am acquainted with many atheists who would not only not be friends with me, but actively scoffed at and mocked me because of my faith. Curiously, now that I no longer identify myself as religious, one of them has expressed more interest in camaraderie - as if the only thing that makes me "me" is my faith, or lack thereof. It's pretty easy to throw up barriers when you define someone in such simple terms. You're a Sooner Fan - we can't be friends. You're a Mormon - we can't be friends. You're a ___________ - we can't be friends. Not a smart way to live your life. Link to comment
bennychico11 Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 To be fair, this works both ways. I am acquainted with many atheists who would not only not be friends with me, but actively scoffed at and mocked me because of my faith. Curiously, now that I no longer identify myself as religious, one of them has expressed more interest in camaraderie - as if the only thing that makes me "me" is my faith, or lack thereof. It's pretty easy to throw up barriers when you define someone in such simple terms. You're a Sooner Fan - we can't be friends. You're a Mormon - we can't be friends. You're a ___________ - we can't be friends. Not a smart way to live your life. oh I agree. And it's sad when people do think that. Both religious and non. I was just responding to Po about Jeff Dee's comment in the video. On how "we can't be friends because of your threat." I don't think he's saying because you have faith...I can't be friends with you. He's saying because you seriously believe that I have to believe what you do...and if I don't you threaten me with eternal torture...we can't have a relationship. To people like Jeff it's a very mean threat to do something like that. If you come up to me and say I have to believe in your god or you will chain me up and torture me for the rest of your life...I may not believe that you will really do that, but why would you even come to me and say that? I would be hurt that you'd actually threaten me like that. I think that's the essence of what he's getting at. Matt goes on in that discussion to explain the previous caller's situation of having to leave his job because he felt uncomfortable around his religious co-workers who kept bothering him about his lack of faith...and how Matt's own fiance's estranged parents consider him to be the devil. Those are the types of people Jeff are talking about. And those are the types of people I don't think I'd want to be associated with either. It has nothing to do with their belief in god...it's their presupposition of me based on my lack of a belief and how it contradicts with their religious teachings. Link to comment
bennychico11 Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 One of my very best friends is gay and lives in Michigan. He says there is a catholic church there that has a mass exclusively for homosexual people. It is nice to see that the church is starting to accept everyone as the world and times change. Just my opinion... I'm curious as to which church that is. That really surprises me that the Catholic church would support something like that. I'm assuming they have their reservations still when it comes to certain topics about homosexuals (ie. marriage, adoption, etc). If you can, can you find out the church he goes to? Just curious. Link to comment
Ratt Mhule Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 One of my very best friends is gay and lives in Michigan. He says there is a catholic church there that has a mass exclusively for homosexual people. It is nice to see that the church is starting to accept everyone as the world and times change. Just my opinion... I'm curious as to which church that is. That really surprises me that the Catholic church would support something like that. I'm assuming they have their reservations still when it comes to certain topics about homosexuals (ie. marriage, adoption, etc). If you can, can you find out the church he goes to? Just curious. As does the govt. my friend. Link to comment
Ratt Mhule Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Bennychico, the church is a private Catholic College called Merrygrove College They have a gay mass every Sunday at 7 he said and nobody protests at all Website Link to comment
walksalone Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Benny, I'm not Catholic so maybe this is off base, but doesn't the Catholic church have issues with non-believers being married in a Catholic ceremony? I could swear I've heard of people being denied church weddings because they were Protestant or non-believers. Have you guys considered this as an issue? What will your fiance do if the church says no to you taking part in a Catholic wedding? Or am I way behind the times on this, and it's not an issue? About 10 years ago, the whole Catholic thing pretty much put an end to a relationship I was in. Essentially a catholic priest called my grandfather, who's a medicine man, a heathen. At that point I informed him, that if he kept talking about my grandfather, I was going to kick the living sh*t outta him. Anyways, after dropping a few F bombs, and calling him a c*$ks*cker, I knew that we probably weren't going to get married. Link to comment
bennychico11 Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 Apparently Ray Comfort (banana man) was scheduled to call into the AE show today. I didn't catch it this afternoon but will be listening to the recording tomorrow when I get a chance. Link to comment
Ratt Mhule Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Apparently Ray Comfort (banana man) was scheduled to call into the AE show today. I didn't catch it this afternoon but will be listening to the recording tomorrow when I get a chance. I tried to send you a PM, but it said I couldn't, so I thought this was my next best bet since you go to this forum the most. Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday Benny, hope you have an awesome day! Link to comment
bennychico11 Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 I tried to send you a PM, but it said I couldn't, so I thought this was my next best bet since you go to this forum the most. Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday Benny, hope you have an awesome day! Thanks Po! Appreciate it Link to comment
huskerjack23 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Did you watch the Ray Comfort episode? Man that episode was very very active and fun. Link to comment
bennychico11 Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 Did you watch the Ray Comfort episode? Man that episode was very very active and fun. I did. I'm actually watching it again right now to catch some things I missed (I was listening while I worked on other things, yesterday). Overall, I liked the episode. They kind of let Ray bounce around a bit like he usually does. Letting him resort back to his street preaching phrases. A few times he was called out on the absurdities of those phrases and was shown how one sided it made him look. I was kind of disappointed Jeff wasn't on the show. Russel is okay, but not one of my favorites. I would love to have heard Tracie or Aron-Ra talk with Ray. Link to comment
huskerjack23 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 I thought Russell was perfect for the assignment. He always seems to mellow Matt out when he gets on his rants by making an absurd observation that brings it all back to earth. Jeff gets just as fired up as Matt does if not more so. I believe it was the right move to stay level headed because any kind of aggression will be seen as attacking and thrown back in their faces. Normal people don't get that consideration because they don't have as a big of an audience as Comfort. Link to comment
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