"I don't like even being around them"

[Helen]

Hmmm....maybe I should try that next time someone tells me they're a Christian.

Be encouraged...it happens "christian to christian " too.
I remember to my horror being in a church open meeting...and they were discussing a family that had left the group .
One idiot asked .." So what do we do if we bump into them while out shopping..do we speak or pass by? "

I could not believe my ears!!!!!

Maybe you won't understand this ...but "to me" people who act in this way to other christians or to other human beings on this planet have never ever really 'seen' the Father heart of God.


( I feel this way about those who abuse animals too)

 

[Willie T]

Be encouraged...it happens "christian to christian " too.
I remember to my horror being in a church open meeting...and they were discussing a family that had left the group .
One idiot asked .." So what do we do if we bump into them while out shopping..do we speak or pass by? "

I could not believe my ears!!!!!

Maybe you won't understand this ...but "to me" people who act in this way to other christians or to other human beings on this planet have never ever really 'seen' the Father heart of God.


( I feel this way about those who abuse animals too)

Well said!!!

 

[Justadude]

I have seen some pretty awful responses to Justadude - quite frankly If that is how Christians witness to others it’s no wonder the church is floundering !!

I figure Christians behave one way when they're specifically evangelizing and another way when they're in places like this. When evangelizing they put on their best face because it's basically a sales pitch, right?

I have family members who are in the Amish and Mennonite denominations. I've seen how they act very nice and friendly to outsiders when those outsiders are there, but as soon as the outsiders leave they start talking behind their backs in extremely judgmental and condescending ways. And it's not just some of them who do that....it's very common in the Amish/Mennonite communities.

So I figure that since this is an online forum where we're all anonymous, what I'm getting here is more like what I see with my Amish relatives when the outsiders aren't around.

 

[Helen]

Not being funny but that could apply to many on this forum !
It takes two to create an argument - and as he is often the only agnostic on the threads.........
Also many arguments erupt here, on threads he is not a part of .........so perhaps others need to evaluate their own motives for interactions ......that’s a generalisation, not having a dig at you personally Willie.
Why does it matter.....I have seen some pretty awful responses to Justadude - quite frankly If that is how Christians witness to others it’s no wonder the church is floundering !!

Three cheers Rita...well said

 

[Justadude]

Having an aversion to something or someone isn't the same thing as being AFRAID. I really don't like licorice at all, but I'm not afraid of it. I don't know the woman who said that she doesn't like non-Christians, but it didn't sound like she's afraid of y'all.

It did to me. Using your example, it's like her saying she doesn't even like being in stores where licorice is sold.

So, this is probably not a case of agnostiphobia. When it comes down to it, I can only speak for myself. At times, I have wondered about your motive for joining a Christian forum. But I sincerely hope and pray that you will find the love of Jesus here!

I posted what I think draws me to be at CB here: Is this good for Christianity?

 

[Justadude]

Be encouraged...it happens "christian to christian " too.

Most certainly. I see it all the time here at CB!

I remember to my horror being in a church open meeting...and they were discussing a family that had left the group .
One idiot asked .." So what do we do if we bump into them while out shopping..do we speak or pass by? "

I could not believe my ears!!!!!

I've seen that sort of thing in the church I grew up in. Typically, after someone left the church they'd still be polite to them in public, but the invites to cookouts and other social events would stop. So it wasn't full-on shunning, but it was close.

Maybe you won't understand this ...but "to me" people who act in this way to other christians or to other human beings on this planet have never ever really 'seen' the Father heart of God.

( I feel this way about those who abuse animals too)

I understand that, and it makes sense to me. It's what's behind the concept of "by their fruit you shall know them", right?

 

[Rita]

I figure Christians behave one way when they're specifically evangelizing and another way when they're in places like this. When evangelizing they put on their best face because it's basically a sales pitch, right?

I have family members who are in the Amish and Mennonite denominations. I've seen how they act very nice and friendly to outsiders when those outsiders are there, but as soon as the outsiders leave they start talking behind their backs in extremely judgmental and condescending ways. And it's not just some of them who do that....it's very common in the Amish/Mennonite communities.

So I figure that since this is an online forum where we're all anonymous, what I'm getting here is more like what I see with my Amish relatives when the outsiders aren't around.

I was going to say ‘ I don’t do that ‘, but I know I do, not so much between at home and on the forum. I can be a bit two faced at work, I don’t like confrontation face to face, so I avoid ‘ being real ‘ some of the time.
I probably need to work on that !!!lol
You have Amish relatives, how interesting ( I find their way of life quite fascinating , not sure I agree with it as such. I found it strange when they started letting tv reality cameras in- didn’t make much sense to me when they don’t agree with modern things, unless that has changed.
Rita

 

[Jay Ross]

That makes me wonder what you think of the "ways" represented in the posts by some of the Christians here in this forum. I've seen racism, antisemitism, extreme homophobic bigotry, truly crazy conspiracy theories, and a whole bunch of other things that have surprised me. If my ways are "obnoxious", I have to wonder what you think about those things from your fellow Christians?

Ignorance, bullies, controlling, working on saving their lost souls because of their working on saving their soul, etc. Yes many Christians are not liked at all because of their own obnoxious ways because they believe that they are the only knowledgeable ones still left to bring in the kingdom of God.

I often find that those outside of the "Christian Ways" exhibit more of the "works" required of the "Christ Way" than those who claim that they have been saved from being a candidate for the judgement of the Second Death. The have no understanding of their responsibility in the process of gaining salvation from God. They keep repeating the same "Prayer" of "Save me Lord," but do not have a heart that is in harmony with God's.

I think you get the picture.

 

[Justadude]

I was going to say ‘ I don’t do that ‘, but I know I do, not so much between at home and on the forum. I can be a bit two faced at work, I don’t like confrontation face to face, so I avoid ‘ being real ‘ some of the time.
I probably need to work on that !!!lol

Work is completely different IMO. The saying I've always liked is "There's a reason they have to pay you to show up." So oftentimes in an environment like that, it's prudent to keep things professional and avoid personal conflicts. I've worked with a lot of people I absolutely can't stand, but I still treat them with professional courtesy. Is that two-faced? I don't think so. I think of it as being professional and not letting my personal feelings affect my work.

You have Amish relatives, how interesting ( I find their way of life quite fascinating , not sure I agree with it as such. I found it strange when they started letting tv reality cameras in- didn’t make much sense to me when they don’t agree with modern things, unless that has changed.
Rita

From what I've heard, the Amish communities that have been on reality shows were in a financial crisis, where they were looking at losing much of their way of life. So when the TV folks showed up and offered them lots of money, they did what they felt they had to do in order to maintain their communities. I also know a lot of other Amish communities feel the ones on TV basically sold their souls (metaphorically) for money.

I do know that since their communities are centered around family farming, and given how that way of life is under serious threat and not just in the Amish community, they've been watching a lot of their youth leave the faith once they have the chance. All that together is putting serious strains on them, so I'm not sure what to make of it all. Once I started moving around the country I pretty much lost touch with that part of my family, especially after my grandparents passed away. So if things have changed, I probably wouldn't be aware of it.

 

[Justadude]

Ignorance, bullies, controlling, working on saving their lost souls because of their working on saving their soul, etc. Yes many Christians are not liked at all because of their own obnoxious ways because they believe that they are the only knowledgeable ones still left to bring in the kingdom of God.

True, but to be fair the "I know more than everyone else" mentality certainly isn't limited to Christians. I've met atheists with that sort of arrogance.

I often find that those outside of the "Christian Ways" exhibit more of the "works" required of the "Christ Way" than those who claim that they have been saved from being a candidate for the judgement of the Second Death. The have no understanding of their responsibility in the process of gaining salvation from God. They keep repeating the same "Prayer" of "Save me Lord," but do not have a heart that is in harmony with God's.

I think you get the picture.

I do.

I'm wondering though....what specifically about my posts here do you find "obnoxious"?

 

[Jay Ross]

True, but to be fair the "I know more than everyone else" mentality certainly isn't limited to Christians. I've met atheists with that sort of arrogance.


I do.

I'm wondering though....what specifically about my posts here do you find "obnoxious"?

I was not necessarily saying that you were obnoxious, but was commenting more on the feelings of the other members of the Christian community as a whole. I also acknowledge that there are exceptions as well.

 

[farouk]

I was going to say ‘ I don’t do that ‘, but I know I do, not so much between at home and on the forum. I can be a bit two faced at work, I don’t like confrontation face to face, so I avoid ‘ being real ‘ some of the time.
I probably need to work on that !!!lol
You have Amish relatives, how interesting ( I find their way of life quite fascinating , not sure I agree with it as such. I found it strange when they started letting tv reality cameras in- didn’t make much sense to me when they don’t agree with modern things, unless that has changed.
Rita

I read that in Northern Ireland in the Troubles a film crew arrived in town and started filming some trouble. One of the locals came up as said: "This isn't happening..."

While there is a sense in which the camera can't lie, there is always (to paraphrase estate agents: ) Context, context, context...

 

[Rita]

I read that in Northern Ireland in the Troubles a film crew arrived in town and started filming some trouble. One of the locals came up as said: "This isn't happening..."

While there is a sense in which the camera can't lie, there is always (to paraphrase estate agents: ) Context, context, context...

Yes, well they didn’t want people knowing what was going on Farouk, remember it was a war - my twin brother served in the army out there - it was not an easy situation. The IRA were ruthless and there was a lot of bitterness that the British were there. It was a different kind of intrusion by the cameras

 

[farouk]

Yes, well they didn’t want people knowing what was going on Farouk, remember it was a war - my twin brother served in the army out there - it was not an easy situation. The IRA were ruthless and there was a lot of bitterness that the British were there. It was a different kind of intrusion by the cameras

An American one said: 'That's the trouble with history; you end up annoying a lot of ppl along the way...'

In a situation where everyone has grievances that go back a long way, a camera crew - depending on what they film, can be viewed either as an intrusion or a propaganda opportunity...

 

[Justadude]

I was not necessarily saying that you were obnoxious, but was commenting more on the feelings of the other members of the Christian community as a whole. I also acknowledge that there are exceptions as well.

Ah, I see. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Marymog]

I summed it up here: Is this good for Christianity?

I did not see that post....You have articulated your reason very well.

Thank you...Mary

 

[amadeus]

Hmmm....maybe I should try that next time someone tells me they're a Christian.

But then again, what if you should meet a Christian who is already is perfect? Would you recognize one if you saw such a one?

 

[amadeus]

What brings an agnostic to a Christian forum?

Curious Mary

Perhaps sincerely searching for answers?

 

[amadeus]

Not really. I don't get to actually discuss my point of view very much. Most of the Christians I know don't seem to like hearing about it.

If you have read much outside your own threads here you probably have seen that a lot of Christians are like that among themselves. Solomon wrote these words which still apply to unbelievers and to believers. What does it take to open up a person's heart/mind to really listen to what the other guy is saying?

"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts." Prob 21:2

What do you believe would be the exceptions, if any, to the first phrase I underlined?

 

[bbyrd009]

In another thread, @Ezra noticed that I am an agnostic and said "i see you have agnostic beside your faith.. conversation ended". Apparently the mere fact that I'm not a Christian is justification enough to not talk to me. That put me in mind of something similar that happened a couple of years ago.

As I've described many times here, pretty much all my friends are Christians, some even are full-time employees of a local church. We became friends through our kids (they're all about the same age) and school.

For years we all would go camping together, sometimes at the church's campground and other times at a national forest campground....but always next to a lake. As our kids have grown older the tradition has waned a bit, but we try to go whenever we can. At the last camping trip, one of my friends invited his sister and brother-in-law. I'd never met them before, but they seemed like nice enough people to me....at first.

One day all the parents were floating in the bay on a large inflatable raft, just hanging out and chatting. I can't recall exactly what led the conversation towards non-Christians, but at one point my friend's sister says rather loudly "I can't stand non-Christians! I don't want them in my house, I don't want them around my kids...I don't even like being around them!!"

Now, everyone else (besides her husband) on that raft knew I was a non-Christian, so there was an immediate period of very awkward silence. I just sat there and turned my gaze towards the mountains and smiled and eventually the conversation moved to something else. But for the rest of the trip, there was an obvious tension as every once in awhile she would again say something about non-Christians. I don't know if any of my friends ever said anything to her about my lack of faith, but I didn't. I'd just met her and didn't feel like I should start up with her on what was otherwise a very enjoyable trip. So as usual I just spoke to her in pleasantries and left it at that.

Anyways, Ezra's comment earlier today reminded me of that day at the lake and how weird her statements seemed. What's with some Christians and this apparent fear of being around or.......GASP......talking to a non-Christian? Are they afraid I'm going to infect them with critical thinking and skepticism? Are they worried they might find out I'm a pleasant person who's fun to be around? Or maybe they think I've got some sort of demon that might jump from my body to theirs?

"There is now all kinda condemnation in those who are in Christ" huh?
i think it is an inevitable part of being a Roman, and why we are told to "leave the camp" even, this holding to imaginary Absolute Truths instead of "beliefs," and all being tacitly required to wear the same uniform?

No coats of many colors can be allowed, see, bc that is how the truth is revealed, by many witnesses, and Christians need their witnesses to all be interpreting ezackly the same way, i guess like a get-our-story-straight kinda thing? maybe?