Remember a while back when I said I was going to have to unfriend somebody on facebook because they always had disrespectful statuses about religion, Christianity in particular? No, well I unfriended him, as did TheCount. We went to high school with Dude and he lives across the street from TheCount's mama and calls TheCount on a regular basis so when he added us back as friends, we accepted to keep things from getting awkward. Recently TheCount has been commenting on Dude's statuses because he really is just over the top with animosity. Even one of his friends that believes as he believes, asked him why he was always attacking Christians and no other religions. The other day he posted something about how the Bible contradicts itself and listed a verse that he clearly misunderstood. TheCount asked him how so? Dude proceeds to make this long list of stuff and we could see that he wasn't understanding the verses properly. TheCount explained the verses to Dude and Dude responds back with, "long winded nonsense... No, you're wrong." TheCount is such a kind soul, and never wants to disrespect anybody so he responded with something along the lines of this "Dude, my explanations are correct. You don't have to believe it, but that's what it means according to the Bible. Believe what you want, but you can't ask me to explain what I believe and what the Bible is saying, then tell me my explanations are wrong. Why don't you tell me what the Bible is saying then since you're obviously know more about what I believe than I do. I'm not saying you have to accept what I'm saying as YOUR truth, but you asked me about MINE, and I explained it, it was not wrong. I'm not defending the institution of religion or "the church", I'm defending my faith."
How lovely and kind of him. Me? I start flying off at the mouth getting all smart mouthed. TheCount told me to make sure I don't ever get in any religious debates, because I don't know how to debate in love. How can you debate with somebody who doesn't listen to you? He came back talking about the sun god and stuff, and how our God stole from his gods, and how our god doesn't even have a real name, which wasn't remotely related to anything TheCount said. My response? (spoken only to TheCount, since I'm banned from the conversation) "I don't have to debate, defend, or convince anybody of anything. If you ask me a question, I will answer it. There is no back and forth, there is no trying to disprove me, as I won't try to disprove you. I state my case and I'm done with it. Believe it or don't believe it, I don't care. My salvation is not contingent upon you accepting it, or even understanding it. Don't be surprised if you die and find out Heaven and Hell are real, and I won't be surprised if I die and stay dead, or come back as a goat or a rat. All of these possibilities were presented to us and we chose to believe what we believed."
I'm glad TheCount and his friends actually enjoy defending and explaining what they believe to others, I don't. I know everybody that reads this blog doesn't believe as I believe and that's fine! I've never had issues with anybody because I'll respect your belief, and you'll respect mine. It irritates me when people start telling me about how us "Christians are" and making all these assumptions and generalizations. I am me. The same way you don't want people assuming that everybody of your race acts the same, don't assume that everybody of my "religion" acts the same.
What about you? Do you like to have religious conversations with people? Do you enjoy the thrill of debating or defending what you believe? If you don't mind sharing, what's your fundamental truth?
My truth: Jesus died for me, I believe it, see ya in Heaven!
How I live: Love the Lord God with all my heart, and my neighbor as myself
2 comments:
I'm ^5ing you on that my Sista in Christ.
What's crazy is that on my way to class last week, I saw a bus with a sign on it that said, "Don't Believe in God? You are not alone" and then there was a link to a website. I went to visit it. It is essentially all of the forums for non-believers, no matter their level. They want to raise money to correct the myths about atheists. Interesting to say the least.
The beautiful part about the country we live in is that we are free to believe or NOT to believe. I think it is futile to try and convert someone to something that is SO personal. You do you, I'll do me.
My mom always said to never have a conversation about politics or religion and I can see why. But if you ask, I'll share my beliefs.
I am agnostic. I don't try to force my beliefs on anyone nor do I feel the need to explain what I stand for (unless asked in a non-threatening manner). Otherwise, do you and I'll do me.
I never set out to intentionally do another person wrong. There has to be a humane part to living.
I would much rather debate something not so personal. Debating religion is trying to convince a person to change what their favorite color is.
My fundamental truth is that it does not matter to me whether a God(s) exist(s) to influence my decisions in life but if you believe in a God(s) for yourself, go for it.
I live by never doing anything intentionally harmful to another. I treat everyone as rational human beings with humanity and respect until proven otherwise.
Now that I've written a blog in your comments section, I'll wrap this up.
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