Impressionability, Youth and an Antagonising Christian Camp

Legend · 5th November 2009, 08:31 PM

This was unreal to watch. I'm still absolutely wordless. I don't know how many of you have seen this already, but give it a watch anyway.

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I AGREE

Here's what the evangelical woman had to say in another video: "I want to see them as radically laying down their lives for the Gospel, as they are over in Pakistan, in Israel and Palestine and all those different places."

The girl at the end of the video said elsewhere, "We're kind of being trained to be warriors, only in a much funner way."

Alex.

ORUgrad · 5th November 2009, 09:11 PM

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=156977

Legend · 5th November 2009, 10:20 PM

The one time I don't search...

Alex.

EeneyMinnieMoe · 6th November 2009, 12:04 AM

It almost made me grateful to have been raised Catholic.

There's none of that "born again" stuff in Catholicism. You are a Christian pretty much from the moment you are born in Catholicism. The moment you are baptized, anyway. And you are baptized as an infant, so you aren't expected to "discover it for yourself" or "choose it yourself" as a 7-year-old...an age when you can't truly chose religion for yourself anyway!

If a 17-year-old reads books, talks to people, familiarizes him/herself with the requirements of religion and decides to start going to church regularly- now that's an adult decision. A rational, lucid, informed, conscientious, conscious adult decision. Good for him/her, best of luck.

A 7-year-old "becoming a Christian", though? What the hell? Are you kidding me? And what's this "becoming a Christian" stuff anyway? Coming from my religious tradition, it's a little absurd and a little head scratching. Gee, what were you before, a Muslim?

Christianity is such a missionary religion, isn't it? It's all about conversion, even among the people who are already converted. Why do Christians- at least these Christians, not all of them- behave as if they were the third person in the universe to get the message, after Peter and Paul?

They behave as though it's new, instead of something that has been part of our culture for more than 2000 years. In their universe, every person on the planet is apparently an agnostic waiting to discover the truth, except for a loyal band of followers who are going to convert the entire world.

Ok, rant over...

Last of the Fraggles · 6th November 2009, 02:48 AM

Originally Posted by EeneyMinnieMoe

It almost made me grateful to have been raised Catholic.

There's none of that "born again" stuff in Catholicism. You are a Christian pretty much from the moment you are born in Catholicism. The moment you are baptized, anyway. And you are baptized as an infant, so you aren't expected to "discover it for yourself" or "choose it yourself" as a 7-year-old...an age when you can't truly chose religion for yourself anyway!

If a 17-year-old reads books, talks to people, familiarizes him/herself with the requirements of religion and decides to start going to church regularly- now that's an adult decision. A rational, lucid, informed, conscientious, conscious adult decision. Good for him/her, best of luck.

A 7-year-old "becoming a Christian", though? What the hell? Are you kidding me? And what's this "becoming a Christian" stuff anyway? Coming from my religious tradition, it's a little absurd and a little head scratching. Gee, what were you before, a Muslim?

Christianity is such a missionary religion, isn't it? It's all about conversion, even among the people who are already converted. Why do Christians- at least these Christians, not all of them- behave as if they were the third person in the universe to get the message, after Peter and Paul?

They behave as though it's new, instead of something that has been part of our culture for more than 2000 years. In their universe, every person on the planet is apparently an agnostic waiting to discover the truth, except for a loyal band of followers who are going to convert the entire world.

Ok, rant over...

Since the instruction manual hasn't really changed much in the last couple of thousand years its unlikely the behaviours of the followers will have either.

Hux · 6th November 2009, 05:43 AM

I like born again Christians however. I like them however much other christians might despise them for being 'Johnny come lately's' and not in it for the long haul. I think they are brilliant. The louder they are the more fun you can have figuring out what they did that was so bad.

And they invariably have done something to themselves or others bad enough to become born again. You can hear them on occasion near a monument in our City on a Saturday. They come in different flavours; those who like to look as if they are in some drug addled trip but trying to look in a state of Grace, whilst singing to dodgy music. There are the light bulb changers that stand with one arm in the air swaying.

And then there is the mouthy gobsh8 who wants to tell you how he was saved from (insert your own drug here) and how wonderful his life is now. They are so funny. But give me a catholic anyday. You know you are buying medieval claptrap and dishonesty from them but with Born Agains, they cannot for some reason just keep their bloody lives to themselves.

5th November 2009, 09:11 PM	#2
ORUgrad Scholar Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 97	http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=156977
ORUgrad Scholar Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 97

5th November 2009, 10:20 PM	#3
Legend Here Be Youth Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,346	The one time I don't search... Alex.
	__________________ It's okay to be wrong, so long as you find out. I shouldn't strive to be envied, I should strive to be admired.

6th November 2009, 12:04 AM	#4
EeneyMinnieMoe Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 4,704	It almost made me grateful to have been raised Catholic. There's none of that "born again" stuff in Catholicism. You are a Christian pretty much from the moment you are born in Catholicism. The moment you are baptized, anyway. And you are baptized as an infant, so you aren't expected to "discover it for yourself" or "choose it yourself" as a 7-year-old...an age when you can't truly chose religion for yourself anyway! If a 17-year-old reads books, talks to people, familiarizes him/herself with the requirements of religion and decides to start going to church regularly- now that's an adult decision. A rational, lucid, informed, conscientious, conscious adult decision. Good for him/her, best of luck. A 7-year-old "becoming a Christian", though? What the hell? Are you kidding me? And what's this "becoming a Christian" stuff anyway? Coming from my religious tradition, it's a little absurd and a little head scratching. Gee, what were you before, a Muslim? Christianity is such a missionary religion, isn't it? It's all about conversion, even among the people who are already converted. Why do Christians- at least these Christians, not all of them- behave as if they were the third person in the universe to get the message, after Peter and Paul? They behave as though it's new, instead of something that has been part of our culture for more than 2000 years. In their universe, every person on the planet is apparently an agnostic waiting to discover the truth, except for a loyal band of followers who are going to convert the entire world. Ok, rant over...
	__________________ Help Robert out- please visit (Stop) Sylvia Browne ! StopJohnofGod.blogspot.com Last edited by EeneyMinnieMoe; 6th November 2009 at 12:19 AM.

6th November 2009, 05:43 AM	#6
Hux Graduate Poster Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,064	I like born again Christians however. I like them however much other christians might despise them for being 'Johnny come lately's' and not in it for the long haul. I think they are brilliant. The louder they are the more fun you can have figuring out what they did that was so bad. And they invariably have done something to themselves or others bad enough to become born again. You can hear them on occasion near a monument in our City on a Saturday. They come in different flavours; those who like to look as if they are in some drug addled trip but trying to look in a state of Grace, whilst singing to dodgy music. There are the light bulb changers that stand with one arm in the air swaying. And then there is the mouthy gobsh8 who wants to tell you how he was saved from (insert your own drug here) and how wonderful his life is now. They are so funny. But give me a catholic anyday. You know you are buying medieval claptrap and dishonesty from them but with Born Agains, they cannot for some reason just keep their bloody lives to themselves.
Hux Graduate Poster Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,064

6th November 2009, 02:48 AM	#5
Last of the Fraggles Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 471	Originally Posted by EeneyMinnieMoe It almost made me grateful to have been raised Catholic. There's none of that "born again" stuff in Catholicism. You are a Christian pretty much from the moment you are born in Catholicism. The moment you are baptized, anyway. And you are baptized as an infant, so you aren't expected to "discover it for yourself" or "choose it yourself" as a 7-year-old...an age when you can't truly chose religion for yourself anyway! If a 17-year-old reads books, talks to people, familiarizes him/herself with the requirements of religion and decides to start going to church regularly- now that's an adult decision. A rational, lucid, informed, conscientious, conscious adult decision. Good for him/her, best of luck. A 7-year-old "becoming a Christian", though? What the hell? Are you kidding me? And what's this "becoming a Christian" stuff anyway? Coming from my religious tradition, it's a little absurd and a little head scratching. Gee, what were you before, a Muslim? Christianity is such a missionary religion, isn't it? It's all about conversion, even among the people who are already converted. Why do Christians- at least these Christians, not all of them- behave as if they were the third person in the universe to get the message, after Peter and Paul? They behave as though it's new, instead of something that has been part of our culture for more than 2000 years. In their universe, every person on the planet is apparently an agnostic waiting to discover the truth, except for a loyal band of followers who are going to convert the entire world. Ok, rant over... Since the instruction manual hasn't really changed much in the last couple of thousand years its unlikely the behaviours of the followers will have either.