| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/29/2005 10:09:23 PM | | I'm curious to know how many here respect others beliefs, even when they differ from your own and how many think that all religious people are brainwashed idiots or all spiritual people are self-deluded egoists. How many people casually apply some blanket derogatory statement to all people in a religious or a spiritual community? | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/29/2005 10:29:57 PM | | I respect people who have respect for others. It seems to be that way by itself. I expect and often find that religious people are opposed to everyone not of their particular religion. Despite what kind of love they enthuse within their circle, for the rest of the world they express something much less. I consider it to be a cult of self-imposed and antagonistic isolation. I also expect and find many religious people to be open and accepting of others who do not share their religion. With these people the differences are no cause for distance between us. There is no conflict, only variety. The people who dismiss me as lost, stupid, wrong, evil and so forth because my beliefs differ form theirs, these I embrace as a herd of galloping doorknobs and they make good targets for crumpled up paper cups, rubber bands and clumps of dirt. | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 3:25:08 AM | Miss Music, I find that some believe spiritualism and Religion go hand in hand, as per another thread, I believe you saw, you made a post there that I regrettably did not get the chance to respond to. In my Tradition of Witchcraft, Dianic/Strega leaning heavily to the Faery and Druidic, with a good deal of the discovery channel thrown in for flavor. I feel that what a person holds in their heart to be "Sacred truth" should be respected, I do hope I never said anything that would make you think I didn't respect you as a person, or your religion. I learned a lesson yesterday as well, Lottabottle taught it to me.
I had not shown him the respect I should have because of his religion, now before you fault me Id like to go into detail of why I would do that. When I first came to this site, and indeed many many times since I've been attacked, asked to prove my "power," referred to as a Satanist, and all around Mauled by those who would call themselves Christian. This is not an excuse, but after a while one can and often does begin to draw conclusions. Pagans are a minority as I heard one of my own path put it here on this very site. As such can find themselves exaggerating the "Victim" role. Then Lottabottle told me something that changed my view. He told me that he practices "as Jesus practiced." I don't know but I would imagine this would take him far outside of the Christian mainstream religion. I feel he may not give himself enough credit for the courage it must take to do that, especially in the Christian Tradition where similarity seems to be key.
I don't really know allot about Jesus except what I've seen in movies, and judging by a good deal of the stories I've on Witchcraft don't really know how accurate my knowledge is, but judging only from the movie Passion of the Christ, and a very few other's I've seen I believe Jesus of Nazareth was a powerful healer and a very strong and determined "man." I have developed a respect for him as his ways seem to mirror my own in many ways, as he was a healer, a teacher, and he was not shown the respect he should have been in life.
No, it has become SOME of his followers who preach religion but know no spirit. They hide behind Church doctrine and verses of the bible, and use them as an excuse to bash and belittle others, say we're all going to "burn" and tell them they remain safely behind their bible. They say all things belong to God and no matter how hard we work to earn them they do not belong to us. For these people the "Bible" has become like the "Idols" that it it's self preaches against. In closing I must say my respect lies in those, like Jesus of Nazareth, and indeed Lottabottle, who have the courage to think for themselves and not just live safely behind the masses and their terrible dogma. Lottabottle your courage inspires me!
Love is the Law
~Silver Fox~ | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 4:55:37 AM | ^^^^sure glad you did all that typing, now I can just say, Yeah what she said^^^
I would also like to add, that I have seen the bashing that Enchantress gets and admire her strength of conviction, plus her ability to say, I'm sorry and I was mistaken in my opinion.
Way to go Enchantress, and Lotta, as well as anyone else in here that is willing to have a discussion on different religions without killing the messenger.
Kat | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 6:46:32 AM | I have seen the bashing that goes on in here too. Some with religious and spiritual beliefs bash those who are agnostic...and vice versa. Bashing occurs between various faith systems. How childish and non-constructive. I struggle to not get disappointed with humanity. I keep telling myself that it's only a small group who are bashing others.
How I wish we could focus more on the joys and value of our various faiths instead of tearing down everyone else's. Wouldn't that be so much more constructive and useful? How I wish we could discuss rationally instead of throwing around rhetoric.
I think it's so easy to forget that respecting another belief system does not imply agreement with it. We can disagree in civil and polite tones.
Anyhow, about your "victim mentality" comment, I agree. It's so easy to take hurtful comments personally. It's so easy to feel that I am singled out and targeted because of my faith. I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that bashing on this site seems to be "equal opportunity"! 
I keep hoping that as long as the majority of us refuse to support such behaviour, it will eventually vanish. | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 6:55:06 AM | Miss Music,
Unfortunately intolerance never vanishes, it just finds a new victim.
As soon as a *minority* stands up and says, NO MORE.. the focus shifts somewhere else.
The only thing we can do is continue to try.
I think this kind of thread, with no bashing, is a step in the right direction.
Kat | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 7:31:18 AM | I respect others right to hold opinions at variance with mine. And I respect that they have a right equal to mone to express those beliefs.
The beliefs themselves, well there is no guarantee that I will have any respect whatsoever for them. | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 7:32:27 AM | Yes, I do make it a point to give what I'm given, be it negative or positive, and where those I consider friends are concerned if I see that they are being "bashed" then I will do everything in my considerable power to put a stop to it.
It would be nice wouldn't it if we could ALL live in harmony with our environment and each other, stop killing it all? The individual is smart, but throw that individual into a majority of people with like mind, they can become Thoughtless, closed minded, and very dangerous, this is something I have been educated in thoroughly, something Im reminded of every year around this time as I think of the carnations that will line my best friends grave, expencive yes but they are her favorite.
She is with me always, that will never change, but is a constant reminder of the way of a world where the strong survive. Because of this experience, I suppose I have become hard, and sullen, but one does what one must to survive. This is not to say I no longer see beauty however, I still see beauty in all things, and I want others to see it with me but I cant force them as that would make me no better than those who push their beliefs to the death in first place. So, I worry for myself, my family, my friends, and do what my community allows me to do. So yes, when bashed I give what I get, and I do so with out regret. | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 7:32:38 AM | In regard to non-essentials, I understand God said this.............
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written:
" 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' " So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
"Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies" (1 Cor. 8:1).
1 Corinthians 11:19 "No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval."
1 Corinthians 15:14 "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith."
God does not want you to judge another’s non-essential belief’s because God has accepted him | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 6:00:52 PM |
How I wish we could focus more on the joys and value of our various faiths instead of tearing down everyone else's.
Okay, so I've come up with a list of all the positive things about Christianity: | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 6:03:39 PM | | I have NOOOO respect for a Satanist, if you want to give respect to someone find someone who dosent Demonise the Lords of another faith...Like Budism, Zen, or Shinto | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 6:18:48 PM | I think it's fascinating to hear about other people's beliefs as they articulate them. Personally, I have no interest in the long quotes that are posted... I can read that elsewhere if I'm intersted. I enjoy hearing original thoughts. I find it frustrating that so many people here feel the need to "prove" that their beliefs are "correct" and that others' are incorrect. Scary, too, that it's apparently so hard to accept differences.
Well, that's my two cents. | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 6:38:59 PM | Nitany, thats probably the longest post Ive ever seen you make because one with such a gift for words as you have seldom need so many, so I will respectfully respond to your "two cents"
It is fascinating isnt it to hear the sacred beliefs of another, hear the diffreces, to few Christians have your strenth of spirit, and your security. this is unfortunate as I think we all have something to learn from the other. | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 9:41:27 PM |
When a person is "bashed" on here, it is not because of what they believe, it is because of their attacks on others beliefs. I don't agree with that. (Am I going to get bashed now? ) | |
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| Respect for spiritual and religious beliefs
Posted: 6/30/2005 10:49:12 PM | | No, you are not going to be bashed. I know I have been accused of bashing but when I get into it with someone I am usually provoked by something they said about my beliefs that I strongly disagree with or they made some statement so absurd that I cannot hold my tongue. I do not cruise the threads looking to bash people is all I am saying. | |
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