bumper stickers, or preaching to the choir


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87 percent of my state is Christian.  A LOT of cars drive around with Christian bumper stickers, and a lot of people have signs in their yards, or in some other way are advertising they support Christianity over Atheism.  Specifically over Atheism.  The most prevalent sticker I notice is "If you are offended by this now, wait till you stand before it in judgement", with a picture of the cross.

 

I just don't grasp the idea of promoting in an area that is majority Christian already.  And I got stopped the other day by an evangelizer who asked me if I had heard the good news.  Really?  This is the 21st century in the United States.  I cannot honestly think of a single solitary individual in any circumstance who hasn't "heard the good news", I think it might be time to update their pick up line.

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3 hours ago, cuchulain said:

87 percent of my state is Christian.  A LOT of cars drive around with Christian bumper stickers, and a lot of people have signs in their yards, or in some other way are advertising they support Christianity over Atheism.  Specifically over Atheism.  The most prevalent sticker I notice is "If you are offended by this now, wait till you stand before it in judgement", with a picture of the cross.

 

I just don't grasp the idea of promoting in an area that is majority Christian already.  And I got stopped the other day by an evangelizer who asked me if I had heard the good news.  Really?  This is the 21st century in the United States.  I cannot honestly think of a single solitary individual in any circumstance who hasn't "heard the good news", I think it might be time to update their pick up line.

 

 

By all means, tell him -- yes.  You did hear the good news.  Atheism is more popular than ever.     :mellow:

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3 hours ago, cuchulain said:

I just don't grasp the idea of promoting in an area that is majority Christian already.  

People tend to treat others better when they see the other as a fellow member of a group. Reminding other Christians that you are a Christian serves the purpose of getting them to treat you better.

 

People tend to treat others better when they believe they share a common enemy. Reminding your athiest-hating neighbors that you also hate athiests serves the purpose of getting them to treat you better.

 

A core component of many Christian faiths is the notion that Christians are required to loudly proclaim their faith, basically all the time and to everyone. They dont have to think it will do any good to believe they have to do it. And where they are surrounded by like minds, it is consequence free.

Edited by mererdog
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58 minutes ago, mererdog said:

People tend to treat others better when they see the other as a fellow member of a group. Reminding other Christians that you are a Christian serves the purpose of getting them to treat you better.

 

People tend to treat others better when they believe they share a common enemy. Reminding your athiest-hating neighbors that you also hate athiests serves the purpose of getting them to treat you better.

 

A core component of many Christian faiths is the notion that Christians are required to loudly proclaim their faith, basically all the time and to everyone. They dont have to think it will do any good to believe they have to do it. And where they are surrounded by like minds, it is consequence free.

 

 

 

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
 
Not really consequence free.  Think of all the resentment that they are creating.  Imaginary enemies become real.  Called into existence by all that sanctimonious smugness.  
 
 
 
 
 
Edited by Jonathan H. B. Lobl
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48 minutes ago, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:

And yet, in the same speech...

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 

 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

 

The Bible contains a lot of text. That creates a lot of context that each passage is considered within. Interpretations vary, leading to different understandings of what is asked of the faithful. Its not a simple thing.

 

As for consequences, the consequences are a result of not being surrounded by like minds. People in comminities form habits based on what is normal in that community. Those habits can cause problems when interacting with people from other communities, with other norms.

A thing you say that gets you rewarded when speaking to the choir may get you punished when speaking to your neighbor. But the more used you are to talking to the choir, the harder it is for you to realize that your neighbor is not a part of the choir. And the the more isolated from the non-choir neighbors you become, the harder it is for you to see them as potentially impacting your life.

So it becomes harder to see them as possible friend or possible enemy, and harder to understand how your actions could turn them into friends or enemies. A dangerous combo.

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2 hours ago, mererdog said:

And yet, in the same speech...

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 

 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

 

The Bible contains a lot of text. That creates a lot of context that each passage is considered within. Interpretations vary, leading to different understandings of what is asked of the faithful. Its not a simple thing.

 

As for consequences, the consequences are a result of not being surrounded by like minds. People in comminities form habits based on what is normal in that community. Those habits can cause problems when interacting with people from other communities, with other norms.

A thing you say that gets you rewarded when speaking to the choir may get you punished when speaking to your neighbor. But the more used you are to talking to the choir, the harder it is for you to realize that your neighbor is not a part of the choir. And the the more isolated from the non-choir neighbors you become, the harder it is for you to see them as potentially impacting your life.

So it becomes harder to see them as possible friend or possible enemy, and harder to understand how your actions could turn them into friends or enemies. A dangerous combo.

 

Good point.

 

 

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It's funny to me.  So many Christians can back up their points of view with biblical scripture, and I understand the scripture they quote as being relevant to what they claim.  It makes sense when you look at the scripture they quote separately.  But then some other Christian comes along with a completely different understanding because of completely different scripture.  

 

Isn't that definitive contradiction in the bible?  When you can point to one scripture that says do this, and another that says doing that is wrong?

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4 hours ago, cuchulain said:

It's funny to me.  So many Christians can back up their points of view with biblical scripture, and I understand the scripture they quote as being relevant to what they claim.  It makes sense when you look at the scripture they quote separately.  But then some other Christian comes along with a completely different understanding because of completely different scripture.  

 

Isn't that definitive contradiction in the bible?  When you can point to one scripture that says do this, and another that says doing that is wrong?

One might think so. But also, as you pointed out, there are those who might not think so.

It has been suggested in another thread that the reason for differing interpretations of scripture is that it is revealed to the person who is willing to believe it by the Holy Spirit, whereas others are blind to the true meaning. Problem I feel with this is how do others know if the truth has really been revealed to someone and that person, (or persons, as there may be accomplices, no?), is really just perpetrating a scam?

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7 hours ago, cuchulain said:

It's funny to me.  So many Christians can back up their points of view with biblical scripture, and I understand the scripture they quote as being relevant to what they claim.  It makes sense when you look at the scripture they quote separately.  But then some other Christian comes along with a completely different understanding because of completely different scripture.  

 

Isn't that definitive contradiction in the bible?  When you can point to one scripture that says do this, and another that says doing that is wrong?

 

If we begin with a few basic assumptions -- God is the author of Scripture -- God wants Scripture to be understood -- that God, the All Knowing, knows in advance everybody who will ever be confused by Scripture -- it's disturbing.  Unless we give up these assumptions.  God can do anything.  This is God's best work?  God's perfect work?  God's message to all, which must be clearly understood?  No room for improvement?  

 

At minimum, God should have only put out one Book.  Or prevented the other Books.  Or enjoys all the arguing and mayhem and blood.  If God were All Knowing, All Powerful and All Good.

 

 

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On 2/8/2018 at 12:20 PM, cuchulain said:

And I got stopped the other day by an evangelizer who asked me if I had heard the good news.  Really? 

 

I hate that pick-up line, and I'm a Christian.. If it happens again, just tell them that you don't believe in good news.. And if they say something like  "Jesus loves you",  just tell em your straight and don't swing that direction. :)

 

15 hours ago, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:

 

I let people define themselves.  

 

Christians & Muslims prefer to define others... Your all either lost souls or infidels :)

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1 hour ago, Dan56 said:

 

I hate that pick-up line, and I'm a Christian.. If it happens again, just tell them that you don't believe in good news.. And if they say something like  "Jesus loves you",  just tell em your straight and don't swing that direction. :)

 

 

Christians & Muslims prefer to define others... Your all either lost souls or infidels :)

 

You seem to have missed the line that I was responding too.  Here it is.

 

professing to be a Christian and being a Christian are two different things. possibly the majority of this "Christian majority" are not Christians.

 

When people tell me that they are Christian, I don't question it.  As to your point -- when Christians and Muslims try to define me  -- it irritates me, but I don't argue about it.  At least, not the way I used to.  

 

:mellow:

 
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19 hours ago, Dan56 said:

 

I hate that pick-up line, and I'm a Christian.. If it happens again, just tell them that you don't believe in good news.. And if they say something like  "Jesus loves you",  just tell em your straight and don't swing that direction. :)

 

 

Christians & Muslims prefer to define others... Your all either lost souls or infidels :)

wow dan,i never expected an answer like that from you.you are full of surprises.:clap2:

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On 2/9/2018 at 10:55 AM, Key said:

Problem I feel with this is how do others know if the truth has really been revealed to someone and that person, (or persons, as there may be accomplices, no?), is really just perpetrating a scam?

How do you tell the difference between being inspired by God and being fooled by the Devil? The thought process normally goes like so-

 

Can I believe that?

I believe this.

This supports that.

So I can believe that.

But should I believe this?

Well, I believe that.

And that supports this.

So I would be stupid to doubt this.

Now shut up.

 

It seems obvious that if we admit that we can be fooled, we admit that we can't tell when we are being fooled. It is painful to look at straight-on, so we rarely do.

Edited by mererdog
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