General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I need help figuring something out. If I am a Christian, do I want my fellow humans to have [View all]Mc Mike
(9,260 posts)I get on guard immediately, tighten up, and wonder if I'm going to have to try to put the genie back in the bottle. (I'm not alluding to our discussion, though we're talking about it, because we're countering what the other side is always trying to push, the condemnation and retribution angles they love.) It's just in the course of day to day events, when someone unsolicited wants to front on their faith, I wait for the other shoe to drop. Usually, it involves backing some nazi or repug initiative.
Your faith and works post down thread explains what is behind my feelings. Their avowed 'faith' causes them to not work at all, or produce manifestly bad works. I think the only two ways to talk about faith is: Either to do good works, then tell people why, if they happen to ask (which would mean no forced mass attendance at the soup kitchen.) Or to talk about faith as a counter to the false claims of the fraudulently 'faithful'.
Because of my visceral reaction to Jesus talkers, I understand why rational materialists or other religions' adherents might immediately see a red flag when it's discussed. The only way I can see to counter this is to work against the baddies pulling their jag-off moves 'in his name'. Our side has to reclaim the name from people who steal it, like Americans have to reclaim the flag from repug scalawags flying it.
I agree with you about expecting and giving respect to everyone's ideas about faith and religion. Thanks again for your posts, and the compliment.