Reply #53: Well...

[arwalden]

>> I do doubt that the majority of Christians consider the god they worship to be the same god that Phelps does. <<

Unfortunately I'm not as optimistic about that as you are. I believe that most of them do (to a large extent) worship the same god that Phelps does. We need only look as far as the results of all the anti-gay initiatives that passed. Does anyone here actually believe that their hatred of Queers isn't motivated by their Christianity?

Perhaps they are not as vitriolic and vicious about their feelings. They disguise their hatred with a mantra of "love the sinner, hate the sin". -- Oh Yeah... lots of love there! :eyes: -- These are the ones that smile to your face but will stab you in the back. The talk a good talk, but in the privacy of the voting booth, they are accountable to no social pressures and the REAL hatred comes out.

Can you feel the love tonight?

>> Therefore, though they wouldn't consider there to be two gods, since that goes against the whole idea of their god being the only god, they would consider Phelps' god to be fiction. <<

So then, if this is true, they ought not be offended that I hate the "other god"... a fictional character that doesn't exist.

>> And I save my anger for those who use their Christianity as a weapon against me. <<

Some of mine goes there too... despite their hollow cries that *they* are being persecuted when the true victims start to speak out and fight back. Doesn't that just make your skin crawl?

>> or he is someone who believes that his/her god loves everyone. How is that a bad thing? <<

I suppose that platitudes like "God-Is-Love" have their place. I guess there are times when denial isn't *really* a bad thing. That's how some folks cope.

I've seen folks like that all over the place. You know the ones. They are more interested in being offended that I'M offended than they are at acknowledging WHY I'm offended. --- They are more interested in defending the honor of their deity, than they are in silencing and fighting against those who spew such venom in the name of their deity.