55 replies to this topic

[MoonChild]

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Where else do you find people from such diverse backgrounds supporting each other?

RIGHTO! :-*

[hoppip]

You have to give credit to these people they believe so strongly in that their religion is right that they go door to door trying to get other people to believe also.

[MoonChild]

but Mel, that is exactly the problem. We have every right to believe in whatever, but doesn't it sould good that we share our beliefs with someone who have the same idea? I know a few people walking in our house and starting preaching. In my younger days, I have seen my father countering them, well, with what he believes. The idea of religion is to learn and live one's own religion so that every one gets what he wants! The idea is to improve upon one's SELF, not trying to convert another. WHAT DO WE FOCUS ON?

[Alia]

Hey All,
I thought I'd pop in on this one since I live right in the middle of the Bible Belt.
Generally,no one around my neighborhood has problems with Mormons,they keep to themselves and only come for visits when invited.
Jehova's Witness's on the other hand,are outy and about distributing tons of flyers to whomever answers their door.
I have often wondered if the JW's believed in recyling,but never thought to bring it up.
I myself am a Pagan,average,everday Pagan,nothing incredibly fancy.
I believe in the afterlife,reincarnation,and Karma kicking your butt if you're a total jerk!LoL
The only problems I seem to have are with the Christians.
I have heard of the audacious preachers who scream in your face and yell out bible passages til they turn a lovley shade of fuschia.
The Christians here believe that Christianity is the RIGHT way and the ONLY way ANYONE should worship.
There are all kinds of material in shoppes,offices,stores all put out by the churches here,warning against the evil thing that us Pagans do and how we will corrupt the community and all that other blithering nonsense.
I don't go around at night,clad in black,disemboweling anyone's dog as a sacrifice,I don't worship Satan on Halloween,I don't curse people to Death,I'm just like everyone else,the only difference is that I follow a path that I believe makes me a better person so I can make the world around me a better place in which to live.
Now,don't get me wrong or misunderstand,I do not hate Christians,I was raised by them,but I do not understand why they have to be so astoundingly close minded about things.
I understand that not all Christians are this way,just a big number of them,proof of that would be the little old ladies from the local Methodist Church here.
Everytime they see me,they smile ,stop to talk to me,find out how the family is and they always invite me to a social function of some kind.
I was at a bake sale they hosted and the ladies tried to stuff me like a teddy bear!LoL
The thing is,that we do have some of these fanatical people out there who hate and fear that which they do not understand and they choose to stay ignorant by refusing to even attempt to learn anything about what they are preaching against,which to me is a sad thing.
Makes me want to break out John Lennon's "Imagine" and blare it for all to hear,but that's just me
See ya'll round

[hawkerdriver]

My core reaction is simply: I am very suspicious of any religion that sends out recruits.  It stands to reason that if a particular faith has substance and merit than it will attract followers, not recruit them.  It's like a car sales lot.  I'll buy the car that has a good record regardless of the salesman.  But lemme tell you, I'll walk away if the salesman gets in my face.  I just want him/her to be available at the sales establishment to answer my questions and help me when I want it.  But don't show up at my door pressuring me.

[MoonChild]

Exactly! I am "flying" with Hawkers on this!

[aloha_spirit]

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My core reaction is simply: I am very suspicious of any religion that sends out recruits.  It stands to reason that if a particular faith has substance and merit than it will attract followers, not recruit them.  It's like a car sales lot.  I'll buy the car that has a good record regardless of the salesman.  But lemme tell you, I'll walk away if the salesman gets in my face.  I just want him/her to be available at the sales establishment to answer my questions and help me when I want it.  But don't show up at my door pressuring me.

Let's look at some numbers.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a little over 11M baptized members world-wide -- less than 1% of the world's population.  We have 117 temples operating in 33 countries.  Our chapels look so much like those of other religions that they don't draw attention.

What are the odds of people hearing about this religion without missionaries actively proslyting?  Even car lots advertize.

[hawkerdriver]

So, explain to me again why one would need to be out selling one's religion?  I still think that if it's got good solid merits it'll attract its own followers.  If anyone in my Parish told me to go recruit members as part of my mission I'd tell them to @#$%@# off because I WILL NOT solicit my religion's doctrines off on anyone else.   If someone came to me and asked- well, that's a different story.  I'm still not gonna recruit though.  Religion is NOT sales. It also is NOT a corporation and I will not treat it as such.  Ick!!! [smiley=cwm22.gif]

I repeat:  If the message is solid and has merit, then it will be heeded.  If not, then one can expect to go out and hussle recruits.

[MoonChild]

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What are the odds of people hearing about this religion without missionaries actively proslyting?  Even car lots advertize.

sorry buddy Aloha, I beg to differ here. If the religion is to be advertized, then what value does it hold? [smiley=cwm25.gif]

[mellilotflower]

AS far as JW's go, they believe that now is the time to let people know about the one true faith, therefore saving their eternal souls.  They don't believe in heaven or hell, but they do believe that when judgement day comes all the none believers (no matter how good a life they led) will dye terrible, horrible deaths with tongues rotting and eyeballs aflame and such.  Following this there will be, I can't remember if it was a hundred, or a thousand years (I think it may have increased) spent tidying the earth up- with the help of the almighty of course.  Once this was done, they'd have paradise for all eternity.  Because of this belief, no, they do not believe in recycling, or the taking care of the planet, or even being particularly nice... this life is all about saving as many people as possible so that we can live on in the paradise world of the future.  They also have this annoying belief (no offence intended) that so long as  you believed in Jehova, went to the meetings regularly you'd be automatically allowed in.  No matter what sort of person you were otherwise, there's no hope for you.

[hawkerdriver]

You know, that just rubs me wrong Melliot!  I just can't get away from the idea of what you do and the kind or person you do not account for anything!  I gather that bothers you as well?

[mellilotflower]

you bet it annoys me... its religion for the wrong reasons, instead of setting up a moral code, or even a moral ideal it just offers you a get out of jail free card!

[aloha_spirit]

Christians feel an obligation to share the gospel to all, and rightfully so.  Whenever you discover a bit of truth and light, you desire to tell others.  You want them to experience the same joy and peace.  It becomes wrong when it is done for a selfish motive or in a rude manner.

As far as advertizing goes, I still say that you only invistigate things that you've heard of.  I wasn't even aware of Wicca until an unfortunate experience in college.  After that run-in, I started my own web-based research on it and gleamed some truths.

As we've all expressed our views, I guess we have to agree to disagree.

[MoonChild]

;D

[SpectoralHigh]

As a child I was encouraged by my parents to seek out my own religion. My father who is Baptist would invite the Mormons(?) into our home and discuss the merits of each others religions. I can remember taking the Book of Mormon to a Christioan Church that I went to as a child. When they asked us to open up our Bibles I was happy as heck to pull out my Mormon bible and was confused that I couldn't find the right passages. Needless to say the Pastor was horrified and called my parents immediatly!LOL
As of this point, I consider myself a non practicing Catholic with lots of questions and issues with what the Church dictates and believes i.e. reincarnation, hauntings, and all the rules. Being a Catholic, I cannot look at another religion and criticize their teachings and practices or even their recrutment methods. On that note what does everyone think of Mel Gibsons movie (The name escapes me)?