Are you a better person now due to your faith?

[Deeje]

Yes aren't christian adults sick to mock a child with a disability. Interestingly several years later after i had beaten my disability and made a name for myself in the area the vicker tracked me down and asked if i would return to church.. he didnt apologise. Can you guess how quicky he was shown the door?

Christian adults mocked a child with a disability? ....and you still believe that they were Christians? Could one imagine Jesus doing something like that? Right there is a failure to practice what their faith preached.

Just wondering, how does one beat a disability? "Disability" carries images of things that can't be overcome, so in what category would you place your disability? Physical, metabolic, psychological or mental?

How you overcame your disability may inspire others if you wish to share. I understand if you are not comfortable.

Why were you mocked, was it by adults that should know better?

Adults should know better but many are moronic and lack empathy, especially for the feelings of a child.

Teachers are especially accountable in this. A good intuitive teacher can positively influence a child's self-image for the rest of their life.

A bad teacher can do the same in reverse. These days, all teachers should take a mandatory course in psychology. Once the damage is done, sometimes it can't be undone.

 

[Deeje]

Not due to faith but for putting one foot in front of the other to try to live my ideals.

What are your ideals based on?

Yes. Why? To learn. To grow. To experience and distribute love.

Do you believe that the Creator intended for his human children to experience the full gamut of pain, suffering and tragedy just to teach us? How do we teach our own children? By deliberately subjecting them to painful experiences? Don't we try to protect our children from those things? Why would God do otherwise?

There is no such thing as failure. There is learning. A young child learning to walk falls. We can call it failure but more properly we see it a learning to walk.

True, learning can be painful, but what if the pain stops a child from trying? We all see toddlers learning to walk, they fall many times until the balance mechanism in the brain kicks in. What is it in these little ones that doesn't allow them to give up, when many adults do in like circumstances? You never fail until you stop trying.

Pleasure and pain are two poles of experience. When we "wake up" we see that we were living in a dream and the apparent pleasure and the apparent pain were just part of the dream with no greater meaning than that.

That is a little 'out there' for me but thanks for sharing.

 

[sun rise]

What are your ideals based on?

All major religions, most smaller ones, almost all if not all ethical systems share the ideals of truth, beauty, justice, compassion/love, honesty and so forth. That universal, common set of ideals are my ideals.

Do you believe that the Creator intended for his human children to experience the full gamut of pain, suffering and tragedy just to teach us? How do we teach our own children? By deliberately subjecting them to painful experiences? Don't we try to protect our children from those things? Why would God do otherwise?

If a child refuses to listen to his parents and insists on taking a painful path with drugs, crime and the like, parents sometimes cannot rescue the child nor change his path in life as much as they want to do so.

So if a person insists on taking a hard path in life, then I believe in a future life the person will learn by experiencing the consequences of his acts by learning through experience what it feels like to be the recipient of those acts from a prior life. This is the law of action/reaction, sowing/reaping or karma depending on one's background.

 

[Altfish]

I believe I am a better person because of my lack of faith.
I am not wasting time praising something, I can focus on real things.
I have not prejudices brought about by dogma, my decisions are made based on reason (Yes, I do get things wrong, I'm not perfect)

Yes, atheism lets you get on with the important things.

 

[SomeRandom]

Adults should know better but many are moronic and lack empathy, especially for the feelings of a child.

Teachers are especially accountable in this. A good intuitive teacher can positively influence a child's self-image for the rest of their life.

A bad teacher can do the same in reverse. These days, all teachers should take a mandatory course in psychology. Once the damage is done, sometimes it can't be undone.

I think that might actually be a thing in Primary Schools these days. Perhaps it’s only a select few.
I’m not sure what the blue card requirements are specifically, but I’m fairly sure basic knowledge of childhood development and psychology is now necessary in the schooling sector, including day/child care.
Don’t quote me on that, but that’s the last I heard about it.
But I do agree with you. (Ha imagine that!?)

 

[ChristineM]

I think that believers have been prescribed a set of superficial restrictions which they personally can uphold while ignoring another set of superficial restrictions which they ignore. With believers both of these tend to be a show. Honestly, I have only ever seen the unbeliever as being different in where their restrictions originate. I'm constantly being mocked for my belief, and I often mock unbelievers in the same way.

With unbelievers it can most commonly be seen in the familial. Family tends to be the least unsympathetic mockers.

That surprises me, religion can be mocked, if providing scientific justification for doing so which is easy to do. Often the religious take this as personal insult and make the discussion/argument personal with ad hominem and hyperbole. Of course the opposition will respond in kind. I am known for returning in kind what i receive, only more so. In this way things escalate, a fault i really should try and get a handle on.

 

[ChristineM]

I dont believe all christians would have mocked your disability.

But, in anycase, i would not judge a faith based on idiots that may hold to it.

The only really horrendous events in my life have been instigated by christians.

Later after leaving the church i got to the stage that i could read the bible. Taken literally without cherry picking and ignoring the inconvenient and nasty bits its all there. The nasty bits, the intolerance of difference, rape, theft, slavery murder, genocide. I am sure many Christians block those bits or at least interpret them to suite a good image but many are literalists.

One of my best friends is a devout born again christian, a nice and very loving person. In my experience she is not all that typical.

 

[Deeje]

I think that might actually be a thing in Primary Schools these days. Perhaps it’s only a select few.
I’m not sure what the blue card requirements are specifically, but I’m fairly sure basic knowledge of childhood development and psychology is now necessary in the schooling sector, including day/child care.
Don’t quote me on that, but that’s the last I heard about it.

It would certainly help.

I remember some very cutting things said to me as a child. They cut me in half as I was not a confident kid but covered up my inadequacy by being the class clown. That teacher will never know what she did to me.

Yet another teacher was known for marking hard on tests and assignments. He was always fair though. I was determined to give him my best and scored 8/10 on my assignment....a score he hardly ever gave to anyone. It boosted my confidence no end. I cried when he left to take up teaching at a University. The guy who replaced him gave everyone 10/10. Nothing to strive for after that. Teachers can have such a big effect on kids one way or the other.

But I do agree with you. (Ha imagine that!?)

Shocking!! Don't you start a trend now.....LOL

 

[Deeje]

All major religions, most smaller ones, almost all if not all ethical systems share the ideals of truth, beauty, justice, compassion/love, honesty and so forth. That universal, common set of ideals are my ideals.

Those are nice ideals.

If a child refuses to listen to his parents and insists on taking a painful path with drugs, crime and the like, parents sometimes cannot rescue the child nor change his path in life as much as they want to do so.

So if a person insists on taking a hard path in life, then I believe in a future life the person will learn by experiencing the consequences of his acts by learning through experience what it feels like to be the recipient of those acts from a prior life. This is the law of action/reaction, sowing/reaping or karma depending on one's background.

I am a great believer in the justice of reaping what you sow; getting what you deserve....but we didn't get a choice in this.....life is tough for everyone for example, when a natural disaster strikes.....its not just the wicked but the good who suffer too. Good people are victims of crime and violence....victims of war etc. Is this what God planned for us...or is there another reason why life is so unfair?

 

[ChristineM]

I bet if you made another name and came on here pretending to be a theist, you'd be bound to come across some atheists that will mock you. Ive had it happen a few times.

Im convinced it dont matter WHAT ones beliefs are, theres idiots amongs all worldviews and theres good people amongs all worldviews.

I can only go by experience but i guess you may have a point

 

[ChristineM]

Christian adults mocked a child with a disability? ....and you still believe that they were Christians? Could one imagine Jesus doing something like that? Right there is a failure to practice what their faith preached.

Just wondering, how does one beat a disability? "Disability" carries images of things that can't be overcome, so in what category would you place your disability? Physical, metabolic, psychological or mental?

How you overcame your disability may inspire others if you wish to share. I understand if you are not comfortable.



Adults should know better but many are moronic and lack empathy, especially for the feelings of a child.

Teachers are especially accountable in this. A good intuitive teacher can positively influence a child's self-image for the rest of their life.

A bad teacher can do the same in reverse. These days, all teachers should take a mandatory course in psychology. Once the damage is done, sometimes it can't be undone.

As i wrote earlier, they take their prompt from the bible. The bible is much, much more than the jesus bit.

One beats some disability with tools. In my case, green tinted, prismatic eye glasses and page/screen filters. I am still dyslexic but with tools i am able to read and write. Dyslexia has now become more recognised and there is a greater awareness leading to early diagnosis. There are various tools that can be utilised for different forms of dyslexia, unfortunately not for all.

Yes they were/are christian. Moronic behaviour and lack of empathy seem to be, if not typical then certainly quite common. Shutting your eyes to it or denying them their faith does not make it go away

Oh, i agree, it was a teacher who suggested i was examined by a specialist. She and those following helped make me who i am today. Unfortunately those before either ignored or accepted that a couldn't or wouldn't read or dismissed me as a write off.

 

[Jollybear]

I can only go by experience but i guess you may have a point

I think the only reason the "idiot" kind of atheists have not mocked you is simply because you are in there camp of worldview. They say to themselves 'oh look, shes one of us, she believes like we, shes not stupid and dishonest like those christians and other religious folks.'

The same with me, well close, for the most part, i have not been mocked by christians or religious folk, and thats simply because im in there camp of worldview.

However, i said close, lol. Ill tell you a true story. To this day i cant wrap my head around it.

I knew this pastor from a church for 5 years. I stayed in touch with him via facebook.

Anyhoo, i challenged a part of his theology one day. Apparently he couldn't handle it. Id hate to see him come on this site, lol. He certainly wouldnt survive. So, what he did was accused me of being an atheist. Then blocked me.

He told a story of a little girl crossing the road, who got hit by a car and died. There parrents wer distraught. However, he mentioned good that came out of it. The parrents used there grief by changing certain laws so that would not happen to anybody else.

So, the kicker to his story is, why did God allow the child to die? Because he had a plan to work something out of the calamity.

Well, thats not what i challenged him on. Because, ya, good things CAN come about out of calamity.

But i said to him "so, what if you wer there and could have saved the child? Would you? If no, then thats bad, if yes, then youd be thwarting Gods plan."

He called me flat out, an atheist because i said that.

I told him, ehhh, no, im not an atheist, nor agnostic, nor even a deist, im a full fledged theist. And he knew i was.

I said also, just because im challenging a part of your statement dont mean im an atheist. Religious folk can challenge other religious folk.

Then he said "i dont talk to atheists"

I said "why not? Dont they need to be reached too?"

Thats when he blocked me.

Couldnt believe it. Knew that guy IN PERSON for 5 to 6 years, then on facebook for an additional 10 years.

Lol, incredable isnt it?

 

[ChristineM]

I think the only reason the "idiot" kind of atheists have not mocked you is simply because you are in there camp of worldview. They say to themselves 'oh look, shes one of us, she believes like we, shes not stupid and dishonest like those christians and other religious folks.'

The same with me, well close, for the most part, i have not been mocked by christians or religious folk, and thats simply because im in there camp of worldview.

However, i said close, lol. Ill tell you a true story. To this day i cant wrap my head around it.

I knew this pastor from a church for 5 years. I stayed in touch with him via facebook.

Anyhoo, i challenged a part of his theology one day. Apparently he couldn't handle it. Id hate to see him come on this site, lol. He certainly wouldnt survive. So, what he did was accused me of being an atheist. Then blocked me.

He told a story of a little girl crossing the road, who got hit by a car and died. There parrents wer distraught. However, he mentioned good that came out of it. The parrents used there grief by changing certain laws so that would not happen to anybody else.

So, the kicker to his story is, why did God allow the child to die? Because he had a plan to work something out of the calamity.

Well, thats not what i challenged him on. Because, ya, good things CAN come about out of calamity.

But i said to him "so, what if you wer there and could have saved the child? Would you? If no, then thats bad, if yes, then youd be thwarting Gods plan."

He called me flat out, an atheist because i said that.

I told him, ehhh, no, im not an atheist, nor agnostic, nor even a deist, im a full fledged theist. And he knew i was.

I said also, just because im challenging a part of your statement dont mean im an atheist. Religious folk can challenge other religious folk.

Then he said "i dont talk to atheists"

I said "why not? Dont they need to be reached too?"

Thats when he blocked me.

Couldnt believe it. Knew that guy IN PERSON for 5 to 6 years, then on facebook for an additional 10 years.

Lol, incredable isnt it?

First off, atheism is not a worldview, it is simply the disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.
Anything else is down to the individual

Second, If it were a world view then every view would be different.

Maybe this is where your problem lies, misunderstanding of what atheism is.

Oh i have been called stupid and dishonest, never by atheists, but not because i am "one of them" but because i can usually prove what i say. However, atheists have challenged me on some points, it can get heated but i can learn something new. Sometimes not, but i can think of no time where mockery is involved.

Re your pastor, to me its the sort of thing to expect if facing a fundimentalist with logic.

 

[SomeRandom]

It would certainly help.

I remember some very cutting things said to me as a child. They cut me in half as I was not a confident kid but covered up my inadequacy by being the class clown. That teacher will never know what she did to me.

Yet another teacher was known for marking hard on tests and assignments. He was always fair though. I was determined to give him my best and scored 8/10 on my assignment....a score he hardly ever gave to anyone. It boosted my confidence no end. I cried when he left to take up teaching at a University. The guy who replaced him gave everyone 10/10. Nothing to strive for after that. Teachers can have such a big effect on kids one way or the other.
I

I couldn’t agree more. I actually come from a family of teachers. So in a sense I get see “behind the scenes” as it were. It’s very fascinating to hear them talk about their profession.
Some teaching styles are definitely not “great.” And can be very harmful. But the impression I always got is no teacher really sets out to hurt a student. They just have different ideas on how one is to mould a student. For example my old history and English teacher in early high school would take every opportunity to demean or embarrass me.
I asked my cousin why, since he actually knew her personally. He said she’s just rough around the edges, had a dark sense of humour and was just using the “tough love” approach, though he personally disagreed with the method. As much as it did affect me at the time, in hindsight she was a genuinely good teacher. I think the lowest grade I got in any of her classes was a B.
The worst I ever saw her get was when I flaked on an assignment, only did the bare minimum. Though to be fair I did most of it in the hospital (visiting Pa.) She hounded me extra for a month afterwards and made me redo the assessment.
I already had a little tolerance to it since my family has an insulting sense of humour. But if I was a little more sensitive I could definitely see it having long reaching consequences.
But I will say that in hindsight her “tough love” approach was sometimes necessary with me lol.
I guess it can be tricky to have a style that is cromulent for all students since they are all unique and respond to different things and learn differently.
I mean I’m a visual learner so I don’t do well with verbal instructions. I need a little slap across the back of the head to keep me on track and doing my best. But that wouldn’t work with everyone.

Shocking!! Don't you start a trend now.....LOL

Truly a scandalous turn of events

 

[Jollybear]

First off, atheism is not a worldview, it is simply the disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.
Anything else is down to the individual

Second, If it were a world view then every view would be different.

Maybe this is where your problem lies, misunderstanding of what atheism is.

Slash off world from what i said. Just "view". Atheism is a "view". Is that fair?

Oh i have been called stupid and dishonest, never by atheists, but not because i am "one of them" but because i can usually prove what i say.

I would have to disagree there. I truely believe the reason SOME atheists have not called you stupid or dishonest is merely because you are in agreement with there core position.

And i refer to the "idiot" category, not the kind category. The kind cadegory will not call anyone stupid or dishonest. But, i contend the real reason the idiot cadegory has not called you stupid or dishonest is because you are what they are, atheist.

I do not believe for a second that its due to the fact you can prove what you say. You may very well prove what you say, but thats not why they wont call you dishonest. I dont buy it. I have seen some pretty insecure atheists on here. Not all mind you.

It be interesting if you did the test of making another name, pretending to be a theist and see the results. It be quite interesting.

However, atheists have challenged me on some points, it can get heated but i can learn something new. Sometimes not, but i can think of no time where mockery is involved.

Mockery was not involved because you agreed with there core position. And or, you may have been engaged with one of the KIND atheists.

Re your pastor, to me its the sort of thing to expect if facing a fundimentalist with logic.

Atleast THAT fundamentalist, yes.

 

[ChristineM]

Slash off world from what i said. Just "view". Atheism is a "view". Is that fair?

Not strictly a view either, more an understanding that there is no evidence to support the claim. Whereas there is evidence to discredit at least some of the claims.

I would have to disagree there. I truely believe the reason SOME atheists have not called you stupid or dishonest is merely because you are in agreement with there core position.

And i refer to the "idiot" category, not the kind category. The kind cadegory will not call anyone stupid or dishonest. But, i contend the real reason the idiot cadegory has not called you stupid or dishonest is because you are what they are, atheist.

I do not believe for a second that its due to the fact you can prove what you say. You may very well prove what you say, but thats not why they wont call you dishonest. I dont buy it. I have seen some pretty insecure atheists on here. Not all mind you.

It be interesting if you did the test of making another name, pretending to be a theist and see the results. It be quite interesting

You are free to believe whatever you want

Maybe you are happy with deception, not me.

Mockery was not involved because you agreed with there core position. And or, you may have been engaged with one of the KIND atheists.

Whatever make you happy

Atleast THAT fundamentalist, yes.

At least. I find that none can argue logic

 

[Woberts]

After accepting the glory of the Seven, I have been cleansed of the filth of this world.
I'm taking a pilgrimage to the Great Sept of Baelor next month, so that I might plead to the High Septon to allow me into the order.
(The first person to get the reference gets a cookie)

 

[Deeje]

As i wrote earlier, they take their prompt from the bible. The bible is much, much more than the jesus bit.

Oh, so they were taking their que's from OT stuff? I thought being a Christian meant emulating Jesus? The OT stuff was for an ancient people living among barbaric nations who were serving their barbaric gods. If Yahweh had shown himself inferior to those gods, then Israel would have had no credibility as a nation. Their land was prime and the envy of other nations....they protected their land and even though smaller in numbers, they held them at bay. Not by their own might but by the power of their God who was backing them.

David for example, an unarmed shepherd boy, coming up against Goliath, was taking on that fully armed champion of the bloodthirsty Philistines, in the name of Yahweh his God....then took him down with a stone and a slingshot. He cut off the giant's head with his own sword.

Jesus never drew a sword in his life. The most violent thing he did in anger was to drive extortioners out of his Father's temple with a whip and chastise them for making God's worship a commercial enterprise. Donations were acceptable because nothing survives without currency....but these money changers were doing business and selling sacrificial animals right with the Temple itself....it was illegal commercial activity, treating a house of worship as somewhere to do business, that Jesus railed against. They were extorting money from their own brothers by charging way more than the animals were worth.
Making a profit out of worship is something for today's TV evangelists to consider.

One beats some disability with tools. In my case, green tinted, prismatic eye glasses and page/screen filters. I am still dyslexic but with tools i am able to read and write. Dyslexia has now become more recognised and there is a greater awareness leading to early diagnosis. There are various tools that can be utilised for different forms of dyslexia, unfortunately not for all.

My husband was dyslexic, as is my grandson. My husband grew up thinking he was stupid and probably endured the kind of ridicule that you spoke of. A lot of it from his own father. No one knew about dyslexia then. My grandson couldn't read either, but was tested and found to have it. (I was told it often runs in families) Tinted lenses are of no benefit to him. The school system was leaving him behind with no real assistance, so I am home schooling him. (His mother has to work) It's a challenge to keep him engaged but YouTube is a help when these kids are visual learners. He's a smart boy in every other way.

I read a book called "The Gift of Dyslexia" and then I understood why this disability is often an indication of above average intelligence. These kids grow up developing mental skills that other kids never tap into. Who knew it could be a gift in disguise!? Einstein was dyslexic....so were many other very successful people.

Yes they were/are christian. Moronic behaviour and lack of empathy seem to be, if not typical then certainly quite common. Shutting your eyes to it or denying them their faith does not make it go away

It is not common in my spiritual family, thank goodness. With so many kids manifesting with various presentations of autism these days, we must all be aware that certain behaviours in children are not just the result of bad parenting. Or that kids are worthless because of their disability.

Oh, i agree, it was a teacher who suggested i was examined by a specialist. She and those following helped make me who i am today. Unfortunately those before either ignored or accepted that a couldn't or wouldn't read or dismissed me as a write off.

It's too easy to judge any situation when ignorance drives perceptions. That applies in any circumstance where there is conflict. Half a story is worse than no story at all. Half truths are worse than lies. Sadly, I gnorance is at the bottom of most disagreements.

I am glad you overcame your dyslexia and gained some confidence, though I see that it may have left some scars.

 

[ChristineM]

Oh, so they were taking their que's from OT stuff? I thought being a Christian meant emulating Jesus? The OT stuff was for an ancient people living among barbaric nations who were serving their barbaric gods. If Yahweh had shown himself inferior to those gods, then Israel would have had no credibility as a nation. Their land was prime and the envy of other nations....they protected their land and even though smaller in numbers, they held them at bay. Not by their own might but by the power of their God who was backing them.

Are you saying the bible is wrong, that christians should ignore gods word and only follow jesus?

My husband was dyslexic, as is my grandson. My husband grew up thinking he was stupid and probably endured the kind of ridicule that you spoke of. A lot of it from his own father. No one knew about dyslexia then. My grandson couldn't read either, but was tested and found to have it. (I was told it often runs in families) Tinted lenses are of no benefit to him. The school system was leaving him behind with no real assistance, so I am home schooling him. (His mother has to work) It's a challenge to keep him engaged but YouTube is a help when these kids are visual learners. He's a smart boy in every other way.

Most dyslexics are smart, some of the greatest thinkers have been dyslexic. Galileo, Edison, Einstein, George Washington.

You probably know, computers, tablets etc have a magnify function, it may be of help.

It is not common in my spiritual family, thank goodness. With so many kids manifesting with various presentations of autism these days, we must all be aware that certain behaviours in children are not just the result of bad parenting. Or that kids are worthless because of their disability.

Agreed

It's too easy to judge any situation when ignorance drives perceptions. That applies in any circumstance where there is conflict. Half a story is worse than no story at all. Half truths are worse than lies. Sadly, I gnorance is at the bottom of most disagreements.

I am glad you overcame your dyslexia and gained some confidence, though I see that it may have left some scars.

Thanks. I see them as scars in fine leather

 

[Jollybear]

Not strictly a view either, more an understanding that there is no evidence to support the claim. Whereas there is evidence to discredit at least some of the claims.

"No evidence to support the claim God exists" IS a view. Thats a belief. I dont have proof God exists, but as far as evidence goes, there is lots of evidence. Atleast thats my "view".

You are free to believe whatever you want

Maybe you are happy with deception, not me.

Lol, no one is happy with deception. If i thought it wer deception, then id not believe it. Some people mock those outside there camp. Insecurity is a real phenomenon.

At least. I find that none can argue logic

This is too general for me to agree or disagree with.