Do you really think you are helping anyone?

[Kathryn]

waitasec - do you believe that those who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God are mistaken?

 

[Draka]

If this is the case, what's the excuse for arrogant proselytizing from, say, atheists? Or anyone else who shares their personal belief system with others?

Same as any other who evangelizes. They believe themselves to have an absolute "truth" and have an opinion about themselves that they are somehow smarter or better off for believing the way they do and feel they must prove to others just how "right" they are by telling others they believe wrong and should believe as they do. It's the same attitude, just with a different perspective to be pushed. Two sides of the same coin. And both sides are rude.

 

[McBell]

So - Christianity is just as true as Buddhism?

How many times does she have to answer this question?
Seems to me you are merely badgering her until she gives the answer you are looking for.

 

[McBell]

You keep saying this. I've never said this. You're using cheap and obvious tricks to avoid serious debate and discussion.

the irony...
Its blinding.....

I've clearly stated that I am certain - CERTAIN - that I am wrong about some things, maybe even many things. I've changed my mind on numerous serious issues and philosophies over my lifetime, and I am pretty sure I will change my mind again.

I am SEARCHING for truth. I also believe that some things are true and I'm not afraid or ashamed to admit that. My gosh, we all have to operate within a system of some sort of belief in order to even get out of bed each day.

Surely we have reasons to believe as we do. And surely we believe what we do because we believe in the TRUTH of our beliefs - we're not intentionally following untruth or a set of lies - at least I'm not, nor do I know anyone who is.

This doesn't mean that we're closed to gathering more information and possibly changing our mind about what we believe to be true. It also doesn't mean that additional information will PROVE that what we're believing is not true.

You are the one who comes across as dogmatic in your judgment of others - a fact which I find ironic.

Wow.
You owe me an irony meter.

 

[waitasec]

waitasec - do you believe that those who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God are mistaken?

no because according to them, they are not mistaken. and it doesn't really matter what i think because i don't knock on peoples doors assuming peoples truths are not truths...

 

[McBell]

Sky dancer, I'm afraid you have misjudged. Kathryn is asking you a simple question: how can you believe that all religions are as valid as each other while they can have such opposite beliefs?

And that question was answered more than once.

The answer I have read to that question more than once is (paraphrased): what holds true for one person may not hold true for another person.

 

[McBell]

I believe that truth is truth. Period. I also believe that we try to burden Truth with a lot of additional baggage that's unnecessary and that dilutes core Truths.

The problem with this attitude is that it does not hold true for religion.
There is no absolute all encompassing religious truth.

 

[McBell]

Into the next life....you carry what you hold within you.

Books, like crutches, will be left behind.

Does that also include all the religious crutches, all the faith crutches, all the wishful thinking crutches, all the dogma crutches, etc. as well?

 

[McBell]

Are you saying that Christians should not share their beliefs with others?

Wow, talk about a leap....

 

[Kathryn]

no because according to them, they are not mistaken. and it doesn't really matter what i think because i don't knock on peoples doors assuming peoples truths are not truths...

OK - so you're saying that as long as someone believes something, it's true?

 

[Kathryn]

How many times does she have to answer this question?
Seems to me you are merely badgering her until she gives the answer you are looking for.

She hasn't answered the question. She has skirted the question. Pity you can't seem to catch that.

Here's an example of that tactic:

"Do you believe that people who believe the earth is flat are just as correct as those who believe the earth is a sphere?"

"I believe that people who believe the earth is flat are correct in their own mind, and therefore for them, the earth is flat."

A nonsensical answer.

 

[McBell]

i was just trying to make a point...
why belittle my effort?

People tend to resort to such tactics when they cannot see/understand a point or when they just flat out do not want to see/understand a point.

 

[waitasec]

OK - so you're saying that as long as someone believes something, it's true?

it's true for them...

 

[Kathryn]

OMG. I rest my case.

 

[McBell]

She hasn't answered the question. She has skirted the question. Pity you can't seem to catch that.

Your inability or unwillingness to understand her answer does not equate to her not answering.

Here's an example of that tactic:

"Do you believe that people who believe the earth is flat are just as correct as those who believe the earth is a sphere?"

"I believe that people who believe the earth is flat are correct in their own mind, and therefore for them, the earth is flat."

A nonsensical answer.

Of course it is.
But one is to expect such things when you change the goal posts...

Pity you fail to understand or even see that that is what you have done, repeatedly.

 

[McBell]

OMG. I rest my case.

A good thing too.
Your insistence on playing word weasel games was rather embarrassing.

 

[waitasec]

OMG. I rest my case.

kathryn, the concept of god has never ever been proven or disproved, right?

it's not like i can compare god to the empirical evidence of a scale and say to myself i believe i weigh 125 lbs when i don't really don't...

 

[Kathryn]

A good thing too.
Your insistence on playing word weasel games was rather embarrassing.

You're arriving rather late to the game, Mestemia.

Tolerance of the beliefs of others implies that there is disagreement on some beliefs. Otherwise, why would we have to be TOLERANT?

My point about truth is that we all believe some things to be true, and some things to be untrue. Anyone who claims otherwise is the one playing word weasel games.

"If they believe it to be true, it's true" is pablum at it's very worst. Not only that, it's consdescending - and that in itself is arrogance.

 

[Kathryn]

Your inability or unwillingness to understand her answer does not equate to her not answering.


Of course it is.
But one is to expect such things when you change the goal posts...

Pity you fail to understand or even see that that is what you have done, repeatedly.

Where did I change the goal posts?

 

[McBell]

You're arriving rather late to the game, Mestemia.

Tolerance of the beliefs of others implies that there is disagreement on some beliefs. Otherwise, why would we have to be TOLERANT?

My point about truth is that we all believe some things to be true, and some things to be untrue. Anyone who claims otherwise is the one playing word weasel games.

"If they believe it to be true, it's true" is pablum at it's very worst. Not only that, it's consdescending - and that in itself is arrogance.

Until you started using examples outside of of religious beliefs.
That is when you started playing the weasel word games.

The fact is that all religious truths are subjective.
You have been arguing that they are not.
You screwed up when you started using non-religious truths in an attempt to support your claim.