Evangelical Indoctrination of Children

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The approach was, "What's the best way we can get the kid's attention. I know! We'll scare 'em! Do you like to burn?

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Why is this sort of second-hand account accepted as representing what people actually say, or even think? Why is it accepted as representing Christians, as opposed to, perhaps, atheists posing as Christians?The unquestioning, mindless acceptance of these notions in atheist circles exposes atheism in the USA as a deep and nasty well of bigotry and indeed stupidity, even puerility. When will America grow up?

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News flash:

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This demonstrates the intellectual level of the USA.

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I think what we're saying is that we have a little trouble feeling the love when discussing salvation with evangelicals.

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Where? In this forum?

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a very contradictory explanation, that God is love, that God makes the rules that condemn most of humanity to hell

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But maybe most of humanity doesn't deserve to be anywhere else?

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Yes, there's a couple recent examples. Look at If you were God, what kind of God would you be? for one.

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There's nothing of that sort on the first page. It will be assumed that there is no evidence of lack of love when discussing salvation with evangelicals. The alleged "We'll scare 'em! Do you like to burn?" is a slanderous invention, for all you know.

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Well, okay, if that's the way you feel

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And this comes from a guy who complains of lack of love!!

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but that's the uncompassionate and unloving attitude whose origins I'm inquiring about.

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Is it uncompassionate and unloving to throw out the trash? Is it compassionate and loving to force decent people to live with people who are not decent? Everybody has a choice of how they are going to behave, and if they choose to go to hell, then their choice should be fully respected. Democracy, I say.

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That "trash" is a group of human beings.

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Are most human beings not trash, then?

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Most human beings are not trash. They're people.

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Is there a reason for people not being trash?

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They have hopes, dreams, opinions, feelings, philosophies

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How is this relevant?Is there logic and fact, rather than meaningless rhetoric, in support of this pov?

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I don't believe we can find common ground on this

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I think all should agree that we share common ground in that statements are to be supported with logic and facts, and not with personal abuse. Now is there fact and reason to support the opinion that most people are not trash? I think that all will agree, even if they refrain from saying so, that if humanity's answer to this question is personal abuse, then there is excellent reason for believing that humanity is indeed trash.

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It causes me to treat others in a way that I would prefer to be treated were our roles reversed.

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So it's fine if I cast aspersions on your character the way you've done to me?

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We already know the attitude exists.

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But you haven't provided a scrap of real evidence that it exists.

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If you'd like to discuss why most of humanity should be condemned to an eternity of suffering in hell

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It's you who has to justify why humanity should not be so treated, Percy. You wrote this:'We're given what sounds to us a very contradictory explanation, that God is love, that God makes the rules that condemn most of humanity to hell'So you start a thread that is based on mere hearsay, then, when challenged about it, you refrain from justifying anything you wrote, and then, when what you wrote is questioned, and not one poster can justify it, you want to cut it out of the thread! It's farcical, Percy. Do you want to debate, or do you just want a soap box to stand on, with any who disagree being carried off by heavies?Face the fact that the love of a deity does not preclude punishment of his creation for deeds done. There is no necessary contradiction. Now if we can agree on that, we can move on to whether or not the reasonable view that hell exists for wrongdoers, that has been the official view of every alleged church group for 2000 years, is presented in a way that is unreasonable and even objectionable.

Maybe they are not contemptible liars?

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evangelical creationists

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There is no such thing, of course.

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Also, I expect that just as the Bible is variously interpreted, so are the "broadly accepted creeds."

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So liars are acceptable, but those who tell the truth are sociopaths!

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That there are intellectual aspects to faith doesn't change the fact that they're using emotional manipulation.

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What if they are? Surely it's not breaking a commandment, whereas saying there is a hell and then denying it makes a mockery of this whole discussion, because people who do that can't be Christians.But you lot don't give a damn. America has no shame: "I've got bullets, shells and rockets, I don't need moral authority, you fool!" You guys can write all you like, but you count for nothing in the real world. You can fool yourselves that you do, I suppose. Dream on.Edited by ochaye, : No reason given.

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And we can determine that you're telling the truth because of what, precisely?

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With that scarce commodity, common sense. By checking the posts I commented on. It has been admitted that most who call themselves Christians tell lies. So they cannot be Christians. Surely it takes very little brain to work out that much.

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Even if parents want their child to be free and independent critical thinkers and don't want to highly influence their children's beliefs, at some point the children are going to anyway.

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What the skeptical position amounts to on this issue, though I'm sure they mostly don't realise it, is that Christians shouldn't have children. A theme worthy of Herr Adolf indeed.

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Being condescending

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Let us know if someone is that.