The Cellar - The New "Tolerance"

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- - The New "Tolerance" (http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=10793)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

Joining special clubs won't benefit you in any way

No benefits? Joining AAA got me discounts on oil changes...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

other than the completely selfish, superficial, and worldly way that the plumber with a fish on his van hopes to get more business.

...Oh, nevermind. Carry on.

Quote:

In the days of the ancients, astrology and astronomy were a singular principle science and no king or ruler was without the counsel of the stars.

Nancy Reagan. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pie

No benefits? Joining AAA got me discounts on oil changes...

...Oh, nevermind. Carry on.

Don't forget free maps, trip-tix, food & hotel discounts, and free money orders, as well as the life experience of dealing with their terrible service.
That helps you immeasurably, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by PizzaMonkey

Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

Obviously I have a problem with that one ...

But I have seen a lot of commentaries that indicate that the original wording of that particular text should be translated "Thou shalt not suffer a poisoner to live."

Also, the definition of "witch" is somewhat broader now than in the original setting.

The group that I can't figure out are the folks that call themselves Christian Witches. Always seems like they want to be trendy but can't bring themselves to break away from the faith of their parents.

I do know one guy who was an apprentice of a Native American Shaman who was a devout (but unusual) Christian ... he did not call upon that tradition's Gods, he worked with Jesus exclusively. He was probably her best student, over many years of teaching.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf

... he did not call upon that tradition's Gods, he worked with Jesus exclusively.

Jesus is just charismatic as all get out. There's no denying that he had moxie and chutzpah in spades, baby, in spades. He probably has his own religion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibram

I went to Methodist church for years, years ago, and personally I found them pretty agreeable. If you're gonna deal with christians, at least try to make sure theyre methodist.

I generally like Methodists as well, but GWB is a Methodist. It is all in how the actual members of your local church operate.

The agreeably of a particular church is a reflection of the agreeably of the people that make up that church's congregation. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

The agreeably of a particular church is a reflection of the agreeably of the people that make up that church's congregation. ;)

Which has a greater influence: The congregation on the church or the church on the congregation? The answer I have in my head is what always made me fearful.

Where I grew up, the church reflected the community. They interview and hire a preacher, if he rubs them the wrong way they can him. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibram

I went to Methodist church for years, years ago, and personally I found them pretty agreeable. If you're gonna deal with christians, at least try to make sure theyre methodist.

"I want rustlers, cut throats, murderers, bounty hunters, desperados, mugs, pugs, thugs, nitwits, halfwits, dimwits, vipers, snipers, con men, Indian agents, Mexican bandits, muggers, buggerers, bushwhackers, hornswogglers, horse thieves, bull dykes, train robbers, bank robbers, ass-kickers, shit-kickers and Methodists."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

What exactly is the purpose of identifying yourself as a "Christian"?

Anyone who claims that encouraging people to be good is not the purpose of religion, is hopeless. If it doesn't have that purpose then you are truly missing the point. If it doesn't have that purpose then what purpose has it? (I know, I know, there are some fabulously contrived and convoluted responses to that - but you have to memorize them by rote, as they make no sense and accomplish nothing)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

Anyone who claims that encouraging people to be good is not the purpose of religion, is hopeless. [...]If it doesn't have that purpose then what purpose has it?

It explains how we got in this handbasket?

See many of the theory-of-creation myths, like this one:

Quote:

Aztec

The mother of the Aztec creation story was called Coatlique (the Lady of the Skirt of Snakes). She was created in the image of the unknown, decorated with skulls, snakes, and lacerated hands. There are no cracks in her body and she is a perfect monolith (a totality of intensity and self-containment, yet her features were square and decapitated).

Coatlique was first impregnated by an obsidian knife and gave birth to Coyolxanuhqui, goddess of the moon, and to a group of male offspring, who became the stars. Then one day Coatlique found a ball of feathers, which she tucked into her bosom. When she looked for it later, it was gone, at which time she realized that she was again pregnant. Her children, the moon and stars did not believe her story. Ashamed of their mother, they resolved to kill her. A goddess could only give birth once, to the original litter of divinity and no more. During the time that they were plotting her demise, Coatlique gave birth to the fiery god of war, Huitzilopochtli. With the help of a fire serpent, he destroyed his brothers and sister, murdering them in a rage. He beheaded Coyolxauhqui and threw her body into a deep gorge in a mountain, where it lies dismembered forever. The natural cosmos of the Indians was born of catastrophe. The heavens literally crumbled to pieces. The earth mother fell and was fertilized, while her children were torn apart by fratricide and then scattered and disjointed throughout the universe.

I see no exhortations to "be good".

If the Aztec Gods had names that you could pronouce, The Aztecs probably would have been able to defeat the Conquistadores. By the time you offer a prayer to Lord Feathered Serpent, Quetzacoatl, asking for strength in battle, you've got a Spanish war lance through your navel and out your back.

"Oh, help me questa... questa... quetzacoat... quetzacao... HURK"