Religious Fanatics

[Boyar Son]

Before when i came in the ethos mores etc. i always thought the atheists here were just bigots and hateful towards religion in general. while maybe some of you are () I see what you mean.

Walking around the street of south beach on Superbowl weekend i saw a group of fanatic small cult christians (who i think were the same people from last Miami Superbowl) preaching their . what kind of ? "you deserve hell" t-shirts, calling us all sinners even though they barely know us, and even one man saying "who knows when you die? today tomorrow, hopefully soon though...". they didn't really go for the atheists, they went after mostly other Christians in their rhetoric. Catholics and Mormons (THEM of all people) and playing off on their stereotype.

for the whole day they were their speaking of their heretical () way to Jesus. people made fun of them, one guy acting like a gay guy and stood next to one of the preachers, others yelling "WHO DAT" at them..

all in all i see what people hate about religious fanatics. the stereotype, it's nothing made up, these s really do exist and constantly drive people away from religion.

[cfmonkey45]

I had a similar experience a few years back. It's sort of interesting, I never experienced that in my upbringing and was completely dumbfounded by atheists and nonbelievers criticizing me and others for our beliefs. It seemed somewhat absurd. Then, I went down into LA and I saw a whole bunch of protesters like that.

[Kjertesvein]

"Jahow's people": 1. Calm down. Stop the preaching and stalking people who don't want it. Don't bring it up in evey deam debate, tho you may leave your humble signature once in a while (like a small symbol around your neck or that you say you are a religous person once). 2. Stand with your back straight during this "atheist" storm. A charade will pass like all others, if you don't become part of it. You will lose some, but those you loose will go any way. Fast or slowly. However, your oppurtunity will come back once it's need for it (deep depression, total war, diseace, medieval times, etc.). 3. By this time, you will stand as an/1000 example(s) of what a religous (wo)man is - without saying a word. People will also realise what they don't have, like tradition and culture on their own.

I had a visit of them, so just my 2 kroner rant.

[hellheaven1987]

Ignore them is your best choice. If you really want to pick a fight, just tell them you would kill God (if that even exists) if you meet God.

[Ariovistus Maximus]

I see where you're coming from, but don't paint us all with that brush.

Like you said, there are sensible atheists and there are psycho-bigot atheists. Guess what? There are sensible believers and there are psycho-bigot believers.

I'm as sick of those punk "Christians" as you are. There are hundreds of religions and millions of believers all over the world. There are fake ones and there are sincere ones. Don't make conclusions just based of this little sample and that one.

[Boyar Son]

I see where you're coming from, but don't paint us all with that brush.

Like you said, there are sensible atheists and there are psycho-bigot atheists. Guess what? There are sensible believers and there are psycho-bigot believers.

I'm as sick of those punk "Christians" as you are. There are hundreds of religions and millions of believers all over the world. There are fake ones and there are sincere ones. Don't make conclusions just based of this little sample and that one.

too late, now I'm convinced all Christians are fanatics and all atheist are elitist Nazis.

[Sir Winston Churchill]

Agreed. They're a giant brown smudge on the window of religion and society in general. Most people base their hate of religion of folks like that who are either mentally ill or incredibly wrong. As a matter of fact anyone who screams "You're going to hell." or "I hope you die soon!" are, like, hypocrites. Last I checked we weren't supposed to wish death on others, as just thinking of it was as good as actually doing it. So they're breaking numerous commandments.

They're about as Christian (or whatever they were) as a Hindu... unless they were Hindus in which case I'd say about as Hindu as a Jew.

[basics]

I once went to a fellowship that actually swindled property away from an hotelier on the pretext that if he didn't cough up he would end up in hell. Having heard from the man himself I went to see what kind of people they were that could do such a thing.

In the middle of the meeting or service buckets were passed round for offerings and I can still hear the leader scream out for these men and women to give and give more. They weren't elderly but youngish men and women who for various reasons thought they were giving to Jesus. I don't have to say that the buckets were filled to the brims with fivers and tenners.

Yes and each Sunday many were to be seen gathered at the town centre holding services with the same leaders shouting the same sort of threats to any who would care to listen. The problem that many of the same type have is that they think that they have the power to save. To me it is just another form of easy believism that comes out of threats rather than the love of Jesus Christ.

[Miracles]

Religion is an attempt at coordinating faith or a teaching.
Like in any other organization there's a corrupt one but there's also s few good ones too. People have been abusing religion and taking advantage of naive people but it doesn't mean that having faith in God is wrong.

Just my take

[Bovril]

I utterly understand the OP's dislike for fanatics. They seem to use their beliefs (as opposed to faith, of which they have none) as a means to asserting their superiority and as an excuse for hatred.

Real fundementalists, on the other hand, tend to have almost no interest in the outside world. Take as an example the Amish. They are true fundementalists concerned only with establishing properly and develloping their own relationship with God in their own idiosyncratic way.

Those peverse preachers who bang on about homosexuality (as if it were a sin) or whatever, are not fundementalists. They are despots and hypocrits.

[Scorch]

Those peverse preachers who bang on about homosexuality (as if it were a sin) or whatever, are not fundementalists. They are despots and hypocrits.

They're not hypocrites. They're the ones that preach what the Bible actually says about homosexuality and other things.

Yes, the fundamentalists and extremists are unhinged, however they are the only ones that don't pick and choose about what parts of the Bible to leave out and which to attempt to enforce.

So if the only people that actually preach the entirety of the Holy Book instead of the sections that fit their view of the world are unhinged, doesn't that suggest that the religion and Holy Book is inherently flawed in the first place?

Most people base their hate of religion of folks like that who are either mentally ill or incredibly wrong. As a matter of fact anyone who screams "You're going to hell." or "I hope you die soon!" are, like, hypocrites.

In fact, most people I know base their hatred of religion on the array of prejudice, hatred and genocidal filth in the Bible. One only needs to read the Bible to understand that it is the Holy Book for the most violent, intolerant, racist, jealous and prejudiced religion in the ancient world.

[MaximiIian]

Yes, the fundamentalists and extremists are unhinged, however they are the only ones that don't pick and choose about what parts of the Bible to leave out and which to attempt to enforce.

Of course, this assumes that picking and choosing is a bad thing. Eclecticism is good in reasonable doses.

You do not need fanatics to drive people away from religion. Just reading the Bible, Torah or Quran should suffice.

If, by "religion", you don't actually mean "religion" but "a few Abrahamic religions".

[Scorch]

Of course, this assumes that picking and choosing is a bad thing. Eclecticism is good in reasonable doses.

Well yes, but if the Bible was the word of God and a supreme guide of moral and ethical reasoning should people need to pick and choose what to enforce and what not? Surely it must all be valid.

[Sher Khan]

As an Ottoman qadi once said, "May God protect us from the religion of the fanatic."

[Lupu]

As an Ottoman qadi once said, "May God protect us from the religion of the fanatic."

Best quote ever!

[Horsa]

Yes, these guys have taken it to far.

[Veni]

all in all i see what people hate about religious fanatics. the stereotype, it's nothing made up, these s really do exist and constantly drive people away from religion.

You do not need fanatics to drive people away from religion. Just reading the Bible, Torah or Quran should suffice.

[Sir Winston Churchill]

You do not need fanatics to drive people away from religion. Just reading the Bible, Torah or Quran should suffice.

Hey look, it's one of the those kinds of atheists that were described earlier on this thread!

[Arch-hereticK]

Hey look, it's one of the those kinds of atheists that were described earlier on this thread!

That's how I was turned, I'm sure I'm not the only one too, so what was wrong with what he said?

[Lupu]

That's how I was turned, I'm sure I'm not the only one too, so what was wrong with what he said?

Everything.