Friday, March 14, 2003
I really do try. I make a conscious effort to be tolerant of christians and the arrogant belief of the religion as a whole that theirs is the
only true Path. I have made peace with several individuals, mostly those of a more moderate, middle of the road approach who, if they hold this belief, at the very least keep it to themselves. I can't tell you how many times I have had someone who thought they were being kind try to "save my soul from perdition" or some such rot. Even in my women's group, whose creed is based on tolerance of all beliefs, there are those who hold this annoying opinion. Once such woman won't allow anyone to "adopt" one of the graphics she makes and put them on their own pages if there is anything there that has to do with "...satanism or witchcraft". Which is my other beef against christians as a group. They, for some bizarre reason insist on glumping Wicca with Satanism. Never once taking the time to learn that Wiccans don't believe in satan either.
So on to my point. It makes it about a million times harder for me to be as tolerant and understanding of the religion as a whole when I read (expletive) stuff like this:
Full Text HereFrom the Sydney Morning Herald:"The new Anglican Dean of Sydney has been accused of insensitivity, provocation and offensive intolerance after his strident defence of evangelical Christianity.
Religious organisations across the community yesterday railed against the Reverend Phillip Jensen's provocative comments, which included saying that Australia had stretched the idea of tolerance to the point of stupidity.
He told the congregation at his installation in St Andrew's cathedral on Friday that "some or all" religions were wrong and if wrong were "the monstrous lies and deceits of Satan devised to destroy the life of the believers"....
..."The Anglican bishop of South Sydney, Robert Forsyth, came out in his defence, arguing that although the mode of speech may have been confronting, the message was hardly new.
"What he said was what I understand to be the way in which the New Testament sees other religions: that outside of Christ people are enslaved to sin or to spiritual forces," he said.
"If all people have a terrible disease and you believe that God has provided a particular cure for everybody that worked - but others were hawking cures that didn't work - you can't just say it doesn't matter. It's false and its dangerously false in a spiritual sense.""
So beware Muslims, Hindi, Jehova's Witnesses, et al. We are all going to be rotting in hell alongside Ghandi, Mohammed and Buddah. Then again...hmmm...Buddah...Jerry Fallwell...Buddah...Jerry Fallwell...
Is it really that tough a choice?
posted by Kimber
at 1:42 PM ::
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