Zealotry: A growing danger to American freedom

[elsol]

I don't appreciate your smart-assed reply to something I'm honestly trying to understand.

And, this heathen doesn't need to be 'saved,' get it?

You're quite welcome to your beliefs, but don't force them on me. It's all about respect, which you obviously could learn something about.

And the funny part is you think it was a smart-assed reply to you and the people on this forum.

Someone asked a question, I answered it.

Thank you for giving me the respect of trying to understand what was being said.

Sincerely,
ElSol

 

[cloudy]

And the funny part is you think it was a smart-assed reply to you and the people on this forum.

Someone asked a question, I answered it.

Thank you for giving me the respect of trying to understand what was being said.

Sincerely,
ElSol

Yeah? You didn't 'explain' anything, just fired off something about us poor heathens not 'getting it.'

No wonder I gave up trying to understand the foolish years ago.

 

[elsol]

Yeah? You didn't 'explain' anything, just fired off something about us poor heathens not 'getting it.'

No wonder I gave up trying to understand the foolish years ago.

Does calling me/them foolish give you the same good feeling and reason not to try to understand that it gives the other side?

Then there was never a reason for the question, you already understood the other side.

Sincerely,
ElSol

 

[mismused]

delete

 

[cloudy]

Does calling me/them foolish give you the same good feeling and reason not to try to understand that it gives the other side?

No, it just makes me glad that I never fell for the brainwashing dealt out by the overly self-righteous, and bothered to think for myself.

So, since you're such a good Christian and all, then I suppose it's okay to be an asshole, at least if it's directed towards unbelievers, right?

 

[KarenAM]

Excellent post, Karen.

mimused

Thanks, Mismused.

I just hope this thread doesn't go the way most religious threads seem to go on this board.

 

[elsol]

Your opening line is as if speaking to a child.

Actually the opening line is from a movie.

The use of "THEEE" in caps is confrontational.

This is a stress to point out at the core of the faith is this one thing... and here it is.

"Get is?" is definitely smart-assed.

I think of it as question...

Get it?

As in, "Here it is!"

It's like if Cloudy were to tell someone that being Indian is not what she is... but who she is...

Would it smartass to look at them and say -- "Get it? Here's the line, either you cross it or there's no point in going forward."

Believe what you will, discuss as you wish, but to thrust yourself as you did is, IMHO, definitely smart-assed.

Think about it. Respectfully,

mismused

Was the tone smart-assed... I would say it was a failed attempt to be amusing while trying to explain to someone something they really can't understand.

As long as you keep defining the other side's identity as what they are, you really can't understand.

Republican is what I am.
Catholic is who I am.

Sincerely,
ElSol

 

[elsol]

Inigo Montoya, one of my favorite characters,

“Let me explain…no, there is too much. Let me sum up.”

Sincerely,
ElSol

 

[mismused]

delete

 

[mismused]

delete

 

[BlackShanglan]

Inigo Montoya, one of my favorite characters,

“Let me explain…no, there is too much. Let me sum up.”

Sincerely,
ElSol

Sorry, El. I was out dog-training or could have let you know that at least one person got that one.

Shanglan

 

[oggbashan]

In my town all the religious leaders seem to have a well-developed sense of humour. Almost all the Christian churches, the Rabbi, the Muslim clerics, the Buddhists have it. The only ones who don't are the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Evangelicals. They will not even talk to the others.

The rest co-operate in charitable activities, co-ordinate their diaries so that they can visit each other's major events, support inter-faith and inter-sect understanding and some even worship together for Remembrance Sunday.

They are not perfect but they try to understand each other. They have a plethora of 'The Priest, The Rabbi and the Imam' jokes to share...

Og

 

[matriarch]

In my town all the religious leaders seem to have a well-developed sense of humour. Almost all the Christian churches, the Rabbi, the Muslim clerics, the Buddhists have it. The only ones who don't are the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Evangelicals. They will not even talk to the others.

The rest co-operate in charitable activities, co-ordinate their diaries so that they can visit each other's major events, support inter-faith and inter-sect understanding and some even worship together for Remembrance Sunday.

They are not perfect but they try to understand each other. They have a plethora of 'The Priest, The Rabbi and the Imam' jokes to share...

Og

In my experience, most towns in England have the inter-faith thing going strongly. Its also part of the national curriculum....children learning about other faiths as part of their social and cultural studies in school, even celebrating the major festivals of each one. At least they do where I live. And a very good thing. Learning tolerance of other faiths at an early age. Not just the Christians (which is still the major faith), but from the other side of the fence, muslims, jews, sikhs learning about christianity.

 

[SeaCat]

Zealotry is in fact a direct threat to freedom, if not yours then someone elses. Zealotry is not limited to one religeon or sect within a religeon, it also includes those who don't believe. It is a threat because the zealot is unwilling to allow another another to believe or disbelieve in their chosen manner. The zealot is also willing to use force to coerce others to believe the way they believe, therefore taking away their freedoms. I have met zealots of every stripe and they all have one thing in common. They are right and anyone who deosn't believe the way they do is wrong.

Cat

 

[rgraham666]

The metaphor I use for zealots is venomous snakes.

Sure, a diamondback rattler, a king cobra and a sea snake are all very different.

But if you're bitten by any of them, you're fucked.

 

[CharleyH]

So what? The other side of the political aisle isn't in power.

So What? What bogus power?

 

[rgraham666]

I've been thinking about the topic of this thread.

And I've come to the conclusion that zealots have rather a bit of an inferiority complex.

They're afraid that their belief isn't strong enough to stand against doubt. That it can't survive competition or questioning. That if not pushed by every means on others their system of thinking will vanish.

In short, somewhere inside, they believe they are inferior. So they overcompensate, become zealots.

The truly superior system, belief or person doesn't have to be pushy. They're secure enough to be restrained and careful.

 

[cloudy]

I've been thinking about the topic of this thread.

And I've come to the conclusion that zealots have rather a bit of an inferiority complex.

They're afraid that their belief isn't strong enough to stand against doubt. That it can't survive competition or questioning. That if not pushed by every means on others their system of thinking will vanish.

In short, somewhere inside, they believe they are inferior. So they overcompensate, become zealots.

The truly superior system, belief or person doesn't have to be pushy. They're secure enough to be restrained and careful.

You know what, Rob? You're probably right.

 

[rgraham666]

You know what, Rob? You're probably right.

*blushes* Aw shucks.