RE: God and Guns (Full Version)

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sleazybutterfly -> RE: God and Guns (8/28/2006 6:08:09 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: gooddogbenji

quote:

ORIGINAL: sleazybutterfly

I can't say with any honesty what I would do.  I remember a story that was told in my church when I was younger.  It was about this in a way.  There were these armed men that came into a church, they asked people to denounce their God, or they would be killed.  Then it turned out that the ones that denouced were actually lined up against a wall and killed.  This story always comes to mind when I hear something like this.  
 


Gotta love fear based propaganda! 

"Hey kids, if you're threatened at gunpoint, don't give in to the evil.  The religion is more important than your petty lives.  Hooray for dying for a cause which will gladly let you die for it!"

Yours,


benji

Edited to add:  I think I might actually rather die than devote my entire life to a group which would encourage people to be more loyal to it than to themselves and their families.


I can't remember the context it was used in, but I do know it wasn't "denouce and someone will blow your head off". 
 
I guess if one doesn't have a belief they would die for, it's hard to explain to them.  It's not much different than someone gay, or into bdsm, trying to explain to someone that is not, exactly why they are. 
 
Some of us, would rather face death, than a life seperate from our God.  See, you would have your freedom, but that isn't much consolation if your soul is dead.  For some, that means more to them than anything. 
 
I know this won't be a popular opinion on here, and that is fine.  It's a persons faith, and be they Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jew..etc. There are many that would fight to the death, in order to not denouce their "god".
 
~Andrea




Rule -> RE: God and Guns (8/28/2006 6:12:44 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: WyrdRich

quote:

ORIGINAL: Rule


2. The muslims: It is like smoking the peace pipe. Now that they are muslims we have peace and are friends.


    I'm pretty sure I'd choke on that bowl.

    I was once in the awkward position of hearing a round go into the chamber of a gun pointed at my head.  It made me very angry.  I'm not sure what I might have done in this situation.

You have proven my point that both sides use cultural communication protocols that are perceived as antagonistic by the other side.




LotusSong -> RE: God and Guns (8/28/2006 6:23:34 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: sleazybutterfly

I can't say with any honesty what I would do.  I remember a story that was told in my church when I was younger.  It was about this in a way.  There were these armed men that came into a church, they asked people to denounce their God, or they would be killed.  Then it turned out that the ones that denouced were actually lined up against a wall and killed.  This story always comes to mind when I hear something like this. 
 
I cannot in any form, say I would, or would not.  Freedom of course would be wanted....but at the cost of denoucing everything you believe in.. I am not sure. 

~Andrea

I recall a dream I had long ago.  It took place in a classroom. We all wore brown vests and skirts, white blouses and black ties.  Each student was given a test packet of 400 pages.  We were given 3 hours to complete the test.  I looked around at everyone face down and sweating through the test.  I stood, took the test and laid it on the teacher’s desk unopened. I felt it was ridiculous for some reason... 

She smiled and gave me an A+.  I looked at her and asked "Do you MOCK me?" 

She leaned forward and whispered.  "The test was to see if you would take the test.  All those that complete the test will automatically fail. It's a test of self-confidence".     

I'll never forget that dream.




gooddogbenji -> RE: God and Guns (8/28/2006 6:33:56 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: sleazybutterfly

I can't remember the context it was used in, but I do know it wasn't "denouce and someone will blow your head off". 
 
I guess if one doesn't have a belief they would die for, it's hard to explain to them.  It's not much different than someone gay, or into bdsm, trying to explain to someone that is not, exactly why they are. 
 
Some of us, would rather face death, than a life seperate from our God.  See, you would have your freedom, but that isn't much consolation if your soul is dead.  For some, that means more to them than anything. 
 
I know this won't be a popular opinion on here, and that is fine.  It's a persons faith, and be they Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jew..etc. There are many that would fight to the death, in order to not denouce their "god".
 
~Andrea


But what I am saying is that I am sure God would not send you to hell for having tried to spare your own life through appeasing some psychos, and maybe living to tell the tale and stop it from happening in the future.

I mean, we could take the situation one step further, and say your denouncement of your God will spare a whole family.  Or a city.  At what point do you decide to denounce him?

I am not attacking your religion, but simply questioning it.  Do you really want to be part of something where you can't even act to save your own life? 

As to both this story and Lotus' dream, they both encourage doing what you feel is best, no matter the consequences.  An admirable trait, but unfortunately, chances are FAR higher that it's not a trick question/test/situation and that you will fail/die.

If I had a teacher who passed me for not taking a test, I could not take another test of theirs at face value.  I won't say what I think of a religion that uses stories of a similar nature.

Yours,


benji




WyrdRich -> RE: God and Guns (8/28/2006 6:41:19 PM)

    Rule:

    That must make the next question, Can tolerance and intolerance co-exist?  If they can't be friends unless I join their belief system and I won't be friends with people who force their beliefs upon me, where does that leave us?




sleazybutterfly -> RE: God and Guns (8/28/2006 6:48:12 PM)

You do raise a few good points.  I will honestly answer, that I don't know.  If I am standing there and watching a hundred people that will be shot if I don't denounce, I have no clue what I would do. 
 
I know that is hard to understand, I really do.  Most could easily say they would denounce away, I cannot..so I will not act otherwise.  If the decision ever comes up, I am sure something at that moment will kick in.  It's just one of those things I can't state until it were to happen. 
 
I have taken your points, and I do see exactly what you mean.  My faith is very important in my life though, so for me to have to call something like that, without being there, well..it's impossible. 
 
I don't know what else to say.
 
Andrea

edited..because for some reason...my finger was rejecting the "n" key




Rule -> RE: God and Guns (8/29/2006 1:03:30 AM)

 
 
quote:

ORIGINAL: sleazybutterfly
If I am standing there and watching a hundred people that will be shot if I don't denounce, I have no clue what I would do. 

It never is your responsibility if those people are murdered. The responsiblity is that of the murderers.

 
quote:

ORIGINAL: WyrdRich
  Rule:

  That must make the next question, Can tolerance and intolerance co-exist?  If they can't be friends unless I join their belief system and I won't be friends with people who force their beliefs upon me, where does that leave us?

That is an impressive, wise next question, WyrdRich. It is such a question that gives access to a useful answer.
 
1. The best results would come from joining and then from within to subvert their belief system to your purposes. That would require many generations, though.
2. The quicker solution is to make them do something extreme - like putting an extreme ayatollah in power, or making some of them as crazy as to attack you with a terrorist act, or perhaps have some of your own people perform such a terrrorist act but blaming them for it - and you have a pretext to go to war and to exterminate many of them. Also you can arrange it so that different factions among them are at each other's throat, as occurs in Iraq at the moment.




Kedicat -> RE: God and Guns (8/29/2006 1:16:02 AM)

Say anything. It's the life you lead that is the truth of you.
There are millions or billions who sin 6 days and are saved on the seventh. Whatever day that happens to fall on for their religion. Even the agnostics and aetheists, rights and lefts talk the talk but don't always or even sometimes ever walk the walk.

Personally, I think all Fox news folks will burn in some sort of hell.




sleazybutterfly -> RE: God and Guns (8/29/2006 2:06:27 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Kedicat

Personally, I think all Fox news folks will burn in some sort of hell.




Not anymore than any other "unbiased" news folk out there. 




BrutalAntipathy -> RE: God and Guns (8/29/2006 2:20:52 AM)

The " threatened at gunpoint " thing has always stunned me. I am not trying to bash here, but am pointing out one of many reasons that I dislike some religons. I have never understood how " Worship me or burn in hell forever. " can be seen as anything except coercion. Believers claim that this is free will. But if that is the case, a rapist pointing a gun at someone and saying " Have sex with me or die. " should not be seen as a rapist, because the victim had a choice. I would go so far as to see the rapist as the lesser of two evils, because the rapist is just threatening to kill the person, not torture them for all eternity.




Termyn8or -> RE: God and Guns (8/29/2006 3:15:14 AM)

Lotus;

That was a very interesting dream. While your mind created the circumstance, your subsequent action speaks volumes. That is probably what I would have done.

I remember years (decades) ago when I defied the "authorities" and simply asked "what happens if I don't". They said it was up to the judge. I had the whole department on their ear when I told them to shove their agreement up their ass. The judge found out and didn't do shit (I had a really good lawyer at the time).

With Islam, I would not convert. I would tell my captors what I thought, which is true. Islam is a respectable religion, it preaches to be kind unless someone fucks with you. I don't care what you do to your Women, but I think oppressing them is dangerous. One day they bust out of the mold and you shall see that hell hath no fury as that of a Woman scorned. That's your problem.

I would gladly denounce the actions of the US, Israel and England. I do that right here ! I know they have been fucked over, over and over again. I don't approve of how they treat Women, but my kids are not going to be born in their country. Don't think I'd really want them in the US either. Perhaps Switserland. (that key does not work, I do know how to spell it)

I would not, however, change allegiance. My allegiance is to my people, the people of this country. I would raise my voice and criticise, but I would not ever do anything treasonous. My allegiance is NOT to this government, which seems to be overrun with rats. Meglomaniacs, greedy bastards etc. I know, they know. Osama said "Your's is a government of the rich". He was right.

In this case either the truth would set me free or not. If not I will be dead. Fine. See what you get out of me then. Also, pointing a gun at me doesn't mean shit. We used to play with guns, yes, LOADED guns. The difference is whether that little piece of metal has been moved by your finger enough to cause discharge, and you know what ? Once you do that you end the game, and have not won.

Except for teeny bit of tax money they extract from me, I did nothing against these people and I would let them know it. But the whole point is, I would never be there. I could probably make four times what I make here, but I don't want it. We are there to commit genocide and I'll have no part of it.

So, if you're an Islamic terrorist, you will have to come get me here. Lean your gun against my Boston Acoustics (best speakers in the world). We can talk. You are not going to convince me to blow shit up, it is counterproductive. It only further aligns public opinion with the wishes of government.

I don't know if any of you remember, Diana Ross and the Supremes' song 'The Happening'. Well that was written for a movie by the same name.

A guy with money, well known. Perhaps a bit crooked, but not bad, got kidnapped. He had helped a whole bunch of people and when kidnapped nobody would throw the ransom. Even his Wife, and he KNEW she could find the money, which came from him anyway.

Well towards the end of the movie he got kinda nuts. They no longer had him all tied up and he just cracked. He was not a weak Man, but there was a bunch of them. Nonetheless, he took over the gang that had kidnapped him.

With a bit of the right tough, and a bit of the right talk, they went a really ripped off all the people who had forsaken him. Took what they took and destroyed the rest. Each person who had been called to throw the ransom was ruined, his Wife included.

At the end of the movie he was sitting there with his new gang on all this loot. Money, jewelry all that shit. If anything was nice and too big to take they destroyed it. What was left is what they had.

He starts crying, the gang is actually over there asking him "What's wrong, what's wrong ?", he replied "I have nothing".

Not quite the Stockholm syndrome huh ?

My words to terrorists would simply be "If one converts at gunpoint, it is false". I think most of them know what false is.

BTW, anybody got that movie ? I can't find it anywhere.

T




Level -> RE: God and Guns (8/29/2006 4:17:18 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: BrutalAntipathy

The " threatened at gunpoint " thing has always stunned me. I am not trying to bash here, but am pointing out one of many reasons that I dislike some religons. I have never understood how " Worship me or burn in hell forever. " can be seen as anything except coercion. Believers claim that this is free will. But if that is the case, a rapist pointing a gun at someone and saying " Have sex with me or die. " should not be seen as a rapist, because the victim had a choice. I would go so far as to see the rapist as the lesser of two evils, because the rapist is just threatening to kill the person, not torture them for all eternity.


Exactly. You could take a large chunk of what is taught by Christians and Muslims and Jews and toss it, as far as I'm concerned, especially the fire and brimstone parts.




meatcleaver -> RE: God and Guns (8/29/2006 4:38:49 AM)

It seems to me that if these people work for Fox, then they don't believe in making any effort to report truth so why should some universal truth worry them? They could do what they normally do and just say what the hell they want. Hell, they've lied enough about muslims so they can't make Allah any more pissed off with them than he all ready is by being insincere muslims, insincerity is the normal state of Fox reporters.




IronBear -> RE: God and Guns (8/29/2006 6:56:29 AM)

To answer the original question asked by the OP, the answer is simple, without revealing military secrets you do what you have to do to get out, be released or escape. that is the duty of every prisioner of war..

Both Islam and Christianity have a history of converting the non believers by the sword. Ok so now we substitute guns for swords.

Do you really think any form of deity wants those who have been forced to convert? Stone the bloody crows I'd be wanting all those who converted to me because they wanted to and bugger the rest.... Such conversions are always political and good for boosting leaders egos and even the moral of troops as well as satisfying the other leaders higher on the pecking order.. If I put a shot gun down the front of you pants and ordered you to wed several women, will you love them? Will you even feel like fucking them especially of they look like the northern end of a south bound camel with the shits and dags hanging off it's arse?




WyrdRich -> RE: God and Guns (8/29/2006 8:11:34 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: LotusSong
Payback's a bitch..isn't it?



       I have to say, I find this attitude disturbing.  (Not merely from LotusSong, she was just very quotable).  You won't find me defending the methods used to convert Europe and the America's to Christianity.  The easiest way to prevent me entering a church a second time is with a 'Hellfire and Brimstone if you don't' approach.  But I get to ignore the altar call and walk out never to return. 

       Particular religions aside, Would you accept a belief system that violates your core values?  The news crew went straight to Israel, what if you had to live it? 

        I disagree with many of your points Lotus, but I like your smile in the pic.  I don't think you should have to wear hefty bags over it.

      




LotusSong -> RE: God and Guns (8/29/2006 8:56:52 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: WyrdRich

quote:

ORIGINAL: LotusSong
Payback's a bitch..isn't it?
 



      Particular religions aside, Would you accept a belief system that violates your core values?  The news crew went straight to Israel, what if you had to live it?  

             


The one thing I have always beleived in.. is "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".  The history of Christianity as well as the present pedophilia exposure ruined  my adhearance to any form of organized religon (I was raised Roman Catholic)

The situation we are in has two faces.. one of 'My God can beat up Your God'.. and Politics.  You may fight for Politics and bed the will of the people.. but you can never be productive fighting over Dogma.




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