View Full Version : Things like this boil my ****!
Hello.
There's a small church a short walk from where I live. Now, I'm not religious by any means but they have seen fit to put a poster on the notice board outside which reads "Only Christians go to heaven".
In a multi-cultural society, am I the only one who finds this utterly vile and offensive?
Marianne
17-08-2006, 08:30
I would just let it ride over me, I know I am a good person, who knows what lies ahead....erm.....yes I suppose it does make me get a bit het up really, if Jeremy Vine chatted about this then I would surely be shouting at the radio with my point of view!
HIMUPNORTH
17-08-2006, 08:30
Too PC for me. Live and let live and all that.
Live and let live and all that.OK, look at it from another point of view.
What if instead, it said "All Muslims will burn in hell"? Which is effectively what it DOES say, since its implying anything other than Christianity is evil.
I don't think the implication that other religions are 'evil' as such, but it certainly implies that Christianity is 'The one true faith' which flies in the face of dictums from the General Synod. Not only stupid, but utterly misguided: I agree (for once) with you on this.
Complain to the council and the church authorities immediately and demand they take it down.
HIMUPNORTH
17-08-2006, 09:03
The minorities have a BIG voice in this country.
I personally think strangling expression of belief is a root problem of our society's growing intolerance.
BTW I am not religious and rarely enter into these sort of debates so well of my home ground here. Please feel free to completely ignore me :)
I suppose there is an element of truth in that if you are a Christian you will expect to go to heaven, Muslims want to go to Paradise which is completely different to Heaven and I'm sure other religions have their own versions of Nirvana.
If, like me, you are an athiesm fundamentalist just ignore it as we're not going anywhere. :D
minimeeze
17-08-2006, 09:20
Hell sounds much more fun :lol:
Catdaddy
17-08-2006, 09:21
Only cos you're a rock chick, mini
minimeeze
17-08-2006, 09:26
:)
If, like me, you are an athiesm fundamentalist just ignore it as we're not going anywhere. :D
Nope- flat line on the screen, nada, zippo. I don't think ...therefore I aint! :D
The religious types can't lose anyway, because they have all that warm cuddly faith in the hereafter, and they'll never be any the wiser anyway. It's just a pity that so many of them cause untold misery to people living the only life they're going to get. ;)
Nobody goes to heaven, it's fiction.
Diego Garcia
17-08-2006, 09:30
Perhaps it refers to the 1980's band the christains who sang Hooverville, forgotten town and the like? :shrug:
Catdaddy
17-08-2006, 09:30
Just getting back on topic, stuff like this really grips my ****, and it's one reason why I (for one) can't stand any form of organised religion. They all preach 'tolerance' and 'love thy neighbour' blah blah blah. And what do we get? Muslim fundamentalists trying to blow western infidels' planes out of the sky, Jews launching missiles against their neighbours, etc
By putting up a poster like that, I can only assume that the church in question is run by bigots, and not Christians. Put up with it or complain about it.
I'll probably just take a photo of it and send it to the local rag.
I'm in two minds.
On one hand I agree with you, it is a very exclusive statement. It says that if you're not a Christian, you haven't got a chance.
On the other hand though, I can't see how it's vile and offensive. If it's part of their faith and belief that if you don't believe in their ways, your soul doesnt go to this fantastic place after you die, then surely that's their prerogative.
You're welcome to put up a sign saying "Religion, it's all a con". :D
That said, we should be a nation of tolerance, and if you find their sign offensive, you have the right to complain about it?
Me? Although I'm not a faith follower, I sometimes beleive there is some sort of god (I'm flaky like that :p), but I strongle beleive that religion causes half the problems and conflict in this world.
Catdaddy
17-08-2006, 10:05
*snip* but I strongle beleive that religion causes half the problems and conflict in this world.
Sounds about right
but I strongle beleive that religion causes half the problems and conflict in this world.Only half??
Diego Garcia
17-08-2006, 10:26
Me? Although I'm not a faith follower, I sometimes beleive there is some sort of god (I'm flaky like that :p), but I strongle beleive that religion causes half the problems and conflict in this world.
Yep. But i thought you were a Canon man :lol: :cuckoo:
CarlOgden
17-08-2006, 10:33
See ....
Yet more proof that Religion causes wars and hatred
Ban the bl**dy lot of them
Carl.
Marianne
17-08-2006, 10:35
hey, I think my life is guided somehow, but all that bible stuff...I could find in it all sorts of stories to match how I live my life, never having read it myself, you just get to know the main stories from school, and they are lovely stories too. I believe that we make our own rules, we live our life as we see fit, and I choose to be a kind and thoughtful person, just don't cross me right!! :nono:
Let them put their nonsense on billboards, I choose to not to be bothered by it, its their choice :razz:
Let them put their nonsense on billboards, I choose to not to be bothered by it, its their choice :razz:
I think that's my attitude.
If I sit and logically think, then I would class myself as an aetheist, and say "nah, it's all a load of old cobblers..religion? Just a big cult really, just been going on a while".
Yet on the other hand, I do live my life as though there is some sort of god. I tend to beleive that there is something at the end when we shuffle off our mortal coil. I don't think we die and that's the end of that, personally.
Whether there's a bigger being or not...I have no idea. And my mind chops and changes as I see fit :D
See? I told you I was flaky :p
The bible is just chinese wispers, how do you exactly know if any of it existed/happended, thats my theory. Its like robin hood and king arthur.....just stories that have been passed down through the years.
Marianne
17-08-2006, 15:07
I agree Glen, how can people actually live by a book? I suppose it could be seen as a reference book for living to the best of your ability, but good non-religious people don't need a reference book. It feels a bit like scaremongering really.
When I was about 14 I remember my Mum saying that my Godmother wanted to know when I was going to get confirmed, I told my Mum in no uncertain terms that as I didn't believe in God then there seemed no point in getting confirmed. None of my four children have been Christened either, although I would have enjoyed a big party ha ha!!
Can't we be good people without the need to belong to a Church?
Hmm...a big bee in my bonnet maybe!
I dont give a toss about religons etc, it causes too much trouble in the world. Its the root of all evil :shake:
Religion should be thrown out (as stupid as i sound, its true :D )
Fair do's, if someone believes in their religion so much then so be it, but dont preach to me about it and dont go on about it infront of me, i just dont care.
I hope i dont offend anyone with my fews, if it does then it goes to show how bad religion is (in this modern world IMO).
I dont give a toss about religons etc, it causes too much trouble in the world. Its the root of all evil :shake:
Religion should be thrown out (as stupid as i sound, its true :D )
Fair do's, if someone believes in their religion so much then so be it, but dont preach to me about it and dont go on about it infront of me, i just dont care.
I hope i dont offend anyone with my fews, if it does then it goes to show how bad religion is (in this modern world IMO).
Hmmmm, see, you say that if someone is offended by your views then it shows how bad religion is but then you (not just you) are offended/annoyed that religous people go on about stuff in front of you. They might argue that it shows how bad liberlism/atheism is.
I'm not religous, far from it but I like to let them get on with it, it keeps them happy and doesn't affect me. I like to have a little laugh to myself about how deluded they all are. Fair enough you don't agree with them but let them say their piece, after all stopping them is just cencorship and I'd rather have the choice to ignore something than to have a censor decide that for me.
Sean_Mcr
17-08-2006, 15:50
God trully is the king of Oursouls
Religion, along with politics are always very touchy subjects for public message boards because no matter what you say you offend someone.
Personally I quite like the idea of people having the courage to actually stand up for what they believe in rather than the "say nothing for fear of who we might offend" brigade.
I wonder if some of you get so offended by every advertisement you see? They all say the same thing - "our product is better than every other product out there and you're a fool if you buy/use anything else"
At the end of the day it was a billboard outside a church - on church property, what did you expect it to say?
Sean_Mcr
17-08-2006, 16:21
Well Jerry springer the musical was held in a theater & was shown on the TV. Did not stop the christian right having a whinge a big one at that, i'm all for freedom of expression as long as it cuts both ways
At the end of the day it was a billboard outside a church - on church property, what did you expect it to say?What if it said "Christians go to hell" on the billboard outside a mosque? Would that be OK?
Course it wouldn't. Because stuff like that is written to provoke hatred. Everyone would be up in arms about it. So why is it acceptable for so-called Christians to belittle every other faith in this way?
Sean_Mcr
17-08-2006, 16:30
It is a veiled threat, basically we're all going to hell.
There's so many different sects though, that sound like pentecostal which is fire a brimstone, the two main churches are normally more chilled out
ALL religions that I know anything about say theirs is the only way.
and it's not to provoke hatred at all, only people in today's screwed up society would read it like that - it's based on the faith and belief that all people who call on the name of the lord and accept Jesus as their personal saviour go to heaven.
It's what they believe, its the basis and foundation of the Christian faith.
Your views on that are your own views and no doubt you will all air them vociferously because it's your right to do so, but at the end of the day if you have your right to your beliefs and the right to voice them, then so do they.
Catdaddy
17-08-2006, 16:35
Strange how this thread has provoked more responses than the Israel/Lebanon one.
Time to put my 2p worth in...
In my opinion, organised Christianity is nothing more than hypocrisy (sp?). Giving to the poor never stopped the church from becoming one of the richest organisations in the world. I'm sure it was never intended to start that way, but throughout history, Christianity has gathered its flocks through policies of fear. Unfortunately, it looks as if some of the churches have maintained a similar stance to modern times.
Having said that, I'm a firm believer in 'live and let live'. Rie above their narrow-mindedness and let them get on with it. I just choose not to subscribe to their particular opinions.
choose buddhism. choose life!
Seriously though, religion isn't a bad thing, if you examine the basic tenets of any religion they all pretty much dictate the same thing....Don't kill each other and be nice to people.
I hate to say it, but I don't see much future for humanity at the moment, things are falling apart at a horrendous rate.
We're all doomed whether there is or isn't hell/heaven etc!
I lost the love of my life to Christianity. She's a devout Christian, I'm not so she won't have me. :shrug: It doesn't matter we're all human.
Oh well.
Sean_Mcr
17-08-2006, 17:00
If you believe some religions, we've been doomed for last few thousand years. How many ends of the world have come and gone
60 million lifes lost in WW2 that was the worse the world has ever been and that was 60 years ago.
The biggest challenge mind kind faces now is not war, we've always had war it's part of human nature. It's climate change
I don;t know if people have heard about the boiling frog theory. Basically if you put a frog in to boiling water it will jump out emidiately- or at least try to.
Place it in tepid or cool water and heat it up, it will stay in and boil to death
Right now what's going on is the latter
At the end of the day I understand why Gfk is offended and upset by the poster and it isn't important that I find it neither vile nor offensive but I'm sure that we will all agree that there really are bigger issues at stake...
like why on earth they let Big brother make 7 series of absolute tosh and then put it on our TVs!
Marianne
17-08-2006, 17:02
I choose not to watch that aswell...its up to the individual I suppose...
whitewash
17-08-2006, 17:03
Just getting back on topic, stuff like this really grips my ****, and it's one reason why I (for one) can't stand any form of organised religion. They all preach 'tolerance' and 'love thy neighbour' blah blah blah. And what do we get? Muslim fundamentalists trying to blow western infidels' planes out of the sky, Jews launching missiles against their neighbours, etc
By putting up a poster like that, I can only assume that the church in question is run by bigots, and not Christians. Put up with it or complain about it.
totally agree, while on holiday i was told by someone who started talking to me in a ferry terminal that i was going to go to hell because i didnt believe, faced with 2 choices, one to tell him to stick his opinions and religion up his self rightious arse, or just to bury my head into my book, i chose the later seemed wise, **** knows what he might have done if id crossed him.....:wave:
IMHO religion is a good idea, it gets people together, gives them a common goal etc, which is good, the execution off all religions is however people control and brainwashing and as such i cant actually stand religion in any form nowadays dispite going to church every sunday as a kid because i want to... im much wiser now :) (this is my opinion and if anyone wants to try to alter it be my guest as it wont work.
i agree with GfK that sign is absolutely dreadful and should not be on display, it clearly preaches religious hate. heaven is not just a christian belief
in recent times heaven is the generic word for what ever form of good afterlife people believe in, just like hoover is a brand but most people call their vaccum cleaner a hoover or say i'm doing the hoovering etc.
I don't claim to know everything but I'm sure different religions do indeed have their own word for their version of heaven whether it is paradise or nirvana or whatever they choose to call it.
However, to quite Matty:
Politics and religion....best left to politicians and religious folk!
I think this thread is best left alone, for me at least.
At the end of the day I understand why Gfk is offended and upset by the posterI never said I was upset, as such.
I was once told by a... how you say.... "die hard Christian" that I was, and I quote "full of the devil", and that she would get all her friends to pray for me.
My crime? I asked her to stop sending me e-mails demanding that I love Jesus.
If you're force-fed religion in your daily life then its only natural that you'll make a stand against it sooner or later.
I got told once by a christian never to cut my hair as I looked like Jesus :lol:?
Just one more thing to lighten the debate a little (& lower the tone - sorry) - I also saw a sign outside a church that said (In absolutely massive lettering" "Behold, I come quickly" which I found very amusing.
I am one of those people that thinks that people are entitled to their own beliefs & opinions but its fanatics that ruin it for everyone else (we need more corrupt priests - roll on father Jack:thumbs: )
I was best friends with a religious fanatic for years so can argue with the best of them - Gandhi's got the right of it even though i'm not a follower.
Not all religious people uphold their belives (sp), look at vicars/priests and others who take advantage of their position and worst still 'children' without going into details.
Where are their 'rights' when they are doing 'wrong'.
Here's a famous statue/sign in Arbroath that would probably deeply offend RobertP...
http://www.bachs.shutterschool.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/mono.jpg
minimeeze
18-08-2006, 06:44
pmsl @ Bachs :lol:
Marianne
18-08-2006, 06:47
ROFL :lol:
i have a very personel experience of religion and it is'ent a good one,i was bought up in a very close family till about 25 years ago religion split us down the middle, i won't go into what religion it was but they don't give or receive blood or celebrate xmas, i'm sure you can work it out, anyway it all caused a terrible rift in the family to the point that i had'ent spoken to one of my brothers and sisters for 20 years up until my mum died in january of this year obviously a terrible time for us all, so religion is a now and always will be a non starter for me.
i now work in a distribution centre where we have a large number of religious guys who tend to look down on the rest of us as infidels, there given a prayer room where they can go and pray 5 times a day, and also wash there feet in the toilet sinks where we have to wash our hands, right next to showers i might add, management say nothing because there frightened of the race card being played,i guess this is the society that has become acceptable to live in by what would seem the majority, personally i find it totally unacceptable, we seem to be rapidly losing our identity in this country because of pandering to various religions and cultures who want this or that ie our xmas traditions and various other traditions we have in the western world, this it not helped by the PC and human rights brigade who seem to be behind them, the country seems to have gone mad with religious and political correctness.
anyway that is my experience of religion, i expect i may get slated for this post as being slightly racist, but i'm certainly not, i just feel very strongly about religion and related issues, and yes definately live and let live and don't try and force your religious culture onto someone else, so thats my rant for today.
PS... and as for big brother it has always struck me as a programme about dysfunctional people for dysfunctional people, :nuts: sorry.
I know which lot you are talking about and I suffered similar experiences with them throughout my childhood until I was old enough to make my own decisions and tell them to take a hike.
It has left me with a strong distaste for any organized religion.
HIMUPNORTH
18-08-2006, 13:00
Just followed a car with the following bumper sticker:
"Life is eternal. Make sure you know where you are going once it ends"
A more subtle marketing message I thought.
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