Very concerned

[Mishi73]

Dear all,

It’s been a few months since I’ve been on here and to my absolute horror, I see posts that deeply concern me. For example: is it okay to burn heretics, what do you think about gays etc. Forgive me, but reading back on the bible, I read about a man called Jesus who was not a raving bigot, not an outright racist, or someone who condoned killing others. For goodness sake, he simply turned the other cheek, numerous times!

For all the talk of terrorism, I’ve always remained skeptical about fundamentalism, thinking that people with far right ideas really only came from nutters who do think it’s okay to rape and women, torture people and kill anyone who does not hold their same beliefs or way of life. For goodness sake, our governments are spending billions of dollars every year to keep those people from killing us - and funnily enough, it is only those from, or having connections to, Muslim countries who are persecuted! Yet, I see the real people who are the problem are some of the right wing catholics…are you people insane!!! YOU are just as bad as them!

I’ve sometimes wondered about going back to church, but reading this really puts me off having anything to do with it. Sure, not all Catholics are tarred with the same brush, but then, neither are Muslims.

Please, try and be rational here: try to maintain some sort of ethics, morals and common human decency. Remember that if Jesus were alive today, He would have been seen as a radical terrorist (preaching a new way of thinking); had dark skin (contrary to the white skinned man as He is depicted); probably suspected of being gay (hung out with mainly men); and most probably would have been jailed the minute He came to a Western country.

Just my humble opinion.
Mishi

 

[rlg94086]

Please, try and be rational here: try to maintain some sort of ethics, morals and common human decency. Remember that if Jesus were alive today, He would have been seen as a radical terrorist (preaching a new way of thinking); had dark skin (contrary to the white skinned man as He is depicted); probably suspected of being gay (hung out with mainly men); and most probably would have been jailed the minute He came to a Western country.

*You *are concerned with us?!

Radical terrorists don’t preach a new way of thinking - they preach death, and then carry it out. Jesus preached about life and love of your neighbor.

Nothing about Jesus would have led anyone to suspect him of being gay.

 

[Newbie2]

Glad you’re being humble…I’d hate to see your post if you were not.

These forums get heated sometimes, but you’d be wise not to paint with that wide brush that you mentioned. There are some issues that are very important to people here, and they are passionate about discussing them. Due to the anonymity, it’s easy sometimes to get carried away; a lot of discussions occur here that wouldn’t happen in the “real world”.

That being said, yes, there are a lot of “opinionated” folks on this forum. Please don’t judge whether or not you go back to church by what you read on an internet forum…go to church with an open heart and see what happens there, not here.

 

[ora_pro_nobis]

I get what you’re saying Mishi, yes, there are some very strident voices on these forums, and some opinions are downright unpleasant. However, they are a world away from my experience as someone who goes to church almost everyday, and meets people from all sorts of backgrounds and all shades of opinion.
These forums also contain some very kind, caring people (have a look at the prayer requests).
Best of all, go to your local Catholic church. Pray there, talk to people, look at the work done by the Society of St Vincent de Paul, the Legion of Mary etc

 

[strngrnrth]

Dear all,

It’s been a few months since I’ve been on here and to my absolute horror, I see posts that deeply concern me. For example: is it okay to burn heretics, what do you think about gays etc. Forgive me, but reading back on the bible, I read about a man called Jesus who was not a raving bigot, not an outright racist, or someone who condoned killing others…]
nutters who do think it’s okay to rape and women, torture people and kill anyone who does not hold their same beliefs or way of life…]
Yet, I see the real people who are the problem are some of the right wing catholics…]are you people insane!!! YOU are just as bad as them!..]
Please, try and be rational here:…
if Jesus were alive today, He would have been seen as a radical terrorist (preaching a new way of thinking); had dark skin …]
Mishi

Where have you got the impression that there are racist Catholics who post here? I don’t remember meeting even one in the past five months. One or perhaps two people did say some racist things, I can’t recall his/her/their religion, but that was brief and everyone else argued against racist ideas strongly. Killing? What are you talking about? Rape? When did any Christian advocate that here?Torture and kill anyone with a different belief or way of life? Where did you see a Christian advocate any such thing here? I read a lot of threads and I think I would have noticed it. Quite the contrary, I am impressed by the love and respect for all human life I have found on this forum. That puts CAF far above most fora of any kind I have found anywhere. Are you sure you aren’t slightly reading things in that aren’t there? Just asking.
Dark skin? So? What has that got to do with anything? I assume a lot of us out here have dark skin, Catholics included, and I don’t know of anyone who sees anything wrong with it. Because there is nothing wrong with it. God designed all skin tones and they are all beautiful. Most Catholic churches and many, many Protestant churches in America are very happily racially mixed, in my experience. I find it sad and strange that you perceive racism in the churches or on the forum. I just don’t know what you are talking about.

 

[AgnosTheist]

Remember that if Jesus were alive today, He would have been seen as a radical terrorist (preaching a new way of thinking); had dark skin (contrary to the white skinned man as He is depicted); probably suspected of being gay (hung out with mainly men); and most probably would have been jailed the minute He came to a Western country.

You are wrong. There is nothing violent about Jesus. If he was alive today he would have been seen as another Gandhi, or something like a Dalai Lama. And he would be highly honored in the West.

 

[Newbie2]

I dunno if we’d see him that way today.

Hard to say, though. We already know what he’s all about, so it’s difficult to say how we’d react if we were just hearing about him for the first time.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

. . .probably suspected of being gay (hung out with mainly men); . . .

Note that men did not associate with women in public at that time.

 

[Kathrin]

Hey Mishi,

me too I get what you’re saying. I agree with many things you mention. I am all for a general attitude of non-judgementalness. After all, it does say in the Bible (forgive me that I don’t remember exactly where), “Jugde not, and thou shalt not be judged.”
So yes, I do understand your concern.

But then I am also concerned to read what YOU wrote:

YOU are just as bad as them!Mishi

Now this sounds like judging on your part too… and I don’t mean to judge YOU now, I think we should not keep this spirak going . I am somebody who tries to see both sides. And this is very much something where I can see both sides.

I’ve sometimes wondered about going back to church, but reading this really puts me off having anything to do with it. Sure, not all Catholics are tarred with the same brush

I guess different people see their religion differently, or focus on different thigns… hey, but that’s why we have to talk about these things right?
(And staying out totally will hardly give you a voice.)

Peace, everyone!

Kathrin