a meditation on favoritism...
Friday, June 8, 2001 by kenray | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
firstly, don't get me wrong.
as a practicing Nazerite, i would love it if i could show my Bible at teh QT Mart and get half off my cigarettes...
Whilst browsing the coolplayer section, i notice a subset for "Christian"
does this not invite the question,
"If we subset for one religion, should we not subset for all?"
why not a "Hindu" section, or a "Buddhist" section, or a "Jewish" seciton?
Are we Christians so prevalent and artistically active that we deserve a subset?
Or is this a nod to the English speaking, Western Hemispherical crew who dominate this side fo the planet?
Don't get me wrong. I practice, adn i pray, and I love the special treatment.
Still, soemhting about that just doesn't strike me as fair.
"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
Yep, thats what HE said.
as a practicing Nazerite, i would love it if i could show my Bible at teh QT Mart and get half off my cigarettes...
Whilst browsing the coolplayer section, i notice a subset for "Christian"
does this not invite the question,
"If we subset for one religion, should we not subset for all?"
why not a "Hindu" section, or a "Buddhist" section, or a "Jewish" seciton?
Are we Christians so prevalent and artistically active that we deserve a subset?
Or is this a nod to the English speaking, Western Hemispherical crew who dominate this side fo the planet?
Don't get me wrong. I practice, adn i pray, and I love the special treatment.
Still, soemhting about that just doesn't strike me as fair.
"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
Yep, thats what HE said.
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Third Eye
Reply #82 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 2:18 PM
Reply #82 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 2:18 PM
paxx - The moon has lost a lot of its magic since mankind has stepped on it.
Ever read up on the motivation behind the movie Caperacorn One? Also has anyone looked into why the Russians never went to the moon or why we haven't been back since? Interesting stuff indeed.
Ever read up on the motivation behind the movie Caperacorn One? Also has anyone looked into why the Russians never went to the moon or why we haven't been back since? Interesting stuff indeed.
Doreen
Reply #83 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 2:27 PM
Reply #83 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 2:27 PM
Paxx it is called "Faith" not "Facts"
God is Timeless, have you ever figured out how "Time" itself exist??? no but surely you know time does exist
(just look at the clock though you cannot really explain that).
prob is w/ me the more I hear God speak to me when I run to the quiet places such as the Beach or Mountains or look up at the stars alone, the more I know how wretched I really am...
trying to go be w/ him is like walking on a tight rope w/ a balancing beam, each day I get on the rope and fall off after the first step, I've only gone 3 steps so far in my life! and I already feel I ain't gonna make it to his house to go be with him...
God is Timeless, have you ever figured out how "Time" itself exist??? no but surely you know time does exist
(just look at the clock though you cannot really explain that).
prob is w/ me the more I hear God speak to me when I run to the quiet places such as the Beach or Mountains or look up at the stars alone, the more I know how wretched I really am...
trying to go be w/ him is like walking on a tight rope w/ a balancing beam, each day I get on the rope and fall off after the first step, I've only gone 3 steps so far in my life! and I already feel I ain't gonna make it to his house to go be with him...
Third Eye
Reply #85 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 3:00 PM
Reply #85 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 3:00 PM
Doreen - and I already feel I ain't gonna make it to his house to go be with him...
A question to ask: If God is all knowing and all seeing then he already knows and has seen where you will end up. So isn't it possible that what you are doing is what you should be doing at this time in your life? As it pertains to the Christian faith, Do you actually have freewill or are you just being controlled into believing that your will is your own and that if you do not follow what they say to be the rightious path that you will "burn" forever?
Just a question, nothing more.
A question to ask: If God is all knowing and all seeing then he already knows and has seen where you will end up. So isn't it possible that what you are doing is what you should be doing at this time in your life? As it pertains to the Christian faith, Do you actually have freewill or are you just being controlled into believing that your will is your own and that if you do not follow what they say to be the rightious path that you will "burn" forever?
Just a question, nothing more.
T-Man
Reply #86 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 3:14 PM
Reply #86 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 3:14 PM
Wow, this thread became busy in a real hurry.
I'm skipping many messages...
But I would like to have people look from the other side. Lets say you, as a Christian, go visit another site and they have a 'Muslim' section and no other religious connotations on their site. I would probably first assume that the admin of the website is of Muslim faith, but I would not start complaining to him about him about his choice of sections. I would accept his faith and his decision to profess it. And if the site was useful to me, I would continue to visit the site without hesitation.
I would guess (and pray) that most people would probably have a similar view as I do with the above scenario.
But why is it, that Christians do not get the same respect!? If you are outgoing about your Christian faith you are almost instantly persecuted. (I believe Jesus did fortell of the persecutions of Christians)
So if I was to take an adimant stance on keeping a Christian section would You (the general public) really have a problem with it? and why?
I'm skipping many messages...
But I would like to have people look from the other side. Lets say you, as a Christian, go visit another site and they have a 'Muslim' section and no other religious connotations on their site. I would probably first assume that the admin of the website is of Muslim faith, but I would not start complaining to him about him about his choice of sections. I would accept his faith and his decision to profess it. And if the site was useful to me, I would continue to visit the site without hesitation.
I would guess (and pray) that most people would probably have a similar view as I do with the above scenario.
But why is it, that Christians do not get the same respect!? If you are outgoing about your Christian faith you are almost instantly persecuted. (I believe Jesus did fortell of the persecutions of Christians)
So if I was to take an adimant stance on keeping a Christian section would You (the general public) really have a problem with it? and why?
Third Eye
Reply #87 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 3:33 PM
Reply #87 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 3:33 PM
Philosophically, maybe it is somewhat of an imbedded backlash against the many years that the Christians persecuted and destroyed every other religion without hesitation.
Isn't it natural for a living creature to move/pull away from things that are trying to harm/intrude upon them in some form or another? In this case the many years the Christians have tried to control and suppress that which is not like them.
Just a thought.
Isn't it natural for a living creature to move/pull away from things that are trying to harm/intrude upon them in some form or another? In this case the many years the Christians have tried to control and suppress that which is not like them.
Just a thought.
jtfolden
Reply #88 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:08 PM
Reply #88 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:08 PM
I think you hit the nail right on the head, Third Eye. You have Fundie Christians going around who claim they are unwilling to compromise their beliefs...which is all fine and good until their beliefs start intruding on the beliefs of others.
Even in small issues, bringing the prayer in school topic back up...you see a lot of Christians pushing for this, but many get a holier than thou attitude the moment someone mentions also allowing Muslim or Pagan prayers, as well... Certainly not all Christians are like this but those that feel they are better and more deserving than everyone else is just sad.
...and I'm certainly not of the Christian faith myself but I also can't imagine belonging to any faith where you go around feeling how 'wretched' you are all the time because you can't live up to some nebulous standard... Rather reminds me of how rulers have used religion in the past to keep the 'common people' in line.
As far as the site with the Muslim section goes... If I was a regular visitor, I'd probably ask them if they could make room for other beliefs, as well. If they couldn't, and I had something of a religious nature to upload I'd move along to another site. I would "accept his faith and decision to profess it" but I would also realize that it wasn't a site for the general public either.
Even in small issues, bringing the prayer in school topic back up...you see a lot of Christians pushing for this, but many get a holier than thou attitude the moment someone mentions also allowing Muslim or Pagan prayers, as well... Certainly not all Christians are like this but those that feel they are better and more deserving than everyone else is just sad.
...and I'm certainly not of the Christian faith myself but I also can't imagine belonging to any faith where you go around feeling how 'wretched' you are all the time because you can't live up to some nebulous standard... Rather reminds me of how rulers have used religion in the past to keep the 'common people' in line.
As far as the site with the Muslim section goes... If I was a regular visitor, I'd probably ask them if they could make room for other beliefs, as well. If they couldn't, and I had something of a religious nature to upload I'd move along to another site. I would "accept his faith and decision to profess it" but I would also realize that it wasn't a site for the general public either.
kenray
Reply #89 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:11 PM
Reply #89 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:11 PM
T,
if, say, LOS had a cubset under their coolplayer section for "muslim" and no other subsets for religion, you can bet yoru bottom dollar that i would start a "meditation on favoritsm" over there.
same goes if Deviant Art had a "Caucasian" section.
or if skinbase had a "heterosexual" subset.
I woudl need ot meditate on that every it as much as i need to meditate on this here.
the subject of this thread is not religion, the subject of the thread is "Favoritism".
if, say, LOS had a cubset under their coolplayer section for "muslim" and no other subsets for religion, you can bet yoru bottom dollar that i would start a "meditation on favoritsm" over there.
same goes if Deviant Art had a "Caucasian" section.
or if skinbase had a "heterosexual" subset.
I woudl need ot meditate on that every it as much as i need to meditate on this here.
the subject of this thread is not religion, the subject of the thread is "Favoritism".
Doreen
Reply #90 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:13 PM
Reply #90 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:13 PM
hehe Third Eye that is a good question there...
can you re-ask me that one next month? lemme see where at I'm then... hehe
can you re-ask me that one next month? lemme see where at I'm then... hehe
MadIce
Reply #91 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:13 PM
Reply #91 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:13 PM
T-man,
I think that everyone has the right to believe and not to believe in (a) God. I am an atheist, but do respect people who do believe in (a) God. By adding just a Christian section you would not respect what other people believe or do not believe or even might disapprove. However, the section was there before I saw this thread and I didn't care because nothing on this sites breaths a negative atmosphere. On the other side such a section is easy for me to handle. I can just skip the section if I want to.
I think that everyone has the right to believe and not to believe in (a) God. I am an atheist, but do respect people who do believe in (a) God. By adding just a Christian section you would not respect what other people believe or do not believe or even might disapprove. However, the section was there before I saw this thread and I didn't care because nothing on this sites breaths a negative atmosphere. On the other side such a section is easy for me to handle. I can just skip the section if I want to.
Doreen
Reply #92 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:15 PM
Reply #92 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:15 PM
Where at I'm then = where I'm at then
Jafo stay away from me...
hehe
Jafo stay away from me...
hehe
migellito
Reply #94 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:32 PM
Reply #94 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:32 PM
i think, in principle, favoritism towards (or against) any specific subset of people who might otherwise be interested in the topic of the site is ok.
i also think it would be 'ok' for someone to sell shoes with spikes on the inside, as long as they let you know that before you bought them.
both purveyors may wish to brace themselves for a drop in interest..
i -really- do believe in free speech. the more free people are with their speech, the more likely they are to ignore mark twain's advice.. you know, 'open their mouth and remove all doubt?'
i also think it would be 'ok' for someone to sell shoes with spikes on the inside, as long as they let you know that before you bought them.
both purveyors may wish to brace themselves for a drop in interest..
i -really- do believe in free speech. the more free people are with their speech, the more likely they are to ignore mark twain's advice.. you know, 'open their mouth and remove all doubt?'
Doreen
Reply #95 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:55 PM
Reply #95 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 4:55 PM
a site such as this with the vast frequenters from everywhere, surely you would catch "Hell" the rest of the days remaining for this site, if it was NOT changed to "Religion" rather than "Christian"
craeonics
Reply #96 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 5:11 PM
Reply #96 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 5:11 PM
I still find it odd that one religion can consider itself right and others wrong. But that aside.
If this site had just a christian section, I would not mind. It would be the admin's loss in that case, but it would not affect me. Ofcourse, the correct thing to do would be either to add sections for every religion out there or just name it "religion", but personally it would not matter to me. After all, it is a) not my site, and
not important to me.
Ofcourse, my antisocial side would take over and poke fun at the christians, ah well, the flesh is weak.
craeonics pokes at Doreen
If this site had just a christian section, I would not mind. It would be the admin's loss in that case, but it would not affect me. Ofcourse, the correct thing to do would be either to add sections for every religion out there or just name it "religion", but personally it would not matter to me. After all, it is a) not my site, and
not important to me.Ofcourse, my antisocial side would take over and poke fun at the christians, ah well, the flesh is weak.
craeonics pokes at Doreen
jtfolden
Reply #97 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 5:57 PM
Reply #97 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 5:57 PM
Crae, I agree. You can choose which religion (or none at all) is right for you personally but when some go around saying "I'm right and you're all wrong" it's just silly. 
...or the variation on a theme is people who will defend their religion with things like "You just don't want to hear it or see it because you know it's the truth."
On the other hand. I've seen some extremists who say things like "You're NOT Christian" when what they really mean is "You should have no rights".
...or the variation on a theme is people who will defend their religion with things like "You just don't want to hear it or see it because you know it's the truth."On the other hand. I've seen some extremists who say things like "You're NOT Christian" when what they really mean is "You should have no rights".
Third Eye
Reply #98 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 7:04 PM
Reply #98 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 7:04 PM
What I find interesting is how there can be so many different variations of religions from one book, but yet it is supposedly the book that speaks the actual truth. I guess it is all in how you interpret something.
Another thing, who is to say, with all of the religions in the world, that one is right or wrong? I mean if you think about it, by far "Christianity" has to be one of the newest religions out there.
Another thing, who is to say, with all of the religions in the world, that one is right or wrong? I mean if you think about it, by far "Christianity" has to be one of the newest religions out there.
jtfolden
Reply #99 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 8:28 PM
Reply #99 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 8:28 PM
Not only is Christianity one of the newer religions but it also borrows quite a lot from other, older religions. Many Celtic gods are known as Saints under the umbrella of Christianity, too, such as the Celtic/Irish goddess Brighid being known as St. Bridget. Whenever the church could not turn the general public away from a belief or eradicate it entirely, they would 'assimilate' it into their own belief systems, often with little modification. All this trickled down through the ages so that now you have many people following pagan ways under the guise of christianity.
jcg
Reply #100 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 8:43 PM
Reply #100 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 8:43 PM
"Every religion comes down to 2 things. What is right and what is wrong. But ultimately who are we to tell another what is right or wrong for them?"
Third Eye - its done all the time. McVeigh died because we all agree that what he did was wrong, unless you feel his execution was just another example of a senseless persecution of his equally valid viewpoint.
Third Eye - its done all the time. McVeigh died because we all agree that what he did was wrong, unless you feel his execution was just another example of a senseless persecution of his equally valid viewpoint.
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Reply #81 Tuesday, June 12, 2001 1:31 PM
But I can't... My mind can't understand the concept of an eternal being that created all that.
I could turn it around, Doreen:
take a good look at the Earth, the mountains, the depths of the oceans and its colorful fishes, at the beautiful flowers and butterflies, look at the stars, the moon and the sun. How can one person have made all that? And what did he make it with?
I can't believe in Magic. My mind can't accept that things can be created with the strike of a magic wand.
But that's just me. I guess I like to complicate things. Some things should not be analysed, but should simply be looked at for what they are. The moon has lost a lot of its magic since mankind has stepped on it.
Yes, Doreen, you are lucky and I envy you. And that's why we love you.