home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!howland.erols.net!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!firehose.mindspring.com!not-for-mail
- From: a160b7cb@hotmail.com
- Newsgroups: alt.answers,alt.flame.jesus.christ,news.answers
- Subject: Welcome to alt.flame.jesus.christ
- Followup-To: poster
- Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1999 13:08:31 -0400
- Organization: MindSpring Enterprises
- Lines: 690
- Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.EDU
- Message-ID: <MPG.11ea978ecbd1872f989687@nntp.ix.netcom.com>
- NNTP-Posting-Host: a5.f7.24.ef
- X-Server-Date: 24 Oct 1999 17:11:08 GMT
- X-Newsreader: MicroPlanet Gravity v2.11
- Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu alt.answers:45131 alt.flame.jesus.christ:18585 news.answers:169559
-
- Archive-name: religions/christian/opposition
- Posting-frequency: monthly
- Last-modified: July 5, 1999
-
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- alt.flame.jesus.christ
-
- This material is protected by copyright. Please refer to the
- appropriate section for more information.
-
- 0. Disclaimer
-
- 1. Introduction
-
- 1.1 What is the purpose of this document?
- 1.2 What is a FAQ?
- 1.3 What is alt.flame.jesus.christ?
- 1.4 Do I have to agree with anything in this FAQ to post anything to
- alt.flame.jesus.christ?
- 1.4.1 alt.flame.jesus.christ is an unmoderated newsgroup.
- 1.4.2 This FAQ does not contain rules or posting guidelines.
- 1.4.3 This FAQ is largely opinion.
- 1.5 Are you new to Usenet?
- 1.5.1 Some helpful websites.
- 1.5.2 Some helpful newsgroups.
-
- 2. Flaming
-
- 2.1 What is a flame?
- 2.2 What is the purpose of flaming in general?
- 2.3 How are flames used in alt.flame.jesus.christ?
- 2.4 Why refer to Christians as "xians"?
- 2.4.1 An "X" is a handy abbreviation for "Christ".
- 2.4.2 Substituting "X" for "Christ" annoys Christians.
-
- 3. Christianity In A Nutshell
-
- 3.1 What is a Christian?
- 3.2 Who was Jesus Christ?
- 3.3 Who do Christians think Jesus Christ was?
- 3.4 Why is a major religion based on Jesus?
-
- 4. Modern Christianity
-
- 4.1 What do Christians believe today?
- 4.1.1 Jesus is alive.
- 4.1.2 Jesus is God.
- 4.1.3 You are a sinner.
- 4.1.4 You are going to Hell.
- 4.1.5 Jesus loves you and wants to save you from Hell.
- 4.2 How do Christians practice their religion?
- 4.2.1 Christians try to live the way God wants them to.
- 4.2.2 Christians attend structured meetings.
-
- 5. Some Raw Truths About Christianity
-
- 5.1 Is Christianity valid?
- 5.2 What might suggest that Christianity is invalid?
- 5.2.1 The Holy Bible itself.
- 5.2.2 Christians themselves.
- 5.3 Is there a basic, underlying motivation for Christians?
- 5.4 Who becomes a Christian?
- 5.4.1 Children born to Christian parents.
- 5.4.2 The vulnerable and impressionable.
-
- 6. Christians As Enemies
-
- 6.1 Christians seem like nice people. Why oppose them?
- 6.1.1 Many Christians are liars.
- 6.1.2 Christians are often ignorant.
- 6.1.3 Christians are narrow-minded.
- 6.1.4 Christians are very hateful.
- 6.1.5 Christians condone child abuse.
- 6.1.6 Christians are predators.
- 6.1.7 Christians have stunted value systems.
- 6.1.7.1 Only a relationship between an adult man and an adult woman is
- allowable.
- 6.1.7.2 A woman's place is in the home.
- 6.1.8 Christians are blind to their own faults.
- 6.2 Are Christians dangerous?
- 6.3 How should Christians be dealt with?
- 6.4 How should Christians be dealt with in-person?
- 6.5 How are Christians dealt with in alt.flame.jesus.christ?
-
- 7. Opposing Christianity
-
- 7.1 Why spend so much time denigrating things you don't believe in?
- 7.2 Why focus on Christianity? There are plenty of other religions
- to oppose.
- 7.2.1 Christians are annoying.
- 7.2.1.1 Christians are encouraged to "share" with everyone.
- 7.2.1.2 Vocal Christians will try to force their values upon you.
- 7.2.2 The basic motivation of Christianity is silly.
- 7.2.3 Christians take their beliefs way too seriously.
-
- 8. Final Words
-
- 8.1 Who "owns" this document?
- 8.2 May I copy this document?
- 8.2.1 Yes, as long as you don't change it or profit from it.
- 8.2.2 There are some specific things you *can't* do with any copies.
-
- SECTION 0 - DISCLAIMER
-
- 0.1 This article is provided without any expressed or implied
- warranties. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy
- of the factual information in this article, be advised that this
- article also contains many opinions that are not necessarily endorsed
- by anyone other than the author. The author assumes no responsibility
- for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the
- information contained herein.
-
- SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION
-
- 1.1 What is the purpose of this document?
-
- This document explains the purpose of the alt.flame.jesus.christ
- newsgroup. It includes a brief guide to flaming, a general description
- of Christianity, and some of the issues surrounding Christianity that
- are subjects of debate.
-
- 1.2 What is a FAQ?
-
- FAQ stands for "frequently asked questions" or "frequently answered
- questions", depending on who you ask. These are documents on various
- topics, usually composed by enthusiasts in order to answer certain
- questions that constantly come up in some newsgroups. They are
- periodically posted to their home newsgroups, and to news.answers.
-
- This FAQ doesn't contain many frequently asked questions and their
- answers (although there are a few); it's more of a fact file, and a
- summary of opinions shared by most of the people who contribute to the
- critical conversations in alt.flame.jesus.christ. It may be best to
- think of this document as more of a "guide" than a FAQ.
-
- 1.3 What is alt.flame.jesus.christ?
-
- A flame newsgroup (see definition of "flame" below) dedicated to
- exposing, ridiculing, and critically discussing Christianity. Some of
- reasons for this activity are explored below.
-
- 1.4 Do I have to agree with anything in this FAQ to post anything to
- alt.flame.jesus.christ?
-
- No.
-
- 1.4.1 alt.flame.jesus.christ is an unmoderated newsgroup.
-
- Nobody decides what is or is not an appropriate post. Ideally, posts
- should somehow relate to Christianity, but that is not a requirement.
- No posts are ever canceled due to content, as far as I know.
-
- 1.4.2 This FAQ does not contain rules or posting guidelines.
-
- Some FAQs contain specific posting instructions for a newsgroup, but
- this one does not. The general consensus in alt.flame.jesus.christ
- is that anybody ought to be allowed to say anything they want to say.
- Since posting rules hinder the freedom of expression, or at least
- distract the poster, there are no such rules.
-
- 1.4.3 This FAQ is largely personal opinion.
-
- Most of the subjective material in this document is merely the opinion
- of the author, but others have helped shaped it to varying degrees.
- The FAQ author's opinions are offered to serve as a basis for
- understanding opposition to Christianity, but nobody is expected to
- agree with them.
-
- 1.5 Are you new to Usenet?
-
- Welcome, newbie. A "newbie", if that term is unfamiliar to you,
- refers to someone who has little, if any, experience with Usenet
- newsgroups.
-
- If you have never read the messages, or "posts", in a newsgroup then
- pick a newsgroup that focuses on something you enjoy. Don't start
- with a flame group (see the definition of "flame" below) because, if
- you do, your first experiences with Usenet will probably be bad. For
- example, if you like to photograph wildlife then check out
- rec.photo.technique.nature.
-
- There are resources available to introduce you to Usenet, if you want
- to use them.
-
- 1.5.1 Some helpful websites.
-
- http://www.newbie.net
- http://www.newbie-u.com
- http://www.netlingo.com
-
- 1.5.2 Some helpful newsgroups.
-
- news.answers
-
- (Tip: Look for messages titled "Welcome to Usenet!" and "What is
- Usenet?", both by Mark Moraes.)
-
- news.announce.newusers
- news.newusers.questions
- alt.answers
-
- SECTION 2 - FLAMING
-
- 2.1 What is a flame?
-
- A "flame" is a message intended to insult and provoke, often directed
- with hostility toward a particular person or people.
-
- A closely related activity is "trolling", wherein one posts a message
- intended to cause others to post flames as responses.
-
- 2.2 What is the purpose of flaming in general?
-
- This is a highly subjective topic, but most flames are usually intended
- to put down another person or their ideas, or start a critical
- discussion.
-
- 2.3 How are flames used in alt.flame.jesus.christ?
-
- They are usually used to expose, denigrate, or insult Christians. This
- is accomplished in many ways which include sarcasm, humor, contrary
- evidence, and outright hostility.
-
- 2.4 Why refer to Christians as "Xians"?
-
- There are a couple of reasons...
-
- 2.4.1 An "X" is a handy abbreviation for "Christ".
-
- The first letter of the Greek word for "Christ" is the letter Chi,
- which looks like the English letter "X"; therefore, an "X" is
- considered by some to be an appropriate abbreviation for the word
- "Christ".
-
- As you can imagine, regular contributors to alt.flame.jesus.christ
- can find themselves writing the word "Christ" quite a bit.
- Abbreviating the word to just an "X" can save a surprising amount
- of typing.
-
- 2.4.2 Substituting "X" for "Christ" annoys Christians.
-
- Although a single "X" is a valid abbreviation for "Christ", many
- Christians like to hold the cynical view that "it means you're
- crossing out Christ". Such people are blind to the obvious fact
- that they're exposing their ignorance of issues related to their
- own religion.
-
- We who oppose Christianity can savor some delight in annoying
- Christians with the abbreviation, and then rub their noses in their
- ignorance by demonstrating its validity.
-
- SECTION 3 - CHRISTIANITY IN A NUTSHELL
-
- 3.1 What is a Christian?
-
- Somebody who participates in a religion based on the teachings of Jesus
- Christ. Most Christians accept the Holy Bible as the main record of
- those teachings, although some denominations claim that other books
- also contain some of his teachings.
-
- 3.2 Who was Jesus Christ?
-
- The answer to that question depends on whether you believe he really
- existed or not, and in what form you believe he existed (if at all).
-
- A discussion of the various theories concerning who Jesus Christ was is
- beyond the scope of this FAQ.
-
- 3.3 Who do Christians think Jesus Christ was?
-
- First of all, his name was just Jesus. (Joshua, actually. The Bible's
- New Testament was originally written in Greek, and "Jesus" is the Greek
- transliteration of "Joshua".) "Christ" means "messiah", and actually
- refers to what Christians believe was his life's purpose. It is more
- accurate to say "Jesus the Christ", but this has been shortened to
- "Jesus Christ".
-
- According to the Holy Bible, Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the
- reign of King Herod. He lived for approximately thirty-five years, during
- which time he reportedly healed sick people at the touch of a hand,
- cast "demons" out of people, and taught people about how they ought to
- live and prepare for the afterlife.
-
- Many Jews of the time thought Jesus was a heretic, and that his
- claims and teachings were blasphemous. For this, he was eventually
- executed by crucifixion.
-
- 3.4 Why is a major religion based on Jesus?
-
- According to the Holy Bible, Jesus was born to a virgin who had been
- impregnated by God. Being the son of God, Jesus was perfect and was
- the ultimate authority on the afterlife. This also explained his
- reported ability to heal the incurably sick, and cast out demons.
-
- Christians believe that Jesus' execution was a sacrifice to God that
- symbolically "paid" for all the sins of mankind. They believe that he
- returned to life after remaining dead for three days, thus proving that
- he was the son of God. Jesus' death and resurrection are therefore
- sufficient to "pay" God for everyone's sin, allowing them to enter
- Heaven and escape punishment in Hell. This explains Jesus' title of
- "christ" or "savior".
-
- Today, Christians believe that Jesus is fully aware of everything that
- happens in the lives of every person on Earth. They believe that it is
- possible to have a strong, personal relationship with him while alive
- on Earth, and that he can influence one's life in powerful ways. After
- leading such a life, one can enter Heaven.
-
- SECTION 4 - MODERN CHRISTIANITY
-
- 4.1 What do Christians believe today?
-
- There are many different denominations of Christianity, each with its
- own beliefs, ceremonies, and values. Detailing the beliefs of every
- denomination would be a monumental task, and one that I simply cannot
- perform. However, below are a few beliefs that a great many Christians
- around the world share.
-
- 4.1.1 Jesus is alive.
-
- According to the Bible, Jesus was crucified but rose from the dead. He
- now lives in Heaven, along with various other beings including God.
-
- 4.1.2 Jesus is God.
-
- I know what you're thinking: "Hey! I thought Christians believed that
- Jesus was the *son* of God, and that he now lives (with God) in
- Heaven?"
-
- That is correct. Many Christians (but not all) believe in a concept
- called "the trinity". Here's how the trinity works: There is just one
- God. But God is so complex that no human could ever understand him, so
- he simplifies himself by representing himself to humans as three
- beings: The son (Jesus), the father (God), and the Holy Spirit. In
- this way, Jesus is both God *and* the son of God.
-
- Confused? Don't feel bad. Many Christians are also confused by the
- theory of the trinity, or "godhead". Some denominations don't even
- believe in it, because they view it as polytheism.
-
- 4.1.3 You are a sinner.
-
- Everybody is born a sinner. You can't escape it. You sin all the time
- whether you realize it or not. This has been true ever since Adam and
- Eve first disobeyed God in the garden of Eden.
-
- 4.1.4 You are going to Hell.
-
- As a sinner, you cannot be in God's presence. God and sin, like oil
- and water, simply do not mix. Anyone who cannot be with God is sent to
- Hell (and, later, the Lake of Fire) to be tormented with fire for all
- of eternity.
-
- 4.1.5 Jesus loves you and wants to save you from Hell.
-
- Jesus wants to get to know you, and be your personal friend in spirit.
- He can hear you and see you, and he knows your thoughts. If you
- believe in him, you will go to Heaven instead of Hell because Jesus
- will tell God to consider the crucifixion as payment for your sins;
- thus, you will no longer be a sinner and can be in God's presence.
-
- Most Christians also feel a strong urge to share this with everyone,
- especially anybody who doesn't seem to know it already. This is
- called "sharing" or "spreading the word".
-
- 4.2 How do Christians practice their religion?
-
- It's practiced on two levels: Everyday life, and in structured
- meetings.
-
- 4.2.1 Christians try to live the way God wants them to.
-
- Every Christian tries to act the way they think Jesus wants them to
- live, and this is reflected in nearly everything they do. They study
- the Holy Bible and then apply their learning to everyday life. They
- will avoid "sinful" activity, pray a lot, and to try encourage non-
- Christians to become Christians. Christians often exhibit a cheerful,
- calm, pleasant demeanor to demonstrate that they have a "spirit-filled
- temperament".
-
- 4.2.2 Christians attend structured meetings.
-
- Most Christians will attend church services, where a minister
- (probably a man with a Master of Divinity degree) teaches the
- congregation about Biblical matters. Serious Christians will also
- attend informal "Bible studies" or other meetings to discuss their
- beliefs and how they relate to the rest of the world.
-
- SECTION 5 - SOME RAW TRUTHS ABOUT CHRISTIANITY
-
- 5.1 Is Christianity valid?
-
- A debate on this question could fill a library. There are so many
- arguments and counterarguments both for and against the validity of
- Christianity, that there is simply no room for them in this FAQ.
-
- 5.2 What things might suggest that Christianity is invalid?
-
- I'm not going to attempt to list and discuss every possible suggestion
- that supports the idea that Christianity is invalid, but I will briefly
- present a couple of common ideas.
-
- 5.2.1 The Holy Bible itself.
-
- The Bible was written by men who may not have fully understood some of
- the things they recorded in it. In some cases, symbolic Biblical
- descriptions can be explained by science. In other cases, events
- described in the Bible can be interpreted as "mad" just as easily as
- they can be beheld as "divine".
-
- 5.2.2 Christian behavior.
-
- There are many different types of Christians, each following slightly
- different beliefs. Some of those beliefs directly contradict others,
- sometimes even for the same person. It can also be said that some
- Christians merely extract the Bible verses that support the things
- they want to believe, and ignore the rest. Also, some Christians,
- including entire denominations, have been known to use their own
- scripture to justify truly appalling behavior. Finally, it is not
- uncommon for a Christian to twist scripture to justify his own views
- about the world.
-
- 5.3 Is there a basic, underlying motivation for Christians?
-
- Yes, and it is very simple. A Christian's entire belief system is
- founded on the offer of eternal bliss (Heaven) as opposed to eternal
- torment (Hell). If there were no threat of Hell, Christianity would
- cease to exist.
-
- 5.4 Who becomes a Christian?
-
- Theoretically, anybody who believes what is written in the Holy Bible.
-
- It is interesting to note, however, that many Christians were "saved"
- or "converted" when they fell into one of these categories:
-
- 5.4.1 Children born to Christian parents.
-
- Children usually adopt the religion of their parents. Parents who are
- unwaveringly devoted to a particular religion have great difficulty
- understanding why a child would choose another religion, and will try
- to persuade their offspring that other religions are simply not smart
- alternatives. Christian parents ensure that their children think all
- other religions, including other Christian denominations, are evil.
- Exploration of other religions or denominations is highly discouraged.
-
- 5.4.2 The vulnerable and impressionable.
-
- Anyone who has "hit bottom" (deeply depressed, imprisoned, dying) may
- have an unusually open mind. The idea of a powerful personal friend
- who offers eternal bliss may be very attractive, even though the friend
- cannot be seen or touched. A well-versed Christian can easily persuade
- such a person that Jesus is real and active by acting in a "holy" or
- "righteous" manner and claiming that their actions are directly affected
- by Jesus himself.
-
- SECTION 6 - CHRISTIANS AS ENEMIES
-
- 6.1 Christians seem like nice people. Why oppose them?
-
- Yes, Christians may seem nice in certain ways. Many avoid harsh
- language, try to "love" everybody, and do other things that tend to
- endear them to others. But behind the pleasantries there are darker
- sides to some Christians.
-
- 6.1.1 Many Christians are liars.
-
- Whether accidentally or intentionally, many Christians routinely try
- to deceive themselves and others by simply making things up.
- Strangely, the Christian may not be aware that he is, in fact,
- confusing fact with fantasy, for various reasons. The lies are
- sometimes accompanied by verses, or fragments thereof, extracted from
- the Holy Bible in an attempt to disguise their falsity.
-
- 6.1.2 Christians are often ignorant.
-
- Many Christians are not even familiar with the very religion to which
- they have dedicated their lives.
-
- A good example is Christmas, a pagan holiday that Christians have come
- to recognize as the "birthday of Jesus". Amazingly, Christians can
- come up with many Holy Bible verses to justify a "holy" holiday that
- has nothing to do with who they claim Jesus Christ was.
-
- 6.1.3 Christians are narrow-minded.
-
- Christians are continuously taught that a certain set of beliefs and
- values *must* be followed, and that any deviation may bring grave
- consequences. Because of this, Christians refuse to even consider
- alternative perspectives on a wide variety of subjects. Any Christian
- who does "stray" is said to have been "lost" and is assumed to be
- doomed to eternal torment in Hell.
-
- 6.1.4 Christians are very hateful.
-
- In a dark extension of their narrow-mindedness, Christians do not
- hesitate to hate people who act in ways that they consider "evil".
- Satanists, abortionists, and homosexuals often top the list of people
- who Christians loathe, even though most Christians really do not
- understand (or want to understand) the true issues surrounding those
- people. Christians have been known to violently attack homosexuals and
- abortionists.
-
- 6.1.5 Christians condone child abuse.
-
- Corporal punishment is the norm in a Christian household. Apparently,
- Christians do not believe that a child can learn properly unless
- physical violence is involved.
-
- Additionally, many Christians support the practice of circumcision (a
- surgical procedure performed on the genitalia of infant boys without
- anesthetic), which has very little medicinal value.
-
- 6.1.6 Christians are predators.
-
- Christianity, like any organization, must recruit new members if it is
- to survive. Christians have little difficulty in this, however, as
- they are eager to "share Jesus" with anyone who will listen.
-
- Interestingly, the people most willing to listen are often at a very
- vulnerable or impressionable stage in life. Christians will swoop down
- on these poor people like lions rushing in to take a wounded
- wildebeest. The new convert will experience some relief from his
- predicament (from the attention of his "friends"), and he will be told
- that he experiencing the "joy of the Lord".
-
- 6.1.7 Christians have stunted value systems.
-
- A lot of Christians cling to values that are considered old-fashioned.
- Progress in some key facets of life, most notably sexual relationships
- and women's' roles, seem to contradict what Christians think are
- "allowed".
-
- That doesn't sound like a reason to oppose Christians, does it?
- Actually, it is. You see, Christians feel obligated to share, or
- even force, their values on everybody else - especially anybody who
- openly adheres to contradictory values. Some Christians even resort
- to activism, sometimes violently.
-
- A couple of "family values" that Christians want *everybody* to cherish,
- whether they like it or not, are discussed below.
-
- 6.1.7.1 Only a relationship between an adult man and an adult woman is
- allowable.
-
- A discussion of the various legal and moral issues related to this
- Christian idea is beyond the scope of this FAQ. Essentially, Christians
- hold the narrow-minded, not to mention old-fashioned, view that a sexual
- relationship of any kind is restricted to an adult man and an adult
- woman who are legally married to each other. Christians strongly oppose
- all other kinds of sexual relationships, legal or not.
-
- 6.1.7.2 A woman's place is in the home.
-
- Christians still feel that a man is "king of his castle" and that his
- wife should submit to his superiority. Her family role is restricted
- to that of home maker and child bearer, not to mention servant to her
- husband.
-
- Needless to say, Christians fear the feminist movement.
-
- 6.1.8 Christians are blind to their own faults.
-
- A Christian's inherent narrow-mindedness, hatred, and tendency to lie
- sometimes combine to make it difficult for a Christian to recognize
- his or her own erroneous ways. The result is a person who strongly
- encourages or discourages inappropriate issues, yet refuses to
- recognize the problems with the assertion. In a dark extension of
- this, a Christian may actually attempt to create a facade to make his
- or her activities seem more acceptable to those who don't know any
- better (usually other Christians).
-
- An example of such behavior would be the Christian who claims to
- support women's issues, yet consistently asserts Biblical ideology
- that modern society generally recognizes as anti-woman. The Christian
- will reject all counterarguments. Fellow Christians will almost
- unwaveringly offer support.
-
- 6.2 Are Christians dangerous?
-
- Yes, to varying degrees. A Christian may simply be a mild threat to
- a normal person's individuality and freedom. More seriously, a
- Christian could be a very real threat to one's life. As noted above,
- Christians have been known to physically attack certain practitioners
- of "evil".
-
- 6.3 How should Christians be dealt with?
-
- That depends on whether you meet one in person, or if you are
- communicating via a medium such as alt.flame.jesus.christ.
-
- 6.4 How should Christians be dealt with in-person?
-
- Avoidance is the best policy, especially for people who are
- experiencing temporary hardships. If avoidance is not possible, make
- it clear in no uncertain terms that you are NOT interested in what
- the Christian has to say. Do not negotiate or try to find "middle
- ground", because you will lose. Remember: Christians are deceitful,
- and will employ a variety of attractive tricks to gain your attention.
-
- 6.5 How are Christians dealt with in alt.flame.jesus.christ?
-
- In alt.flame.jesus.christ, an unspoken goal of many non-Christian
- members is to expose the lies, hatred, and other dark features of the
- religion. This is done with various flame-posts that strip away the
- various facades of Christianity, leaving the truth open and exposed for
- all to see.
-
- Of course, being a an unmoderated flame newsgroup, Christians can also
- expected to face raw and merciless insults, sarcasm, laughter, mockery,
- and other forms of verbal abuse.
-
- SECTION 7 - OPPOSING CHRISTIANITY
-
- 7.1 Why spend so much time denigrating things you don't believe in?
-
- People cannot be expected to make informed decisions, or form logical
- opinions, about a subject if they do not consider alternative
- perspectives. We can critically discuss Christianity and shed new
- light in its features to present a more well-rounded set of ideas on
- which religious opinions and decisions can be founded.
-
- 7.2 Why focus on Christianity? There are plenty of other religions to
- oppose.
-
- Different people have different reasons for choosing to oppose
- Christianity in general. The reasons are so large in number, and so
- varied - indeed, specific reasons depend on the individual - that
- there is not room in this document to discuss them. However, I will
- briefly offer a few general suggestions that many non-Christians may
- cite as reasons for actively opposing Christianity.
-
- 7.2.1 Christians are annoying.
-
- 7.2.1.1 Christians are encouraged to "share" with everyone.
-
- Christians feel the need to "share the gospel" with absolutely anyone
- who will listen. Sometimes they can seem like annoying little flies,
- buzzing 'round ones ears, that refuse to go away. It is easy to
- understand how one might be embittered by such experiences, and decide
- to oppose all Christians.
-
- 7.2.1.2 Vocal Christians will try to force their values upon you.
-
- More vocal Christians can be very annoying, because they will try to
- get governments to outlaw (and businesses to reject) anything that they
- don't like and don't think anybody else should do or have access to.
- It doesn't matter that the Christian doesn't do it or have access to
- it -- the Christian doesn't want any ANYBODY to do it or have access.
-
- 7.2.2 The basic motivation of Christianity is silly.
-
- Christianity is based on fear. Christians are afraid of being sent to
- Hell, so they "love" Jesus and use the Holy Bible to govern their
- lives in an effort to gain access to Heaven instead.
-
- Some people think that it's silly to base one's entire life on an
- inaccurate, and possibly fictional, set of instructions simply because
- one is afraid of an unseen entity who may not even exist.
-
- 7.2.3 Christians take their beliefs way too seriously.
-
- It's not hard to oppose a religion that brainwashes its followers into
- reducing their lives to one of hatred and narrow-mindedness in the name
- of "love" to escape an imaginary place called Hell.
-
- SECTION 8 - FINAL WORDS
-
- 8.1 Who "owns" this document?
-
- A single person wrote most of this document, but it is offered for
- review by those alt.flame.jesus.christ posters who oppose Christianity.
-
- The entire contents are copyright 1999 by the author. Feedback should
- be posted to alt.flame.jesus.christ, but it can also be sent to the
- author at a160b7cb@hotmail.com.
-
- 8.2 May I copy this document?
-
- 8.2.1 Yes, as long as you don't change it or profit from it.
-
- Feel free to copy, transmit, and distribute this FAQ in unmodified
- form for any not-for-profit use in any medium you desire.
-
- 8.2.2 There are some specific things you *can't* do with any copies.
-
- You may not include all or part of this document in any for-profit
- publication or in connection with any for-profit service. You may
- not distribute a modified version of this document, or a modified
- portion of this document, for any purpose.
-