Because of free speech. There are a lot of things people do that I don't agree with that I'll fight to protect.

Honestly, I'd rather have someone have an opinion, even negative, over no opinion at all. Above all I prefer the argument "I don't agree of what you believe, nor can I believe in it in good faith, but it is fine that you believe it." They can, in good faith, discuss and debate with me over it until we're both blue in the face, and if we remain friends at the end of the day I'm pretty happy.

On the topic above, I don't really consider Mormonism a sect of Christianity, but its like Will pointed out. So I think its just such an extreme representation of a certain Christian sect that I don't believe it paints an accurate picture of modern Christianity. I feel the same way about Westboro.

From my personal experience, Catholics have been more tolerable to Protestants than the other way around. Catholics even officially believe protestants go to heaven, and are Christians. Then take a protestant like Jack, who won't even call Catholics Christian. You'd think it's the Catholics with their complex rituals and funny hats that are the elitists, but it's some how the other way around.

I think I answered that. It's because Christianity has been a part of our culture for hundreds of years, influenced our upbringing etc. Nominally, the US is a Christian country, as is the UK. People feel it is socially acceptable to critique Christianity because, being a citizen of an historically Christian country, they have some qualification to speak on the subject. If you're discussing the state of society in the US it makes no sense to discuss it in relation to the influence of Islam upon it (for example), whereas it makes more sense to discuss it in relation to Christianity.

It's also easier to criticise for the same reason things like the British Empire are easier to criticise. It's seen as having a dark past - religious wars, the crusades, the inquisition, manifest destiny (in a way) etc.

I fully admit my story is anecdotal. I just thought it was kinda funny. I hope it was just those guys that think that.

On top of that, Lutherans wear "funny clothes" as do Episcopalian. I grew up in the Covenant Church, which is just about as laid back as it can get. When I find a church I'll probably look for an inner city one. Honestly I don't like a lot of ritual. I mean...it kinda bothers me when the priest stands at the door to shake everyones' hands as their leaving. :\ I don't know what that says about me. I think it was the church I grew up in.

It's always okay to pick on the majority, and since christianity is the richest/most powerful religion in the world, they hold the majority.

No true Scotsman is a great analogy but its not perfect... it applies somewhat.

Yes Christians and Catholics have a different label but they both believe in Christ just as Jehovah Witnesses do.

@Captain Will
Without getting of topic to reiterate Christ like CaptainWill said is popular in some way since we've all interacted with Christianity. But the statement where you say that we've all picked up a bible before is not true. I didn't pick a bible until about a year ago and even then it wasn't for reading it was purely for an assignment.

@Fire_Kame
I do agree somewhat that swearing has emotion but at the same time you can say it without emotion (thought rarley used). and that the statement you made confers to my point that it boils down to Christ and Anti-Christ and even this is true for different sects of Christ.

Don't make shit up. Don't make stuff up. This is not an emotional response. What I am beginning to see in your posts is that you like translating whatever people say into something completely different in your head. So I shall spell it out for you.

"That's why I actually prefer talking with Catholics, because they are all for religious tolerance. Makes them a hell of a lot better than a lot of other bigoted Christians who go around saying everyone else isn't Christian unless they are in THEIR particular sect. "
Here is what I am saying. Catholics promote religious tolerance and therefore I find them easier to talk to then people who are not promoting religious tolerance. That's it.

Nowhere am I inferring that Catholics are 'open minded and tolerant'.
Nowhere am I saying that every single Catholic individually is more tolerant then every other individual person in other Christian religions.

What you are doing is a straw man fallacy. You are taking my words, twisting and warping them into something which you find easy to attack, and then attacking it. That is why I am not taking your responses seriously right now. Because you're attacking a statement that you made up yourself and then applied to me. Do not be so foolish.

Don't. Make. Shit. Up. Kay?

Oh_man .. please lets just end the flames here.

@Oh_man
Catholics have some people that are tolerant and some that aren't just like Christians and this is the same for many other religions. Saying something that other people don't like to hear is okay as long as you have proof. Unless it is specifically stated in the catholic version of the bible that you have be tolerant more so than another sect of Jesus; there is no real definitive proof that they are more tolerant then others.


I understand where you're coming from since some Christan's aren't very accepting and they try to convert but this is the same for most all Regions. And please try not to use swear words as it denotes your statements and makes you look more angry than you probably are.

And i find your statement about X Religion to be untrue as people class Catholics as Christianity simply because they believe in Jesus; Christianity is a very broad term and it encompasses at least 10 known Religions.

I am not trying to denote your statements but can you please give me proof that "Catholics" are more tolerant than other "Christians".

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on May 1 2011, 3:50 am by Tempz.

I never picked up a Bible apart from assignments either. I'm just saying that a lot of us have been exposed to the Bible for whatever reason.

NB: We did have a Bible in the house but I can't remember reading it. The one I remember reading was the "Good News" Bible at school, and my friends drawing penises on the heads of all the characters. So mature.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on May 1 2011, 10:51 am by CaptainWill.

Lol i remember drawing things in books too. Good times of youthful rebellion too bad you have to grow up

So, "Catholics promote religious tolerance" but you are not "inferring that Catholics are...tolerant."

Kinda stopped ready there. wat?

I think Oh_man's statement was just one sided; we all make mistakes and i think that he should explain.

Ok Ok I did not realise everyone here had no idea what I am talking about.

The Roman Catholic Church in contemporary society is all for religious tolerance, this has been largely propagated by the Papacy. Here is an article with information on the topic:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/rcc_othe.htm

Many Christian sects hold views that specifically say that everyone else is going to hell if you do not believe in their specific religion. The Catholic Church does not. This is what I am talking about when I am saying religious tolerance. Do we understand?

Yes, Catholicism promotes religious tolerance. But not every individual who is a part of the Catholic Church is a tolerant person. I am sorry if it sounds like I am Spelling. This. Out.

I see no conclusive evidence stating that other sects - or Christianity doctrine at its roots - promotes intolerance, or any less tolerance than Catholicism.

Catholics state that people outside of their specific religion can still get into Heaven.
Many Christian sects say that if you are not in THEIR religion you are going to Hell.

What is it that you are not getting, exactly?

>Many
Many. Not all. One makes your argument invalid.

It would if I said 'every other Christian sect', but I only said some Christian sects.

Once again, your poor reading skills have caused you problems. This is what happens when you rush through my posts in an attempt to quickly fling back some petty response. Do not do this. Do not argue simply for arguments sake.

Missouri Synod Lutherans aren't allowed to do virtually anything with any other sect of Christianity or religion. While I'm not certain, I don't think you are welcome in the church unless you convert. Wisconsin Lutherans are even worse IIRC.

That's fair. Like I've mentioned above, I don't really think Westboro is an accurate representation of Christianity or its doctrine, either. But I am sure that it is more reliant on the personal interpretation of the Bible and religion - not just what their pastor/priest happens to say. That's all I was trying to bring up by saying it.

Covenants are pretty tolerant, I think. There's some exceptions, but we were pretty laid back about a bunch of things. I guess I can't say "we" as I was never confirmed nor was I baptized. But they didn't seem to mind that, and they supported my sister, a friend, and the pastor's daughter when they all got pregnant (separately, obviously). I've been to an evangelical church that was even more open than that, and I liked the youth group there a lot more than the Covenant one, but that was more because of the bible study.

All I'm saying is that each church handles things a little different, you know? Its impossible to judge everyone off of one of them - of any sect or religion.

Wait wait let me get this straight; you're intolerant if intolerant people?

Now you're going to say you're not intolerant, you just like them less. Which is still intolerant.