Re: pessimist

AntiUtopia@aol.com
Fri, 06 Feb 1998 17:16:05 -0500 (EST) 

Lord, Malcolm, I've haven't read such self righteous bigotry in a long
time....and I'm very sorry to see it coming from you.  

I guess I could mention people like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Mother Teresa,
Charles Finney, William Wilberforce, and on and on, all who fought bigotry,
poverty, and slavery specifically Because they were Christians.  I could
mention that the college Charles Finney served as President over was not only
a hotbed of antislavery work, but of women's rights efforts in the mid 19th
century--and this guy would be considered more right wing than Jerry Falwell
by most of us today.

I could mention a couple I know personally like Mr. and Mrs. Hummell, who are
caucasian ministers of the fundamentalist ilk who suffered a great deal in the
50s to have one of the first mixed race churches in Central Florida.  I could
talk about a guy named Joe Mallouk, a 70 year old Lebanse gentleman in my
church who recently underwent heart surgery.  Last Sunday he stood up in
Church, almost in tears, thanking the congregation for the cards, flowers,
housework, dinners, and overall caring he got during his convalesence.  He's
not alone.  It's a common occurence around most churches I've been in.

I could talk about Joy P, whose husband committed adultery with her best
friend, who later not only forgave the woman, but sat next to her in church
and held her hand--just to let her know she was forgiven.  You can talk about
turning the other cheek all you want, Malc, but the hatred oozing from the
quoted part of your post usually comes from hurts received that have not been
forgiven.  So long as there are Joys around who can work the miracles she did,
that I saw, I don't think you have the right to go around blasting Christians.

Why don't you drop in a church, spend a few months there, and get to know a
few?  You may wind up with some impressions somewhat different from those you
have now.  I've been around churches for 15 years, and have seen a lot of
crap, but I've seen a whole lot more love, compassion, and understanding there
than anywhere else.  

But, if you want to know the truth, your comments are exactly the type of
bigotry I expect from buddhists.  Hate to say it, they're the worst, from my
experience on AOL.  Hindus are next in line as being the biggest bigots, and
the fairest and kindest  
people I've met online are Jewish rabbis.  Never heard a word of hatred from a
single one of them, and as much as I hate to say it, they would have the most
reason to hate....

Jim

In a message dated 98-02-06 17:00:12 EST, you write:

<< Those who have the gall to call themselves Christians usually don't know
the
 difference between a simile and a metaphor, let alone know how to interpret
the
 writings of the Bible (which, as we've already discussed and agreed was/is
not a
 COMPLETE document) metaphorically. I would never call myself a Christian
because
 that puts you in league with some pretty shady people who take his name in
vain
 in order to make you feel as if you're not as righteous as they as (spiritual
 one-upmanship), HOWEVER I absolutely respect the teachings of Christ and
would
 rather get down in the streets and apply his teachings (which you can't do
 unless you know how to love) than merely be content to go to a church that
 doesn't allow dissent and merely mouth the words and feel as if you've done
your
 bit this week to make sure you get a seat in heaven in the next life. Those
who
 love are already aware that we are IN heaven.
 
 Malcolm
  >>