I’m thinking that we get into trouble when we split us into “us and them”. Them is us.

John.D, that’s a pretty ignorant and self-congratulatory way of seeing the world you’re got there.

Gees guys, it was kind ofa a joke!

@Daniel: Sticking to your ideas and accepting others’ ideas should not be mutually exclusive. You’re creating a false dichotomy. Accept others’ ideas and you are generally accepted, that is true. What gets you “not accepted” (at least by people who don’t agree with you) is denigrating or belittling others. It’s great to stick to your beliefs, but surely we can all do so while acknowledging that there are other valid beliefs out there.

I’m wondering lately if what connects people in churches is self-righteousness. There seems to be so much ‘us and them’ talk that it makes me uncomfortable. They go on about how we have the light in us and others don’t.. Well personally, I think that’s bollocks. I think the problem is most of them don’t spend any time at all with people who aren’t Christians. All their friends are Christians. Someone said today that she was uncomfortable with people burning scented oils because she associates it with the occult!

Daniel said – “John D. Is standing for something and I respect that. There is a little prejudice going on here: If you’re accepting other’s ideas you’re generally accepted yourself. If you stick to your ideas, you are not accepted.”

If by sticking to your ideas, you are rejecting others ideas (as John D. has done), then you should expect to be treated likewise…yes?

Danial, so “not all ideas are right”, and if I think I have found a good idea, regardless of whether it is right or wrong, you think I should “stick to it”? Why?

I also believe that “you can know the truth”, but “truth” has no ability to be accepting or not accepting of other ideas, only those who know the truth or believe they know the truth can accept or reject other ideas.

But this all seems contrary to your earlier statement – “John D. Is standing for something and I respect that.”

Is there something inherently good about “standing for something”? Why respect someone just because they hold to a strong opinion? What if what they are standing for is incorrect, untrue?
Do you respect all people equally as long as they “stand for something”? Based on – “And truth is exclusive and definitely not accepting of other’s ideas.” I would say you can’t.

As you may have noticed, I gave up posting at your blog rather quickly. Like so many Christian blogs, the chief method of dialogue was ridicule.

Fishon, sure, sheep and goats, but isn’t that Jesus’s job to say which is which? I know we’d all like to think we’re sheep, but I don’t think we’re able to say whether someone else is.

I was gonna buy David a beer one time, but then it directed me to PayPal and I thought “I bet he’s just gonna use this beer money to buy bread or something.”