As a christian.

[Seducio]

Tarantino has some stellar dialog that's for sure. Mace Windu really knew his bible quotes.

[fivehundredyearwinter]

Originally Posted by Seducio [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

This seems like super European 'top down authority' vibes for an American like me. Americans have that can do 'self help' spirit that Europeans aren't always on board with. Europeans were trained to expect their elites to fix things. Americans were taught to do it themselves. Yes I know that's painting with a large brush. What you said makes sense to me.

The rise of the Middle Class power following victory in WW2 empowered a whole population of 'would be serfs' had they been living in Europe in a different era. More people are literate than ever. Folks appear to be very content to engage with 'divine texts' in a way that seems relatively new compared with how elites from millennia ago engaged with them when they were written. I wonder if the printing press had something to do with this.

See this is where things get weird, because the primary form of Christianity in the USA was born almost entirely from the Reformation and it's descendants and still had the 'top down authority' vibes you're talking about. You'll see in old census records that many reverends and respectable sorts were fairly wealthy landowners. In fact landowning was a requirement for voting rights initially, ensuring the continued 'top-down authority', at least until the Revolutionary War came. Then every state went its own way in deciding who could vote, there were multiple hiccups which even lead to New Jersey having to qualify that saying 'all persons' does not include women, black people, children, non-landowners, and/or those who don't pay taxes. (Religious restrictions also existed in a fair few states, Maryland finally allowed Jewish people to vote in 1828)

The vibes get stronger when it came to the institution of slavery, where the 'Curse of Ham' and the need to keep black people enslaved so they can remain Christian rather than fall back into paganism were used as justification by some more holy-minded slave owners.

In fact it wasn't even until the mid to late 1880s that we begin to see the 'American Self-Help' spirit actually form, as literacy continued exploding post-Civil War and there were huge shake ups on all sides of traditional power structures.

So in the end, things are quite messy.

[magnetaress]

Originally Posted by kloudie [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

People are human beings and everyone has the right to be respected no matter their beliefs.

What if their beliefs are that you should be abused, neglected, or inconvenienced for the sake of their own simple desires to do whatever they please?

They should be loved and have compassion, they should also not be permitted to abuse other people.

We live in a world sadly that is FULL of evil and it is OUR RESPONSABILITY to protect ourselves and other Christians from this type of evil and abuse.

No one here is arguing that satanists should be tortured. They should be cared for and or excommunicated.

[Seducio]

Originally Posted by fivehundredyearwinter [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

See this is where things get weird, because the primary form of Christianity in the USA was born almost entirely from the Reformation and it's descendants and still had the 'top down authority' vibes you're talking about. You'll see in old census records that many reverends and respectable sorts were fairly wealthy landowners. In fact landowning was a requirement for voting rights initially, ensuring the continued 'top-down authority', at least until the Revolutionary War came. Then every state went its own way in deciding who could vote, there were multiple hiccups which even lead to New Jersey having to qualify that saying 'all persons' does not include women, black people, children, non-landowners, and/or those who don't pay taxes. (Religious restrictions also existed in a fair few states, Maryland finally allowed Jewish people to vote in 1828)

The vibes get stronger when it came to the institution of slavery, where the 'Curse of Ham' and the need to keep black people enslaved so they can remain Christian rather than fall back into paganism were used as justification by some more holy-minded slave owners.

In fact it wasn't even until the mid to late 1880s that we begin to see the 'American Self-Help' spirit actually form, as literacy continued exploding post-Civil War and there were huge shake ups on all sides of traditional power structures.

So in the end, things are quite messy.

Fascinating history lesson. Thank you. The death of half a million American men during the Civil War probably took out quite a bit of that 'top down authority' energy the USA initially had. Subsequently so much discovery and invention occurred in the late 19th century and into the early 20th century due to regular people getting a crack at things for the first time. Humans became creatures of flight via Aviation from folks like the Wright Brothers tinkering away without a boss telling them not to.

Maybe we're all just getting started in the whole scheme of things. The best days of humanity may be in front of us.

[eqravenprince]

Originally Posted by magnetaress [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

How do you deal with people athiests or satanists who don't want to understand you, disrespect you and your boundaries, and lack all integrity and trust worthiness?

First thing is fix the question you asked cause by singling out one group isn't right. As far as how to deal with people, start with love, kindness and be forgiving.

[aussenseiter]

Originally Posted by kloudie [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

As a Christian you should follow the philosophy of Jesus and stop judging people. People are human beings and everyone has the right to be respected no matter their beliefs. What matters is your actions and how you treat others. There are plenty of Christians that claim the title, don't follow it and treat it as a get out of hell free card. You have the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech. But you don't have freedom to impose your beliefs on people or the consequences of people's reactions to your fairy tale. Peace.

13. Now We consider another abundant source of the evils with which the Church is afflicted at present: indifferentism. This perverse opinion is spread on all sides by the fraud of the wicked who claim that it is possible to obtain the eternal salvation of the soul by the profession of any kind of religion, as long as morality is maintained.

[magnetaress]

I agree with aussenseiter, you are equally culpable for letting a *XYZ trigger warning bad person who does bad things to other ppl* go to go on doing the bad thing if you just turn a blind eye.

I know the church isn't stellar in this regard, butt like all hooman organizations they try and the bad action is bad and against the ten commandments. The U.S. government still has no success at this either and are even more oppressive in that they do not allow individual people to defend themselves through the necessary force that is required when a satanist comes into ur life and tries to forcibly remain there and hurt u and manipulate u away from G-d.

[Seducio]

I'm not sure I follow everything you just said OP.

My suggestion to anyone that has a person in their life that is bringing them down is to confront that person to de-escalate the drama and failing that to exit that person from your world. Life is too short to put up with someone that is causing you the distress it appears to be causing you. This could be hard if its family or a boss. If this person is your boss then it could require courage and still not might be worth it unless you have alternative work opportunities. But if the person is your friend or a neighbor you might be surprised that many would respond with grace to asking for some space.

If someone is trying to manipulate you away from your chosen beliefs and you don't like that then the simplest response is to not be around that person.

[kloudie]

magnetaress you aren't being oppressed. you are just dumb.

[kloudie]

Originally Posted by magnetaress [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

What if their beliefs are that you should be abused, neglected, or inconvenienced for the sake of their own simple desires to do whatever they please?

They should be loved and have compassion, they should also not be permitted to abuse other people.

We live in a world sadly that is FULL of evil and it is OUR RESPONSABILITY to protect ourselves and other Christians from this type of evil and abuse.

No one here is arguing that satanists should be tortured. They should be cared for and or excommunicated.

Christians are supposed to turn the other cheek. You suck at your own religion.