what is more important

[arely staircase]

What we believe or say we believe, or what we do.? Of course I am referring to faith vs works in the Christian tradition but what do non believers and or believers of other faiths think?

[rrneck]

1. What we do.

But doing what you say you will do is a large part of the social contract.

[Warren Stupidity]

2. by your acts

[stone space]

3. By far, what we do.

I kind of addressed that in another forum the other day, when questioned about my atheist beliefs:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1230&pid=22304

[stone space]

4. Isaiah 2:4

and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more

Rocky Tiger Ploughshares - Action.

21 July 2011, a peace activist on a red tricycle disables a "Tiger"
attack helicopter with a garden mattock.

[longship]

5. I don't give a fuck what others believe.

I am a dirty, evil, militant atheist. But if a DUer is a believer in gods, I really do not mind. I don't care what other people believe. They can believe in Thor, or Zeus, or Allah, or Shiva, or Jahweh, or whoever. I just do not care what or in whom they believe.

However, when one takes action on ones beliefs, then I can have an opinion to express, and I do. What religion, if any, one practices is none of my business -- that's the American way. But when one uses ones position in government to impose those personal beliefs on others I am going to have a big fat say. It is actions that are the measure of a person, not their beliefs.

That's why I have such a huge problem with the Republican Party. They have been all but taken over by conservative Christian theologians, but their major tactic seems to be bearing false witness. (Consider Fox News.) Meanwhile they seem to want the prohibition of such a thing to be engraved in stone and displayed in all courthouses throughout the land.

We are in real trouble if these people ever get into power.

Actions, not belief, matter.

[arely staircase]

6. you are an arheist I would consider more christlike

Than many seld proclaimed christians. Nice post.

[longship]

7. Arheist?

Whatever that is. And Christ-like?

I'll have you know... I resemble that remark!!!!!

I mean... I represent the remark!!!!!

Oh well. Maybe I ought to give up now.


Thanks, pal.

[arely staircase]

10. christ like

Non judgemental the ironic antithesis of many Christians.

[longship]

12. I got it.

Just could not resist tweaking a nose a bit. Merely in jest.

I take your response as a complement, but I often find what people do in the name of Jesus to be quite offensive.

I lean strongly towards that of a minimalist, that the person Jesus likely never existed. One cannot prove that, but there are strong indications within the narratives of fictive elements that well predate the narratives. Plus, then there's the dating of the narratives well after his alleged life. And don't get me started about the revisions, the contradictions, or the historic inaccuracies.

But, that's just my cranky atheist side. If people want to believe it, it isn't really my problem. As I said, unless they act on such beliefs.

My best regards.

[arely staircase]

13. stay cranky, stay true to yourself

[longship]

14. Skäl, my friend.

[stone space]

8. The Lord's Prayer

Catonsville Nine

Uploaded on May 17, 2006

17 May 1968 9 people walked into a Selective Service Office, took hundreds of draft files from a cabinet, took them outside, doused them with homemade napalm and burned them in the name of peace.

[el_bryanto]

9. What you do.

More specifically how you treat other people.

Bryant

[arely staircase]

11. yes nt

[AtheistCrusader]

15. Both together.

What you do is pretty important, sure, but what you say can be just as damaging. Especially if it encourages someone else to act.

[hrmjustin]

16. I would say our acts.

[cbayer]

17. What you do.

On DU, believers and non-believers have more in common than they do differences and that is reflected in actions, not beliefs.

It is only a very small subgroup that are intent on judging and attacking others based on what they believe or don't believe.

Pretty much every one is much more advanced than that.

[trotsky]

18. And by continually making comments like that,

you are attacking them. Stop the attacks, cbayer. You're helping to make it a self-fulfilling prophesy.

[trotsky]

19. I think that's sort of a false dichotomy.

How can you believe something but not act on it - or at least have it affect your behavior?

Plus I don't think it's fair to frame it like this. Makes it sound like anyone who has a criticism of religious belief needs to be silent. Religious beliefs are ideas - they can be criticized whether or not someone is acting on them. It causes too many problems to declare them special and immune.

[Goblinmonger]

20. This hits to the core of my degree in Communication

There are pretty clear connections between beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors and a line can be drawn through them in that regard. Yes, we may have actions that do not reflect what we think our beliefs and values are, but they are likely representing a different belief/value that we aren't realizing.

[Iggo]

21. Honesty.