Reply #108: I find that disturbing, as well... [View All]

[Lerkfish]

on several levels:

1. no christian (or no person for that matter) is qualified to determine that anyone else is "going to hell". If they read the entire bible, and not just selected passages, they'll realize that. We are NOT to judge others, and mercy is more important than punishment. Its all there in the bible. Honestly, I think some people get off more on figuratively sending people to hell, instead of saving them from hell.
We are not the judge, only Christ is, and only on judgement day. I think this is one of the most basic problems with fundamentalism: the arrogance to assign themselves as judges and executioners of the souls of others. Its not our place, and even if it were, none of are without sin, so who should cast the first stone?

2. Lecturing people accomplishes nothing, except alienation. Living by example is better.

3. I'm even MORE disturbed by their blind support of Bush and his illicit war. No christian should ever support war, just on moral principle, and even further no christian should assign unwavering blind fealty to any human person. Even if Bush were a man of God (which he isn't), no man of God should be so worshipped.

No one is perfect as a human being, and no one is perfect as a christian...however, people that use their "piety" as a bludgeon against others are offensive, so I agree with you, and I'm sorry you have that problem with your siblings.