When is it appropriate to share your religious faith with others?

[China Cat Sunflower]

Originally Posted by cyberpi

I find it interesting when a person resorts to claiming they are the victim of what they see and hear... or that others who speak are diseased perpetrators. Perhaps I should attend a comparative-atheism website next to test the claim.

Best of luck with that. Let us know what you learn.

Chris

[mee]

Jesus then gives instructions on how to approach householders with the Kingdom message. "When you are entering into the house," he instructs, "greet the household; and if the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it; but if it is not deserving, let the peace from you return upon you.
Wherever anyone does not take you in or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city shake the dust off your feet." luke 9;4-5

[cyberpi]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Best of luck with that. Let us know what you learn.

Chris

Surely there are some outspoken atheists here who could share some good atheist forums to test the claim.

Is being an outspoken atheist here not akin to proselytizing... deemed as possibly the sign of a bipolar disorder? Perhaps I am now a potential atheist proselyte, persuaded to seek an atheist forum to... learn?

[Dawud]

Originally Posted by cyberpi

Surely there are some outspoken atheists here who could share some good atheist forums to test the claim.

Is being an outspoken atheist here not akin to proselytizing... deemed as possibly the sign of a bipolar disorder? Perhaps I am now a potential atheist proselyte, persuaded to seek an atheist forum to... learn?

Learn what?

Atheism is defined by lack... lack of faith, and atheism is unprovable. As Gandhi said, there is no evidence that the soul perishes with the body.

[cyberpi]

Originally Posted by Dawud

Learn what?

Atheism is defined by lack... lack of faith, and atheism is unprovable. As Gandhi said, there is no evidence that the soul perishes with the body.

Good question... I'm not certain what substance an atheist claims to teach or share. I am just challenging the theory that I'd be a victim of whatever it is that I might see, hear, or learn there.

[China Cat Sunflower]

Originally Posted by cyberpi

Is being an outspoken atheist here not akin to proselytizing...

No.

Perhaps I am now a potential atheist proselyte, persuaded to seek an atheist forum to... learn?

I've never visited any atheist forums. I wouldn't have a clue what goes on there. If you're going to take the trouble to do some sort of research about atheist forums let us know what you find out. I personally have zero interest in organized atheism. I'm not looking for a support group. But if you're going to do the leg work I'd be interested to read about your experiences and observations.

Chris

[path_of_one]

Originally Posted by cyberpi

Good question... what does atheism have to teach or share?

What atheists have taught or reinforced in me:

The love for humanity, even if we are "just" animals.

The importance of justice, even if we are never judged.

The joy of life, even if it is but brief and meaningless.

The acceptance of death, even if it is destruction.

I'm not atheist, but I've had some profound spiritual experiences in being close emotionally to some of them.

Everyone is our teacher, if we choose to be students.

[China Cat Sunflower]

You have to wonder about the motives of people who want to limit our spiritual choices to these tightly defined categories. It's not as simple as atheists versus believers.

On the depression thing: I've read of studies which purport to show a higher incidence of clinical depression among Jehovah's Witnesses in hospital data where patients self-reported their denominational affiliation. In my mind that sort of criteria is pretty lackluster. However, my own experience with JW's, which is limited to no more than ten people plus their immediate families that I actually worked with and got to know, was that there was a surprising number of individuals who were afflicted with OCD, manic depression and bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, and general depression. That's completely unscientific and inadequate as well, but it's enough that I can reasonably say what I said, which is the JW's seem (to me) to have a higher incidence of clinical depression and mental disease. I don't know that, but I have that impression.

Chris

[seattlegal]

Originally Posted by Dawud

Learn what?

Atheism is defined by lack... lack of faith, and atheism is unprovable. As Gandhi said, there is no evidence that the soul perishes with the body.

I'm not sure about the lack of faith thing, especially when it comes to the question of the origin of life. I certainly do not have enough faith to believe in abiogenesis when the odds of it occurring are so overwhelmingly remote.

[cyberpi]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

You have to wonder about the motives of people who want to limit our spiritual choices to these tightly defined categories. It's not as simple as atheists versus believers.

Is a person's spiritual choices diminished by the sight, sound, or sharing of a different spiritual viewpoint... or, is a person's spiritual choices diminished when they will not hear the differing spiritual viewpoint, perhaps reasoning that they will be burdened or could become the victim of what they see and hear?

I have found some of both the alleged believers and the alleged atheists claiming that people are the victim of their eyes and ears. Since I am not an atheist... I thought it an active way to test the theory.

[China Cat Sunflower]

Originally Posted by seattlegal

I'm not sure about the lack of faith thing, especially when it comes to the question of the origin of life. I certainly do not have enough faith to believe in abiogenesis when the odds of it occurring are so overwhelmingly remote.

Oh please... Do you actually believe in an origin of life theory SG? I don't.

Chris

[China Cat Sunflower]

Originally Posted by cyberpi

Is a person's spiritual choices diminished by the sight, sound, or sharing of a different spiritual viewpoint... or, is a person's spiritual choices diminished when they will not hear the differing spiritual viewpoint, perhaps reasoning that they will be burdened or could become the victim of what they see and hear?

I have found some of both the alleged believers and the alleged atheists claiming that people are the victim of their eyes and ears. Since I am not an atheist... I thought it an active way to test the theory.

Everybody likes to share their enthusiasm and passion for the things that they really dig. People with mutual interests naturally group up. There's nothing wrong with sharing your faith. Here's the thing though: When was the last time a stranger came to your door to share their passion for...badminton? I mean, as innocuous as that is, if some glinty eyed stranger accosted you with a barrage of calculated selling techniques in regard to badminton that would be a serious breech of manners, wouldn't it? Wouldn't you wonder about their mental stability?

Chris

[China Cat Sunflower]

Originally Posted by cyberpi

I have found some of both the alleged believers and the alleged atheists claiming that people are the victim of their eyes and ears.

It's just a "poor me" complex that people have when they're using the shelter of group identity as emotional cover. Either their faith isn't mature enough or they need a scarecrow to take bayonet practice. People may become the victim of their eyes and ears, but it's still their own fault.

Chris

[wil]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Oh please... Do you actually believe in an origin of life theory SG? I don't.

Chris

Chris, you don't believe life originated? Or don't believe in any one theory in that regard?

[mee]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

You have to wonder about the motives of people who want to limit our spiritual choices to these tightly defined categories. It's not as simple as atheists versus believers.

On the depression thing: I've read of studies which purport to show a higher incidence of clinical depression among Jehovah's Witnesses in hospital data where patients self-reported their denominational affiliation. In my mind that sort of criteria is pretty lackluster. However, my own experience with JW's, which is limited to no more than ten people plus their immediate families that I actually worked with and got to know, was that there was a surprising number of individuals who were afflicted with OCD, manic depression and bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, and general depression. That's completely unscientific and inadequate as well, but it's enough that I can reasonably say what I said, which is the JW's seem (to me) to have a higher incidence of clinical depression and mental disease. I don't know that, but I have that impression.

Chris

lol

maybe you should meet the other nearly seven million world wide and you just might change your thinking .


but after saying that, i am not saying that Jehovahs witnesses do not get depressed , we get sick the same as anyone .

but for mee i see people (Jehovahs witnesses)that are very happy .
And having an accurate knowledge of what the bible REALLY teaches makes them very happy.

"Happy is the people whose God is Jehovah!"—Ps. 144:15.