Posted on 06/22/2012 8:48:35 AM PDT by Religion Moderator
It is within the bounds of “open” Religion Forum town square style debate for a Freeper to express his hatred of a belief. But such posts are never allowed on RF threads labeled “prayer” “devotional” “caucus” or “ecumenical.”
It is never within the bounds on the Religion Forum for a Freeper to express his hatred of people who hold a particular belief when any Freeper is part of the belief group.
For example:
It is ok to express hatred towards CatholicISM on “open” Religion Forum threads. It is never ok to express hatred towards Catholics because some Freepers are Catholic.
It is ok to express hatred towards ProtestantISM on “open” Religion Forum threads. It is never ok to express hatred towards Protestants because some Freepers are Protestant.
It is ok to express hatred towards SatanISM and Satanists both because no Freeper is Satanist.
Some political posters are now venturing onto the Religion Forum probably because Romney’s beliefs are at issue in this election.
If you do not wish to see RF posts, do NOT use the "everything" option on the Free Republic browse option list. Instead, browse by "News/Activism." When you log back in, the browse will reset to "everything" - so be sure to set it back to "News/Activism."
Finally, whereas posters may argue vigorously for and against beliefs on “open” Religion Forum threads it is never tolerable to use ad hominems in religious debate because they invariably lead to flame wars when the subject is one’s deeply held religious beliefs.
For something to be "making it personal" it must be speaking to another Freeper, personally.
"Protestants are heretics" is not making it personal. "You are a heretic" is making it personal. "Catholics worship Mary" is not making it personal. "You worship Mary" is making it personal. "Mormons worship many gods" is not making it personal. "You worship many gods" is making it personal.
However, when a poster paints with a brush that accuses an entire religion of criminal behavior - his post will be pulled as flame bait. For example, posts that say "Protestants kill babies" or "Catholics molest children" or "Mormons kill non-Mormons" will be pulled. However, if the post is specific about a non-Freeper, I will not pull it. For example "Rev. Doe says abortion and infanticide are not sin" or "Father Doe was convicted for molesting those kids" or "Mormons killed non-Mormons at Mountain Meadows" would not be pulled.
Statements formed as questions are rarely "making it personal."
"Are you a heretic" is not making it personal. "You are a heretic" is making it personal.
Forms of "making it personal" include mind reading, attributing motive, accusing another Freeper of telling a lie (because it attributes motive, the intent to deceive) - making the thread "about" individual Freeper(s), following a Freeper from thread to thread and badgering a Freeper over-and-again with the same question.
When in doubt, avoid the use of the pronoun "you" and Freeper's names - or put yourself in the other guy's shoes.
Despite all these efforts to eliminate ad hominems, there is nothing I can do to keep you from "taking it personally."
If you keep getting your feelings hurt because other posters ridicule or disapprove or hate what you hold dear, then you are too thin-skinned to be involved in “open” RF debate. You should IGNORE “open” RF threads altogether and instead post to RF threads labeled “prayer” “devotional” “caucus” or “ecumenical.”
LOL
That would be “finessing the guidelines” and the post would be pulled.
Thank you for your support.
A.
Freeper X: I am a Protestant.
Annalex: Protestants are heretics.
And, if that is still not allowed,
B.
Freeper X: I am a Protestant. What do you think of Protestants?
Annalex: Protestants are heretics.
I am not trying to tease you, -- these are scenarios that are hard to avoid.
Also, a perhaps wider question: at least for a Catholic, "heretic" is a technical term, a rough synonym for "non-catholic". It does not imply hatred at all and should not be listed alongside examples like "child molester" or "liar".
I never said doctrine does not matter. I can argue with you all day long about doctrine but what does that avail us? Read what metmom wrote. That is in the line of thinking I am talking about. How many denominations are you going to condemn because they don't conform to your interpretation? God knows what is inside of our hearts. Our salvation lies in the blood of Jesus Christ. His sacrifice makes our entry ticket into Heaven possible. That is foremost in doctrine. Agree or disagree?
Being 100% correct in doctrine doesn't really matter. One should be obedient in the light given them does though. Otherwise we're going down the road of works over faith where we tithe even of our herb garden but we pass by the injured person on the side of the road.
However, if Freeper X makes the thread "about" himself by constant complaining that he was called heretic indirectly, then Freeper X would be warned to stop making the thread "about" individual Freepers - in this case, "about" himself.
Read
Shoebat and Richardson’s
GOD’S WAR ON TERROR.
They make an iron clad case that Islam’s founding, origins, doctrines, values are satanic to the core.
And Shoebat was reared a Palestinian terrorist born in Bethlehem. His research is exhaustive and emphatic.
Perhaps I’ve put it too mildly.
They document that WORSHIPING SATAN IS AT THE FOUNDATIONAL CORE OF ISLAM.
Read
Shoebat and Richardson’s
GOD’S WAR ON TERROR.
They make an iron clad case that Islam’s founding, origins, doctrines, values are satanic to the core.
And Shoebat was reared a Palestinian terrorist born in Bethlehem. His research is exhaustive and emphatic.
Full Disclosure: I came up with an idea a couple of years ago for a country song; for use by the GOP, as a tip of the hat to their "big tent" philosphy.
The chorus would begin with the lines
"I'm a gay black Mormon biker,
and I vote Republican"
With Romney as the nominee-apparent, and with the mass disillusionment with Teh One, (80% of blacks in one survey said they'd vote for him again, a far cry from the 95%+ approval the first time), I may just have to find a co-writer and flesh this song out...
Cheers!
Makes sense.
Thank you for your patience.
You’re welcome.
>>God knows what is inside of our hearts. Our salvation lies in the blood of Jesus Christ. His sacrifice makes our entry ticket into Heaven possible. That is foremost in doctrine. Agree or disagree? <<
ABSOLUTELY.
How many denominations are you going to condemn because they don’t conform to your interpretation? God knows what is inside of our hearts. Our salvation lies in the blood of Jesus Christ. His sacrifice makes our entry ticket into Heaven possible. That is foremost in doctrine. Agree or disagree?
- - - - - -
I am going to disagree, BECAUSE I have seen Mormons use those same words and mean something else entirely, basically lie to make non Mormons think they are Christians.
Foremost is what we believe about the Nature of God and the person work and nature of Christ.
And I am one of those that only goes after pseudo Christian cults like Mormonism, JW, etc. I hate the Cath/Prot fights.
Just because there is a hierarchy of doctrinal truths does not mean that only the highest level doctrine is important and others are unimportant.
It is extremely reasonable to understand your comments to mean that in your view only the highest level doctrine is important and others are unimportant - unessential butter on the pancake, unessential gravy on the meat. But that view about doctrine is wrong.
What about the sects that are "works based"? Mormonism teaches that "exaltation" is ONLY reached through baptism and confirmation in the mormon church PLUS the "ticket into Heaven" is an actual paper or digital "ticket" allowing the ticket holder to enter a mormon temple and take part in certain rituals.
So, as a consequence millions of us are considered by the mormon church to be "heretics" because "our work" isn't done.
We are therefore sent to the back of the "celestial" bus while the "elites" enter Heaven and are allowed to associate with God.
So many Christians will enter a thread on mormonism and make the claim that you have just made in ignorance of the exclusivity of mormonism.
(Side note: There is even, in mormon doctrine, a ritual that guarantees the living mormon that their "calling and election" place in Heaven is assured...
Works have their place. Faith is what gets you there, works proves your faith. Paul wrote explicitly and plainly about the relationship between works and faith. One should strive for a sinless life ("I die daily"). That is works. But it doesn't save. Faith in Jesus alone saves. I abhor the beliefs of Mormons. I don't abhor Mormons though.
Says you. God determines the fate of a mans soul. According to you only those who are a 100% correct in all matters of doctrine will be saved. Which ultimately means we must belong to the correct church. Now I am sure you think you belong to this one and only supremely correct church and all others are going to hell but that goes against what I read in the Bible about Gods mercy.
I abhor the beliefs of Mormons. I don’t abhor Mormons though.
- - - - -
I abhor the fact that Mormons often lie or omit things about their beliefs to non-Members and potential converts in order to make people think they believe different things than they do. I abhor that I (and many others) joined the Mormon church under fraud and false pretenses. I left once I saw the truth and was told to lie to others to get them to convert.
I abhor that the leadership of the LDS church lies openly to its members.
And your description of the role of works isn’t the LDS view. Mormonism teaches that while all are ‘saved’ (resurrection only) by the ‘atonement’ (death of Christ), only Mormons are ‘saved’ (back to God, CK, and exaltation), by their own works and ‘grace’ (which is actually only a loan) is only ‘after all they can do’.
Now you are just making s___ up. Please cite the language wherein I even hinted that “only those who are a 100% correct in all matters of doctrine will be saved”. Your lie about me is certainly against the most basic Christian doctrine.
Well, if you believe that doctrine is not important, then lying must not seem that important.
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