Where are the people who call themselves Christians?

[LiberalArkie]

Matthew 25

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'


Edited to add this: <http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7093029>

[Kievan Rus]

1. They're too busy whining on and on about gays

[47of74]

2. That or running around with their lips sewn to Sarah Palin's ASS

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. how true

according to a thread on kos, Franklin Graham, the coke freak son of Billy, is using their personal jet to tool Sarah around the country on her bookspewing tour de farce.

[WCGreen]

38. And you and I are paying for a good portion of that since he doesn't

have to pay any taxes on the money he shakes down from his followers...

[mrcheerful]

7. You left out that they also spend a lot of time praying for things they don't

want or need and Jesus is just Santa without the white beard or red suit. What always amazed me was how many folks believe it snowed the day Jesus was born, talk about crazy beliefs.

[johnhoover70]

13. Wow...

...that's just sad.

[Zhade]

43. What amazes ME is that people believe, without a shred of corroborating extrabiblical evidence...

...that jesus actually existed.

[Syntheto]

15. More Anti-Christian bullshit...

...Do you think Muslims like homosexuality? How about the Jews? How about any religion? Nah, we just have issues with White American Christians. What about the fucking AME and other Black American churches? Nah, like we say all the time on DU, it's the dreaded White American Christians that are the real problem.

All religions are scams and any idiot who believes any of the silly bullshit should be marginalized. How about spreading it around?

No, no, it's the White American Christians and gasp Sarah Palin, we are so scared of them... Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh! Make them go away.....

[donco6]

17. So, I guess you're not as bad as the MUSLIMS.

Great. I'm so impressed now.

[Syntheto]

52. I said that....

...ALL RELIGIONS ARE BAD. Read it again until you can understand it. Geez.

[mrcheerful]

20. Muslims don't come up to my door asking me to go to their religious buildings

nor do they try to get laws taking away anothers personal freedom taken away. Nor do they threaten me when I tell them I'm not interested in their brand of hypocrisy. I've never had a member of a black church do either of those things or I'd be down on them too. You reap what you sow and the white american christians have done a lot of sowing to earn the contempt they reap. I have no problem with another persons insanity until they start forcing their insanity on me, then I have a say on their insanity.

[Syntheto]

54. Thanks, you proved my point....

...ALL RELIGIONS ARE BAD BY DEFINITION. But, wow, you sure are ready to jump on the White Christians to the exclusion of the rest. Sure they suck, but no worse than the others. If you believe that one religion is better, then well, you're an idiot.

[krabigirl]

34. Organized religion is ridiculous.

[Syntheto]

53. That's the bottom line.

[Zhade]

44. As a queer, I take issue with ALL of those you mention, and more.

NT!

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

56. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[me b zola]

50. I just re-read your post

Are you a persecuted white person?

[Syntheto]

55. Not unless being an Atheist is to be persecuted...

...I just have a problem with people too chicken-shit to write anything about other religions. They're all bad, and based on a big fat lie - that some supernatural force controls our destiny. What are you, a black or muslim person who actually believes the bullshit put out by the crazy rug merchant from Medina, and thinks it's dogma superior to that of American Christianity? They're both bullshit and I laugh with contempt (lwc) at such stupidity.

[me b zola]

57. So what does Black or white have to do with your ramblings?

Are you scared of the Black man in the White House?

[dem629]

27. The whining on both sides gets old.

The political pros have people shouting at each other about marriage and abortion, while they (members of both parties) and their friends working in the financial industry run away with all our money.

Distraction.

[krabigirl]

33. seriously, or women who *gasp!* have sex.

[lazer47]

3. Most of them are out trying to see who can build the next biggest church

the rest live north of I-40 up near Fayetteville,, you have got to be from Ar. to understand this,,

[LiberalArkie]

26. I am embarrassed by the great big temples here in Little Rock.

The verse : "And Jesus wept" always come to mind.

[johnhoover70]

4. Yeah!

They always claim religion as the source of the principles upon which they base their political stances, but liberals are the ones to help the poor out by donating money and time. Hypocrites.

[LiberalArkie]

6. You always hear them quoting anyone but Jesus. That is their whole problem.

Call them out and when you tell them what Jesus said to do (not Moses), they can not defend their actions.

[madamesilverspurs]

9. I mentioned that once, to a member of the clergy

who happened to be participating in one of the teabag events. His rather dismissive response was that I obviously lacked the appropriate education. I asked him, "...how much education is required to be able to tell the difference between what Jesus said and what you say he said?"

---

[johnhoover70]

10. heh...

nice.

[asjr]

16. The trouble with the Christian clergy is

that they think they are speaking for God and Jesus. Because they think they are either one.

[Zhade]

45. Good riposte!

Of course, taken to its logical conclusion the next question should be "why even believe the bible, since it's just a collection of things other people say other allegedly supernatural people said?"

[BeatleBoot]

8. They are the ones protesting the public option

[TCJ70]

11. The ones who call themselves Christians?

They're out there being jerks. The ones who actually are Christians are exhausted from actually doing stuff.

[donco6]

12. As the Bible says,

they are whitewashed tombs, full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.

[Froward69]

14. rec #4 after it obvously had 5...

the freepers are about... Quoting scripture is a sure way to piss em off! as we all know jesus was a liberal... they just can't stand that.

[elocs]

18. I reckon there are probably thousands of DUers who obey Mt. 25.

I know there are very many in my own city today who have helped arrange the huge community Thanksgiving feast at our civic center that is open to one and all to enjoy their holiday there to celebrate a great meal as well as an afternoon of entertainment. I am sure many non-Christians helped as well.

There are many, many good Christians and we really do need to stop judging Christianity as a whole by the actions of the shrill evangelical right. I am sure that if there is a god then that entity is as equally put off by them as we are.

[jberryhill]

19. Generally Not Advertising That They Are /nt

[msongs]

21. they're out escalating in Afghanistan nt

[Zhade]

46. NICE

NT!

[Jensen]

22. Thank you ...I don't feel so alone now, I was beginning to wonder

if I was the only one that felt that way...Where are the so called Christians, I guess they only believe in their plastic Jesus!

[WhiteTara]

23. in their churches whipping up hatred n/t

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

24. I'm right here.

:shrug:

[redwitch]

25. I call myself a Christian.

And I actually try to be decent to everyone. I don't preach at people. I volunteer, visit the sick, the bereaved, sort at the local food pantry and generally try to be helpful. I support a woman's right to choose, same sex marriage, ending these lousy wars. Please stop with the broad brush.

[LiberalArkie]

30. Thank you. I am the same. I decided as a child to try my best to be like Jesus.

I believe that I have, mostly.

I had a dream in my 30's when I really believed in the rapture.

I saw a couple of homeless people sleeping in the doorway of my church.
I lady in a mink coat was having to step over them to enter the church on Sunday morning.
She and others told the pastor about it and the church prayed and prayed that God would do something about it.
They prayed that God would rid them of the all the dregs of society, rid them of these worthless people.

The next day, on all the news, there were stories of the poor, the homeless people, the prostitutes, the sick that could not go to doctors, the hungry that had just disappeared off the face of the earth.

That Sunday, the people in the church were praising God that all the worthless people were gone. They then started praying and asking God to bring the rapture.

I woke up with a smile, realizing that the rapture had come, they just missed it.

That dream was 30 years ago..

I still wish that it would happen that way.

[Zhade]

47. No matter how crazy I find your unsupported belief in the supernatural, I applaud your decency.

: )

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

28. Here at the Homeless Shelter, working.

Where we are 365 days a year, including today. I'm not sure what your point is.

[vadawg]

59. +1000 iw as going to say the same, the ones i saw earlier where working the soup kitchen

also driving around delivering meals to the less fortunate... sometimes the ignorance on display is stunning.

[saltpoint]

29. A lot of the adherents of the world's religions are true to their

commitment to others and are at this hour feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, and tending to the ill.

They don't make the headlines. They don't burn books. They aren't in the public debate over stem cell science or gay marriage.

They are not on cable news programs invoking their moral authority in a thinly veiled attack on democratically-elected public officials.

Instead, they show up at hospitals and shelters and kitchens and they spend some significant hours of their days helping people who need help.

Under any brand name, that's pretty good stuff.

[47of74]

36. They have taken Luke 18 to heart

They have taken this part of Luke 18 to heart;

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18: 9-14)

Of course that was one of the parts of the bible that was either redacted or cut out of the copies in use by right wingers.

[saltpoint]

42. A very nice call, and one that slaps the arrogant Republican

Bibleizers right in the face.

Love your comment on redactors on the right wingers' copies. It must be lucrative work -- they seem to do it all the time.

[Boxerfan]

31. Case in point-My "brother" the Christian

My brother calls himself a christian-OoooohK.

He has always been the money grubber of the family. I was the mechanic-tinkerer.

I have worked hard all my life. Overcame severe alcoholism & a decade of homelessness. I now have a small but happy home & family. I should be the poster boy for self achievement to them.

In '03 I had a tumor-benign thank god-but it was in a tricky area. I was under pretty sever financial strain. I called & asked for a loan or some form of help-he only lives 2 hours away. He said-"I'll be praying for you". That was it. No a dime or offer to actually help.

During the 04 elections he responded angrily to any attempt at rational debate. He resorted to calling my family "trailer trash" & stopped talking to us.

I went back to work and after a few years had a freak injury. Tore my right arm tendon & had to undergo surgery-therapy etc.Luckily it was workers comp. & the medical charges were covered.
But I couldn't work & the disability pay doesn't come near expenses. I fell further behind in bills & finally had to do a bankruptcy.

I cold called him at his office. I was in town for other reasons & figured what the heck. There was some old family business we discussed. I told him about the bancruptcy & having to sell my tools etc. I never asked for help.I knew he wouldn't . Just told him what was going on & left it at that.I figured that went well-we didn't argue or anything. So as I left I offered to e-mail him pics of my 2 girls.He said no.
What an ASS.

He has never made anything of value in his life.Pushes paper & other peoples money for a fee. He's never gone to war but supports it. He says he is pro-life but won't support any social program.He's your basic Republican hypocrite-Hiding behind the bible. He finds easy prey there & a cover for his true intent. Greed plain & simple....

Thats my brother.He calls himself a Christian. But he acts like there is no true need in this world. I am just a lazy person who can't get a real job-from his own lips.

Really he's just a combination of Grover Norquist,Newt & other greedy ass-hat Republicans-They ALL call themselves "Christian".

I try not to color every Christian with the same brush but for GODS sake-why don't they start leading by example or get vocal if you feel outnumbered.

The image is badly tarnished.That I can say for a fact.

[etherealtruth]

32. All around you ...

Volunteering in soup kitchens and hospices ... protesting health-care reforms and seeking to limit the rights of women ... fighting for gay rights ....campaigning against gay rights ... they have voted for Barack Obama .... they have voted for George Bush ... they are the ones that help clothe and shelter the homeless .... they live in Mc Mansions.

By the way, the same kind of Muslims, Jews, Sikhs ... are all around you, too.

[madamesilverspurs]

35. The people who only "call themselves" Christians

are out there 'shoulding' on everyone else. In contrast, those of genuine faith are living their lives accordingly, without the need to draw attention to themselves.


--

[Dreamer Tatum]

37. I think you mean, where are the American, white Christians

Because nowhere here do I ever see the same derision and ridicule applied to Muslims and people who go to black churches.

[TrogL]

39. I no longer do so - too embarassed

At best I'll say I'm a follower of what I believe to be Christ's teachings.

[hfojvt]

40. you cannot find them? Today, of all days?

I just came from one of those free Thanksgiving dinners put on by a few local churches. Must have been fifty volunteers there throughout the day although at the end there were only about seven of us hauling tables and folding chairs back to the church. There is an event like that in many towns. Also, the day before I stood for four hours by this red kettle, ringing a bell, or playing trumpet and many people put money in that bucket. Those are in many towns too.

[Zhade]

48. Willing to bet at least one of those volunteers was NOT a believer.

Just sayin'.

[Flaneur]

41. Uh, no doubt some of them are working at food banks and feeding the homeless...

while DUers get their snark on.

[DainBramaged]

51. Here

spent part of the day distributing gelt to my favored charities.........

[noel711]

58. This tired topic arises every once in a while...

And I mean tired.

It's so easy to see all the faux preachers prancing around
playing pharisees with every bit of minutae, creeps who put on masks of piety,

and then assume that everyone who lives as a Christian is also a phony idiot.

It's that kind of thinking that presumes that if some people of a certain group
do/say something,then all are that way.
That kind of broadbrush thinking proclaims:
Because some men are sexist misogynist, all men must be sexist misogynists;
Because some white people are racists, then all white people are racists;
Because some Muslims want to destroy the AMerican culture, then all Muslims are bent on destruction.
Because some Jews cheat and lie (a la Bernie Madoff), then all Jews are untrustworthy.
Because some rural residents are ignorant rednecks, anyone who lives in a rural area is a
mouthbreathing moron.

To be a liberal means to be able to see beyond stereotypes.
there are many who live as christians who aren't literalist fundies,
those who believe the rapture is a laughable con job on the feeble minded.
Believe it or not, there are Christians who have advanced degrees,
Who work and live and serve their communities without fanfare,
who take seriously the command to love and care for the poor.
Many who prefer not to build walls between people,
but attempt to build bridges without proselytizing.

If we at DU are going to get in pissing matches about what is wrong with
christians, and have some kind 'liberal purity' test, we're no better than
the republicans.

I don't come to DU to hear more hate mongering..
I can hear it in my stores, on my televisions,
on my radio. WE need to look beyond stereotypes,
and find what we have in common..