Originally Posted by SensibleChiefsfan (Post 6449538)

I have a strong faith. I believe that God could stop the chalk from hitting the ground. I also believe that God isn't going to let any man bully him into proving that he is God.

When I reflect on my life and how it has changed since I accepted Christ, and how it changed even more when I committed to him more deeply.... no one can tell me that God doesn't exist.

I am not saying that my life is perfect or even great. Actually, in the last two years I have lost a house due to foreclosure and been on the brink of bankruptcy. And, yet, I still count myself as blessed.

I also know that God created me. I know that every breath I take is at his discretion.

I know some will have fun with this, or think I am a fool.. but when you have this perspective, it teaches you to be greatful.

All that said, I think the video is false. I don't think a professor runs out of a classroom. I do recall the Bible says not to bear false witness. And, this does more harm to the cause of Jesus Christ than good.

I hope that I am wrong, I just don't think I am. And, if I am not, there should be more specifics in the story. In the Bible, there were names and historical references, not just 'some guy' led the people out of Egypt.

I do believe in miracles. (otherwise I wouldn't watch Chiefs football.) I just don't think that this particular one is true.

Originally Posted by Dottefan (Post 6449783)

The problem with overly zealous religious people, is that they just don't understand not everyone feels the way they do....and to prove their point ,they make up stories like these, and pass it off as real..further making people who don't share their views , to think their crack pots.

Originally Posted by verbaljitsu (Post 6449311)

Once again, "persecution"? I was unaware that we were systematically legislating away the rights of Catholics, LDS, and other sects. Maybe I missed all the violence directed at them. Weird. Maybe what you mean to say is "Catholics and LDS aren't popular in the Bible Belt." But that is different. And ironically enough...the Catholics/LDS that are supposedly being persecuted are being persecuted by fellow believers (not the likes of me). You know, the ones that live in the "bible belt."

I basically agree with your second point.

But, I vehemently disagree with your third point. Women have historically been discriminated against in the United States. Christians do not share that history. Woman account for slightly more than half of the population. Contrast that to roughly 75% of the population being Christians (in the US). It is damn near impossible to ever form a plurality that could overwhelm a 75% majority. Even though women make up a slight majority, their collective economic strength is fairly dismal (b/c of past and current discrimination). Christianity does not share that problem. At all. Churches rarely pay taxes and accumulate wealth at an astounding rate. And frankly, ironically enough, it is religious institutions that have historically been a driving force in discriminating against women - both directly and indirectly. Perhaps the only force strong enough to keep the women (and thus the majority of the population) controlled is the patriarchy of religion?

Originally Posted by Dottefan (Post 6449783)

The problem with overly zealous religious people, is that they just don't understand not everyone feels the way they do....and to prove their point ,they make up stories like these, and pass it off as real..further making people who don't share their views , to think their crack pots.

Originally Posted by Town'NCountryChief (Post 6447592)

http://www.snopes.com/religion/graphics/chalk.jpg


http://www.snopes.com/religion/chalk.asp

Originally Posted by Slayer (Post 6450091)

Persecution does not have to be in the form of legislation, throwing people to the lions, or setting people on fire. Social and psychological persecution can exist without any of these things. It's all a matter of excluding a particular group of people, degrading them, and/or arguing with every little thing that they say...this stuff, of course, would have to be on a consistent basis, which it is in many parts of the country. Now is it a major violent upheaval to rid the world of certain denominations? No, of course not. Is it a blanket statement that every person in the United States feels the same way and tries to persecute everyone else? No, that would be ridiculous. It's a matter of several communities having high levels of persecution. And it's not merely because it is "unpopular", but because the beliefs are severely disliked by people who have influence in one way or another. This is how the Catholics come to being shunned as a cult.
The idea that it is the followers persecuting one another goes to an extent, but it doesn't hold water. Persecution because of beliefs is still just that; especially among denominations that are fundamentally different from one another. The Jews, Christians, and Muslims all believe in the same God, but does lump everyone together to the extent that Christian persecution of Jews never counted as real persecution? **** no!
I think you may have missed the entire point about women being discriminated against. That is just one example of how a majority can be persecuted. Try looking through the books again to get an idea of how many times it has happened throughout history. Tyrants demand the respect of small armies in order to take over entire populations, and even the tyrants treat the soldiers like sh*t in some of these instances. Europeans move to various places around the world, help in building among the current residents, and proceed to begin persecution. In the animal kingdom, the wolf pack is controlled by one alpha male who has his way with all of the females and fights any lower male he doesn't like.

Anyway, with all that said, I don't have the time to start a blog on all of this. If you want an argument, copy and paste the convo into WDC and ask around...someone there will either take up at least one of my points or come up with a whole other set of reasons to disagree with you.

Originally Posted by Slayer (Post 6450091)

It's all a matter of excluding a particular group of people, degrading them, and/or arguing with every little thing that they say...

Originally Posted by RJ (Post 6450315)

You mean all these years my wife has been persecuting me? I thought she was just being contrary.

She's gonna hear about this when I get home. :cuss:

Originally Posted by verbaljitsu (Post 6450259)

Your definition of persecution is hilarious. But even so, it is other religious people perpetrating the "persecution" you are talking about. You are subtly changing the definition of the word, and also changing the context of this argument. Christian person poses dumb video > some non-Christians making fun of it > leads to persecution complex from Christians. Nothing done in this thread could constitute persecution. Frankly I don't think anything done in any meaningful or significant way in this country could constitute persecution of Christians. Religion is not an immutable characteristic. To the extent that it annoys Christians that people don't immediately slob all of their knob to tell them how much they love their particular dogmatic bullshit, it does not constitute persecution. Disagreement does not constitute persecution. Since there is no way to tell what religion (if any) someone is, without them first telling you, and it is basically illegal under Title VII to so much as inquire in employment settings your persecution complex is laughable. Since roughly 3/4 of the country shares belief in the basic tenets of Christianity, your notion is laughable. Call me unsympathetic to even potentially legitimate claims of (for example) the Catholics being persecuted in the Bible Belt, since the entire history of the Catholic church is wrought with REAL persecution (you know, burning jews at the stake, torturing people on the rack, committing genocide).

You are right that Christians, Jews, and Muslims perpetually persecute one another. It is almost so ubiquitous as to be part of the character flaw that is religion. However, it has nothing to do with the context of the thread which is whining that non-believers are meany heads for making fun of a reeruned video in an internet message board. This is not and never will be persecution regardless of how desperately you want it to be.

Your point about minority oppression of majorities is completely vacuous. I've already explained several of the factors that contribute to that happening. None are present in modern day America. Minorities can oppress majorities when the minority has all the economic power (men vs. women), when they are backed by an outside power that is rich and technologically powerful (the Hutus and Tutsis + Belgium), or when the majority is only hanging on by a thread (men vs. women).

Christians make up 3/4 of the country, have vast swaths of economic power (largely because of the tax code), and America IS the most powerful country in the world which insulates American Christians from the effects of outside intervention. Generally and ironically, when minorities dominate majorities, there is a religious component. Religions generally have economic power and can inspire people to do cosmically stupid things. It is very difficult to muster secular forces to take on entrenched religious forces.

Originally Posted by verbaljitsu (Post 6450259)

Your definition of persecution is hilarious. But even so, it is other religious people perpetrating the "persecution" you are talking about. You are subtly changing the definition of the word, and also changing the context of this argument.
....

Originally Posted by DaFace (Post 6451274)

What an enormous waste of time that was. Why do people feel the need to make shit up to make them feel better?

Originally Posted by Dayze (Post 6447617)

Yep; I figured. that's why I didn't want you to think I was blasting you etc.
:D

Originally Posted by verbaljitsu (Post 6450259)

Your definition of persecution is hilarious. But even so, it is other religious people perpetrating the "persecution" you are talking about. You are subtly changing the definition of the word, and also changing the context of this argument. Christian person poses dumb video > some non-Christians making fun of it > leads to persecution complex from Christians. Nothing done in this thread could constitute persecution. Frankly I don't think anything done in any meaningful or significant way in this country could constitute persecution of Christians. Religion is not an immutable characteristic. To the extent that it annoys Christians that people don't immediately slob all of their knob to tell them how much they love their particular dogmatic bullshit, it does not constitute persecution. Disagreement does not constitute persecution. Since there is no way to tell what religion (if any) someone is, without them first telling you, and it is basically illegal under Title VII to so much as inquire in employment settings your persecution complex is laughable. Since roughly 3/4 of the country shares belief in the basic tenets of Christianity, your notion is laughable. Call me unsympathetic to even potentially legitimate claims of (for example) the Catholics being persecuted in the Bible Belt, since the entire history of the Catholic church is wrought with REAL persecution (you know, burning jews at the stake, torturing people on the rack, committing genocide).

You are right that Christians, Jews, and Muslims perpetually persecute one another. It is almost so ubiquitous as to be part of the character flaw that is religion. However, it has nothing to do with the context of the thread which is whining that non-believers are meany heads for making fun of a reeruned video in an internet message board. This is not and never will be persecution regardless of how desperately you want it to be.

Your point about minority oppression of majorities is completely vacuous. I've already explained several of the factors that contribute to that happening. None are present in modern day America. Minorities can oppress majorities when the minority has all the economic power (men vs. women), when they are backed by an outside power that is rich and technologically powerful (the Hutus and Tutsis + Belgium), or when the majority is only hanging on by a thread (men vs. women).

Christians make up 3/4 of the country, have vast swaths of economic power (largely because of the tax code), and America IS the most powerful country in the world which insulates American Christians from the effects of outside intervention. Generally and ironically, when minorities dominate majorities, there is a religious component. Religions generally have economic power and can inspire people to do cosmically stupid things. It is very difficult to muster secular forces to take on entrenched religious forces.