Tearing down Strawmen.

[Colabomb]

We all build strawmen of each other.

Defend yourself from strawmen. Describe the Strawmen people have built against you, and correct the incorrect.

However, in this thread, do not argue whether or not your side of an issue is true or false, only discuss inaccurate portrayals of your belief.

The Idea here is to be friendly in correcting misunderstanding...

[julian the apostate]

problem is that everyone is probably right about me

[higgs2]

problem is that everyone is probably right about me

^_^ You are priceless, julian!

[julian the apostate]

thanks

[ContraMundum]

You start Cola. I need some inspiration before I go there.

[Colabomb]

You start Cola. I need some inspiration before I go there.
Okay, I'll start.

I am frustrated that Conservatives are viewed as closeminded bigoted hatemongers. While most people do not use those words, it is often felt.

Two major conservative issues on this board are the ordination of women and homosexuality.

About Female ordination. We do not consider women to be of lesser worth than men. We feel that God simply assigned men and women to different roles. Most of us would not have a problem being under a woman in the secular realm. I would have no problem with a woman president if she were up to the job. It is only in the Church (and an ideal two parent home) that I have an issue with women leadership.

About homosexuality. We consider the homosexual act a sin. We believe that active homosexuals are indeed sinning. However, we do not believe that homosexuals are lesser human beings or not deserving of respect. We believe homosexuals are merely touched by what we all are touched by, sin. We understand that many have a strong temptation toward this sin, and we feel for them as it must be miserable. But to condone homosexual relationships, we feel it would be the same as allowing theft because some people are kleptomaniacs. We can feel for the person and still tell them they are sinning. In fact, as Christians, we feel have the responsibility to do so.

I would like to also take this opportunity to apoligise to anyone on the other side of the fence that I may have hurt with my assumptions.

[Ebor]

This is short as I need more coffee, but here's one

If one has a preference for older/more formal hymns/anthems and such and does not like "praise music" or "contemporary" then one may be regarded by the 'happy-clappy' all the time people as antiquated or not actually joyful in ones beliefs.

Ebor

[DeoJuvante]

This is an excellent idea Colabomb :)

OK, speaking as a theological liberal, we are often accused of ignoring God and going our own way. This is unfair because we believe that much of what Christianity has 'always' done has been man-made, not ordered by God and that to follow God properly we have to continually challenge and reassess our beliefs. Personally, I believe that Jesus was trying to look at Judaism in a radical new way and that to follow him we should look at Christianity in a radical new way.

Although, I can certainly understand why people might disagree with this. While I do generally think conservatives are wrong about some important things I generally believe that are good people following God in their own way. What concerns me is fundamentalism, of all forms, which is unable to separate differing views from notions of good and evil.

[Ebor]

What concerns me is fundamentalism, of all forms, which is unable to separate differing views from notions of good and evil.

Indeed. And "fundamentalism" may be found not just on the "side" that one disagrees with, but ones own. But examing oneself is something that can be herd. There is the all to common idea of "X disagrees with me, therefore X is Evil/Stupid/misguided." Or turn it around to "I like/approve of Y, therefore Y is Good".

I think that often people will see those who disagree as the "Strawmen" of their own creation, rather then as people with whom they have common motivations for doing things.

Ebor

[DeoJuvante]

Indeed. And "fundamentalism" may be found not just on the "side" that one disagrees with, but ones own. But examing oneself is something that can be herd. There is the all to common idea of "X disagrees with me, therefore X is Evil/Stupid/misguided." Or turn it around to "I like/approve of Y, therefore Y is Good".

I think that often people will see those who disagree as the "Strawmen" of their own creation, rather then as people with whom they have common motivations for doing things.

Ebor
Exactly.

[DeoJuvante]

I think it's sad that this thread has died so quickly.

[Ebor]

I'll try to come up with some other "strawmen". I need to think about it a bit.

Ebor