moosetracker Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Well I don't think anyone has ever called me anti-religious.. Maybe because I have an utmost respect for anyones religion. If your beliefs make you content with the world around you, give you meaning and a purpose, gives you inner peace, and your religion does not put down or hurt any group of people that is not like you. I am very happy for you and would never try to sway you to my beliefs. My beliefs I know would make other people miserable, so why would I want everyone to have my beliefs and not be content with their views of the world? I can't say I am right or wrong, but they make me content.. As OGE stated .. I yam what I yam and thats all that I yam.. People at the door try to convert you, therefore I am not content discussing things with them, they will try to twist your words or beliefs, not just openly discuss. I don't know what makes me uncomfortable about people who have to bring God into everything. Like the day I got my car stuck in a snow bank, a man stopped and was very helpful I was appreciative, but I didn't understand what digging a car out of a snow bank had to do with "God loving me". Does God have anything to do with my producing a great software system for my company? No I don't think God really would care about that. I just don't know how to appropriatly respond to them, and that makes me uncomfortable. Part of the scouting interpretation to Reverent is respect for others religious beliefs. I think I do that well enough. I think I am reverent to my own beliefs and I have them though they may be just the core beliefs that have followed man from the beginning of time and not much else. - Away from me now... --- Someone here said that thier scouts were not grilled at a EBOR on religious beliefs. I would not say they are grilled, but they are always asked, What they interpret "Reverent" to mean, and how it applies to them. Therefore the few kids who with the question have answered that they don't have any belief. Otherwise whatever they say is fine. Because we know the question will be asked, it is good for our boys to be prepared for it. Because some boys are not comfortable with that type of discussion when unexpected. I am greatful my son was forced to sit down and think about it. He just isn't comfortable discussing private feelings with strangers, and would have choked. Packsaddle - I just think the thread was inappropriatly titled. The original post listed offense/illegal questionable choices. Homosexual being one, Atheist being another. The Homosexual was easily discussed and finished. The Atheist got us hung up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutfish Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 moose, I did not mean to imply that you had been called anti religious. I have been called that by some. I was just saying that I agreed with and felt the same way about a great many of your beliefs as you stated them. As far as the door to door religious salesmen, I do learn about others views..which I like as I am a curious person. LIfe is an experience in itself and all encounters are oppertunities to learn. BUT....the mischevious side of me loves a good arguement. I can causae some of the most faithful to stumble because they are "X" denomination because..well, because their dad was. Beyond that, they have no clue. Like the kid who has no doubt that a Chevy ( or whatever brand of truck) is the best damn truck ever because hjis dad, and his grand dad ande his great- grandad had a Chevy. In truth, the boy doesn't know what not having a Chevy is. All the other brands could be better as far as the boy's experience is concerned. LOL! I do have respect for others beliefs and support their right to have them even if they are wrong! Just kidding. But I do not feel respect to those who do not respect others beliefs. There is a difference between respect and condoning or following. I respect everybody's right to be different from me. I will stand up for their right to be different. But I can do so without sharing their belief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosetracker Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 GernBlansten - we crossed post.. All I can say to you is tsk. tsk. I got literature now, they are to return, and all I am thinking is how to kindly say no thank-you politely so that they don't waste their time and mine. So I am suppose to put them to work pulling my weeds and mowing my lawn? What a concept! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutfish Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Moose, Something I usewd to say before I started having fun with them: " Okay, here's the deal guys - If I have a different belief, you will not change it. If I share the same belief, then your wasting time on somebody who already agrees.Have a nice day!" Then I spent a few years saying :"Thanks for stopping by. You wouldn't be interested in purchasing a new garage door and door opener would you?" Followed by me grabbing a big stack of garage door literature. If/when they acted offended, I would simply say: " Hey, I am doing the same thing as you, except you knocked on my door, not the other way around!" Last but not least: Jeff Foxworthy came up with: Draw a chalk outline of a person's body on your front doorstep and scatter a few religious pamphlets on the ground! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GernBlansten Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Hey, I want those fellas to come back, and hopefully bring a few friends. In a month or two, I'll be ready to put the body back on the chassis and the more the merrier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSScout Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 We really do need a "Faith, Religion and Chaplaincy" forum. "It is a sad Reflection, that many Men hardly have any Religion at all; and most Men have none of their own: For that which is the Religion of their Education, and not of their Judgment, is the Religion of Another, and not Theirs." =William Penn, "Some Fruits of Solitude", 1682 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosetracker Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Well, then Scoutfish.. I guess we do agree to agree.. Thanks for some ideas of what to say. We have been living in the country, for 20 years we were not bothered. Just this year they started calling. First my son, who doesn't know how to politely turn them away so he has been called on about 4 times, now me.. 5 times in one year, time to polish up on our "Thanks, but no Thanks" responses. (Hmm.. I don't have anything to sell back to them except some 2nd hand stuff that should be put on ebay.) GernBlansten - Tsk.. tsk.. (shaking head, and secretly smirking)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosetracker Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 SSScout - that is very appropriate. I had to read it twice, but as it sank in, I really liked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSScout Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 I like to sit them down on our deck, pull out my Bible, with all the notes attached, and discuss their arguments. Very often, they are surprised to find that their Bible does not agree exactly with mine. This leads to a discussion about which translation is appropriate, which verses were left out or "edited", which translation ( I don't speak greek or hebrew or aramaic) we can trust. If they ask about such and such a verse about (frinstance) blood tansfusion, I refer them to another about testing the truth of testimony by making folks eat dirt and, if the Bible is , indeed, infallible, which do we obey and which disregard? " An old timer was asked which translation of the Bible he favored and he replied, 'why the King James, of course, if it's good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me'." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoPenn Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 "We bid farewell with invitations to come on back and help me reassemble the beast on a latter day." I see what you did there. Very clever, Gern, very clever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GernBlansten Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 My favorite response to the JWs when they come visiting is to ask them how many people go to heaven. They respond 144,000. I ask them how many are in their faith, they respond millions. So I say, if you convert me to your religion and I am better than you at doing it, I will take a heavenly slot from you. Do you really want more competition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutfish Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Gern...BWAH HA HA HA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSScout Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 we really do need a Faith, Religion and Chaplaincy forum. Can I have an "amen"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosetracker Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 dunno SSScout.. You can get a hot thread or two on the subject. But like I said, most troops tend to soften down that part of the program in a quiet "respect for personal preference". Since most people keep religious views as quiet and personal topics, not sure as a forum it would get many hits. Many people may even shy away from it, for fear it is a platform for the holy rollers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutNut Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 >>"Many people may even shy away from it, for fear it is a platform for the holy rollers." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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