Originally Posted by JSTUART
Oh, and where did I denigrate a religion...show me.


I think your statement illustrates the divide that seperates many. Some think a "religion" is just some philosophical postion that guides your life and/or behavior and you can turn it on or off at will.

Evangelical Christians despise "religion," considering it nothing more than a human effort full of ritual and fluff that means little. Evangelical Christians consider their personal relationship with Jesus to be the signficant issue and they emphasize that it is a relationship having little to do with any ritual or formality.

However, most outside observers cannot really understand that concept and consider Evangelicals as "religious" people. So when an unbeliever suggests they go find a place to talk about God it is an anathema to an Evangelical. The Evangelical points out he is in a relationship with God and it is THE defining relationship of his life. As such, he finds it unreasonable that he should be censored form talking about the most defining part of his/her life whenever and wherever it comes up.

Of course, it is also an anathema to an unbeliever to even hear someone talk about God because for many unbelievers, rejecting God is the defining event of their lives. Many unbelievers would think it unreasonable for them to be censored from talking about why they think the way they do, so the conflict never ends.

The only answer is what Ken Howell (ThD, BTW) has said in this thread. We ALL should be willing to gently share our beleifs, but there is no requirement for us to convert everyone we see to our exact way of thinking.

Last edited by Blaine; 08/17/07.