Narrow path.....

@philokalia said
I respect Hindus, and so I will use respectful terms when I refer to their material.

You should post what and how you like.

@philokalia said
So, why do you want to bother and disrespect people?

I don't think I do. I think this is a forum for sharing perspectives.

@philokalia said
And those things are not true, then, right. They're false. They are a long series of false claims.

Basically, you are trying to refer to these all as unbelievable lies and exaggerations, and trying to write them off every time you use the word.

At least, that is how I perceive it, and that is how mos tnative speakers of English perceive it, and that is why they use respectful language when referring to the beliefs of others, right?

You'll get nowhere with him.

He has dumped Christianity, and for reasons only known to him, he has also lost respect for Christianity.

He will always call scripture "folk tales".

God is also a "superstitious being". (Made up)

@philokalia said
You are using terms that others find to be disrespectful. You are totally free to believe that, but when you employ certain terms, you are using language that they find to be disrespectful to their beliefs.

I believe the way I post is fine. I don't - for example - describe beliefs I disagree with as "faeces" and I don't post in a way even remotely similar to the "disrespectful" way Romans1009 posted. You admired him above all other posters here. You are wasting your time trying to lecture me on "respect".

@chaney3 said
God is also a "superstitious being". (Made up)

God or gods [or "angels"] are "supernatural beings". People who believe in supernatural causality are "superstitious" - by definition.

@philokalia said
Basically, you are trying to refer to these all as unbelievable lies and exaggerations, and trying to write them off every time you use the word.

It would be disrespectful to refer to folktales as "unbelievable lies". These are words you have introduced, not me. I refer to them as folktales: that communicates my perspective respectfully.

@chaney3 said
He has dumped Christianity, and for reasons only known to him, he has also lost respect for Christianity.

You have repeatedly referred to the Bible as "bu11shlt" ~ especially the Old Testament, but sometimes the New Testament as well. You have gone into rants about "God" being "worse than Hitler" and Christians who accept the Old Testament as being no better than Nazis. I have never said, thought or written anything remotely like this in all my years ~ as a Christian or as an ex-Christian ~ so I don't think you are in a position to lecture me on "respect for Christianity".

@fmf said
You have repeatedly referred to the Bible as "bu11shlt" ~ especially the Old Testament, but sometimes the New Testament as well. You have gone into rants about "God" being "worse than Hitler" and Christians who accept the Old Testament as being no better than Nazis. I have never said, thought or written anything remotely like this in all my years ~ as a Christian or as an ex-Christian ~ so I don't think you are in a position to lecture me on "respect for Christianity".

What you don't seem to realize is that every time you say "God figure" in a debate with a Christian, on any subject, the debate quickly funnels down into a question of beliefs, and the original discussion is lost.

Your primary reason for a lack of respect is that you're smug about it.

That's the point that Philokea* is trying to make.

*could not remember spelling

@chaney3 said
What you don't seem to realize is that every time you say "God figure" in a debate with a Christian, on any subject, the debate quickly funnels down into a question of beliefs, and the original discussion is lost.

I am an agnostic atheist. There are a wide range of religions out there. Each one has its competing god figure or god figures.

Even within Christianity, the god figures differ ~ sonship's god figure is a vengeful, wrathful torturer visiting demented, nonsensical violence upon people for a lack of belief, Suzianne's god figure does not do this ~ the very nature of the god figures they worship is different.

The Jewish god figure is different; the Muslim god figure is different; the Hindu god figures are different. I post as an atheist: the term "God figure" is a neutral and respectful and honest way to refer to the differing supernatural beings that lie at the centre of these competing religious ideologies.

I'd say if "...the debate quickly funnels down into a question of beliefs", it is a good thing.

@chaney3 said
Your primary reason for a lack of respect is that you're smug about it.

I neither lack respect nor am I smug. I think the 'lack of respect' thing is simply a deflection, and the 'smug' thing you mention is an indication of there being a chip on your shoulder.

@fmf said
Hindus are welcome here on this forum to share their perspectives.

Are they as 'welcome' as Christians?

@fmf said
I believe the way I post is fine. I don't - for example - describe beliefs I disagree with as "faeces" and I don't post in a way even remotely similar to the "disrespectful" way Romans1009 posted. You admired him above all other posters here. You are wasting your time trying to lecture me on "respect".

I wonder how long the name Romans1009 and my kind words about him will linger on this forum.

We had extremely hostile and vicious posting in the Spirituality forum for a very long period of time, right? During that time Romans1009 made a big impression. People are still talking about it. People are still being burned for things that they say in reference to it.

I think we should just let it go.

And, you should stick to the topic we were discussing, I think.

@fmf said
I don't care. I am not "Wikipedia".

Right.

You are "FMF."

You do not care about the way Wikipedia properly refers and cites things...

Why should people care about the way that FMF does?

I care because I want you to not degrade people on the forum and create a more hostile environment, and because I think that the standards which Wikipeida and other sources use are the standards most present in the English language, and these are what we should go by to be respectful.

Do you care about being respectful, FMF?

@philokalia said
I wonder how long the name Romans1009 and my kind words about him will linger on this forum.

Until you disappear from this community probably, or until an even bigger creep than Romans1009 comes along and people forget.