religious discrimination [Archive]

ralphie

1/31/04, 05:20am

Okay, so at my school, I've discovered some serious issues with people who seem to think being Christian is the only way to live. We're forced to pray at school, and I got yelled at for not standing for the pledge, which, btw, is forced patriotism, which, btw, is illegal.

I even got in trouble for putting reference to the fact that I'm Atheist on my webpage.

What is with today's society and its inability to realize that Satanists and Atheists are not the same thing.

I have people come up to me on the street and ask me if I do sacrifices.

The other day, in this stupid little class we have at school, we were talking about abstinence and such, and some girl goes "we can't have sex, because it's not Christian." and, obviously, I said "yeah, well, what about the ones of us who aren't Christian."

Do you know how quickly heads turned to give me a look of disgust. Whispers constantly are in my presence as I walk down the hallways, everyone knows I'm Atheist, and only about two people can accept it.

Being Christian is not the only way to live. And I've gotten the whole talk from my mother, that if I was a true Christian, I'd know that "following god" is the only way to live a happy life. Newsflash: I don't believe in God or Christianity.

And I'm not disrespecting people who do, I mean... I'd respect someone who worships a Paegan goat god, it just is really infantile when people don't respect me back.

Seriously, does anyone have any insights on the subject or anything?

Just commenting, because the world's going to the close minded dogs.

chcr

1/31/04, 09:15am

Okay, so at my school, I've discovered some serious issues with people who seem to think being Christian is the only way to live

Sorry, welcome to America today. Well on it's way to becoming a defacto christian theocracy. It's unfortunate, don't you think, that so many of us who are atheists understand what being American means better than so many self-righteous christians. I promise that those assholes do not represent the majority of christians, but it will seem like they are because they're the ones that will fuck with you.

we can't have sex, because it's not Christian.
Interesting. I guess that's why you never hear about any christians having children out of wedlock, huh?

My biggest complaint has always been the way so many christians believe that if you don't believe as they do that your beliefs cahhot be as valid and that you can't possibly believe yours as strongly as they believe theirs. Stick with it. I've been an atheist since I was old enough to understand it. 35 years or so so far. I'm happy and reasonably successul.

Re the pledge, sometimes the path of least resistance is easiest. I personally used to just skip the "under god" part, but then, I am a patriot so my advice would be biased in that direction.

Re your mom, mine too and I'm 47 years old. She prays for me daily I'm sure. We have an agreement not to discuss it but she still occasionally sends me "insprirational" e-mail. Hey, she's my mom. I'm not going to stop loving her just because she doesn't accept my religion. I don't accept hers after all. :)

Here is a point to consider. I have studied christianity more than 90% of the christians you'll meet. Most of them have a limited understanding of their own religion, how can you expect them to understand your lack of the same. Explain it to them. Some of my favorite answers:

Worship te devil? If I don't believe in one, it'd be pretty stupid to believe in the other, wouldn't it?

Sacrifices? What for?

Hmm, if your sixteen year old daughter comes to you and says "I'm pregnant but i've never had sex with a boy" do you start a new religion or make her tell you who the boy is? (Careful with that one, it always starts a fight)

chcr

1/31/04, 09:16am

PS Welcome to the forum. Hope you like to argue. :lol:

Gonz

1/31/04, 09:38am

We're forced to pray at school,

You go to a religious school don't you?

freako104

1/31/04, 01:33pm

I dont agree with a good number of Christians who insult other beliefs. If you are in a private school then they have their own rules. as far as other religions they believe the Devil created the other religions :rolleyes:

Gonz

1/31/04, 01:57pm

Do you agree with other beliefs that insult christianity?

Who are you to say that the other religions weren't created by the devil? (you are insulting christianity by suggesting they are wrong)

freako104

1/31/04, 02:03pm

I dont laugh at anyones belief so no I dont agree with beliefs that insult other religions. I think people should be allowed to believe what they want.

as far as the other religions I dont believe in the Devil and if he was real I dont know if he is evil jsut not Christian. and I dont think the Devil created those religions nor any other form of evil created them.

1/31/04, 03:40pm

Thank gods here in the UK we only have sensible recognised religions...........like Jedi Knight for example :lloyd:

Luis G

1/31/04, 04:11pm

I fully understand your situation, because i've lived the very same things. Living in a country where 99% of the population is Catholic sure gets some looks at you when you stand your views.

Hold on, soon those that really matter will realize that you are no worse or better person because your beliefs are different, and for those who don't, they don't deserve your friendship.

btw, where are you from?

ralphie

1/31/04, 06:57pm

I'm from Georgia. The most southern little hick town in it, and damnit, my rat keeps typing you guys messages...

<rant>I agree completely with where anyone from ANY religion comes from, but the thing about knowing that Christianity is the only religion... how do we know? Honestly... Are we all going to find out the day we die that when you practice Hinduism, you get a cookie, and gosh darnit, Christianity gets first prize!

Most likely not...

and even if we do, it's not much help, seeing as to how we'll be DEAD

I honestly don't think anything's going to happen to us, but that's just me...

Hey, I could be wrong, we could all be wrong, there could be a religion out there that no one will discover, and then when we DO die, we'll all figure it out, but it'll be too late.

We don't know, we really... don't know.

So why debate it now until we have facts and evidence that they exist. Why try to force your religion upon other people, when they'll never adopt yours.

It's hard to understand why so many people care about whether we all share the same religion.

And, yeah, I go to a private school, but we're supposed to be all about diversity, and have different races and religions and stuff

But it's not true.

If you're not a preppy christian [no offense meant, it's just the common GPS stereotype] then you don't fit in.

It's disgusting, really. </end rant>

IDLEchild

1/31/04, 07:02pm

You are among ignorant individual who haven't learned the dark side of religion yet and most of them, sadly, never will.

freako104

1/31/04, 07:22pm

or they will learn it and reject it. to me its situations like this that show the dark side of religion. Intolerance.

ralphie

1/31/04, 07:30pm

or they will learn it and reject it. to me its situations like this that show the dark side of religion. Intolerance.

Ignorance, just as much.

Stupid people piss me off.

They think their way is right, so it's the only way they'll believe. Even if you proved them wrong 99% that their idea was crap, there's still that 1% they run back to...

[they referring to the stupid people that piss me off]

freako104

1/31/04, 07:34pm

yea well people have their beliefs. they will always believe it no matter what.

ralphie

1/31/04, 07:37pm

yea well people have their beliefs. they will always believe it no matter what.

And whatever happened to the phrase "change is everything"

freako104

1/31/04, 08:10pm

some people dont like change. they like things the way they were.

AlladinSane

1/31/04, 08:21pm

The other day, in this stupid little class we have at school, we were talking about abstinence and such, and some girl goes "we can't have sex, because it's not Christian."

You know what's funny? I think Christ never said that. (I read a good part of the Gospel and I never saw such statement) There is this stupid people who base their faith in dogmas and try to put credibility in them associating with Christ's figure. Like the ones who use an old testament excerpt to justify mandatory contribution to the church. I always got surprised at how many americans were atheists, by the way they try to force you in their personal views, now I see why...

ralphie

1/31/04, 08:35pm

this is going to sound offensive :-\

if it offends anyone, I didn't mean for it to...:

I think that a lot of people are their set religion because that's the enviroment they grew up in and they're too lazy/scared/opressed to realize that there are other things to believe in

Just an insight, nothing personal

I just know that if I hadn't woken the hell up and gotten my voice, I'd still be miserable in a christian world than happy in an atheist one

it's like they don't care, but they DO care if someone disagrees.

Luis G

1/31/04, 08:42pm

do you believe you believe what you believe in? (http://www.otcentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12364) ;)

AlladinSane

1/31/04, 08:45pm

ralphie

1/31/04, 09:25pm

freako104

1/31/04, 09:46pm

You can change lazy for scared or opressed and Christian by any other faith with the same result. Someone asked why so many non-merried christians have kids, I would answer - simply because they really don't believe in it. Their minds were taught that way but their hearts refuse to believe such a negative thing could come from God.

or in some cases its because they became Christians after, or they slip up(as they call it) once in a while, or they have the philosophy they will be forgiven for doing so. and still others have more liberal ideas in their beliefs.

ralphie you have a point but sometimes it is not because lazy/scared/oppressesd. instead it is beaten into their heads at an early age. and they grow up to believe it

ralphie

1/31/04, 10:40pm

or in some cases its because they became Christians after, or they slip up(as they call it) once in a while, or they have the philosophy they will be forgiven for doing so. and still others have more liberal ideas in their beliefs.

ralphie you have a point but sometimes it is not because lazy/scared/oppressesd. instead it is beaten into their heads at an early age. and they grow up to believe it

yes, but notice I said a lot, not all.

and, yeah, you have a point as well.

as was said in Great Expectations: Let's say there was a little girl, and from the time she could understand, she was taught to fear...let's say, she was taught to fear daylight. She was taught it was her enemy, that it would hurt her. And then one sunny day, you ask her to go outside and play and she won't. You can't be angry at her, can you?

Cheese

1/31/04, 11:44pm

I attend a public school and I get the same crap from nearly all the students, who are, conveniently, Christian.

Their efforts to convert me have failed miserably and I can't agree enough with you.

ralphie

2/01/04, 12:30am

I attend a public school and I get the same crap from nearly all the students, who are, conveniently, Christian.

Their efforts to convert me have failed miserably and I can't agree enough with you.

anyone ever attempted to convert you in math class?

heh

I'm on a first name basis with the 'have you been saved' guy at the park because I always says 'by the blood of the lamb, brother. by the blood of the lamb.'

because, well... he leaves me alone, and if I told him simply NO, I'd find myself laden with pamphlets. and we all know that pamphlets are evil.

freako104

2/01/04, 01:39am

ralphie

2/01/04, 01:49am

we had a few at my first college back home. some Christians were trying to convert people. I got to use this line perfectly.

him:Jesus paid for your sins
me: I still aint got my moneys worth.

ohhhhhhhhhh was he pissed!
but we talked a little after that. still I got to use it :swing:

I also like the...

Jehovah's Witness: Have you found Jesus?
Me: Oh, goodness! [clap hands to face in utter shock] I didn't know he was lost! You get the flashlights, I'll call the police. We will search every single inch of this ground tonight! We will find your Jessie!
Jehovah's Witness: Wait... what?
Me: Jessie. No time to talk, I'll get the phone.
Jehovah's Witness: No... Jesus...
Me: Oh... him... yeah... Lucifer got him years ago... [become teary eyed]

[this works best when, like me, you name one dog Jesus, and the other dog Lucifer, simply to make JWs angry...]

freako104

2/01/04, 01:55am

i usually use

yes hes in the trunk of my car. we charge 10 bucks to see him

IDLEchild

2/01/04, 02:39am

I choose to respect religion for those who earnestly believe in its values because it does do good for many people but I refuse to follow instructions on how to live. If God can dictate my every move then he can very well be there to help out in hard times and help with some of the stupidity.

People so blindly believe in the notion of god because it is a defense mechanism, in defense of feeling helplessness. It is this innate desire to believe that someone is there for you when no may really be. That someone with all the answers, power, and reason is watching over you in time of need and that gives people hope, it gives them strength and the courage to go on. The belief in a possibly fictional character allows them to comprehend the mystery of life through an easy answer: "God did it" even though they are possibly enveloping themselves into a lie...but this lie helps them with a feeling of hope.

The human mind has this annoying need of wanting to have an answer, an a explanation for everything so we have a feeling of semblence of control over this phenomenon that intially firghtens us. What we can't explain scares us, so we we tell ourselves God did it and he works in mysterious ways.

God is nothing but an instituition for feeling of safety and hope in an uncertain world and somewhere along the line it became the way of life. This has been the greatest strength and crutch of the religious institute and humanity itself. When belief turned into faith....and when that happens it produces two types of results.

1) It turns men onto the right path. So many have found their lives through faith in religion and god. So many reformed and turned into functioning members of society through the "love" of god. Religion has the power to do great amount of good....

2)...but when belief turns into faith it also produces blind zealots who take the name of god to carry out their vendetta against what they see as a failed version of society...be it theirs or another society. Some do it unintentionally and some do it in all concious and open eyes.

I choose to respect religion for the good it can do, the fruitful changes it can have on a lost individual but I do not follow the guidelines of religion because, to me, it asks too much for a human being who is already struggling for an indentity to claim in an always uncertain world. It causes humans to stop questioning what goes on around them and makes them weak by accepting god as an answer to every problem or creation. Leaving it up to god gets you nowhere and so many let their lives be a hell-hole due to this misconception that anyone really cares for them outside of the benefits they provide for them.

God and religion has been man's greatest and worst creation...either way it deserves respect and its followers need to realize that opression is not the key. As curious as we are and as desperate we are for answers...we are also rebels...opression does bode well for some of us.

IDLEchild

2/01/04, 02:44am

..and to add to that..

Religious places of worship are really, bloody, boring. Even god probably avoids sunday sermons and opts for a football game instead.

freako104

2/01/04, 03:18am

depends on the place. my friend Brian and Jennie and Joe(I call them my spirtiual parents have some fun places(well I never saw Brians but he and his gf like it they have fun there). personally I am usually bored or thinking to myself how I disagree with some things. but I am respectful to those people. they are people who are true to their religion. they are really cool.

chcr

2/01/04, 08:47am

..and to add to that..

Religious places of worship are really, bloody, boring. Even god probably avoids sunday sermons and opts for a football game instead.

Ever been to a black baptist church? I don't agree with 'em, but they aren't boring.

Kawaii

2/01/04, 09:21am

Being an Atheist with some influences from Buddhism, i barely ever get comments about my religion. It's more like the other way around here; Atheism is the norm and Christian kids are the oddballs... But noone really cares. The schools are basically religion-neutral with some Christian influences, but it's really nothing.

I got visited by some nice people from Jehova's Witnesses today. They asked me if i knew God by name and told me that "he" is actually called Jehova. I kindly informed them that i'm a Buddhist-Atheist, but noooooo, they continued yammering on about salvation and stuff. So i said "Sorry, you aren't going to convert me, have a nice day." and shut the door.

Those kinds of Christians bother me. A lot.
Otherwise it's all fine with me.

ralphie

2/01/04, 01:12pm

Ever been to a black baptist church? I don't agree with 'em, but they aren't boring.

I'd drink to that.

To the same effect, the sand mountain churches I'm forced to visit everytime I go to my friend's house.

Everywhere you look, there's either someone commenting [really loudly, if I may add], someone breaking into song and dance, or a mofia member looking at you mean with a weapon of some sort because you're not a reg.

it's kind of scary, but hell no, not boring.

AlladinSane

2/01/04, 01:17pm

ralphie you have a point but sometimes it is not because lazy/scared/oppressesd. instead it is beaten into their heads at an early age. and they grow up to believe it
I consider myself that can be classified as opression also.
BTW I spoke today with a friend catholic friend who had read the whole bible, and she confirmed that she didn't find any reference agsint pre-marital sex not only in Jesus words, but in the whole bilble. I can't say what this no-sex advocates are striving for :shrug:

ralphie

2/01/04, 02:05pm

I consider myself that can be classified as opression also.
BTW I spoke today with a friend catholic friend who had read the whole bible, and she confirmed that she didn't find any reference agsint pre-marital sex not only in Jesus words, but in the whole bilble. I can't say what this no-sex advocates are striving for :shrug:

maybe they're just stupid.

what can you expect from daddy's girls who get a new yacht every year and don't know the difference between 56k and broadband...

but then again, I still don't think highly of them since I'm the one who has to fix their computers every morning before school because they dropped it and it was turned on.

freako104

2/01/04, 03:57pm

ralphie

2/01/04, 04:33pm

they cant get laid and dont want anyone else to either :shrug: one of those our life sucks well make your life suck too

and you start to feel sorry for them until you stop and realize

'SHIT! ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY I CAN'T EITHER! You know what... [hands on hips] screw you. screw you all to hell.'

freako104

2/01/04, 04:40pm

not everyone feels sorry for them ;)

Squiggy

2/01/04, 04:44pm

I thank god every day for making me an atheist...:tardbang:

freako104

2/01/04, 04:47pm

:rofl: i thank him for
putting lesbians on the earth
lesbian porn
girls in thongs
girl in leather

and letting us have fun

ralphie

2/01/04, 06:31pm

I thank god every day for making me an atheist...:tardbang:

mmm... the taste of fresh brewed irony.

Ms Ann Thrope

2/02/04, 04:49am

Religious places of worship are really, bloody, boring.

:eek5:

Boring? I don't feel that way. I'm an atheist, but manage to go to several religious services a year. I'm the first one to point out the great evils perpetrated in the name of religion, but I also recognize that some of the most transcendent art has been created in its name. Churches are the respositories of some of the greatest works of art ever created. They have been patrons of sacred music that continues to thrill me.

Virtually every year on Good Friday I attend a spectacular choral service at a Presbyterian church. Back when my mother was alive, I would happily get up in the wee hours so that we could attend a dawn Easter Mass at a Byzantine rite (Uniate) church. The pageantry of the service was amazing. Until recent years we'd take our Christmas Eve guests (Jews, Chinese, atheists, agnostics) to Midnight Mass after dinner, and everyone loved it. My cultural identity is bound up in the rituals and religious observances of my childhood. While I may no longer believe in any god, I continue to admire and appreciate the art that grew out of religious belief systems.

A.B.Normal

2/02/04, 04:55am

While I may no longer believe in any god, I continue to admire and appreciate the art that grew out of religious belief systems.

Our father who is Art in heaven{remembering the NightCourt episode :lol2: }

Ms Ann Thrope

2/02/04, 04:59am

Our father who is Art in heaven{remembering the NightCourt episode :lol2: }

:tomato:

:D

AlphaTroll

2/02/04, 05:18am

*nevermind I'm not even going to open my flippen trap about this*

LOL @ AB

freako104

2/02/04, 10:04am

Our father who is Art in heaven{remembering the NightCourt episode :lol2: }

:lol:

BlurOfSerenity

2/02/04, 07:19pm

i've noticed that when you stop telling everyone about your religion or lack thereof, they stop bothering you about it.
when you stop saying "hey i'm an atheist!" you'll get fewer "you're going to hell!"'s.

when scheduled or told to pray, just bow your head. you dont have to pray or say amen. just bow your head. it shows respect, which is what you'd like to have shown to you.

's what i did, before i was christian.

freako104

2/02/04, 08:03pm

the problem is tho that people will still talk about religion. they will still ask what you believe and such

Mirlyn

2/02/04, 09:40pm

the problem is tho that people will still talk about religion. they will still ask what you believe and such
Sorry, I have yet to find a good reason to make your personal beliefs fit the expectations of others. If they ask you about your beliefs, they ought to be willing to listen to your answer--no matter what it is. I'm with Ash....show respect, not ignorance. I find anyone who forms their belief system based solely on what others think of them has no purpose in that belief system in the first place.

freako104

2/02/04, 09:43pm

i do agree but I still get asked said questions and I listen to their answers but admit I disagree. it is then I am wrong and basically I have my beliefs lamblasted by the people askng me. I try to avoid asking about religion as a general.

Cheese

2/03/04, 03:21am

anyone ever attempted to convert you in math class?

heh

No, they usually try during commerce when my spirit is partially crushed:)

AlladinSane

2/03/04, 07:38am

when scheduled or told to pray, just bow your head. you dont have to pray or say amen. just bow your head. it shows respect, which is what you'd like to have shown to you.

's what i did, before i was christian.
Hm? Are you Christian now? :confused:

BlurOfSerenity

2/03/04, 04:09pm

yup :)

drkavnger99

2/03/04, 04:27pm

Personally I don't like labels :D so when asked I consider myself a christian and when asked which denomination I say athiest. Its always a fun time seeing the look of utter confusion followed by either a grin and nod or a snarl!

But to keep it real I don't believe in organized religion as a general rule and I definitly believe that we evolved from a less luxerious (sp?) form. I'm not sure if thier is a so called GOD because the corruption of the church and other such figures have forged the image and the story to meet what they want us to believe!

a13antichrist

2/03/04, 04:41pm

as was said in Great Expectations: Let's say there was a little girl, and from the time she could understand, she was taught to fear...let's say, she was taught to fear daylight. She was taught it was her enemy, that it would hurt her. And then one sunny day, you ask her to go outside and play and she won't. You can't be angry at her, can you?

No - but you can be disappointed in her for showing an inability to think for herself & reason that actually, those people that taught her that daylight was bad were damn idiots.

ralphie

2/03/04, 04:53pm

No - but you can be disappointed in her for showing an inability to think for herself & reason that actually, those people that taught her that daylight was bad were damn idiots.

but she didn't know they were idiots.

it's all she learned, what do you expect her to believe?

a13antichrist

2/03/04, 05:00pm

LIke I said, I expect her to THINK FOR HERSELF and come to the INESCAPABLE CONCLUSION that they were idiots.

BlurOfSerenity

2/03/04, 05:26pm

i dont think that concluision is all that inescapable.

it would be like if someone suddenly told you that putting your hand in a frying pan full of hot grease was, in fact, a good idea. you, likely, wouldnt believe them, and chances are, since you'd learnt your whole life the contrary, you'd probably not want to do it.

a13antichrist

2/03/04, 05:59pm

Of course, because you would reflect for a second & think, actually, putting my head in that pan would cause me a LOT of pain, so what I'd learnt my whole life must have been relatively sensible & this guy telling me to put my head in it must be a damn idiot. ;)

freako104

2/03/04, 10:14pm

yup :)

coolness :)

Gonz

2/04/04, 12:15pm

You go to a religious school don't you?

was this ever answered?

AlphaTroll

2/04/04, 12:25pm

was this ever answered?

Maybe it just seems religious 'cos everyone's so high all the time.... some reckong smoking pot is a truly, like spitritual thing man :trippy:

Ms Ann Thrope

2/04/04, 12:41pm

was this ever answered?

sort of, I think
check post #10 in this thread

drkavnger99

2/04/04, 01:49pm

Adding onto what I said before too.... I think another reason religion is soo popular is that the extremely religious have the problem with when you die your dead...!!! It takes away the hope of the human spirit which for most of them who are extremely religious means they weren't really here to start with! Just my $.02

Leslie

2/04/04, 01:59pm

yup :)I'd be interested in a brief briefing on how that happened :)

BlurOfSerenity

2/04/04, 02:09pm

I'd be interested in a brief briefing on how that happened :)

i was wiccan, but over time, i felt it less and less.
i happened to be going to a youth group thing. i'd been going for a couple of years. it got me to understand christianity better. it was controversial at time, it was a group that really made you think. but it was a great group. and one night, i really felt christ there in my heart, and i went with my friends, and we talked more, and i asked questions and such... and then i accepted christ.

some have accused these friends of "converting" me, but i really think they just showed me the way.

i feel this. it brings me joy. i know it's right for me.

:swing:

BeardofPants

2/04/04, 06:18pm

So... You got brainwashed then? :eek6:

freako104

2/04/04, 06:22pm

like so many... yes :P

gonz it was answered I think she said she does go to a religious school.

BlurOfSerenity

2/05/04, 09:03am

So... You got brainwashed then? :eek6:

no; i merely became informed.

a13antichrist

2/05/04, 09:11am

Kinda like how Bush & Blair became informed about Iraq's WMDs? :)

AlphaTroll

2/05/04, 09:12am

no; i merely became informed.

So then - what were you before? Ignorant? Misguided? Ill-informed?

(not trying to dis you - I reckon it's great that you've chosen to become a Christian & you sure as hell don't owe me any explanations, I'm just wondering if you feel more 'enlightened' now?)

Gotnolegs

2/05/04, 09:29am

Isn't it odd how we expect christians to show respect to someone who doesn't believe and then when a christian explains their beliefs they are accused of being brainwashed.

Ash, if that is what you truly believe then all credit to you.

I wish I was anything like as certain about faith.

freako104

2/05/04, 10:03am

I think its the idea of how they get people to believe or somethng. I think it can be legit. also some Xtians can be disrespectful of others beliefs. but so can pagans, Muslims, Hindus the list goes on

chcr

2/05/04, 01:29pm

Ms Ann Thrope

2/05/04, 01:34pm

Good point! My only problem with any religion is that I don't want to be forced to lsten to things I'm not interested in.

Exactly! If you feel satisfied with the answers your wisdom tradition gives you, great. But PLEASE don't assume everyone has the same questions you did.

AlphaTroll

2/05/04, 01:48pm

Do you mean no religious discussion would be preferred?

But then the same can be said about all RW topics :confused:

Ms Ann Thrope

2/05/04, 02:00pm

No, I meant proselytising fools in the real world. I hate it when people assume that I have the same spiritual needs they do, and that my atheism is some sort of affliction a good dose of religion can cure.

chcr

2/05/04, 02:03pm

What she said. I am happy to discuss religion with anyone, I will not be preached at (and I have a fairly extensive capacity for rudeness).

a13antichrist

2/05/04, 07:03pm

Why are you all so eager to pre-empt any "preaching" on her part? Has she given any indication at all that she would do? Not at all. How's that for discrimination? :disgust2:

Leslie

2/05/04, 07:09pm

i was wiccan, but over time, i felt it less and less.
i happened to be going to a youth group thing. i'd been going for a couple of years. it got me to understand christianity better. it was controversial at time, it was a group that really made you think. but it was a great group. and one night, i really felt christ there in my heart, and i went with my friends, and we talked more, and i asked questions and such... and then i accepted christ.

some have accused these friends of "converting" me, but i really think they just showed me the way.

i feel this. it brings me joy. i know it's right for me.

:swing:ash, I'm really super-glad that you've finally found something that is "you" and feels right. :hug: