Dan725

If you take the Christian bit to the extreme, like some do, yes it is. I fail to see how they can stand there in their multimillion dollar mansions, preaching to everyone about how they should run their lives, yet having amassed such personal wealth and not sharing a bean; being cut throat in their business tactics, and evading taxes. Hypocritical.

In moderation (on both the religion and wealth front), no its not mutually exclusive.

Xebedee

You find a needle, I'll go get a camel.
It might get a bit messy tho.

Roland Hulme

Obi Wan Kenobi said is more succinctly. "Who's the more foolish? The fool, or the fool that follows him?"

Rete

I'm not sure exactly what a fundamentalist is but as a Christian, I would differentiate between Christian Value and Christian Theology. When broken down and the deity taken from the commandments, you are talking about human rights and values.

I believe I mentioned before that one of my college classes taught that the founding fathers were all Masons and that the US has it beginning firmly entrenched in Masonic principles and this is evidenced by the many Masonic symbols used in our currency and in the architectural on the Capitol.

another bloody yank

I guess I just don't see the threat. Fundamentalists have their beliefs, I have mine. As long as no one tries to force me to practice their religion (And I see no evidence of that), why should I let what other people believe bother me?

Elvira

What about those Baptists and their polygamy practices and child abuse? It's because people just stood by and 'let them practise their religion' that they got away with it for so long.

401 children having their lives destroyed - and this is just the tip of a very nasty iceberg.

Dan725

I honestly can't understand how these sort of sects have gotten away with it for so long, and continue to do so. I think a major purge needs to happen to wipe this sort of thing out. They basically equate to nothing more than criminal gangs, in my eyes. In fact, I've got more respect for gangs - their members are generally under no illusions that they are the wrong side of the law, unlike these righteous pricks preying on innocents.

Roland Hulme

That's one of the smartest things I've ever read!

another bloody yank

Well, I meant legally practice, I should have been more specific. I certainly don't condone any sort of child abuse or other illegal activity. I'm pretty sure that group wasn't what you'd call mainstream Baptist, closer to a cult than a legitimate church. Most Baptists are probably as horrified as the rest of us over the actions of that group.

Elvira

Yes, but my point is that the churches and religion, albeit unwillingly, provide cover for these sects. It's only when the abuse becomes blatant and/or if someone speaks out, that notice is taken.

Also, there is a lot of child neglect operating under the guise of 'Homeschooling'. Whilst it is perfectly possible to educate children adequately at home, a lot of Christians are merely indoctrinating their kids, preventing them from acquiring real knowledge, and segregating them from social contact with non-Christians.

Hiro11

Baptists?

Optimus Prime

Its the English word for Jahovah's apparently.

Hiro11

I agree in principle with what you're saying but labling home schooling as child abuse is taking it a bit too far. What if someone disagreed with what you teach your children, would you accept them labling it as "abuse"?

Mallory

Bit like the head of the C of E living in Buckingham Palace. The shame of it!

Roland Hulme

Here here! Or is it Hear Hear?

Either way, I agree 100%. I remember starting a thread about this. It's shocking.