Quote# 141538

The more one takes a stand for God and truth, the more hated and persecuted that person will be. If you are a professed Christian and you are popular with the heathen world, it is only because you are not truly serving the Lord. The Bible teaches that God-fearing, Christ-honoring, sin-hating, soul-winning, Bible-preaching Christians WILL BE hated by the world.

Jesus never sinned even once in His entire life (2nd Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15), yet the Jews cried out for Barabbas (a murderer according to Mark 15:7) to be set free and they wanted Jesus crucified to death. This is how the world reacts to God and truth—rejection. The world shows no mercy for the Christian; but they have sympathy for the wicked. This is why still today we see murderers go free and innocent men imprisoned for preaching the Gospel. The world is evil. The abortionists cry out, “Crucify the babies”; while God's children cry out, “Please release them.” Will you choose Barabbas or Jesus?

Luke 6:22, “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.” Any true Christian who loves the Lord Jesus Christ WILL BE PERSECUTED... 2nd Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” The world doesn't mind a cowardly believer who never raises a Gospel flag, never speaks a word against sin, laughs at their sick jokes, and follows Jesus from afar off. 2nd Corinthians 4:3, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.” Most believers today are HIDING the Gospel by their Christless life.

David J. Stewart, Jesus is Savior 13 Comments [12/19/2018 11:10:58 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141537

[Note: Emphasis mine]

Lessons of Brazil not applicable to China

The New York Times has recently been bringing out a series of articles about China. The latest commentary by Bret Stephens has a striking headline - "The Real China Challenge: Managing Its Decline." This seemingly analytical article uses Brazil as a comparison to China, which exposes the writer's shocking ignorance about Chinese people's culture.

In the article, Stephens writes: In 2009, The Economist wrote about an up-and-coming global power: Brazil. Its economy, the magazine suggested, would soon overtake that of France or the UK as the world's fifth largest. However, the rocket never reached orbit. Brazil's economy is now limping its way out of the worst recession in its history. "The murder rate - 175 people per day in 2017 - is at a record high." The author then concludes that those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first tout as countries of the future. And the rise of China will finally not materialize because of its similarity with Brazil.

The author appears to be triumphant in giving the description since he has found a perfect reference to comment on China's development. I stayed in Brazil for three years and well understand why the Brazilian economy has weakened and why China's would be different. To be honest, Brazil does not compare well with China and thus the argument in the article is feeble and poor.

Perhaps the Brazilians and the author believe in the same god, but that's definitely not the one that Chinese believe in. The god mentioned by Stephens is not functional for China because it doesn't even exist in the belief system of the Chinese people.

Indeed, Brazil never had a strong and sophisticated manufacturing industry. But the basic question is: Why has China achieved industrialization while Brazil has abandoned it and moved in the opposite direction? This is not entirely a matter of economy or institution, but one of culture.

I've been working in Europe, the US, Asia and South America for nearly 20 years. My experience says whether a country can achieve industrialization depends on many factors, culture being the most important. It includes how people view their work, family, children's education and wealth accumulation.

It may sound racist to differentiate development based on culture. But after living in Brazil for a while, you will find out the answer. Brazilians are not willing to be as diligent and hard working as the Chinese. Neither do they value savings for the next generation, like the Chinese do. Yet they demand the same welfare and benefits as those in developed countries.

The fundamental difference between Brazil and China lies in that the culture of Brazil makes the country unsuitable for manufacturing. Lack of manufacturing can't lead to industrialization and finally makes sustainable development impossible. As a result, the economy of Brazil only depends on export of raw materials and bulk commodities. In other words, abundant resources have limited the development of manufacturing in Brazil.

Whether the Brazilian economy can achieve sustainable development depends partly on institutions, but more importantly on the local cultural tradition. Stephens made a basic mistake: Since he doesn't analyze the prospects of development of a country based on full knowledge of its culture and tradition, his judgment is faulty.

China's development has problems and challenges. Since the reform and opening-up, it is Chinese cultural tradition that has held up against economic fluctuations. Eventually, the performance of Chinese economy has formed a rising curve, not a descending one because China can always find solutions amid fluctuations.

Chinese people have huge potential for pursuing family and personal happiness. Now the question before China is how to give a full play to such potential, not produce it. The reform and opening-up has been a process of releasing the potential of Chinese people. More importantly, the process is irreversible.

China is such a big country that it would be generalizing to cite one example to prove that its prospects are bleak. Likewise, it is also unfair when you equal the prospect of a developed region to that of entire China. If you want to learn about China's future, you must know how Chinese people learn, work and live. Any analysis of China's future should not be divorced from this.

Ding Gang, Global Times 3 Comments [12/19/2018 11:10:51 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141513

Should Christians Watch and Enjoy ‘Avengers: Infinity War’?

Superheroes could Be Just Another Form of Idol Worship

Marvel Studios just released a teaser for the third entry into the Avengers series, Infinity War. Since the last movie made over 1.4 billion and the most recent Marvel movie Black Panther has made over a billion it is almost guaranteed to be a huge success. But is it appropriate for Christians to watch it? Should Christians Watch and Enjoy Avengers: Infinity War? Tweet This God, as expressed in the Bible, does not leave uncertainty on how he feels about any sort of competition. The First and Third Commandment states that “there shall be no other gods” and “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything.” While you could argue what exactly an idol is, the parallels with superheroes is too obvious. In the Avengers movie, there are literal gods, with Loki and Thor, the god of lightning. In the DC world, you have Diana, a thinly veiled reference to Diana, Goddess of the Hunt, who fights Ares, God of War. The characters have near omnipotent power, resembling God. The entire storyline of Infinity War is about fighting Thanos, who has been labeled as a god and who is trying to acquire a series of “infinity stones” to give him power over creation. These are the fables that the Bible warns not to listen to because they directly trade off with Christ.

By watching Avengers Christians take the focus away from God, which is never supposed to happen. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” They become the embodiment of the values that should come from the Lord. The Avengers become the new manifestation of justice, goodness, faith, honesty, and more. This becomes a dangerous proposition. First, because they use violence as the ultimate way to solve problems. This creates the underlying assumption that directly contradicts the peaceful ethic of Jesus. Second, it draws people away from God; the Avengers exist in a world that cannot handle problems on their own. The world cannot exist without them. Even the word “Avenger” is directly in contradiction to the teachings of the Bible. “’Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” In a world of superheroes, why does one need to have a God? In fact, in the first movie, you have the Hulk smashing a villain into the ground while dismissively saying “puny god.”

This is dangerous because most of the focus of superheroes is on children. Children buy the figures, play the video games, have the posters, and wear the clothing. They begin to see the manifestation of power and values from a source beyond their religion. This begins to form the crack that the Bible warns about. “Bring up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” By encouraging children to watch these movies we are not only creating false idolatry, we are shelling out our money for it. If Christians want to continue to see the next Avengers movie, they do have to figure out at what point false idols are identified and why this franchise gets an exception.

Nathan Glover, World Religion News 7 Comments [12/19/2018 11:10:17 AM]
Fundie Index: 5
Submitted By: Denizen

Quote# 141496

BJP candidate promises to aid child marriage in Rajasthan

A female candidate of the ruling party aims to make political gains out of an age-old exploitative practice

While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is propagating the campaign “Save Daughters, Educate Daughters” (Beti Bachao, Beti Padao), a female candidate of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for an upcoming state election is promising to facilitate child marriage in the northern state of Rajasthan.

Sobha Chauhan, who is running for the BJP in Sojat, in Rajasthan’s Pali district, was seen in a widely circulated video saying that she had satta (power) and sangathan (state government) and would “not let the police intervene in child marriages.”

Chauhan was addressing a public gathering in Sojat ahead of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly polls scheduled for this Friday, December 7. The promise, made for political gain locally, could dent the BJP’s image on a wider level in the crucial national-level election next year as India strives to do away with the age-old custom of child marriage.

Child marriage still plagues many parts of India, leading to exploitation of young girls and damage to their health, childhood and education. Rajasthan reports the highest incidence of child marriage in the country, according to research published by the non-governmental organization Young Lives in coordination with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The study was based on the 2011 census, the latest available data.

Sojat’s returning officer Ayub Khan, who oversees the conduct of elections, said the Election Commission had issued a notice to Chauhan seeking an explanation of her actions.

“We have got this video which has gone viral. The notice was issued yesterday. She has been given two days’ time to reply,” Khan was quoted as saying by The Times of India on Sunday.

The practice, where an underage girl (below the age of 18 years) is married to another underage boy (below the age of 21 years) or an adult man, is banned in India under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The law has provisions to punish any adult participating in or facilitating such a marriage with up to two years in prison or a fine of as much as 100,000 rupees (US$1,425) or both.

The 2006 act, which replaced the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929, entitles a child who was married off to obtain an annulment by filing a petition to a District Court within two years of becoming an adult. The 1929 act was the first to prohibit child marriage in India. It came into being in British India as a result of the country’s social-reform movement and despite opposition from the British.

Moreover, in a landmark judgment last year, the Supreme Court of India ruled that sexual intercourse with a wife under 18, the legal age of consent, is rape.

According to reports, earlier this year, the federal Ministry of Women and Child Development proposed to amend the existing child-marriage law by declaring such marriages “void ab initio” or invalid from the outset. But the bill is pending before the cabinet.

The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2006 doesn’t invalidate child marriage but gives the contracting parties the option to annul it.

Sobha Chauhan, Asia Times 3 Comments [12/19/2018 11:10:07 AM]
Fundie Index: 4

Quote# 141488

Indonesia's new 'heresy app' draws fire for targeting of minorities

A new Indonesian government app that lets the public report suspected cases of religious heresy is drawing fire as rights groups warn it could aggravate persecution of minorities in the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation.

Users of the app can report groups practicing unrecognized faiths or unorthodox interpretations of Indonesia's 6 officially recognised religions, including Islam, Hinduism, Christianity and Buddhism.

"Smart Pakem", which was launched Sunday, November 25, and is available for free in the Google Play store, was created by the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office, which said it would help educate the public and modernize the current reporting process.

The app will also list religious edicts and blacklisted organizations and will allow users to file complaints instantaneously, instead going through the often cumbersome process of submitting a written accusation to a government office.

"The objective...is to provide easier access to information about the spread of beliefs in Indonesia, to educate the public and to prevent them from following doctrines from an individual or a group that are not in line with the regulations," Nirwan Nawawi, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, told AFP in a statement.

However, rights groups fear the application could be misused by increasingly powerful hardline Islamic groups and widen divisions in a country where harassment of religious and other minorities is not uncommon.

"This is going from bad to worse - another dangerous step to discriminate religious minorities in Indonesia," said Human Rights Watch researcher Andreas Harsono.

Bonar Tigor Naipospos, vice chairman of rights group Setara Institute, added: "This is dangerous because if mainstream society doesn't like (a group) they'll report them through the application - this will create problems."

Hundreds of thousands of people across the sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago who adhere to non-recognised animist and mystical faiths have long suffered discrimination and limited access to public services.

This year an angry mob rampaged through a small community of the Ahmadiyya Islamic minority on the island of Lombok, destroying homes and forcing dozens of members to flee.

The religious sect has been declared heretical by the Indonesian Ulema Counci (MUI).

Indonesia, a 17,000 island archipelago nation, is often touted for its diversity and religious tolerance, but it has a wide-ranging blasphemy law that has sparked a backlash.

Criticising religion - particularly Islam, which is followed by nearly 90% of Indonesia's 260 million citizens - can land offenders in jail.

This summer, an ethnic Chinese Buddhist was jailed for insulting Islam after asking her neighborhood mosque to lower its sound system during the daily call to prayer because she found it too loud. Her jailing was widely criticized. -

Unknown Indonesian gvernment officials, Sott.net 2 Comments [12/19/2018 11:09:50 AM]
Fundie Index: 5

Quote# 141467

[ on Michael Brown ]

It's a tragedy that the young man got shot, but this is a young man that just roughed up a store owner, just robbed a store, and now he's going after a cop's gun...It's a horrible thing that he was killed, but he could have avoided that if he'd have behaved like something other than a thug.

[ on Duggar:. ]
No one needs to defend Josh’s actions as a teenager, but the fact that he confessed his sins to those he harmed, sought help, and has gone forward to live a responsible and circumspect life as an adult is testament to his family’s authenticity and humility...Good people make mistakes and do regrettable and even disgusting things.



Mike Huckabee, Politco 6 Comments [12/19/2018 11:09:20 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141464

I went to a Barnes & Noble to look at religious books and was sickened to find hundreds of books on witchcraft. I wasn't looking for them, I just ran across them. They were next to the religious section. I distinctly remember a "Witchcraft Kit for Teens." It boasted to include "everything necessary" to empower a teen to cast their first spell. How sad! The devil is really working overtime for our young people's souls. In the next book isle I found a book on the "rapture." Again, I was saddened as I looked up and realized that I was in the "Religious Fiction" section. How sad that so few people genuinely believe the Bible anymore. Our society has become too big for it's own britches, too educated to believe in Biblical fairy tales, too logical to believe in abstract and illogical concepts. The Bible must be accepted by faith! This is true of evolution as well. Friend, there is not one shred of proof of evolution! It is a mere theory wickedly accepted by Christ-rejecters as a fact. Yet, the Bible stands true, never to be disproved. There is much evidence against evolution. Satan has duped the multitudes.

David J. Stewart, Jesus is Savior 12 Comments [12/19/2018 11:08:48 AM]
Fundie Index: 4

Quote# 141456

It is a ridiculous witch hunt. A kid fondles his siblings. The parents talk to him about it first and then when it happens again send him to counseling. Unless, there is a rape or some aggravated assault offense I can't see a normal parent calling the police to handle the situation. Yet, that is what all these media experts people are claiming should have happened, even in a state with no reporting requirements.

On top of that how were these juvenile records released? If they had been truly sealed he could go on with his life. Isn't that the reason for sealing juvenile records? Why is the media so willing to run with these "sealed" records? Would they do the same to a rape victim'so records?

I guess if Josh Duggar was a great kid like Trayvon Martin or Michael Brown, the media might be more supportive.

Dawg to the bone, UGA sports 5 Comments [12/19/2018 11:08:39 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141448

Flat Earth is a gift.

It separates the sheep from the goats.

Those willing to abandon scientism from those who cling to it. Those who believe God’s word from those who reject it.

Flat Earth is a gift.

Stacey McStationary, Twitter 4 Comments [12/19/2018 11:08:33 AM]
Fundie Index: 4

Quote# 141439

“This is Satanic,” Exorcist Says of Celine Dion’s Gender-Neutral Clothing Line

In a recent article written by Patti Armstrong in the National Catholic Register, exorcist Msgr. John Esseff explained why this attack on children’s’ innocence is “definitely satanic.”

“I’m convinced that the way this gender thing has spread is demonic,” explained the Msgr. Esseff, who was once a spiritual director for St. Teresa of Calcutta.

“The devil is going after children by confusing gender,” stressed the exorcist. “When a child is born, what is the first things we say about that child? It’s a boy, or it’s a girl…But to say that there is no difference is satanic.”

Msgr. John Esseff, ChurchPop 4 Comments [12/19/2018 11:07:49 AM]
Fundie Index: 2
Submitted By: Doubting Thomas

Quote# 141437

In his journal, John wondered where the elderly were on the island. He only saw young people of short stature. Since the Sentinelese are so isolated, we do not know the answer to John’s question. Maybe their life expectancy is so short there are no elderly. Maybe the elderly are kept in isolation. Maybe the tribe kills them when they are no longer productive. Maybe the Sentinelese who killed John and who have opposed outsiders (even humanitarian relief following an earthquake and tsunami) are similar to rogue gangs we have in parts of the U.S. How can we assume that the people who appear on the beach with bows and arrows and spears represent the entire tribe?

With such lack of information about the Sentinelese, how can we assume the entire tribe want no contact with the outside world? How can we assume the island is free of domestic, child, or elder abuse? How can we assume that there are no people on the island who long to leave and explore a new life but who are forced to stay? We have no way of knowing, and therefore we cannot flatly assume that isolation is the best course of action for these people.

Without proper medical treatment, a young child who falls from a tree and suffers a severe broken leg or arm will likely live a difficult, if not short life, even by the Sentinelese life expectancy. Minor sicknesses in developed countries can be treated by proper medicine. But, minor sicknesses for the Sentinelese can be fatal. How can we assume the Sentinelese would rather watch their children die than have modern medicine save them? Few people would volunteer to give up all medical treatments in exchange for isolation. Who are we to deny the Sentinelese the choice of their future? George Washington died a painful death from a throat infection that could have been treated with modern medicine. How many Sentinelese die painful deaths because they lack modern medicine? Who are we to say they are better off left alone?

Despite their isolation, the Sentinelese no doubt get cut, sometimes severely. Even minor cuts without proper medical care can become infected. A broken jaw, tooth, or toothache can cause excruciating pain. These, and a host of other medical conditions and physical injuries, can result in prolonged disability or painful death. Are the Sentinelese better off left to suffer what otherwise could be an easy cure or treatment by modern medical standards? If you think so, then on what basis can you make that decision? Certainly it is not because of the known wishes of the Sentinelese people. We must not be so arrogant or so cold to make these life and death decisions for them. The children born on North Sentinel have no choice in their destiny. How can we assume they do not want better if they knew an entirely different future awaits just beyond the horizon?

If the Sentinelese are doing so well without contact to the outside world, then why is it estimated that as few as 50 people inhabit the island? The only way to have so few people without migration of the tribe leaving the island is due to a very short life expectancy. Life expectancy is shortened by lack of clean water, lack of good nutrition, and lack of proper medical care. What if the Sentinelese kill other tribe members? We know they do kill other human beings. What prevents them from killing each other? We simply do not know the answers to these questions, and it is problematic to assume we do and then make decisions about the Sentinelese that affect their well-being.

To the objection of whether Christianity is harmful, I neither have the space, nor is it my purpose in this short space, to thoroughly address this question. The weight of history, however, supports the conclusion that Christianity has greatly benefited society. At the time of Jesus, women in all cultures were treated with distain. Women were often separated from men. In the Greek, Roman, and Jewish cultures, women were often considered unclean because of their menstrual cycles. The Roman author, naturalist, and naval and army commander, Pliny the Elder, penned writings that today woul

...

One objection by some people is that John should have had a long-term plan and used better judgment. It is astounding that anyone who does not know John or the particular facts could jump to such a conclusion. From what we do know, John did have a long-term plan that began ten years ago while he was still in high school. He trained for years to be a missionary. He went on multiple mission trips. Before this year, he went to India in 2015 and 2016, including to the Andaman Islands. He received extensive missionary training in 2017, according to All Nations. He was a trained EMT and knew how to survive in hostile climates and conditions. He carried with him an extensive medical kit that, among other things, included a hemostat to pinch arteries, a chest seal in case of a puncture, and dental forceps to remove arrows. He remained in isolation for 11 days prior to visiting North Sentinel, so that he would not be exposed to sickness.

Another objection raised by some self-identified Christians is that John was operating in his own will, not the will of God. The audacity of someone to make such a judgment without knowing John is astounding. Some will point to the fact that John was shot by an arrow on Thursday, November 15. The Bible he held over his chest stopped the arrow from penetrating his body. This warning, some say, should have been enough to make John retreat.

Mat Staver, Covenant Journey 0 Comments [12/19/2018 11:07:39 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141436


Africa was NOT the birthplace of humanity, Lemuria was.

Now, Lemuria was a grand island-continent that stretched
from Madagascar to Hawaii over 500,000 years ago. It
was called the Mother-Land because it was named after
Mother-Mary in the bible.

The Lemurians were a magical and even telepathic race.
Many could fly and teleport. They had faster than light
space-ships, living biological computers and even healing
chambers that can reanimate the dead.

There was no government because the people were wise
enough to govern themselves. Lifespan was 10,000 to 30,000 years.

Diamond Heart, Yahoo Answers 13 Comments [12/19/2018 11:07:33 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141435

There's no such thing as a lunar eclipse.

???Gospel Truth ???, Twitter 7 Comments [12/19/2018 11:07:11 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141434

Miru Angelou: incest is permitted in the Bible, maybe that's why
@allison00812810 thinks it's okay

allison clark: My argument is based on LGBT's hypothesis "love makes SSM OK". In that case incestual marriage

Martin Yirrell You're assuming it's love. Love does not cause another to sin.

Mr. Angry: Because the Bible's been all about marriages based on love....
*Image of the mutliple type of marriage practiced in the Bible with no condemnation*

Martin Yirrell: I suggest you read Matthew 19:3 which describes the only marriage approved by God,

Mr. Angry: You mean the one where the woman is essentially the slave of the man?

Martin Yirrell: And you didn't actually bother to check the passage, far too dangerous to your bigotry.

Mr. Angry: Also, you wanted 4-6, not 3. 3 just asks the question, not the answer.

Martin Yirrell: I expected you to read the passage, not slavishly stick to one verse.

Mr. Angry: Says the one that pointed out a verse....

Martin Yirrell, Twitter 4 Comments [12/19/2018 11:06:59 AM]
Fundie Index: 3
Submitted By: I

Quote# 141433

Normal people are not defined by sexuality but "the homosexual" is defined by homosexuality. Its important to understand the difference between a human being and a homosexual, they are two completely different things.

James Bell, Barbwire 10 Comments [12/19/2018 11:06:30 AM]
Fundie Index: 3

Quote# 141427

I'm amazed how incoherent Denis Alexander's arguments were. And this is from a man who has written a book! Wayne Rossiter was a weak opponent, probably because he isn't sufficiently biblically based. Frankly a Biblical Creationist would have wiped the floor with Alexander, but then Justin's bigotry on the matter wouldn't have allowed such an opponent. The discussion never ventured from opinions, never addressing science, theology or what the Bible says.

On Adam and Eve, Denis' scenario was a joke, and Wayne spotted it immediately but never skewered him to the floor.

No, Wayne, the variation we see is not Evolution, since it is at heart a degenerative process. Evolution requires the generation of new information.

So the answer is, Creation or Evolution, yes you do have to choose.

Martin, Premier 5 Comments [12/19/2018 11:06:18 AM]
Fundie Index: 1
Submitted By: CC

Quote# 141426

Government of India step down with your organs, if you can’t build the
Sri Ram Ji Mandir. Why? Maharaja’s, Maharani’s and brave Hindus had
given their lives in protection of Bharat and now there was freedom, cowards
and traitors of Hindus had created a “perfect, perverse anti-Hindu Congress
secular Constitution” bringing down the Victory of the Hindus. Bharat is the
land of Hindus and Hindu Dharma. Hindustan is not the land of Hindu-killers
as Islam and Vatican/Anglican church. They must be forbidden. For this
reason Hindus have the full right to take its Native right in its hand.
Hindus invite the Army for protection of Hindus and HIndu Dharma, if they
refused, Sri Hanuman Seva Sena will create a Hindu Army to protect the
culture, heritage and tradition of Bharat. Jai Sri Ram Ji! Jayatu, Jayatu,
Hindu Rashtam!

Samarjit Prasad Ganesh, Hindu Existence 0 Comments [12/19/2018 11:06:06 AM]
Fundie Index: 1
Submitted By: hydrolythe

Quote# 141423

Premier is liberal. They follow the recent modern movement of you have to throw away the scriptures so as to be seen to be fashionable.

Yes they like most of those on here are helping people to continue on the path down to Hell. That's why I am not surprised when certain posts are removed especially those containing scriptures. They have a liberal agenda that is for sure.

Chellebaby, Premier 2 Comments [12/19/2018 11:05:54 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141422

Perfect Love: don't be so patronising, please. I am well aware of the difference between love and sex and, more importantly, loving sex. Surely, it is up to the individual to calculate any risks they choose to take in life, not up to you - and that counts for all risks, not just in regard to sexuality. Would you condemn smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol in the same way? Personally, I think cigarette smoking is disgusting, as well as a major health risk but as long as it doesn't pollute my air space or that of vulnerable people, I have to affirm another's right to smoke - they know the risks to themselves. Likewise with alcohol and other drugs - if using them impacts negatively on others (and it often does) then it is wrong - some might label it a sin. The common denominator here is consent. I should imagine that there's a whole host of risky stuff that some heterosexuals do in the bedroom which their bodies were not actually designed for. Where does that figure on your list of abominations??
The arrogance of conservative Christians is that they believe that only THEY know the difference between right and wrong. Let me correct them: it is printed on our hearts when we accept Jesus. It is just not OK to say that the Bible contradicts what Jesus has printed on our hearts. To do so is clearly viewing the Bible through a human lens and not the lens of Jesus.

Gerhard: Guess you need a PhD to understand the simplest of instructions. If you do not understand the the abuse of the female body is equally detestable but need explicit instructions to figure that one out, then tell me why the bible does not tell you to breathe in and to breathe out but you do so. Clearly you must have been told :-)
I do not know what tatoo you got on your heart, but your understanding of Jesus appears rather limited He clearly taught people to respect creation. He told us to sin no more and to love one another like he loved us. That would exclude to dishonour each other by performing unnatural acts.
Romans 1:24
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.
Guess you need more explicit wording
see more

Perfect Love: did you respond to my intelligent and articulate post in any way?? That would be a resounding "no"! Pathetic!

Gerhard: "did you respond to my intelligent and articulate post in any way?"
I replied to your last comment. Which post do you think of?

Perfect Love: no, you didn't. You never even referred to the comments I made. I'm blocking you as you are a loose cannon.

Gerhard: Good luck sticking your head in the sand. Guess that is libertarian Christianity for you :-) I'd wish you would engage in logically coherent argumentation instead.
You asked if abominations were acceptable if committed by heterosexual couples and you should have seen the clear "no" in my reply.
Abominations do not become acceptable when two parties agree to them with each other, irrespective of theri sexual orientation

Gerhard, Premier 0 Comments [12/19/2018 11:05:39 AM]
Fundie Index: 1
Submitted By: I

Quote# 141421

As a matter of fact, yes, I do think that all dogs that even pose the slightest risk to humans should be destroyed. At the end of the day a dog is a luxury and if it's owners can't keep it under control then it shouldn't be allowed to exist. The dog in this video was possibly a threat, so it had to go. Put simply, I'd rather sacrifice 1000 dogs than let one child be killed by a rabid dog.

In that case lets start some genocide, I'll round up all dogs. Hey, they are all free thinking and therefore can be in a bad mood where they can potentially harm humans. So I'll start here in England, you start where your at, and we'll meet somewhere in Chicago at weeks end. First rounds on me, we'll go get slaughtered after down at a bar and spend the rest of the time high fiveing each other now we've made the world a little safer. Death to all dogs!!!!

To be honest I wouldn't give a monkey's ass if every dog in the world died tomorrow. I find it impossible to care for any creature other than humans.

Jojo, The escapist 4 Comments [12/19/2018 11:05:31 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141420

I agree, while there are still countless humans being hurt or dying terrible deaths every day I find it hard to get worked up about the crimes committed against mere animals. It certainly isn't worth killing a real living human over. Why waste our tax money on extra-long sentences for animal abusers when those places could be used instead to give murderers or rapists longer prison times? What she did was obviously wrong but I'm happy with the current laws as they are.

Or perhaps you improve on both laws?

I fail to see why we cannot try to prevent Human and animal abuse at the same time.

There's only a limited amount of resources we can spend on justice, in a perfect world I wouldn't mind seeing every murderer, rapist and child molester locked up permanently (unless there was mitigating circumstances such as youth at time of crime), however sadly we must make trade-offs. I don't see animal abuse as a high priority crime that we need to protect the public from.

I'm probably going to be crucified by pet owners for saying this but I honestly don't see why this was much worse than someone killing an animal for meat, other than a human owner has lost something she held value to. While death-by-microwave isn't a pleasant way to go, nor is being shot from a distance, being caught in a trap, or in some countries (depending on the law) being ripped apart by dogs and all are perfectly legal against many wild animals. I wouldn't make any animal suffer unneedlessly but I personally believe there are more important issues to spend resources fighting than animal abuse.

Jojo, The escapist 0 Comments [12/19/2018 11:05:01 AM]
Fundie Index: 1

Quote# 141418

Wait, wait, wait. "Apart from believing that the earth is only 6,000 years old"? Mr. Nelson, 6,000 is a long time. Long time. George Washington was president two hundred and, what, fifteen years ago? Columbus was driving around trying to find this place 500 years ago. The vikings were running around beating up on folks 1,000 years ago. What do you mean only 6,000? 6,000's a long time! Long time! Just because you believe in long ago and far away fairy tale millions of years stuff, that doesn't make it true. But stop saying only 6,000. Why don't you say, "God created the world 6,000 years ago! Whoa!"?

Kent Hovind, Youtube 5 Comments [12/19/2018 11:04:18 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141416


Married to a pedophile

When a detective showed Jasmine a video of her husband confessing to sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl, she says, "It was like a knife through my heart." The 43-year-old creator of HealingWives.com, an online support group for women with similar experiences, explains, "I felt like a victim myself -- I mean, in an instant, my world changed."

The experiences of the wives of child abusers are rarely focused on, but the headline-driving allegations against former college coaches Jerry Sandusky and Bernie Fine are changing that.

....
That was the case for Jasmine, a Florida resident who asked to go by a pseudonym. On the day of her discovery, she got a call at work -- the local elementary school where she taught first grade -- notifying her that her husband had been arrested. It wasn't until she arrived at the local police department and was directed toward the special victims unit that she began to understand. After being arrested, and confronted with an incriminating taped conversation he had with the victim, Jasmine's husband confessed to molesting a young girl who lived across the street -- on one occasion, in his own home.

The revelation was harrowing for Jasmine -- but before she left the station that night, when a detective asked her what she was going to do, her answer was immediate: "I'm going to stay." That isn't to say that she instantly forgave him. When she went to court the next day for his hearing, she says, "I felt like I was going to a funeral. I was grieving for the life that we had." They were high school sweethearts and had been married for six years at that point. "The person who I thought I knew absolutely everything about had this hidden life," she says, her voice still carrying an air of disbelief. He revealed to her that he had experienced attraction to pre-pubescent girls in the past – in addition to adult women -- but had convinced himself that "he could control it." She says she was angry at him -- not for experiencing these attractions but for not telling her about it sooner, and for putting himself in the position to act on it. Approaching the situation with that mind-set that allowed her to continue in the relationship.

Her husband was jailed for 60 days, served two years of house arrest, completed 10 years probation and is a lifetime registered sex offender in Florida. She's stood by him the whole time and supported him financially when he was on house arrest and unable to work. "I had to think about our marriage and that he had been a good person -- this was really the first thing we had gone through," she explains. "He went through years and years of sex-offender treatment and I could see his thinking change. There weren't so many rationalizations and excuses."

Jasmine's husband now tells her that he no longer experiences attraction to pre-pubescent girls, although even experts who promote sex-offender treatment doubt such a complete change is possible. "There is no evidence that a man can change from pedophilic to non-pedophilic (or vice versa)," says clinical psychologist James Cantor, the editor in chief of "Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment," in an email. "A person can be taught tools to help him deal with his sexual interests, and a person's sex drive can sometimes be suppressed, such as with testosterone-blocking medications. The overall evidence, however, is that changing from pedophilic to non-pedophilic is as impossible as changing a gay man to a straight man." He adds: "The kind and scale of differences that we see on MRIs of pedophilic men are not the kind or scale that are known to change with training, or psychotherapy or other kinds of intervention."

Joan Tabachnick of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers tells me, "For some, it is a good decision [to stay] and helps to keep the community safer," she says. That's because it gives the offender "a reason to stay connected, to not reoffend." However, she is careful to add, "For others, it may mean that they are not looking at the reality of what is around them."

Jasmine has been with her husband for 17 years now – in the same house where the abuse took place -- and they now have a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old boy. But she says she doesn't worry about her husband abusing their children: "I do want to point out that I have boys," she says, adding that her husband never experienced attraction to males of any age. At the same time, though, she acknowledges that "the experts say it doesn't really matter if it’s a girl or boy. It's the age range that an offender is particularly attracted to." They had their first child during the 10-year probation period; a judge ruled that Jasmine's husband could be allowed to spend time alone with the boy.

...

Some wives convince themselves their husband will change even without a conviction, imprisonment or treatment. Christina Enevoldsen, co-founder of the online support group Overcoming Sexual Abuse, married and had a child with her high school boyfriend, who had admitted to molesting a female relative in the past but swore he would never do such a thing again. When she found blood in her 1-year-old daughter's diaper, her husband "tearfully admitted that he had molested her but promised it would never happen again," she writes in a blog post. "He seemed very remorseful and I thought that since I caught him, he wouldn’t feel safe repeating the abuse. He seemed afraid of losing his family, so I thought that fear would stop him."

But he continued to abuse his daughter for most of her childhood. "Yes, I had been fooled by my husband, but I had also fooled myself," she says. Enevoldsen blames it in part on the repeated sexual abuse she experienced as a child at the hands of male relatives. "Finding blood in her diaper was finding blood in my diaper. I was transported to my own abuse with the same feelings and response: I froze as though my only choice was to lie still and stay quiet."


...
Jasmine insists that things with her husband are good now, despite the fact that she will have to live with his sex-offender status. His registration publicly lists their home address alongside the details of his conviction for "lewd or lascivious molestation." It isn't what she pictured for her life, but it's what she's chosen, given the circumstances. "Before this happened, I was the person who picked up the paper and said, 'Oh, what a monster!' Until you're in the situation, you don't know how you'll react."


Jasmine, Tracy Clark-Flory, Salon 0 Comments [12/19/2018 11:03:50 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141415

One million Chinese people 'move into Muslim homes to report on Islamic or unpatriotic beliefs'

'Had a Uighur host just greeted a neighbour in Arabic with the words ‘Assalamu Alaykum’? That would need to go in the notebook," says Dr Darren Byler

Uninvited, more than one million Han Chinese people have reportedly moved into the homes of Uighur Muslim families to report on whether they display Islamic or unpatriotic beliefs.

Sent to homes in Xinjiang province by the Chinese government, American anthropologist Darren Byler said they were tasked with watching for signs that their hosts’ attachment to Islam might be “extreme”.

The informants, who describe themselves as "relatives" of the families they are staying with, are said to have received specific instructions on how to get them to let their guard down.

As devout Muslims would refuse cigarettes and alcohol. this is seen as one way of finding out whether they were extreme.

“Had a Uighur host just greeted a neighbour in Arabic with the words ‘Assalamu Alaykum’? That would need to go in the notebook,” said Dr Byler, in research published by Asia Society's Centre on US-China Relations. “Was that a copy of the Quran in the home? Was anyone praying on Friday or fasting during Ramadan? Was a little sister’s dress too long or a little brother’s beard irregular?”

As many as a million Uighurs are thought to have been rounded up and placed in "re-education’ centres", in what China claims is a clampdown on religious extremism.

Those who have spent time in them, have however claimed that they were forced to undergo an intensive indoctrination programme, urged to renounce Islam and instead heap praise on the Chinese Communist Party.

One former inmate claimed Muslim inmates were forced to eat pork and drink alcohol.

Dr Byler said more than a million Chinese civilians, who refer to themselves as "relatives", were assigned to the homes of Muslims for a series of week-long stays in 2017.

His claim appeared to be confirmed in the Communist Party's official newspaper, the People's Daily, which reported that more than 1.1 million people paired up with 1.69 million ethnic minority citizens in China by the end of September this year.

They often focus on families of those who have been detained in the "re-education" centres.

China was also said to be trying to prevent people from fasting during Ramadan in Xinjiang last year.

According to the World Uighur Congress (WUC), officials in the region ordered all restaurants to remain open and a series of measures were put in place seemingly designed to prevent people observing the holy month.

Chinese authorities have also been accused of putting Uighur children and those from other ethnic minority groups into state-run orphanages across the western Xinjiang region, even if their parents were not dead, as some one million adults in their families were sent to internment camps.

Dilxat Raxit, of the exile World Uighur Congress, has also claimed officials in Xinjiang warned them that they must surrender religious items such as the Quran or face “harsh punishments”.

Unknown CPC officials, The independent 0 Comments [12/19/2018 11:03:29 AM]
Fundie Index: 2

Quote# 141412

There is nothing about science that has anything to do with evolution. Stop associating the two here. And improving our understanding of reality, I am in favor of that. Evolution is a hindrance to science. Evolution hasn't improved our understanding of reality in any branch of science. You don't need to know anything about Charlie Darwin to understand about physics and launch a rocket to the moon. You don't need to understand anything to learn about...

No doctor on the planet who does surgery thinks about evolution. He'd better know his muscles and his tendons and his bones and what to cut and what not to cut. I don't care if the heart surgeon understands, is a Christian. He should be. And many heart surgeons are Christians and say "Wow, God designed this amazing heart!"

Here you are. This is the false equivalency. You're trying to say, "If you don't believe in evolution, you're against the advancement of science." This is ridiculous, Mr. Nelson. Let me help you here.

Kent Hovind, Youtube 8 Comments [12/19/2018 11:03:08 AM]
Fundie Index: 3