Aren't you grouping Christians into one big lump?

Even within a congregation there are many differing viewpoints. There are judgmental people in all areas of life, not just Christianity. We all judge whether we like it or not.

By grouping all Christians into one lump you yourself are being judgmental. Whats with the get out of jail free card for Cornerstone? I take it you are a member there.

When you write in a public forum such insulting things you yourself are a bigot. Get off your cross? That is insulting to any Christian.

Think before you write.

I was just saying that you should not insult people if you can avoid it. Why make people angry with your writing. Isn't it better to start a dialog and discuss issues rather than spew rhetoric that angers people?

Stinkweasel is a troll. Trolls try to get people agitated by writing posts that aren't really concerned with voicing an opinion as much as trying to strike a nerve. This somehow makes their empty, meaningless, lonely lives more tollerable...Only one way to deal with trolls....don't reply.

I am stuck somewhere in the middle of this. I would really like to believe that there is a higher power, there are too many things out there that science cant explain away. However there are many that science can explain that make more sense to me personally. I have also had some events in my life that have caused me to doubt a creator.

All that being said, everyone, including slikweasle, is entitled to their opinion. But I do think he could have stated his opinion in a better way as he unneccesarily ticked off a lot of people with his posts.

Lisa...in order for a slander charge to stick, the "victim" has to show a tangible loss or damage, such as a financial loss. Getting their feelings hurt doesnt cut it.

Interestingly, I do consider myself a Christian (in what some might consider a broad sense of the word -- I'm a believer in spirituality more than I am in any "religion" -- and completely believe that there is a higher power -- whom I refer to as God), and yet, silkweasle, I agree with most of what you have said.

When it comes to the hypocrisy (totally true in my experience within the confines of a "religion"), science of evolution (never understood why these two concepts seems to be so incompatible in the eyes of the church, cause they fit together in my mind -- and in my heart -- like a hand to a glove; we are always evolving) and the fact that we absolutely must keep the separation between church and state in this country (because of all the wars in history that HAVE been based in religion, among other even more important reasons) there is no question in my mind that you have completely valid points. The latter concept alone is a primary basis on which our country of was founded!!!! Many people left their homelands because they were being persecuted for not being the correct KIND of Christian -- even in the beginning of our country's history.

I was a member of a Catholic church in this town and after a lot of soul-searching, realized that although I agreed with much of underlying beliefs (which alone, would not have differentiated me from any other Christian religion -- or actually, any "other" religion, for that matter), I did not agree with the dogma of the Catholic church specifically (which is based on 100's of years of re-vamping -- more to keep control of its followers than anything else) and found that my own sense of spirituality was what I had never wavered from throughout the years, despite my searches for the right "religion." Staying in the Catholic Church would have made me a hypocrite.

I was raised Catholic, went to a Catholic high school (run by nuns) and went to a Catholic college. I have learned about "being Catholic" from many different perspectives, and in the end, I have realized that the bottom line has nothing to do with what "religion" we are. It's about realizing that we are all connected, that the Golden Rule always applies (or karma or whatever else you want to call it -- almost every religion/spirituality has a primary belief based on that basic concept), and that striving to live a life that we will not regret on our deathbeds is what matters.

I try to use my little corner of the world to work each day to be a better human being -- to be a "human being" in the best sense of the word (which is what Jesus, Buddha, Mohammad.... etc., all were the example of to the people they touched with their lives -- which is the point of those religions, right?). I try to do what I know in my heart is right, realizing that when I slight another, I am not only hurting myself 10 fold, -- but moreover, the whole of humanity (and that includes the earth and all it's creatures) as well. I TOTALLY do not always succeed, but I am conscience of and committed to my goal, and try to call myself on my failures and shortcomings -- and then try to correct them. To me, that is what being Christian (or Buddhist, or Hindu, or Islamic... etc.) is all about. I am far from my goal, but then again, I believe that my "evolution" is part of my purpose for being here.

Most of us know right from wrong -- especially when we stay quiet and listen to our deeper selves (God in our hearts). And we may not always like what we hear, or want to admit what we know deep down to be true. And sometimes, it's awfully hard to do what we know we should -- but regardless, I believe most of us DO know. So no matter what "religion" we call ourselves, in my experience and "research" (and yes, I've done a lot of research), it all boils down to being a human being in the highest sense of the word.