Thich Nhat Hanh

[The Colonel]

Im not closed minded - you only know what you read on here and I havent dissed you or your views. My parents are religious Christians. They're the nicest most lovely people I know. I respect them.

I personally choose not to believe in God based on my gut feeling and my conscience. Im looking at all the options. If I was closed minded I wouldnt be interested in Buddhism. Id be going my own way and not be open to anything.

Your parents are christians?

Ouch.

[myron myron]

Im not closed minded - you only know what you read on here and I havent dissed you or your views. My parents are religious Christians. They're the nicest most lovely people I know. I respect them.

I personally choose not to believe in God based on my gut feeling and my conscience. Im looking at all the options. If I was closed minded I wouldnt be interested in Buddhism. Id be going my own way and not be open to anything.

Your parents are christians?

Ouch.

I note G&P describes his Christian parents as follows: "They're the nicest most lovely people I know. I respect them."

I wonder if your kids would say the same about you.

And were/are your parents atheists?

Were your grandparents atheists?

[The Colonel]

Im not closed minded - you only know what you read on here and I havent dissed you or your views. My parents are religious Christians. They're the nicest most lovely people I know. I respect them.

I personally choose not to believe in God based on my gut feeling and my conscience. Im looking at all the options. If I was closed minded I wouldnt be interested in Buddhism. Id be going my own way and not be open to anything.

Your parents are christians?

Ouch.

I note G&P describes his Christian parents as follows: "They're the nicest most lovely people I know. I respect them."

I wonder if your kids would say the same about you.

And were/are your parents atheists?

Were your grandparents atheists?

My kids do say the same as it happens myron, I have a very close family.

My parents are not, one of my grandfathers was. I was his favourite grandson

My reference was simply due to G&P being gay, which presumably, might not recieve a great response. That is an assumption, however.

The fact he is an atheist also may cause conflict. For example, none of my children were baptised which caused conflict in the family.

That was my point about "Ouch" - the potential for conflict.

I knew you would infere here.

[GayandProud]

Yes they are Christians and have never judged me or denounced me for either being gay or atheist.

Theyve always supported me and its their example that makes me know that not all christians are bible thumping looneys like the ones at Westboro Baptist church. Or like Fred Phelps or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell. In my view those people are no better than the muslim extremists who bombed the World Trade Centre. They are two side of the same coin.

[The Colonel]

Yes they are Christians and have never judged me or denounced me for either being gay or atheist.

Theyve always supported me and its their example that makes me know that not all christians are bible thumping looneys like the ones at Westboro Baptist church. Or like Fred Phelps or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell. In my view those people are no better than the muslim extremists who bombed the World Trade Centre. They are two side of the same coin.

Good, but that is rare.

[myron myron]

Yes they are Christians and have never judged me or denounced me for either being gay or atheist.

Theyve always supported me and its their example that makes me know that not all christians are bible thumping looneys like the ones at Westboro Baptist church. Or like Fred Phelps or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell. In my view those people are no better than the muslim extremists who bombed the World Trade Centre. They are two side of the same coin.

I too disapprove of those Christians you named, but to equate any of them with the 9/11 terrorists is a defamatory lie that betrays the most hateful, ignorant bigotry.

They are not mass murderers and they are not terrorists.

Your comments are way below the belt and put the lie to your claims that you are not an anti-Christian bigot.

I evidently read you wrong -- silly me.

[GayandProud]

For Gods sake myron get off your friggin high horse. You bandy the word bigot around like it was a cover all term for anybody you disagree with !
If youd understood what I meant instead of taking your closed minded affronted stance youd understand that extremism is extremism whatever face it decides to show. THATS what I was commenting on. You pick any of those people I mentioned and read about what they preach and you 'll see what I mean. Extremism in religion is HATE. Extremism gives them carte blanche to use religion as their justification for preaching hate. They preach hate not love. They preach intolerance. They twist religious teaching to their own ends. They are two sides of the same coin. Thats what I meant and thats what you failed to understand - or maybe you wont understand it because you are too fond of calling everyone but yourself a bigot. You dont know me very well if thats what you think of me. If you want to find REAL bigots look at the people I mentioned. Ironic isnt it when real bigotry is writ large in those people that you would call me one.

[ILWL]

For Gods sake myron get off your friggin high horse. You bandy the word bigot around like it was a cover all term for anybody you disagree with !
If youd understood what I meant instead of taking your closed minded affronted stance youd understand that extremism is extremism whatever face it decides to show. THATS what I was commenting on. You pick any of those people I mentioned and read about what they preach and you 'll see what I mean. Extremism in religion is HATE. Extremism gives them carte blanche to use religion as their justification for preaching hate. They preach hate not love. They preach intolerance. They twist religious teaching to their own ends. They are two sides of the same coin. Thats what I meant and thats what you failed to understand - or maybe you wont understand it because you are too fond of calling everyone but yourself a bigot. You dont know me very well if thats what you think of me. If you want to find REAL bigots look at the people I mentioned. Ironic isnt it when real bigotry is writ large in those people that you would call me one.

One of my favourite lines is Wesley Snipes in Demolition Man saying that - 'People have the God given right to be arseholes'.

Not aimed at you Myron or Gay & Proud.

[myron myron]

For Gods sake myron get off your friggin high horse. You bandy the word bigot around like it was a cover all term for anybody you disagree with !
If youd understood what I meant instead of taking your closed minded affronted stance youd understand that extremism is extremism whatever face it decides to show. THATS what I was commenting on. You pick any of those people I mentioned and read about what they preach and you 'll see what I mean. Extremism in religion is HATE. Extremism gives them carte blanche to use religion as their justification for preaching hate. They preach hate not love. They preach intolerance. They twist religious teaching to their own ends. They are two sides of the same coin. Thats what I meant and thats what you failed to understand - or maybe you wont understand it because you are too fond of calling everyone but yourself a bigot. You dont know me very well if thats what you think of me. If you want to find REAL bigots look at the people I mentioned. Ironic isnt it when real bigotry is writ large in those people that you would call me one.

As I said, I too disapprove of them.

But that is different to calling them mass murderers and equating them with the 9/11 terrorists, which they are not.

Truth matters -- what you said is a lie.

[GayandProud]

I said they are two sides of the same coin. And for that you called me an anti-Christian bigot.
I didnt call the people I quoted mass murderers. I said their extremist views are two sides of the same coin.
I was making a point about how I respect my parents Christianity but I dont respect the extremist twisted version of Christianity exemplified by the people I quoted anymore than I respect the world view of extremist twisted Islamists.
Thats the truth and yes it matters. It matters to me that you called me an anti-Christian bigot when you know me better than that.

[myron myron]

You said the following: "In my view those people are no better than the muslim extremists who bombed the World Trade Centre. They are two side of the same coin."

That is untrue.

[GayandProud]

Read it again. Read my posts clarfiying my thoughts. Look at it as a whole. In particular focus on the concept of extremism and my view that they are two sides of the same coin. If you havent got what I meant by now I think you're just being obstinate.
You know fullwell Im no anti-Christian bigot but you havent had the grace to retract that accusation.

[myron myron]

I based my "accusation" on the following post, quoted in its entirety:

Yes they are Christians and have never judged me or denounced me for either being gay or atheist.

Theyve always supported me and its their example that makes me know that not all christians are bible thumping looneys like the ones at Westboro Baptist church. Or like Fred Phelps or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell. In my view those people are no better than the muslim extremists who bombed the World Trade Centre. They are two side of the same coin.

I can't in all honesty retract, unless you retract.

[GayandProud]

Why? Ive explained crystal clearly what I meant. Youve chosen to ignore everything Ive written. Whats the point of even talking to you if you wont listen to me? I have nothing to retract! Im blameless. Im no anti-Christian bigot.
I thought you were fair minded. I was wrong.

[myron myron]

We clearly have contradictory views of what constitutes "fair minded."

You equated those bigots with terrorist mass murderers, which they are not.

That dog won't hunt.