Simple question?

Quote: petroglyph

Did Stalin claim to be atheist?

Yes.

Quote: Evenbob

“About sixty-one percent of the contents of the Koran are found to speak ill of the unbelievers or call for their violent conquest; at best only 2.6 percent of the verses of the Koran are noted to show goodwill toward humanity. About seventy-five percent of Muhammad’s biography consists of jihad waged on unbelievers.”

Please show your source for this information.

Quote: Dalex64

So you can't think of any organizations that hate that don't claim they are backed by god either?

There are many groups that don't claim they are backed by God who hate religion and things like the pro-life position.

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those groups I mentioned self-identify as christian, and so do their members. They think they have god on their side. You calling them non-christian doesn't change that.

Yes and you ignoring that they fail every test of being Christian and are often mentally ill doesn't change that fact either.

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So what if they hate catholics? They hate jews and blacks and gays too.

I guess we are in good company.

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I am not blaming every member of every religion for this, nor every religion. But you can't ignore what all of them have in common.

What they have in common is not the most important question. The real question you should ask is what about them causes their hatred and not just the sticker or label they put overtop it.

Quote: Evenbob

Can you be saved without repenting your sins?
Can you not believe in Jesus and be saved?
Can you be saved without being baptized?

These are just just some of the conditions
attached to being saved, making it not
a gift at all.

I really think you are taking this too far. Jesus offers you a free gift of eternal salvation. To receive this gift all you need do is accept it. Like any gift, it shows its usefulness as you understand it better and use it. However, you can put the gift on the shelf if you'd like while you think about it or research it. You can study it first, but it will always and forever be a free gift.

Quote: petroglyph

Did Stalin claim to be atheist?

Stalin might have been driven to atheism by
the Church. He was in seminary for 5 years
learning to be a priest. I know a former priest
who is now an atheist, it's not unusual.

'Stalin was raised very religious in the Greek Orthodox Church. He was named after Saint Joseph and was raised to be a priest. His father was a priest and young Joseph spent five years in a Greek Orthodox seminary.'

Quote: Evenbob

Stalin might have been driven to atheism by
the Church. He was in seminary for 5 years
learning to be a priest. I know a former priest
who is now an atheist, it's not unusual.

'Stalin was raised very religious in the Greek Orthodox Church. He was named after Saint Joseph and was raised to be a priest. His father was a priest and young Joseph spent five years in a Greek Orthodox seminary.'

Thanks, I wondered where FrG sourced his statement.

It is hard to get the approval of the Catholic church. https://www.yahoo.com/news/pope-says-large-majority-marriages-135013193.html

Crazy

Quote: Evenbob

Stalin might have been driven to atheism.'

At least he made one good decision.

Quote: FrGamble

I believe that the sexual actions of homosexuals are against nature and not healthy. I know you disagree with that, but I hope you can at least see that if I do strongly believe that then it is not being hateful or intolerant, but rather the opposite in my own "twisted or seemingly hypocritical way".

Why do you think putting in the word "believe" into hateful speech renders it acceptable?

Do you know for how long and how many people "believed" teaching women, or giving them any responsibility outside the home, or allowing them to vote was "against nature and unhealthy?

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Again, I recognize these views seem hateful and intolerant to you and that it is somehow mistreating people.

Because they're hateful and intolerant and your church uses them to mistreat people.

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However hard it is for you to see it I hope and pray you will recognize that the motivation is nothing other than a true and authentic love.

I recognize your views are hateful and intolerant and your motivation is blind obedience to the men who issue them.

If what you offer is "love" by your standards, I have one request: I wish you'd hate me with all your heart, all your might and all your soul. That has bound to be better than experiencing whatever the hell it is you think is "love."

Quote: FrGamble

I agree and the biggest examples we have of this have very little to do with religion in the 20th century.

So because hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc. now the Catholic church can oppress whomever it wants, so long as it's not as bad?

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In these cases evil people that claim to be Christians are really just substituting their hatred for religion.

So those passages in the Bible calling homosexuality "an abomination," and prescribing a barbaric means of execution without recourse or appeal, mean what exactly?