What being a Christian means to me.

[Freeper]

hamsterjill Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-22-10 12:03 PM
Original message
What being a Christian means to me.
   
I'm a Christian. I believe in a higher power. And I am not ever going to apologize for that. Sometimes I'm not a very good Christian, but I do try. When I fail, I get up and try again.

I also believe that any person is free to believe as he or she wishes. Agree with me. Don't agree with me. You have the same privilege to believe what you believe that I have to believe what I do. I'm not here to convert anyone.

There are many who call themselves Christians, but I wanted to tell DU what being a Christian means to me. Me, individually. Me, as liberal. Me, as a human being.

First and foremost, being a Christian commands me to care about my fellow man. I could not be a Christian and somehow justify not signing a bill immediately that would help the 9/11 first responders. They need help. They were brave men and women who put their own lives at stake to try to save their fellow man. Therefore, my Christian faith calls upon me to care about them. I want to help them. I ache to help them. And therefore, I am a liberal and not a Republican.

I could not deny unemployment benefits to people, knowing that they might go hungry because they can't find a job. I ache to help those people, too. And therefore, I am a liberal and not a Republican.

I could not deny a fellow human being's right to be that which he/she is - if you will, in my belief system (again - you are entitled to your own) - what God made that person to be. So I support gay rights. I want everyone to feel that they can live their life however they want as long as they respect the rights of others. And therefore, I am a liberal and not a Republican.

I believe that the sick and the old and the impoverished need to be helped by those who have more, and have the ability to help those in need. And therefore, I am a liberal and not a Republican.

I believe in integrity, honesty, equality, privacy, and I believe in foregivness. Therefore, I am a liberal and not a Republican.

I know there are many posts on DU criticizing Christians. I understand the anger that many feel because, in essence, the right wing fanatics have hijacked the faith. I also understand that Christianity has a lot of violence in his history. But that's not me. So please, take a minute and remember that just as there are fanatics in every religion, there are fanatics in Christianity. I consider myself a level-headed, reasonably intelligent human being. These beliefs are a part of me that date back to my birth. When I see some idiot preaching about hate and war and violence, I know instantly that he isn't promoting the Christianity that I believe in. Because that's not what it's all about in my mind. It is about love and understanding and acceptance and compassion.

So..at the risk of offending someone here - Merry Christmas to each and every one of you. Take that to mean whatever you like, but please trust that I mean it with sincere wishes for you to have warm feelings, for you to be happy, and for you to be prosperous. Because to me, it's not the words that I speak, but the meaning that I hope to convey.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x55829

I noticed something missing from that screed.
Jill never mentioned one thing she herself will do for others.
Every point was supporting some legislation or taking away from the resources of others.
I'm fairly certain Jesus didn't go around telling his followers to petition the Romans to take care of the poor. He told them to reach in their own pockets and give and, to actually take some action to help the poor. Not once did he say sit around and wait for the govt to do it.

If you are really aching to help these people, Jill reach in your pocket and help them.

earth mom Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Wed Dec-22-10 03:31 PM
Response to Reply #39
42. I feel the same way. I'm agnostic and have a helluva lot more compassion or ethics than most
   
Edited on Wed Dec-22-10 03:33 PM by earth mom
so called "christians" I know.

I don't want to be preached at on GD.

So yes, I did alert on this thread and so should everyone who is offended by being preached at.
   

If you were truly agnostic you would not be offended when someone talks about their religion. Agnostics are supposed to be looking for the truth not trying to shut up people who talk about religion. You are an atheist a militant atheist at that.

[Ralph Wiggum]

HamsterJill sure aches a lot.  Maybe she needs some of this:

[Carl]

I believe that the sick and the old and the impoverished need to be helped by those who have more, and have the ability to help those in need. And therefore, I am a liberal and not a Republican.

This is the money quote that sums up the contrived "social gospel".
In the left wing world rationalizing away all responsibility because life simply isn`t fair they can demand everyone else sacrifice while they just don`t have enough to.

[Red October]

I don't want to be preached at on GD.

So yes, I did alert on this thread and so should everyone who is offended by being preached at.

OR... you could simply not click on and read a thread titled "what being Christian means to me," komrade.   

[Ralph Wiggum]

OR... you could simply not click on and read a thread titled "what being Christian means to me," komrade.   

They just have to be offended by everything & anything.

[ColonialMarine0431]

I believe that the sick and the old and the impoverished need to be helped by those who have more, and have the ability to help those in need. And therefore, I am a liberal and not a Republican.

Guess you didn't get the memo:

Arthur Brooks, the author of "Who Really Cares," says that "when you look at the data, it turns out the conservatives give about 30 percent more." He adds, "And incidentally, conservative-headed families make slightly less money."

And he says the differences in giving goes beyond money, pointing out that conservatives are 18 percent more likely to donate blood. He says this difference is not about politics, but about the different way conservatives and liberals view government.

MORE

Even the New York Slimes concedes this fact...

Bleeding Heart Tightwads

[Karin]

Oh, HAHAHA!  I found a post that stands alone on that thread:

mmonk  (1000+ posts)        Wed Dec-22-10 12:59 PM
Response to Original message
30. Merry Christmas.
 I miss the seasons and the Church sometimes, like it was before Bush.

W made the seasons go all homogenous?  Ruined the Church?  

[ColonialMarine0431]

Oh, HAHAHA!  I found a post that stands alone on that thread:

W made the seasons go all homogenous?  Ruined the Church?  

H5!

That should go in the Posts That Stand Alone File.   

[Freeper]

Oh, HAHAHA!  I found a post that stands alone on that thread:

W made the seasons go all homogenous?  Ruined the Church?  

Hell the DUmp blames Bush for everything.
I bet if I looked hard enough I could find a thread where they blamed him for coca cola changing their formula in the 80s.  

[GOBUCKS]

What she really means:
 

believe that the sick and the old and the impoverished need to be helped by those who have more than I do

[Randy]

And he says the differences in giving goes beyond money, pointing out that conservatives are 18 percent more likely to donate blood. He says this difference is not about politics, but about the different way conservatives and liberals view government.

The blood thing is likely because 18% of the democrats fail the simple blood test for aids and drugs.

[MrsSmith]

What she really means:
 

She really means that she should get help from those that have more.  The rich owe it to her!

[AllosaursRus]

Every year us lousy Christians get together various times of the year to cut firewood for those who cannot do it themselves or are financially strapped to the point they cannot heat their homes. This year it amounted to approximately 30 cord. That much work would kill a DUmmie!

It's my job to make sure it's plowed out constantly in case the Church gets an emergency order! Can be a real bitch when the thermometer drops below zero and the wind comes out of the north at 30 mph! Somehow I never seem to feel the cold though. Wonder why that is? Several of those we furnish wood for send me a bottle of Red Label when it gets real cold!

We aren't rich, BTW, none of us. There are far better things to do for charity than writin' checks to unappreciative lazy assholes living in their Buicks!!

[Vagabond]

The blood thing is likely because 18% of the democrats fail the simple blood test for aids and drugs.

I used to donate.  Then again I donated because I believed I owed a debt, still do really.  Too bad I can't donate anymore.

[Celtic Rose]

Lots of "beliefs" in that post, but not one mention of Jesus or Christ. 

Lots of statements about general "should be dones" but nothing about "I do this". 

[true_blood]

mmonk  (1000+ posts)        Wed Dec-22-10 12:59 PM
Response to Original message
30. Merry Christmas.
I miss the seasons and the Church sometimes, like it was before Bush.

Explain Dummie. How was it "before" Bush?
You're a fool mmonk.

[ColonialMarine0431]

I'm amazed that Thread hasn't been locked yet. Doesn't proclaiming to be a Christion violate the code of conduct on Skin's Island of Misfit Toys?

[dandi]

Faith, hope and charity.


Charity does not come from the point of a gun. Never has, never will. One's own personal quality of charitability certainly never derived from what you can make the other fellow give. It has to be personal or it does not exist. You get no star in your crown for spending others' wealth.

Now, there are lots of secular arguments to be made for government treasure being used to help individuals, some pretty good, in fact. But they have nothing to do with charity.

[diesel driver]

My wife and I donated cleaning supplies and personal care products to the local homeless shelter this week.  We usually do this about 3-4 times a year.

While I was there, I worked on their dishwasher and range.  Both worked, barely, now they work better.

I believe my money was spent more efficiently this way than if it had been taxed away from me, sifted thru 10-50 different offices and departments, deemed "acceptable" by a self-important low level, low life bureaucrat, and finally dispensed to the shelter, at about 1/4 of the amount I was taxed in the first place.

THAT is why I am a conservative Christian and not a Democrat.