Christians told to treat atheists and agnostics with "deep esteem"

Enuff · 08-05-2008, 20:15

Quote:

The Archbishop of Westminster has urged Christians to treat atheists and agnostics with "deep esteem".

Believers may be partly responsible for the decline in faith by losing sense of the mystery and treating God as a "fact in the world", he said in a lecture.

Link

Respect me.

Cobbydaler · 08-05-2008, 20:19

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Originally Posted by Enuff

Link

Respect me.

As an agnostic I find that incredibly patronising:

Quote:

"I want to encourage people of faith to regard those without faith with deep esteem because the hidden God is active in their lives as well as in the lives of those who believe."

bmxbandit · 08-05-2008, 20:24

Pathetic. Flying Spaghetti Monster is active in his life too, if only he'd admit it...

zinglebarb · 08-05-2008, 20:32

should not discuss religion and politics just press the x zing

Enuff · 08-05-2008, 21:28

People seem to put more effort into worshiping money than they do their God.

c_r · 08-05-2008, 21:37

There was an interesting article in the Times today about the decline in Christianity:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/com...cle3890080.ece

Xaccers · 08-05-2008, 21:39

You mean christians don't already treat atheists and agnostics with deep esteem? Surely not?
Oh wait...

zinglebarb · 08-05-2008, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enuff

People seem to put more effort into worshiping money than they do their God.

Thats pretty much everyone in a captialist society irrelevent of faith at least those with faith worship a God as well as money whereas those without a God just worship....

---------- Post added at 21:42 ---------- Previous post was at 21:42 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xaccers

You mean christians don't already treat atheists and agnostics with deep esteem? Surely not?
Oh wait...

I see no respect from the other side of the fence either though

---------- Post added at 21:43 ---------- Previous post was at 21:42 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

should not discuss religion and politics just press the x zing

oh crap

Cobbydaler · 08-05-2008, 21:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by c_r

There was an interesting article in the Times today about the decline in Christianity:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/com...cle3890080.ece

Quote:

A lack of funds from the collection plate to support the Christian infrastructure, including church upkeep and ministers’ pay and pensions, will force church closures as ageing congregations die.

Anyone who thinks the collection plate is the only source of church funds is sorely mistaken.

The Roman Catholic Church is fabulously wealthy & the C of E commissioners (for example) still own a 10% stake in the Metro Centre (Gateshead) estimated value £1 billion.

**Russ B** · 08-05-2008, 22:05

I wonder if we'll get prominant atheists telling their like to respect us lot.....

Come on Russ, don't be daft....

Xaccers · 08-05-2008, 22:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

I see no respect from the other side of the fence either though

There is the Athiest's golden rule:

Don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you
(somewhat more respectful than the christians golden rule of do unto others as you would have them do unto you)

Personally, I try and treat people with the respect that they deserve, which of course changes with their actions.
Someone for instance who is able to enter into a theological discussion without mentioning:
the usual suspects
waaaah the athiests are bashing me
religion is the cause of all wars
the bible's totally made up

will get plenty of respect from me (ie Towney) where as I'm sure someone who tells you that it's tough luck that your family should die at the command of their god wouldn't get much respect from you.

zinglebarb · 08-05-2008, 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ B

I wonder if we'll get prominant atheists telling their like to respect us lot.....

Come on Russ, don't be daft....

exactly none believers belittle those with faith all the time look at this now someone high in an orthodox religion is encouraging respect and what happens more belittling statements

Xaccers · 08-05-2008, 22:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

exactly none believers belittle those with faith all the time look at this now someone high in an orthodox religion is encouraging respect and what happens more belittling statements

Believers belittle non-believers all the time as well.
Just look at the patronising statement quoted by Cobby.

Lets not forget the creationists either, nor the Jehovah's witnesses who I experienced Elders encouraging followers to mistreat non-believers who refuse to convert.

**Russ B** · 08-05-2008, 22:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

exactly none believers belittle those with faith all the time look at this now someone high in an orthodox religion is encouraging respect and what happens more belittling statements

Whatever next, Richard Dawkins telling atheists to treat us with respect??

I'm sure we'll get non-believers saying how nasty we are to them by citing minority examples.

Cobbydaler · 08-05-2008, 22:32

I'm not belittling believers, I just find it offensive that someone is telling me a hidden God is active in my life.

Believers don't necessarily hold the moral high ground...