TV...The Promoter of Materialism

sponger

know1 wrote:

Why? What would you do about it? How would it be different in person?

If you find it insulting that it is obvious you have a very close minded view of religion, then that's your choice.

I think you know how it would be different in person. That's why you need to use those words while sitting behind a keyboard.

And in terms of my being closed -minded, you mean I don't see it your way. There's a difference between not seeing things your way and having a closed mind.

know1

sponger wrote:

You mean I don't see it your way. There's a difference between not seeing things your way and having a closed mind.

I understand the difference, and I maintain that you have a closed mind.

Perhaps you'd like to tour the facility that my church runs that distributes goods to the poor using only volunteers.

Oh yeah....I forgot...we're the only church on the planet like that.

know1

sponger wrote:

I think you know how it would be different in person. That's why you need to use those words while sitting behind a keyboard.

I think it would be no different on my end. I'd say what I think. I think you're implying that you would take a physical recourse to our differences, which doesn't surprise me. What's the penalty for threatening physical violence on this site?

sponger

know1 wrote:

I understand the difference, and I maintain that you have a closed mind.

Perhaps you'd like to tour the facility that my church runs that distributes goods to the poor using only volunteers.

Oh yeah....I forgot...we're the only church on the planet like that.

Of course it distributes food to the poor using volunteers. Without the perceived charitable nature of religion, parishners could not hold onto their status of being morally righteous. And they could not relish the opportunity to feel superior to those who are "needy".

Through the eyes of a parishner, the act of giving to the needy is merely an act of setting oneself apart, not an act of bringing the whole of society together.

It's still an Us. vs. Them point of view. It's a "We give and what do you do?" mentality that equates to righteous indignation. After all, what does "god" have to do with having empathy for the less fortunate? Why does a person need religious affiliation to organize these types of activities?

But, seeing as how you are so open-minded, I'm sure you've already asked yourself these questions.

sponger

know1 wrote:

I think it would be no different on my end. I'd say what I think. I think you're implying that you would take a physical recourse to our differences, which doesn't surprise me. What's the penalty for threatening physical violence on this site?

You jumped to a lot of conclusions there. I'm saying you use the anonymity of the internet in the same way that driver's use their cars to flip people the bird. All you know is that you stick your tongue out and speed away. Why would you say things on the internet that you would never say to a person's face? That's all I'm asking. Why carry on a double-identity? Be yourself as you would be were it not for your keyboard and computer screen.

know1

sponger wrote:

You jumped to a lot of conclusions there. I'm saying you use the anonymity of the internet in the same way that driver's use their cars to flip people the bird. All you know is that you stick your tongue out and speed away. Why would you say things on the internet that you would never say to a person's face? That's all I'm asking. Why carry on a double-identity? Be yourself as you would be were it not for your keyboard and computer screen.

Nice try. If there was no chance for violence, how would it be any different to say it face to face?

sponger

know1 wrote:

Nice try. If there was no chance for violence, how would it be any different to say it face to face?

That's something you should really ask yourself. After all, you are the one who is carrying on an act. You see, the problem is that you are imagining some kind of threat being made. I'm just merely pointing out that you are not being yourself because you use the anonymity of the internet to aid you in creating your "internet persona". The reasons why you do this are really up to you to discover. But, I've already said this. I can explain it to you again if that's what you need.

Collin

sponger wrote:

That's something you should really ask yourself. After all, you are the one who is carrying on an act. You see, the problem is that you are imagining some kind of threat being made. I'm just merely pointing out that you are not being yourself because you use the anonymity of the internet to aid you in creating your "internet persona". The reasons why you do this are really up to you to discover. But, I've already said this. I can explain it to you again if that's what you need.

Funny. He's the one who's brainwashed, has a closed mind, carrying on an act, he's the one who uses an "internet persona"... You claim that his church is full of hypocrits and that all churches are like this...

And you tell him he's jumping to conclusions? You've judged him entirely based on the fact that he's a christian without even listening what he has to say. You claim that his church can not do real charity it only does this to point out that they are superior and the "needy" inferior.

I think the only one here who is jumping to conclusions and thinking in terms of superior and inferior, is you.

sponger

Collin wrote:

Funny. He's the one who's brainwashed, has a closed mind, carrying on an act, he's the one who uses an "internet persona"... You claim that his church is full of hypocrits and that all churches are like this...

And you tell him he's jumping to conclusions? You've judged him entirely based on the fact that he's a christian without even listening what he has to say. You claim that his church can not do real charity it only does this to point out that they are superior and the "needy" inferior.

I think the only one here who is jumping to conclusions and thinking in terms of superior and inferior, is you.

I asked him to tell me what god has to do with being charitable and why these people find themselves being charitable in connection with church activities instead of without church activities.

He didn't answer.

Anyway, I'll explain the whole thing to you because I'm bored. I said that with the right demographics, the churches are fancy, and so are the people on Sundays.

Well, come to california and take a look around. Come here and tell me these christians aren't snorting up their righteous indignation through big fat self-righteous nostrils.

And if he wants to tell me that the east coast is so much different, that's his perogative. But, I won't buy it. If that's what makes me closed-minded, so be it.

Morality doesn't exclude. Christianity does. I can always tell the devout religious folk by their tendency to take the moral highground without really being able to explain how they got there.

And let's not forget this time article from last month or so:

a full 61% believed that God wants people to be prosperous. And 31%--a far higher percentage than there are Pentecostals in America--agreed that if you give your money to God, God will bless you with more money.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1533448-2,00.html

so, I guess know1 just happens to know the other 39% who don't think god wants them to be rich?

Collin

sponger wrote:

I asked him to tell me what god has to do with being charitable and why these people find themselves being charitable in connection with church activities instead of without church activities.

He didn't answer.

God pretty much promotes charity. Why do you think these people aren't charitable without church activities? Do you follow them around constantly. Do they claim to know as much about your life as you do about theirs?

Anyway, I'll explain the whole thing you because I'm bored. I said that with the right demographics, the churches are fancy, and so are the people on Sundays.

So, he's like nu-uh because he knows like this one church and stuff. Also he knows of a few other churches. He didn't say those churches were in affluent neighborhoods. He just jumped to oh you're so closed minded.

Well, come to california and take a look around, man. Come here and tell me these christians aren't snorting up their righteous indignation through big fat self-righteous nostrils.

And if he wants to tell me that the east coast is so much different, that's his perogative. But, I won't buy it. If that's what makes me closed-minded, so be it.

Well, his side of the story is he knows lots of church that aren't like the ones you describes, so you're like nu-uh because you do know churches like that and stuff. And then you jumped to telling him how he's a hypocrit and all christians were and how all churches are.

Well, come to the east coast of the US and take a look around. Come to the east coast and tell him these Christians aren't good and honest people.

...

sponger

Collin wrote:

God pretty much promotes charity. Why do you think these people aren't charitable without church activities? Do you follow them around constantly. Do they claim to know as much about your life as you do about theirs?



Well, his side of the story is he knows lots of church that aren't like the ones you describes, so you're like nu-uh because you do know churches like that and stuff. And then you jumped to telling him how he's a hypocrit and all christians were and how all churches are.

Well, come to the east coast of the US and take a look around. Come to the east coast and tell him these Christians aren't good and honest people.

...

61% of christians surveyed by Time magazine think god wants them to be prosperous. I suppose the other 39% live on the east coast?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1533448-2,00.html

And, btw, according to christianity, god does not teach humility and charity. He teaches worship and calls it humility and charity.

belfast1

THC wrote:

Most if not all religions are against materialism. YOu turn on the tv...and it litterally preaches materialism. By default...i'm going to have to say for the most part...TV teaches a doctrine that is against our general religious beliefs.


What do people think?

not just materialism but a lot of Tv (esp here in the UK) seems to serve up hostility, incivility and general rudeness on a minute-by-minute basis

i say switch off your television!