Help Me to Help Myself Decide on Christianity

[Powerman]

And your administration, what say they?

For the edit, plenty of non-Christians have a problem with gays. As for stem cell research, any documentation that 'they' are having an effect?

Oh please. You can't tell me that the Christian right isn't at least partially responsible for the political culture in this country. If they didn't exist we would have massive funded embryonic stem cell research at this time. They are trying to make it into an abortion issue and it's ludicrous. Hopefully you can see the forest from the trees. And I realize that non christians have problems with gays. Hell I don't like gays. I don't like a lot of people. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't have equal rights. It's the Christians and their whole idea that gays are sinners and marriage is 'sacred' and all that other nonsense that is just primitive thinking. Marriage is only sacred if you think it is. There are plenty of atheists who get married. Besides over half of the married couples in the united states have at least one cheating partner anyways. Damn I'm ranting. I'm getting ahead of myself here.

 

[Abbey Normal]

Well, at least he is finally letting us know what his real "beef" is. He doesn't like to be told what to do. Really just a commonplace problem after all. Kind of explains the screen name, too.

P-Man, problems with authority usually ease up a bit when you get a little older. I promise! Heck, even PaleRider doesn't mind wearing a helmet when he rides. (Not to imply that he is old!)

 

[Powerman]

Well, at least he is finally letting us know what his real "beef" is. He doesn't like to be told what to do. Really just a commonplace problem after all. Kind of explains the screen name, too.

P-Man, problems with authority usually ease up a bit when you get a little older. I promise! Heck, even PaleRider doesn't mind wearing a helmet when he rides. (Not to imply that he is old!)

I don't mind being told what to do...by my boss. If undereducated parents try to tell me what to do then I'm going to have a problem with it. By the way the screen name is from the band Powerman5000. I'm not a big fan I just liked the sound of the name and I use it as an alias on another message board.

By the way you'd be surprised how rude some of these Christians can be. I've received phonecalls at all odd hours of the night from drunken parents talking shit to me. It's hilarious.

 

[Nuc]

Yes. I am a biology teacher at a highschool in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and I'm sick of parents telling me that I can't teach anything about evolution and that if I do teach about evolution I should teach about magic apples and talking snakes as well. That type of nonsense has no place in science class. Luckily for me I'm finishing my degree in electrical engineering because I can't stand this job. And the thing that bothers me is that I didn't even plan on teaching evolution in class because it is better left to college anthropology classes and such but the kids ask me so I tell them what I know about it. Maybe if you had a bunch of bible beaters trying to tell you how to do your job you wouldn't be too happy either. But that's not the real reason I mess with people about their faith. It's an educational process for everyone involved in such discussions.

Edited to add: I also have problems with some Christians politically because they hold back things such as stem cell research and spew hatred towards gays.

Then why live in a place like Baton Rouge? What kind of people do you expect to find there? New York City is so desperate for teachers that they will hire anybody who has ANY kind of degree to teach in the public schools. You'll be around a bunch of fundamentalist Jews and Moslems but not so many fundamentalist Christians. Relocate!

 

[no1tovote4]

Do I have others? Oh man I wouldn't know where to start.

Here is a website that helps point out some of the contradictions. It's obviously anti bible but it is using the bible as it's source so it's kinda tough to say it's bias.

Read away

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/by_book.html

I asked if YOU had others, not some site that some loser spends hours attempting to find dichotomy in the Bible so that they can proselytize their atheism. You attempt to preach tolerance while practicing exactly the opposite. Now, if you have something to add do so. Otherwise, let others have their beliefs while you take your own Path.

I am not even a Christian nor Jewish, but was able to answer the supposed 'dichotomy' in the Adam story...

 

[Annie]

Oh please. You can't tell me that the Christian right isn't at least partially responsible for the political culture in this country. If they didn't exist we would have massive funded embryonic stem cell research at this time. They are trying to make it into an abortion issue and it's ludicrous. Hopefully you can see the forest from the trees. And I realize that non christians have problems with gays. Hell I don't like gays. I don't like a lot of people. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't have equal rights. It's the Christians and their whole idea that gays are sinners and marriage is 'sacred' and all that other nonsense that is just primitive thinking. Marriage is only sacred if you think it is. There are plenty of atheists who get married. Besides over half of the married couples in the united states have at least one cheating partner anyways. Damn I'm ranting. I'm getting ahead of myself here.

Well where I live, creationism certainly isn't part of the science curriculum, in public or private schools. As I've posted several times before, I teach in Private School-religious. Through diocesan decree, evolution is taught, along with Big Bang theory in science. Creationism is covered in religion classes, with the caveat that the Bible was written time sensative to the audience. The stories were meant to convey a 'greater truth' such as "man cannot create, only God can. Man can use God's creations to benefit mankind."

 

[Powerman]

Then why live in a place like Baton Rouge? What kind of people do you expect to find there? New York City is so desperate for teachers that they will hire anybody who has ANY kind of degree to teach in the public schools. You'll be around a bunch of fundamentalist Jews and Moslems but not so many fundamentalist Christians. Relocate!

Because Baton Rouge kicks ass! The women here are beautiful, LSU football alone is enough to keep me here, I'm still pursuing another degree at LSU which I will complete this December. The food and culture here are great. I wouldn't live anywhere else in the world. OK that's taking it a bit far but I really do like it here. I happen to teach in an area that has a lot of blacks and they tend to be pretty touchy about their faith. Actually I'm not teaching this semester so I don't have to worry about it. I was finished with teaching after last school year.

 

[Powerman]

Well where I live, creationism certainly isn't part of the science curriculum, in public or private schools. As I've posted several times before, I teach in Private School-religious. Through diocesan decree, evolution is taught, along with Big Bang theory in science. Creationism is covered in religion classes, with the caveat that the Bible was written time sensative to the audience. The stories were meant to convey a 'greater truth' such as "man cannot create, only God can. Man can use God's creations to benefit mankind."

OK I'm not going to argue anything there but what does that have to do with the quote that you were responding to?

 

[Annie]

OK I'm not going to argue anything there but what does that have to do with the quote that you were responding to?

Gee, I was responding to this:

Yes. I am a biology teacher at a highschool in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and I'm sick of parents telling me that I can't teach anything about evolution and that if I do teach about evolution I should teach about magic apples and talking snakes as well. That type of nonsense has no place in science class. Luckily for me I'm finishing my degree in electrical engineering because I can't stand this job. And the thing that bothers me is that I didn't even plan on teaching evolution in class because it is better left to college anthropology classes and such but the kids ask me so I tell them what I know about it. Maybe if you had a bunch of bible beaters trying to tell you how to do your job you wouldn't be too happy either. But that's not the real reason I mess with people about their faith. It's an educational process for everyone involved in such discussions.

Edited to add: I also have problems with some Christians politically because they hold back things such as stem cell research and spew hatred towards gays.

I would say education is well rid of you. Good luck with your next career. Really.

 

[Powerman]

Gee, I was responding to this:



I would say education is well rid of you. Good luck with your next career. Really.

You know nothing of my abilities to teach. I helped kids that had otherwise had no future have a chance to get into college and spent numerous hours outside of class helping students in my class as well as tutoring other students in math at no charge. I did my job very well and took it very seriously. Just because I don't believe in talking snakes and magic apples doesn't make me any less of a teacher than you.

 

[Annie]

You know nothing of my abilities to teach. I helped kids that had otherwise had no future have a chance to get into college and spent numerous hours outside of class helping students in my class as well as tutoring other students in math at no charge. I did my job very well and took it very seriously. Just because I don't believe in talking snakes and magic apples doesn't make me any less of a teacher than you.

You are walking away, without any reasons given, other than parent opposition. Sorry, doesn't wash with another teacher. Some parents may have a problem with a teacher, I've had my share. I put in the time to find their problems and try to address them. If I were you-if the administration wasn't braindead-I'd try to explain what my viewpoint was and how we could address their concerns. If they wanted me teaching apples and snakes, I'd address their desire to see their children get into top notch colleges and let them know what the kids need to be able to tell those universities. D'oh!

 

[Powerman]

You are walking away, without any reasons given, other than parent opposition. Sorry, doesn't wash with another teacher. Some parents may have a problem with a teacher, I've had my share. I put in the time to find their problems and try to address them. If I were you-if the administration wasn't braindead-I'd try to explain what my viewpoint was and how we could address their concerns. If they wanted me teaching apples and snakes, I'd address their desire to see their children get into top notch colleges and let them know what the kids need to be able to tell those universities. D'oh!

I'm not walking away. I never planned on being a career teacher. I only took the job because there was a shortage of teachers and it gave me a temporary job while I was finishing out the rest of my engineering curriculum. I'm not walking away because of the parents. It was never a plan of mine to do this full time. No one wants to teach in the ghetto. I feel like I've done my part.

 

[Annie]

I'm not walking away. I never planned on being a career teacher. I only took the job because there was a shortage of teachers and it gave me a temporary job while I was finishing out the rest of my engineering curriculum. I'm not walking away because of the parents. It was never a plan of mine to do this full time. No one wants to teach in the ghetto. I feel like I've done my part.

Cool. Back to my original premise, teaching is well rid of you. May you make a fortune.

 

[Powerman]

Cool. Back to my original premise, teaching is well rid of you. May you make a fortune.

I did a good job while I was there. That's got to count for something. I helped the people I could when I could. I'm sorry but I'm not sure you would want to work where I worked. It's not exactly the best teaching environment. Working in a public school in a highly black populated area in the south isn't easy. We had 3 cops shot the other day about 2 miles from where I used to teach. A mile down the road a convenient store was being robbed at the same time. An hour later a car was hijacked from a mother with her baby child inside. It's a freaking war zone in the ghetto. I'm very lucky to be alive. Thank God I don't have a nice car yet.

 

[Annie]

I did a good job while I was there. That's got to count for something. I helped the people I could when I could. I'm sorry but I'm not sure you would want to work where I worked. It's not exactly the best teaching environment. Working in a public school in a highly black populated area in the south isn't easy. We had 3 cops shot the other day about 2 miles from where I used to teach. A mile down the road a convenient store was being robbed at the same time. An hour later a car was hijacked from a mother with her baby child inside. It's a freaking war zone in the ghetto. I'm very lucky to be alive. Thank God I don't have a nice car yet.

Now I hear you. My student teaching and my part time teaching, prior to getting a full time position were in 'high risk' environments. I loved the kids I was teaching and I think vice versa, since 3 of them keep in contact, 10 years later, I think a well founded 'think.'

Yet one's heart has to be in it and one has to believe in the students. They can overcome the circumstances, learn what you have to teach-which should be postive.

It's not for everyone, if one can't, it's better to get out. No excuses.

 

[Powerman]

Now I hear you. My student teaching and my part time teaching, prior to getting a full time position were in 'high risk' environments. I loved the kids I was teaching and I think vice versa, since 3 of them keep in contact, 10 years later, I think a well founded 'think.'

Yet one's heart has to be in it and one has to believe in the students. They can overcome the circumstances, learn what you have to teach-which should be postive.

It's not for everyone, if one can't, it's better to get out. No excuses.

LOL it's not that I can't. It's not something I ever wanted to do. Things are so shitty over here they don't even care if you have a degree in education(which I don't.) I had an undergraduate degree in mathematics and I didn't see that going anywhere so I started pursuing a degree in EE which is what I decided I really wanted to do. The teaching thing came up through one of my friends who also taught there. She recommended that I apply since they were in need of teachers and I was in need of a job. I taught for 2 years.

Well I'd love to discuss this further but I need to get going. I'm sorry if I offended anyone. It's nothing personal.

 

[Annie]

LOL it's not that I can't. It's not something I ever wanted to do. Things are so shitty over here they don't even care if you have a degree in education(which I don't.) I had an undergraduate degree in mathematics and I didn't see that going anywhere so I started pursuing a degree in EE which is what I decided I really wanted to do. The teaching thing came up through one of my friends who also taught there. She recommended that I apply since they were in need of teachers and I was in need of a job. I taught for 2 years.

Well I'd love to discuss this further but I need to get going. I'm sorry if I offended anyone. It's nothing personal.

Nothing personal taken, but you seem to have taken it personally, I mean the teaching and that you weren't agreed with.

 

[William Joyce]

I'm agnostic but I've been thinking about God & Jesus. The issue has been gnawing at me more and more for the past few months. I like to keep things simple but I also like to hear from both sides. Unfortunately, Christian apologetics is far from simple. (Does God exist or not and can you prove it, If so, does he care about me, Did Jesus exist, Simply put, are the 4 Gospels true, Were they stories pieced together by people who desperately wanted to convenience themselves and others that there is more to life than death, what abut things that seem to be inconsistent or unreasonable in the Bible) If you would, please direct me to a "pro-Jesus" Book or web site that keeps things simple AND direct me to an "anti-Jesus" Book or web site that keeps things simple.

Someone's already mentioned Lee Strobel as a rational "pro-Jesus" writer, I'd add, from another age, Malcom Muggeridge.

As for anti-Jesus, well, just 1) turn on your television set, 2) open your newspaper/magazine, 3) walk outside your door.

I've never been comfortable with the idea that I had to subscribe to literal Christianity in order to have life after death or go to Heaven or even have a good life, but I've also never been able to shake the idea that we need faith in God. I talk to a lot of very sharp atheists, but I'm just not that cool, ya know? It's plain that whatever we're doing here on Earth, there's some bigger picture we just don't fully comprehend, and to pretend that the human mind can grasp it all is arrogant. I'm little and weak sometimes and when life really starts to kick my ass, I do call out to God for help.

 

[Powerman]

"It's plain that whatever we're doing here on Earth, there's some bigger picture we just don't fully comprehend, and to pretend that the human mind can grasp it all is arrogant."

Yes I agree. The universe is too big for a human to understand what is going on. It is likely that we are not the only planet with life. There is nothing wrong sometimes saying "I don't know the answer." The difference between you and I is that I don't say that "I don't know the answer so there must be some invisible being that cares whether or not I have premarital sex." I just say I don't know and keep it at that.

 

[mattskramer]

Wow, what a fast-growing thread. It is amazing how, like the trunk of the tree, my opening thread grew and branches formed. Then those branches grew branches. Anyway, thanks to everyone who contributed for your advice and recommendations. I'll think and read the things mentioned.