The Black Vault

Just to add to the above... I've always just naturally felt honored and spiritually strengthened when I'm treated poorly or mocked for my beliefs. I was happy to read the quote above, in a pamphlet I received today. It's totally reverse psychology but honestly, the Christian knows they are doing something right when the world treats them harshly. I don't expect any non-Christian to relate or even appreciate that message but it's 100% true.

For you
and non believers(indigenous peoples) have been murdered and enslaved
for that type of thinking by Christ followers since.........

This kind of thinking is not unique to Christianity, in fact, I can barely think of a single religion, or cult, that does not reason the same way.

Come to think of it, even atheists reason the same way when they are ridiculed, held in disgust, or abused by religious people.

That may be true but I think the difference is in the response.

Chest-thumping caveman.

qmark wrote:That may be true but I think the difference is in the response.

But it means absolutely nothing qmark.
The Jews have a history of persecution they keep alive so they can full fill what they believe is their purpose.
The Muslims persecute, criticize or as frrostedman says mock and treated poorly other Muslims in regards to a technicality that keeps their argument alive.
Tibetan monks are killed for their way of life by the Chinese communist regime.

Christianity does not fall out of that category or sphere. There is no difference. Each one of these groups feel the same way as frrostedman and they too most often do not use violence as a retribution.

What makes the Christian response any different to ridicule? Nothing really. Ridicule, mock and even going to war or reacting violently is mainly lack of respect for anothers way of thinking, living and belief. You and others might become stronger and more determined in your own belief system but it has nothing to do with being right. Everybody believes they are right. When in reality we all have found in one form or another a language we can relate to because it is our own language of understanding.

I read frrostedman quote and see it as a blanket statement for every religious and spiritual person on the earth....not a theme merely for the Christian community.


Personally I like this translation from the Dead Sea Scroll

...to lift our eyes to heaven when the eyes of others are on the ground is not easy. To worship at the feet of the angles when others worship fame and riches is not easy. But perhaps the most difficult of all is to think the thoughts of the angels, to speak the words of the angels, and to do as angels do.

It appears that the whole thing got sidetracked and perhaps missed.

The point John Calvin makes to the Christian is, don't be distressed or saddened when the world mocks you and disgraces you. Instead understand that you are on the right path, and let it strengthen your resolve.

Whether or not other religions feel the same way is irrelevant, as I never made a claim to it being exclusive to Christianity.

frrostedman wrote:It appears that the whole thing got sidetracked and perhaps missed.

The point John Calvin makes to the Christian is, don't be distressed or saddened when the world mocks you and disgraces you. Instead understand that you are on the right path, and let it strengthen your resolve.

Whether or not other religions feel the same way is irrelevant, as I never made a claim to it being exclusive to Christianity.

There is certainly the implication that being abused means you are on the right path, but as Inja pointed out, that's not necessarily the case at all.

This reminds me of:

Crazy Inventor: They may well laugh at me, but they laughed at The Wright Brothers, too!
Skeptic: Yeah, but they also laughed at Bozo the Clown


Maybe you're just being mocked because you have silly beliefs