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• Larry's beliefs (Score:2)

  by Damian (784)

  Hmmmmm. I'm probably the atheist who has worked most closely with Larry over the past half a decade. I have never once been preached at, nor felt in any way oppressed by his occasional quiet references to his faith. In my observation, if Larry seeks to convert at all, it's by example rather than by evangelism. I only wish that more Christians were like him (i.e. actually tried to live according to the beliefs they profess).
  • Re:Larry's beliefs (Score:2)

    by hfb (74)

    I don't know that they are quiet references, Damian and I can understand how they might scare people off, especially now with the US being rather divided over such things as "Merry Christmas" vs. "Happy Holidays."
    • Re:Larry's beliefs (Score:2)

      by Damian (784) on 2006.01.01 19:21 (#45452)

      I guess my main point is that I've never heard Larry say to anyone: "You must believe what I believe". Only ever: "This is what I believe". And that's the defining difference for me between preaching and exemplifying.

      And, yes, I can well understand the trepidation that non-believers and believers-in-other-gods experience in the U.S., given the coercive perversions of Christian faith that seem to dominate there. But if our reaction is thereafter to fear or censor mere statements of personal religious belief, then the televangelical theo-terrorists will have won. :-(

      I have never seen Larry treat anyone else's personal religious beliefs (or disbeliefs) with disrespect, though I have seen Larry's own beliefs treated that way many times. I judge his beliefs by the generous and modest man that they allow him to be, and by that criterion they stack up much better than most people's.

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      • Re:Larry's beliefs (Score:1)

        by n1vux (1492)

        Bravo, thank you Damian. Belief should not threaten us, nor Statement of Belief. To condemn someone for Belief is as bad as would be for them to condemn us for non-belief or wrong-belief. To assume that all fervent believers condemn the differently-believing is itself a harmful mistaken prejudice. (Although with the politically active portion of the US Religious Right, it may be the safe way to bet -- we can not extrapolate safely to the equally religious folks who have better things to do than persecute h

        --
        Bill
        # I had a sig when sigs were cool
        use Sig;