Religious Zealotry

[annabenedetti]

Exactly and similar. Those who advocate for laws that would make sex out of wedlock a crime and force people into all manner of their own religious ideology in a myriad ways. The good thing is that those with such extremes have no chance of enforcing it, at least in the West.

Do you remember the thread here about stoning them? I think it was pruned, it was way back when Nazaroo was here, I think.

 

[ok doser]

Do you remember the thread here about stoning them? I think it was pruned, it was way back when Nazaroo was here, I think.

Stoning them sounds good to me

 

[Arthur Brain]

Do you remember the thread here about stoning them? I think it was pruned, it was way back when Nazaroo was here, I think.

Yes, I do and it was a few years back but still recall. Sickening - but not altogether surprising.

 

[Hoping]

Do you remember the thread here about stoning them? I think it was pruned, it was way back when Nazaroo was here, I think.

Sinners slaying sinners...
What else is new?

 

[marke]

Many of the original European settlers coming to North America were either expelled from their homelands because they were considered religious zealots, or they were expelled by religious zealots that would no longer tolerate their different religious views at home. Such that the founders of these United States had the specific intent to establish a nation wherein church and state would forever remain separate, so that this could not happen, again. We would be a nation that would allow both religious freedom and demand mutual religious tolerance. And for the most part this seems to have been achieved. However, in the last 500 years or so of human history, religious zealotry and intolerance has been on the rise, and been responsible for a significant degree of horrifically inhumane behavior in the forms of systemic oppression, torture, rape, murder, slavery, and outright genocide. And it's still going on today.

I am not singling out any particular religion because religious zealotry seems to occur across the gamut of religious ideologies. I even read some time back about some Buddhist monks attacking and killing some other Buddhist monks. No religion is immune, it seems. So I am curious about at what point, and/or by what identifying factors do we verify what we might call "toxic religious zealotry"? At what point does one pass from being a fervent religious adherent to being a dangerous religious zealot? Is it just one's willingness to do other people harm in the name of our own presumed religious righteousness? Or is there something identifiable in the ideology, itself, that allows people to cross that line between civility and malevolence?

Do you know anyone that you would consider a religious zealot, as opposed to their being just a fervent believer? If so, how did you determine the difference? Also, how do you think we as a society should protect ourselves from people who believe that their own ideals and actions are justified by God, Himself?

Devout atheists, secularists, hedonists, Darwinists, Marxists, abortionists, and the like are intolerant people who think the only religion the government should recognize and support is theirs.

 

[PureX]

Devout atheists, secularists, hedonists, Darwinists, Marxists, abortionists, and the like are intolerant people who think the only religion the government should recognize and support is theirs.

But almost none them are actively trying to force the world they live in, and the people they live in it with, to comply. We're all ideologically selfish, and think we know best how the world should be. But very few of us are actually willing to try and force that result. The religious zealots are among those who are. And are often willing to go to greater extremes to gain that result because they believe they have been mandated by God to do so. And so never question the morality of their own methods.

There are no Darwinists, hedonists, or abortionists willing to fly planes into buildings, or kill themselves and others in pursuit of their idea of righteousness. Religious zealots will, and have.

 

[PureX]

Thanks, PureX. That's how I see it, at least. A good example here are the threads about recriminalizing or making it a capital crime to be gay.

And being willing to lie, cheat, and steal seats on the judiciary to do so. And to support those who do. Somehow, in the name of their God, morality flies out the window.

 

[marke]

But almost none them are actively trying to force the world they live in, and the people they live in it with, to comply. We're all ideologically selfish, and think we know best how the world should be. But very few of us are actually willing to try and force that result. The religious zealots are among those who are. And are often willing to go to greater extremes to gain that result because they believe they have been mandated by God to do so. And so never question the morality of their own methods.

There are no Darwinists, hedonists or abortionists willing to fly planes into buildings, or kill themselves and others in pursuit of their idea of righteousness. Religious zealots will, and have.

Non-Christian radicals fly planes into buildings, force parents to allow schools to teach their kids how to change their sex without their parents knowing, jail Christians for protesting against democrat vopter fraud, force Christians to violate their beliefs by making cakes for sodomite weddings, and so forth.

 

[annabenedetti]

And being willing to lie, cheat, and steal seats on the judiciary to do so. And to support those who do. Somehow, in the name of their God, morality flies out the window.

This is one of the most significant effects of Trump and post-Trump GOP and right-wing politics. Trump smashed cultural and political norms that had at least some moderating effect and made it acceptable to be a bully and to use bully politics to get what he wanted no matter the cost. He took the good from the idea of individualism and turned it into a self-serving exercise in might makes right and I've got mine I don't care about you. Politically, the quisling GOP either mimics his tactics or stays silent, hoping they won't be Trump's next target and they can ride his coattails without having to get their hands dirty. Culturally, the clearest example I've seen, and repeatedly, was that "Trump speaks for us." That translates to "I love letting my inner bully hang out, and Trump gave me the thumbs up to bully people who don't agree with me/look like me/believe like me. That's what I love about Trump!"

Invariable someone will come along and say something about TDS. As long as Trump continues to influence politics, he deserves scrutiny. And so do his mini-Trumps.

 

[PureX]

Non-Christian radicals fly planes into buildings,

Christians have burned witches, imprisoned, tortured and murdered homosexuals, committed religious genocide, and more. It doesn't seem to matter what religion we're talking about, they all have their zealots, and their crimes committed in the name of God's righteousness.

force parents to allow schools to teach their kids how to change their sex without their parents knowing,

This has never happened.

jail Christians for protesting against democrat vopter fraud,

Every government in the world will retaliate against an attempted coup.

force Christians to violate their beliefs by making cakes for sodomite weddings, and so forth.

This also has never happened. We have laws against discrimination that all public business operators have to abide by.

View attachment 3419

 

[JudgeRightly]

Christians have burned witches, imprisoned, tortured and murdered homosexuals, committed religious genocide, and more. It doesn't seem to matter what religion we're talking about, they all have their zealots, and their crimes committed in the name of God's righteousness.

And yet, Christianity is one of the only religions, if not the only one, that condemns murder, imprisonment, torture, genocide, etc.

How many other religions do that?

 

[ok doser]

There are no ... abortionists willing to ... kill ... others ...

63 million dead babies say you're an idiot

 

[ok doser]

And being willing to lie, cheat, and steal seats on the judiciary to do so.

You will go to your grave believing this to be true. And you will go to your grave unable to prove it.

Such is the strength and depth of your delusions. It's nice to see you haven't changed.

 

[marke]

Christians have burned witches, imprisoned, tortured and murdered homosexuals, committed religious genocide, and more. It doesn't seem to matter what religion we're talking about, they all have their zealots, and their crimes committed in the name of God's righteousness.

This has never happened.

Every government in the world will retaliate against an attempted coup.

This also has never happened. We have laws against discrimination that all public business operators have to abide by.

Not in God Bless Christian America they don't. Just because democrats allow thugs to burn and loot and assault innocent people and cops without proper restraint does not mean Christians are doing or advocating such savage barbarism. The US has yet to retaliate against the treasonous democrat voter fraud and phony impeachment coup designed to steal the election and destroy the legitimate government of the honest American people.

 

[PureX]

And yet, Christianity is one of the only religions, if not the only one, that condemns murder, imprisonment, torture, genocide, etc.

How many other religions do that?

This isn't about Christianity. It's about religious zealots. And Christianity has it's share of them, same as any other religion. When, how, and why do you think religious people cross that line into toxic zealotry?

 

[JudgeRightly]

This isn't about Christianity. It's about religious zealots.

I consider myself a Christian zealot. Problem?

And Christianity has it's share of them,

Supra.

same as any other religion. When, how, and why do you think religious people cross tha line into toxic zealotry?

To appeal to the definition of "zeal," it's because they have "great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective."

Not all zealotry is toxic.

 

[JudgeRightly]

Determined by their intolerance on issues that are legal but go against their religious views and preferences.

Just because something is legal doesn't make it right, and just because something is illegal doesn't make it wrong.

For example, abortion is wrong, yet it's legal, yet (in the state of Colorado, at least), it is illegal to print passages from the Bible that condemn, say, homosexuality, yet such is a good thing.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! - Isaiah 5:20 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah5:20&version=NKJV

Insofar as dealing with them, take away their power to hold any type of position that holds authority.

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. - Romans 13:1-5 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans13:1-5&version=NKJV

 

[JudgeRightly]

No, I don't know any of what you label "zealots".
I do, however, know fervent believers.

That makes them, by definition, zealots. Just saying.

But your definition of zealot infers ungodliness.
A better question may be... How do we tell a righteous zealot from an unrighteous zealot?
The answer to that question is...How do they line up to the precepts of Jesus Christ?

Agreed.

As He neither used violence

False. Didn't you ever read what He did to the tables of the money-changers who had set up shop within the temple? He even went so far as to make a whip so as to drive them from the temple!

nor condoned it,

Jesus told His disciples to sell their cloak and buy a sword.

Jesus was no pacifist.

any violence would confirm an unrighteous zealotry.

Wrong. Some "violence" IS justified, when it's in defence of the innocent.

 

[annabenedetti]

This isn't about Christianity. It's about religious zealots. And Christianity has it's share of them, same as any other religion. When, how, and why do you think religious people cross tha line into toxic zealotry?

Current Trump-endorsed zealot Idaho Lt. Governor, who lost her primary bid for governor:

 

[JudgeRightly]

Zealotry by its very definition indicates an excessive or undue amount of zeal, belief doesn't have that negative connotation.

Do you think that the Jews who were zealous for the law in Acts 21:20 were sinning, or wrong in some way?

Fervent belief is internal and can remain internal, while zealotry is more inclined to be external,

Having zeal is part of being fervent, Anna.

In fact, fervent and zealous are synonyms.

with zealots impelled by their zealotry to impact those around them in an attempt to bring them willingly or unwillingly under the arc of their zealotry.

You've stumbled upon what makes it right or wrong: Willingness.

Convincing someone of a particular belief is not inherently wrong.

Forcing someone to adhere to a particular belief is.

How to protect ourselves? Politically, at the ballot box first and foremost.

How about apart from politics?