The Conservatives have claimed Good Friday

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You may be right suziewoozie but I'm not right wing so that doesn't apply to me.

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Smileless2012

For those of faith it isn't a well thought through philosophy suziewoozie it is much more than that and not something that I can explain. I wish I could but then again would I be accused once more of evangelising and/or being on a conversion mission?

Well my philosophy underpins how I try to live my but the right wing on GN just think they can make sweeping nasty generalisations about ideas and beliefs I hold dear - that was my point.

If that post @ 12.00 is directed at me then say so Pippa. I'll take it that it is and to clarify, the ignorance that I referred too was with regard to your inability to judge what is appropriate to post.

It was not a judgement on your intellect but your apparent unwillingness or inability to even begin to understand how important some one's faith means to them.

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Just to get back to the original subject my thoughts are that Tory head office has told the MPs to go all out on the culture war. That is how they won the last election as we know and they would like to repeat it without having to be accounted for on the policy side of thing.

Sadly, Nadhim Zahawi got it wrong.

I'm afraid you are wrong Nanna8. Christians don’t put themselves above anyone, why would they? Just go back a step or two and you will see a "Christian" who thinks others are more "ignorant" than her.

And on it goes ...

I think you're right nanna8

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One of the first things any Christian will realise is that we are all sinners without exception, Christian, pagan, atheist, moslem, Buddhist. ‘For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God’ from Romans. Christians don’t put themselves above anyone, why would they? Often they would like others to experience their joy, however, and it is joy. That is why they tell others about their faith, not to earn brownie points. Of course there are some nasty people amongst them just as there are some nasty people amongst non Christians. I think the politician likely meant well but didn’t understand that what he was doing could be taken as an insult.

For those of faith it isn't a well thought through philosophy suziewoozie it is much more than that and not something that I can explain. I wish I could but then again would I be accused once more of evangelising and/or being on a conversion mission?

Exactly Smileless2012. I would never say that the things anyone says or posts stops them from being Christian or any other religion. Please don't be offended if I say that people of faith are often very quick to equate any criticism of their behaviour as criticism of their beliefs. When often that is the furthest thing from someone's mind.

I agree that respect has to work both ways and I apologise for saying you cherry pick Alegrias. I allowed my anger and frustration to get the better of me.

That doesn't mean I am not a Christian and profess to being something I'm not and I'm not saying that's what you've said by the way. It demonstrates how much I still have to learn and how far short I fall of what God wants me to be.

Alegrias1

You're right Smileless2012, I can see how that would be taken as criticism, I agree.

But I don't think this is a criticism of Christian beliefs, but of the way some people who profess to being Christian behave. I find myself on the receiving end of some terrible things said by people who are Christians.

Look at some of the ways I have been referred to on this thread; told to give it a rest; told I'm showing faux outrage; told that I'm cherry picking bits of the bible to give my dubious viewpoint some credence. Told that I can't tell the difference between stories about Jesus and stories about Father Christmas

Respect has to work both ways.

Exactly. Why is it acceptable for people ( often the ones who say they are Christian) to make sweeping criticisms of left of centre views rooted in a well thought through philosophy but not for non believers to criticise Christianity? It’s just another philosophy. There is much hypocrisy on GN from all sides

‘People should be able to express their disagreement, dislike, disbelief and un acceptance of another's faith while simultaneously accepting that that faith is meaningful to the person/people who hold it. It is blatantly obvious from this thread that there are some who are incapable of doing so.’

Why does this only apply to someone’s faith?

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You're right Smileless2012, I can see how that would be taken as criticism, I agree.

But I don't think this is a criticism of Christian beliefs, but of the way some people who profess to being Christian behave. I find myself on the receiving end of some terrible things said by people who are Christians.

Look at some of the ways I have been referred to on this thread; told to give it a rest; told I'm showing faux outrage; told that I'm cherry picking bits of the bible to give my dubious viewpoint some credence. Told that I can't tell the difference between stories about Jesus and stories about Father Christmas

Respect has to work both ways.

Agree Smileless

I fail to understand how you can regard this post from Pippa as being anything other than a criticism of Christians and their beliefs Alegrias

Posted @ 00.28 "One thing that is noticeable about declared Christians (or rather those who keep declaring the fact) is just how judgemental they are of others and how hypocritical".

Rather than having the courage and the conviction to refer to the poster(s) at which this was aimed, this is a cowardly 'attack'.

People should be able to express their disagreement, dislike, disbelief and un acceptance of another's faith while simultaneously accepting that that faith is meaningful to the person/people who hold it. It is blatantly obvious from this thread that there are some who are incapable of doing so.

Thank you Callistemon

Here’s an example of how to do it ( if do it you must)
Tweeted on Easter Sunday without a party logo in sight

I've just re-read the whole thread, all 15 pages.

I honestly can't see where people are being entrenched in their views and getting offended/angry/upset except for those posters who think that anybody who doesn't subscribe to their view of religion, and who is posting about Christianity should just back off, that we don't understand it and we're picking on the people of faith.

The whole purpose of the thread (I assume Suzie) was the Conservatives. Not to have a go at Christians. Nobody is being persecuted for their faith.

Speaking bluntly, and in my opinion, it becomes very difficult to have a discussion where religion is involved because of the offense that is taken by some who can't see that criticism of something involving religion is not automatically criticism of them and their beliefs.

They also claim to be doing a good job.

Well said, Smileless

Ghandi was right Pippa we are "so unlike (our) Christ" and although we can't even begin to imagine how much pain he suffered, there are times when we experience personal insults, the accusations of hypocrisy and of evangelising or being on a conversion mission simply for answering questions about our faith.

I agree Onwardandupward that it is "very sad to see people so entrenched in their own beliefs who are so threatened by anyone believing differently that they either get abusive, ignore or get offended/angry/upset". There's certainly plenty of evidence of that on this thread and has served to remind me how even today people are persecuted for their faith, and not just Christians.

"The Conservatives have claimed Good Friday" no they haven't. Some think they tried too and others disagree. Good Friday happened more than 2000 years ago long before the Conservative party. It was the day of Jesus' crucifixion, and what he stood for and represented will long outlive any political party that we have today and may have in the future.

Alegrias1

Agree with Suzie and Annie

When did all this start? Was it usual for the government of the day to give seasonal greetings, and it just mushroomed from there?

I wonder if there would be an outcry if any party didn't send good wishes to everybody.

I think it has escalated since social media has become the norm

All parties are trying to appeal to all voters.