Christian Grans

The post Greatnan was responding to was a bit sharp too. And there's another sharp post on another thread by the same person

Besides, the penultimate sentence about Santa in non-religious households is tosh.

Bit sharp, Greatnan?

I am a little puzzled. You say you do not want to rake up this thread, which has long since been settled - so why are you?

I haven't read the whole thread (but I will go back and read) and I apologise if it has, as was said, run its course and do not intend to rake it up butI am also someone who is shocked in general, in day to day life by the vehemence of atheists, or non believers or whatever they describe themselves as, towards believers of any faith, especially Christians. It almost seems that Religious Faith is looked upon as some form of mental illness and that it is something that children should be shielded from at all times. I've seen many a post on mumsnet almost boasting that 'religion is banned in this house' and yet they all go crazy when people tell their kids Santa isn't real. I don't get that.

Just had an email from DGS1 to say that a string ensemble he plays with, (GU Pro Musica), is performing along with the Chapel Choir next Tuesday, playing Vivaldi's St Luke Magnifcat. It'll be in the Chapel, so the webcam www.chapelchoir.org/live-webcam.html will be on, so you can see him playing! He will be in the 3rd desk of the first violins, and in full-on dinner suit, white bow tie etc, (plus ponytail) which will be interesting.... He is now off out to get hinself a white bow tie.

They will probably also have the dress rehearsal there earlier in the day, so there are two chances to catch it.

Last February the Kelvin Ensemble, which he also plays in, gave a rousing version of Fingals Cave and Land of the Mountain and the Flood from the chapel. I managed to post about it just in time for several Gners to watch the webcam.

Unfortunately, both their concerts this year are being played elsewhere. However, it seems every Tuesday the Chapel Choir are doing 'Choral Contemplations' in the Chapel: www.chapelchoir.org/calendar.html

Have a good break, Mice. Perhaps when you get back, this thread might have run its course...

Well I'm on hols for a week. I hope I can keep up with next batch of pages when I return.

Oh, two posts where I only meant one.

I clicked on the link and got the gist but am waiting until I am fresh tomorrow to read it properly. Looks interesting.

I clicked on the link and got the gist but I am waiting until tomorrow, when I am fresh, to go over the article in detail.

If there are a lot of references to aggression then I suppose it is worth considering that some posts did come across in that way whether or not they were intended to.

I don't expect atheists to be aggressive (being one myself) but now and then I was quite taken aback at some of the responses to Christian posts.

I make this comment with the best of intentions as I think the concerns which have been raised, and the fact that some people obviously feel aggrieved/hurt, should be taken seriously so we can hopefully move on.

Anybody clicked on the link yet?

Further to my previous post, it works the other way too. I sometimes think that some of the pro-religious posts (or anti-atheist posts, depending which way you look at it) seem a bit aggressive. But then, I assume that it is me reading in aggression which is not really there, and that really the emotion is only heartfelt sincerity, and a searching for clarity and understanding.

Questioning, querying, asking, quibbling about detail is not aggression.

I don't think it's an expectation, subconscious or not. I agree with FlicketyB's post.
Goodnight, jeni

Yes I think I would describe myself as a humanist with some Buddhism somewhere as well. All life is sacred, live in the moment, peace and harmony. You can tell which decade was my formative one can't you!?

Night jeni

G'night, jeni. Hope you sleep well after your hard day today.

I can't decide if I believe or not. I certainly do not believe in a lot of the so called tenets of religion.
I think I'd best describe myself as a humanist who tries to follow the basic rules Jesus laid down.
Love they neighbour as thyself. (Well, apart from the old git next door! And I DO TRY to tolerate him)
And WHO OR WHAT IS GOD?
Is it the self knowledge within us?

I'm to bed .
Too deep
Too late
Goodnight!

I wonder if there is sometimes an expectation (possibly subconscious) that atheists will be aggressive and whether that colours a person's reading of a post by a declared atheist? It's quite worrying that there are so many references to aggression when, certainly in my case, and I suspect in most others, there is no intention of aggression at all, only a search for clarity and understanding. I often think intense would be a better description than aggressive. Intense applies to both sides equally well too, so it's a good all-rounder sort of word for topics within the theism/atheism bracket.

I must say that many of the responses from those without religious beliefs strike me as being aggressive and unpleasant. Not all but quite a lot

It is not a case that 'you believe or you dont', there is an immense area of ambivalence and doubt between those two extremes, mostly occupied with those with religious beliefs. There are many Christians of all denominations who do not blindly look to their religious leaders to decide everything for them and can see no conflict between science and religion - and I am among them.

It is the implicit assumption of the above in so many mailings that I find so frustrating. It is difficult to have any kind of discussion when one side is making such sweeping generalisations about the other.

I read Julian of Norwich years ago and remember being impressed with her thoughts on life which were comforting.

Can't remember details now because so long ago.

Anybody read Meister Ekhart, the Christian mystic?

Yes. Grace Jantzen's brook about her and her times is excellent.

Has anyone here read dame Julian of Norwich? If so , what did you think?

investigatingatheism.info/johnhabgood.html

Yes, I often frequent The Ship of Fools, amongst many others. It was mentioned on here some months ago.

I'm enjoying reading these knowledgeable posts. Liberation theology sounds interesting.

SHip of Fools is an excellent site.