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lotrelessar94
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on: December 03, 2013 12:43
Tarcolan, I almost burst out laughing in the library when I read that!!! Everyone was so tense and serious about what they were saying in the posts above, and I was trying to understand it all, and then you go and say "Hi everybody! Isn't life fun?" I about just died trying to keep myself contained

But I do understand the fact that everyone is trying to understand each other's views here, and it is SO hard to do that over the Internet. People here get so misunderstood because it's hard to tell the emotions that are put behind the words that you're staring at on the screen. But still, I know some people feel a very urgent need to clarify what they believe, and everyone should be allowed to do so, as long as no one is insulted in the process. Like Belle said, diversity really is a privilege that we have here on CoE, and we should be encouraging people to express it in the most respectful way possible

Belle, I just noticed that your description says "Elf Laundry Mistress." Just noticed. And I've been on here for a year
"Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!"
findemaxam48
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on: December 08, 2013 01:37
lotrelessar is right, and it's so easy to be misunderstood on a screen.
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
BelleBayard
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on: December 09, 2013 07:36
lotrlessar, that comes from when we first opened this forum and there was only ONE forum - there was a thread about daily activities of the Elves and I took on the job of Elf Laundry Mistress. LOL... we lost our "titles" for awhile, but now we have them back. Folks who were here in the beginning are sprinkled about, but you might find a few other unusual labels under people's names. LOL
Gandolorin
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on: December 09, 2013 05:34
tarcolan said:Hi everybody! Isn't life fun?


Yes, there must be room for fun, and real smiles, and real laughter in life.

I’m definitely not assuming that you mean ALL of life is a barrel of laughs, see my Fans over Forty post of today.

But sometimes people try to crowd in on you and take your room. That’s where I say unequivocally that I do not suffer fools gladly at all. No other cheek, not even the first one. I’ll just leave it at that.
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Lindarielwen
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on: January 13, 2014 10:01
I think religion on this site is a hot topic. Too many do not respect other's beliefs and try to change them. What I believe is of no concern to anyone.

I agree with you, Gandolorin. I as well, do not suffer fools and, as you, no other cheek, not even the first one.

I appreciate the good thoughts of others, but again, what I believe is my business.
My destiny is riding again, rolling in the rain, unwinding in the wind. My destiny is fighting again, secretly unwinding..what it was I was supposed to say...to say to you today.
Gandolorin
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on: January 13, 2014 12:39
Respect (one of the most abused terms of recent times, abuse starting after the middle of the 20th century) and tolerance (pretty much ditto) are, and listen closely here

TWO

WAY

STREETS

Try to turn it into a one-way street – then I ain’t your friend – put VERY mildly.
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tarcolan
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on: January 13, 2014 02:15
(No need to shout Gando)

I'm not sure tolerance is a worthy characteristic, it smacks of silent and resentful suffering, a bottling up of dissent. On the other hand head-on conflict simply stimulates a wall-building defensive response. Beliefs become precious to us and we naturally want to defend them, usually through counter-attack. That's why I would say hold your beliefs lightly. If they get heavy it's time to reassess their value, maybe put them down for a bit and have a rest. Anyway if they're right then no-one can shake them.

It's much harder to empathise with other people, mostly because we're so wrapped up in our own heads. We need to forget about ourselves and try to understand others more, and maybe to find compassion and love in our hearts, and take a few steps further on the path to perfection. Or not, whatever cooks your goose.
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Lindarielwen
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on: January 14, 2014 07:50
I feel people should respect what others believe as long as the beliefs of others do not interfere with them. Some feel it is their way or no way. They do not tolerate what others believe.

Anyway, as long as others to not encroach on my beliefs, then all is well. That is why I keep my beliefs to myself.



I have edited my post and removed my remarks about Muslims. My comments referred to the radicals.

[Edited on 01/15/2014 by Lindarielwen]
My destiny is riding again, rolling in the rain, unwinding in the wind. My destiny is fighting again, secretly unwinding..what it was I was supposed to say...to say to you today.
lotrelessar94
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on: January 14, 2014 08:40
Whatever cooks your goose? That's a new one! I'm going to use that sometime

Tarc, I agree with your opinion on tolerance. To me, whenever I hear some political leader speak of tolerance, all I think of is the idea that we are supposed to just shut up about the ideas that matter just to avoid stepping on people's toes. The old "I'll-just-have-to-suck-it-up-and-hide-the-fact-that-I-disagree-with-you instead-of-trying-to-come-to-a-common-ground" kind of argument. There's a better word for tolerance. Understanding. It doesn't necessarily mean agreement. Just agreeing that we disagree for reasons we strongly believe in and we respect each other for that.

On a better note, I really do love the variety or beliefs that are represented on this site. They reflect lots of different cultures, upbringings, and paths and walks of life. While I know that respect of others' beliefs is absolutely essential, I really do think that people should be able to support their beliefs and to give a good argument. Having a good argument is essential in getting anything positive accomplished. I understand people are not always open-minded enough to entertain your argument, and that is their loss because, whether they agree with you or not, they are losing the chance at getting a glimpse of another's point of view. Some people would not agree with me, (and that's perfectly alright ) but I really do like to share my beliefs and hear the beliefs of others. I would never "force" my beliefs onto anyone. That's no way to get someone to think better of you or to change their mindset. But if someone ever asks, they will get my opinion It's their choice whether they agree or not, but my greatest hope is that I've at least given them something to think about for a while

[Edited on 01/14/2014 by lotrelessar94]
"Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!"
findemaxam48
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on: January 14, 2014 02:11
I agree with lotrelessar about the tolerence. It sometimes seems that some things are expected to be more tolerant than others.
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
Gandolorin
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on: January 14, 2014 04:06
@lotrelessar94: agreeing to disagree is a very important part of tolerance.
@tarcolan: silence is definitely not a part of tolerance for me.
But I have also had the impression that tolerance is expected by some people for THEIR beliefs, while they themselves are anything but tolerant.
I definitely do not react to intolerance with tolerance, that is where I take a stand and mince no words – agree to disagree is about the best to be salvaged from such a situation.
Do not even to agree to disagree – then we’re enemies. There is no middle ground with the (pocket) Hitlers of the world.
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BelleBayard
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on: January 14, 2014 06:31
Oh my, but this has gotten interesting. LOL... Okay, agreed to what has been said for the most part. I keep quiet about my beliefs and try to understand what others do, not necessarily agreeing, but realizing they have a right to that belief system. Just don't choke me with it, okay? I've explored many paths and finally found the right one for me. No problem with others finding theirs, but then once they do, realize it's THEIR right one, not always the right one for everyone. Confusing enough? Anywho... Taking a deep breath... calmness now. A belief system should give comfort and a sense of wholeness. There are good things about every one of them, and also some bad things (mostly what has been done in their names due to interpretation). That said, learning about other paths is a good thing more for knowledge and understanding of where people come from in that path.
katetari
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on: February 06, 2014 07:07
Mormon and Christian
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eowynofgallifrey
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Post RE: Religions
on: May 23, 2014 12:29
Eowyn22 said:I am Shieldmaiden for Christ and proud of it!.

[Edited on 18/3/2004 by Eowyn22]

"A shieldmaiden for Christ" THAT IS THE BEST! I am adopting that title.
eowynofgallifrey
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on: May 23, 2014 12:34
I'm Roman Catholic. And it is the best ever.
findemaxam48
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on: May 23, 2014 01:25
That is a cool title.
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
Cenor
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on: May 29, 2014 06:20
I'm a Christian.
Image "Every good pirate has an alias" Felix glanced down, looking at contraption around the stump of his wrist. "Hook," he answered. "My name will be Hook."
Hanasian
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on: February 10, 2015 06:48
I'm a Free Thinker.
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elfmaiden77
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on: February 15, 2015 01:18
eowynofgallifrey said:I'm Roman Catholic. And it is the best ever.


I'm Catholic too. And, it is the best ever! people sometimes think that catholics are like super strict and don't keep up with the times. Its not true! Im totally a free thinker and respect every religion. But, i just try to make sure i follow the rules of my church.
PSK
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on: February 16, 2015 05:53
I am totally bemused when people say things like "It is the best ever" in a post without any kind of explanation. I really would like to know why you make this remark. What makes you say that being a catholic is "better" than, say, a Buddist or a Jew? Pray explain. (See what I did there? Pray? Religion? )

Before anyone starts throwing accusations around, I am merely inquiring, and I respect Christianity, I actually believe that being religious means that you have to respect everyone for their beliefs. I just think that making comments without justification hold no value whatsoever.
"Tears unnumbered ye shall shed; and the Valar will fence Valinor against you, and shut you out, so that not even the echo of your lamentation shall pass over the mountains." ~ The Doom of Mandos
Nifredil
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on: February 16, 2015 10:44
But it's very nice when people think what they have is the best ever. That means they are happy with where they are. And as long as it doesn't turn into "One can only be happy this one and unique way, so everybody must do exactly what I do" - everything should be all right.

I don't think there can be any rational justification. We are so different, each and everybody, and our religious experiences are just as unique. One can only try to explain why this or the other religious preference has worked well with them, and why others haven't.
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Gandolorin
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on: February 16, 2015 04:53
Nifredil said:... And as long as it doesn't turn into "One can only be happy this one and unique way, so everybody must do exactly what I do" - everything should be all right...

Should be. Look at the news. Far too many who say exactly that. And then the much smaller group, the true present-day reincarnations of the Nazis in Germany 1933-1945, Boko Haram, IS and Al Qaida. Truth be told, these are simply criminal murderous scum (like the Mexican drug cartels), so they do not belong in a discussion on religion, in my opinion. But they claim to be religiously motivated, and they have supporters in the Near East (European perspective) and in Europe.
There was the train of thought that even some Muslims did not close their eyes to: "Not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims." Then came the Neonazi scum in Norway, Anders Breivik, and in Germany the National Socialist Underground. Terrorists were no longer (they never were) solely Muslims. But they were either Muslims or rabid Muslim haters. And this was before IS or Boko Haram.
So pretty much all terrorism centers around Islam. Either the criminal murderous scum claiming wrongly to represent Islam, or the criminal murderous scum attacking Moslems having nothing to do with the criminal murderous scum claiming wrongly to represent Islam.
And a last thought: the vast majority of those killed by the criminal murderous scum claiming wrongly to represent Islam have been Moslems. The thought "why don't they get rid of this scum themselves" reminds me of the thought why the Germans did not get rid of Hitler by themselves. They were not able to. To stop IS and Boko Haram may need exactly the massive destruction of everything supporting them as was necessary to defeat Hitler.
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ItarildeSirfalas
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on: February 23, 2015 06:51
I personally don't have a religion. It's not that I don't respect any of them, because believe me, I understand why many have religions in their lives. I have friends that follow various faiths and if it makes them happy, and as long as they don't try to change my beliefs I'm fine with it.

I was brought up in Britain and Hong Kong, so the most influential on my behaviour due to consensus are probably Christianity and Buddhism/Taoism. But in all honesty, in both these countries, religion isn't very strict or as 'commonplace' (not the best word to use, but I can't think of a better one currently) as it is in other countries. Possibly because both of these places have multi-faith cultures within them?

All I'm saying is, I understand why many have religion, but I personally don't have one
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findemaxam48
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on: February 24, 2015 03:00
Sadly, in the U.S., religion may be common place, but isnot really brushed upon. In my area, it is actually very taboo to discuss faith, which is strange since I am in a Catholic, Christian, and Islam hot spot.

also unfortunatly, there are many divides between the various religions...as Ilde said, she has friends of many faiths. It is a shame that people of different faiths sometimes have a hard time sitting down together.
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
Nifredil
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on: February 25, 2015 04:14
I remember from my brief wisit to Malaysia, how open everybody was about their identity and beliefs. When I met somebody, they would normally introduce themselves by stating their name, their tribal origin, and their religion. Christianity, Islam and Buddhism seemed to live alongside quite harmonically, although I was told that it was not very commonplace all over the country.

In my country, Christianity has never really intergated itself in the local culture that still retains very many of the original pagan beliefs and traditions. Being a Christian and a Lutheran myself, the majority of my friends are either convinced Pagans, or atheists. So it is not always easy to be different or to voice an opinion that goes very much against that of everybody else. However, due to that all the branches of Christianity are very friendly and tolerant among themselves. Close to no fighting over nuances among Catholics, Lutherans and Russian Orthodox, people are concentrating more on the important things that unite us, than the differences that could split us apart. I am quite fond of it
We still remember, we who dwell In this far land, beneath the trees The starlight on the Western seas...
In the Realm of Ulmo
ItarildeSirfalas
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on: February 25, 2015 10:48
Nifredil said:I remember from my brief wisit to Malaysia, how open everybody was about their identity and beliefs. When I met somebody, they would normally introduce themselves by stating their name, their tribal origin, and their religion. Christianity, Islam and Buddhism seemed to live alongside quite harmonically, although I was told that it was not very commonplace all over the country.

In my country, Christianity has never really intergated itself in the local culture that still retains very many of the original pagan beliefs and traditions. Being a Christian and a Lutheran myself, the majority of my friends are either convinced Pagans, or atheists. So it is not always easy to be different or to voice an opinion that goes very much against that of everybody else. However, due to that all the branches of Christianity are very friendly and tolerant among themselves. Close to no fighting over nuances among Catholics, Lutherans and Russian Orthodox, people are concentrating more on the important things that unite us, than the differences that could split us apart. I am quite fond of it

That's how Britain is, but of course we have a wide mixing pot of religions! I don't know what other countries' media say about us, but most of the UK have more important things on their mind than what religion their neighbour is.

I mean yes, there are the slight niggles every now and again, but nothing major
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"Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere." ~ Elrond ♥
Gandolorin
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on: February 25, 2015 12:01
ItarildeSirfalas said:... That's how Britain is, ...

I notice you said {Great?} Britain and not UK. Purpose or coincidence?
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ItarildeSirfalas
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on: February 25, 2015 12:27
I use UK and Britan interchangeably throughout the site. So neither
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"Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere." ~ Elrond ♥
Nifredil
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on: February 26, 2015 03:46
[b]ItarildeSirfalas said:
That's how Britain is...)


Indeed? There is a lot of the original Pagan belief system and those that practice them around? Do tell me about all of it!

[Edited on 02/26/2015 by Nifredil]
We still remember, we who dwell In this far land, beneath the trees The starlight on the Western seas...
In the Realm of Ulmo
ItarildeSirfalas
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on: February 27, 2015 01:58
Nifredil said:
[b]ItarildeSirfalas said:
That's how Britain is...)


Indeed? There is a lot of the original Pagan belief system and those that practice them around? Do tell me about all of it!

[Edited on 02/26/2015 by Nifredil]

Well I've been around a lot of England, and I've met plenty of Pagans, and some Pagan-Wiccans etc. I don't know enough about them to tell you much! I hear Wales and Scotland also have quite a few as well

I believe we have Anglo-Saxon Paganism, which has survived in some areas. Neopaganism, too. It's mainly in the North of the UK, but it's there. If I were to list the subgroups too:
Wiccans, Druids, Shamans, Sacred Ecologists, Odinists (I'd be more likely to hedge towards this because of ancestry) and Heathens

But as I've said, I don't have personally have a religion. Just a set of collected personal beliefs that I have in common with some religions
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"Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere." ~ Elrond ♥
findemaxam48
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on: February 28, 2015 12:43
In my opinion, religion is one of the biggest factors that divides people. It is so nice to hear, Ilde and Nif, that you are able to have friends of all different religions.
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
Gandolorin
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on: March 02, 2015 01:53
findemaxam48 said:In my opinion, religion is one of the biggest factors that divides people...

Monotheistic religions - yes.
And they do not really need outer enemies.
They're busy enough fighting among themselves.

Judaism: Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Ultra-orthodox
Christianity: Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Calvinistic (& Co. in USA)
Muslim: Sunni, Twelver Shia, Ismailis, Zaidis.
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findemaxam48
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on: March 02, 2015 02:36
Gando, that is absolutely right! Under Christianity, we could go on...Protestant, Baptist, Weslyan, Nondenominational...what are the dividing factors, anyways? Doctrinal disagreements? Animocity towards each other?
We were one in the same, running like moths to the flame. You'd hang on every word I'd say, but now they only ricochet.
Gandolorin
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on: March 03, 2015 02:13
Doctrinal disagreements are perpetrated by the hierarchies. Be it the Christian east-west schism of a little less than 1000 years ago, or the basically north-south schism of a little less than 500 years ago, arrogant and corrupt bishops of Rome and their probably far more corrupt curia were the basic cause when the eastern Orthodox respectively Protestant opposites told them rightly to shove it.
Islam needed less that a tenth of that time after Mohammed's death (632 AD) to split over the issue of who could rightly be a caliph.
The Judaic separations are far younger, dating to the 18th century at the earliest, and spread unevenly over the countries of the diaspora. Conflict here seems to be found mainly in Israel, and there mostly in Jerusalem. But compared to the bloody mayhem perpetrated by the Christian respectively Muslim sects on each other internally (and never mind C vs M!), this is a mildly annoying family spat.
As for Christianity in Germany, the churches have been loosing membership continually for decades. Reunification much increased the Protestant and Atheist portion of the population. And far from the obstinate hierarchies, many laypeople and many priests of both denominations have, if not in words, then by their actions told those same hierarchies to shove it; the living reality of ecumenical contacts has left the obstinate hierarchies (the Roman side again being most senile) far behind, bordering on irrelevance.
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Lord_Sauron
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on: September 09, 2015 11:15
I have left my Religion and don't believe in anything anymore
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