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What's with the religious stuff?


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Ya know, there was this one time a few years back I was retrieving the cache from the landscaping around the church sign one Sunday morning as the last few worshipers were entering. One of them noticed me, and walked the 25 yards from the door to my position and asked if I wasn't joining them in prayer inside?

 

He seemed disappointed when I declined. I guess after four days of power caching from 8AM-2AM and mostly living out of a van I might have looked like I needed some salvation. :(:huh:

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You know, the other day I looked in a cache and it was empty. No tracts, nothing. Why can't atheists keep their agenda out of the caches?

 

Thanks RK! That was hilarious!

 

 

On a side note, as I opened this thread, the Google ad at the top of the screen was for CatholicMatch.com.

In big letters the ad says "Faith Matters".

 

Pretty funny if you ask me!

 

Edited to add: It seems that everytime I click to the 5th page of this thread that ad is there. I'm not familiar with Google ads, but I guess it makes sense that they insert ads keyed to words on the page...not as funny that way... :huh:

Edited by Cornerstone4
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You know, the other day I looked in a cache and it was empty. No tracts, nothing. Why can't atheists keep their agenda out of the caches?

 

Thanks RK! That was hilarious!

 

 

On a side note, as I opened this thread, the Google ad at the top of the screen was for CatholicMatch.com.

In big letters the ad says "Faith Matters".

 

Pretty funny if you ask me!

That is funny! :( There must be some divine intervention going on..... :huh:
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I had just found a cache on a Sunday morning and still had it in my hand. Around the corner came a woman and her children who I believe were Jehovah Witnesses. The cache was unique and there was no way to explain away what it was. She started talking about her religion to me and I immediately politely said I have my own beliefs. She then asked what I had in my hand. We ended up talking about caching for 10-15 minutes.

 

Maybe I converted her to geocaching! :huh:

Edited by Wacka
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Well,

 

This has definately been an interesting read for me... I am a Christian and I am proud of it... I am not a baptist, lutheran or any other subsect of christianity... not because any of them are right or wrong... but because I am a Christ follower, plain and simple. I go to a Pentecostal Church presently. I have attended church at Anglican, Christian&Missionary Alliance, Independant and Evangelical Churches, depending where in the world I lived and where the Lord was calling me to worship. None of this is a plug for any of these churches good or bad.

 

I agree with an earlier poster when they stated that the best way to "convert" a person is to live my life according to the Lords plans. There is a quote out there that i have taken to heart..."Preach Always. If neccessary, use words." This means that my life should be the message of Christ. By living my life to the standards that the Lord called me to live, I witness to everyone I see, on a daily basis. Do I speak about my faith out of turn or without invitation? No. I respect that people don't want to hear it and I'd rather not make someone mad and potentially turn them off the entire though of Christ. I will, however, speak at great lenghts about my faith and other peoples faith when prompted and if asked my beliefs. If people ask me how I do things or why I do things a certain way, i will openly state that it is because it is how the Lord would have me act. I am not shy about my faith, however, i will not force it on anyone. My God is a God of Love, why should I be any different.

 

to the topic. Do I believe that Tracts work? I do. I have seen the results of the work they were there to do on several occasions. Do I believe that they are the most effective method of "converting" a person to Christianity? Not in the least. I don't believe in attempting to "Convert" someone to my beliefs. "Conversion" is an adversarial approach to a person who does not believe my way whereby i try to force them to believe that they are wrong and I am right. I don't know if you have ever been in a fight, but picture this... I come to you and tell you that you are wrong. Immediately you will be on the defensive, regardless of the topic, its human nature. When a person is on the Defencive, they are not willing to budge a millimeter because they feel under attack. You feel that you are in a position where you feel you have to defend yourself, no matter what and nothing anyone else says will even impact you because you are not allowing them to break through your defences.

 

Now... if I approach you and tell you about this great thing that is happening to me, i'm no longer trying to push you in my direction but now I'm attempting to drawing you, through your own free will. If it interests you, you come, if it doesn't you walk away, but this model gives you that option. even if you are not interested now, you will continue to be open to listen to the great things that happen to me or what the Lord has done for me, even if you choose to discount it, at least your ears are open to what i'm saying as opposed to blocking me out altogether.

 

Because of this, I believe in letting the Lord shine through my life in such a way that they cannot help but want to know whats different in my life. I want someone to come to me and say "I don't know what your angle is, but you got it together and i wanna know how you do that." The best part of it is that I don't have to work to "convert" the person, all i have to do is share what the Lord has done in my life, and what He continues to do in my life and that relationship that will freely grow between a nonbeliever and myself will someday possibly flourish. And if it doesn't, I've still planted a seed of faith in that persons life.

 

Having said this, I have left, and will continue to leave, Christian items in Caches. I don't particularily care for tracts because of the paper/wet issue, however there is one that is going around my region that I find absolutly interesting and facinating. The "Million Dollar Tract". But thats my opinion. I can understand people feeling pressured by tracts and to this i can only state that it is my personal decision to not drop tracts because i don't feel that it is an effective expenditure of my time and resources to drop a tract that will more than likely not be read. To those who do drop them, i make no discouragement. I believe that we all have different tasks and methods of reaching the unsaved, I simply feel the Lord calling me to Present Him in the way that I do.

 

Do i leave Christian Items in Caches? Yes. I have left a bible in a cache, I have left WWJD bracelets and GODstrong latex bracelets and handmade crosses and other christian toys and trinkets. I find these to be enjoyable articles as opposed to Proseletizing items. I also leave $5.00 Gift Certificates to Tim Hortons Coffee Shops in my caches for FTF. Do i do any of this to sway your opinion? No. I do this because i believe that someone will come along and find the items and see value in them. Do i have an opinion of Tim Hortons Coffee Shops? Yeah I do. I don't drink other coffee unless its cheap office coffee. I don't go to other Coffee Shops and generally will forgo the Cheap Office Coffee in favour of the more expensive Timmies... but Thats not why I leave my Items.

 

As for Christianity and GeoCaching, I run a Christian Geocaching Website. This has caused some flamage in these forums, but i will make a basic reiteration. GC4C is a Fellowship of Christian Geocachers. Just like GeoTruckers is a fellowship of Truckers, just like ACGA is a Fellowship of Atlantic Canadian Geocachers, just like anyother group, we are a fellowship of likeminded people. We are not a group that is bound and determined to attack any other group or bound on domination of the world(Pinky and the Brain). We are a group of 33(at last count) Christian GeoCachers from across the Americas (so far. Still looking for our first European/Asian/African members) who choose to gather because we have a common interest. And like other Christian Fellowships, we gather to support each other, to build relationships with each other and to encourage each other as we bring Glory to the Lord. We discuss current events in our lives, much like any other group. and When we are going through a hard time we can lean on each other and ask for support from them through advice or even just asking for some prayer coverage during a rough time/a travel time/a decision making time/any time.

 

As for the Anti-Moslem sentiment that seems to be flowing here... I've lived in a Moslem country for 3 1/2 years. My best friends in school were Moslems. I would suggest you really research their faith before dismissing them all for the actions of a rebel group. 90% of their faith is entirely opposed to and appalled by the 9/11 attacks and believe that they are not justified by their religious texts. But then again, we have to remember that our own faith has a similar percentage group of rebels who are just as bad, if not worse at times... Look at Ireland for just one example... their issue? Protestant v Catholic. Moslems, as a whole, are very respectful and very honourable people. I was 12 years old walking alone in a city of millions after dark and felt no fear. I do not feel that same comfort in my own hometown walking down certain streets in broad daylight where i could be mugged or attacked by people who will claim that they are Christians.

 

Education is Key here... Ignorance is what kills. neways... that was my forty-two point seventyone cents on the topic.

 

 

Blessings,

 

Jason

aka PsYkO.ns (Him)

 

GeoCachers For Christ - Founder

Military Association of GeoCachers - Member

Atlantic Canada Geocaching Association - Member

Maritime Geocaching Association - Member

Edited by PsYkO.ns
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These are the same people who would raise a major fit if someone were to put information regarding Wicca or Atheism.

Reading this snip that flask just responded to made me wonder:

 

How do you know this? Did you find someone who placed a tract in a cache and ask their opinions about Wiccan tracts? Atheist tracts? Potato tracts?

 

Until you can show me that "These are the same people who would raise a major fit" if they encountered such things, your theory holds no water. Even after you show me that your statement has foundation, your argument that "I can be upset because they can be upset" still doesn't float.

 

Hmm... doesn't hold water? Doesn't float? Two sayings that are sort of opposite, but mean the same thing...

 

in fairness, i have seen posts by people who are offended by these things but cannot imagine why a christian tract would be offensive.

 

it goes back to your backward cousin.

 

atheists and wiccans for the most part do not seek converts, so tracts would be rare.

 

my parents are atheists. my sister is a wiccan priestess. one of my favorite childhood memories is of listening to my musilm uncle (by my grandfather's second marriage) talk of his childhood ramadan memories in turkey. my mom's home cooking includes tongue in raisin sauce with noodle kugel. or it did before she went vegetarian.

 

when we say "all are welcome at the table", we mean "all are welcome at the table", not "all who agree with us are welcome at the table."

 

so leave your what-have-yous in a geocache. don't leave crappy paper.

Total contradiction and hypocrisy.

 

What you have said is:

 

"All are welcome at your table" EXCEPT those who disagree with you and want to freely express their opinion on "crappy" paper. Toward those you freely lavish your disdain and bigotry.

 

When one sits on a fence one often gets poked in the butt by the pickets.

 

Rev 3:15-16

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....I would suggest you really research their faith before dismissing them all for the actions of a rebel group. 90% of their faith is entirely opposed to and appalled by the 9/11 attacks and believe that they are not justified by their religious texts. But then again, we have to remember that our own faith has a similar percentage group of rebels who are just as bad, if not worse at times... Look at Ireland for just one example... their issue? Protestant v Catholic. ...

 

You are over simplifying things a lot.

Suffice it to say that I am hard pressed to even name one non Muslim (but faith based) terrorist group. However that said, where one to crop up it would be condemned by those of the same faith. Condemned as in run out of town. If the 90% of peaceful Muslims did exactly that to their own extremist groups the world would be a safer place. It's not like anyone else can do it.

 

Now for Ireland. The UK took a bite out of that nation and their dominance of that part of Ireland has had a lasting impact. The issue is more much more complex than faith or it would be the ICA not the IRA.

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I could add to RK's point, but I'd be off-topic too.

 

This horse was flogged beyond recognition, then killed. PsYkO.ns is attempting to ressurect it. However, one might argue that this is really a veiled attempt at reincarnation, as it has returned to life in a different form.

 

On topic:

If the basic tenets of your faith hold that people, the world over, are going to Hell for want of faith and understanding, then I don't care if you whisper, shout, or dance the rhumba to make yourself heard, so long as you do whatever you think will work to keep people out of Hell. If your efforts include leaving tracts in caches, then more power to you. Good night, and may this dead horse stay dead.

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Unfortunately the worst offenders think they are doing everyone a favor. That said, my Aunt, who gives a lot of money to charities, gets a lot of little items in her junk mail, and she saves ebverything for me because some of it is pretty good swag. If it's borderline, like a guardian angel coin, I leave it, but anything that looks like you're trying to "spread the good news" or assumes there is "one true religion", I keep that stuff away.

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I have seen oriental trading company carabiner's in the shape of a Jesus fish or Cross that I thought were great swag items. I also leave retractable USB cords, but would hope this technology based trade item would not offend any Amish cachers. I have seen FTF prizes of a $20 gift card to Outback, and this would offend the vegans. By the way if you are a vegan cacher aren't you destroying the environment by driving to all these caches?

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All the reasons listed here by people who think it's ok to pollute caches with religious tracts are the exact things that turn so many people off from religion.

 

Leave. Me. Alone.

 

If I want your assistance in finding a/the God/s, I'll ask. Till then, I'll gladly take your religious tracts from caches and add them to the circular file.

 

Why do you INSIST on "spreading your word?" Sorry, but psychologists call it reaction formation. You're actually quite insecure with your own religious beliefs, so you overcompensate by overselling them to others, in order to actually convince yourself of their validity. Shakespeare said it best in Hamlet, Act III, Scene 2: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

 

The most respectable and honorable religious people I've ever met are the ones I didn't even know were religious.

 

MrW.

Edited by Mr. & Mrs. Wisearse
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All the reasons listed here by people who think it's ok to pollute caches with religious tracts are the exact things that turn so many people off from religion.

 

Leave. Me. Alone.

 

If I want your assistance in finding a/the God/s, I'll ask. Till then, I'll gladly take your religious tracts from caches and add them to the circular file.

 

Why do you INSIST on "spreading your word?" Sorry, but psychologists call it reaction formation. You're actually quite insecure with your own religious beliefs, so you overcompensate by overselling them to others, in order to actually convince yourself of their validity. Shakespeare said it best in Hamlet, Act III, Scene 2: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

 

The most respectable and honorable religious people I've ever met are the ones I didn't even know were religious.

 

MrW.

People like to share and talk about the things that mean the most to them - their favorite hobby, sports, their family, a new boyfriend, spouse, etc. I would think it very strange if they didn't. If someone is truly a Christian and you never knew it, then I don't really see how they could be called Christians. The whole reason that people were even given the name "Christians" is because they were so overflowing with excitement about Jesus and telling everyone about "The Christ". Hence, "Christians".

 

Yes, there are Christians who need to validate themselves, just like anyone else, because they are humans. But the mentally healthy people are the ones who can carry on with what they believe in and share it with others without caring how that makes them look. Because they care about others and hope that by sharing, they can help to make others lives better.

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People like to share and talk about the things that mean the most to them - their favorite hobby, sports, their family, a new boyfriend, spouse, etc.

 

 

I find it both sad and humorous that you equate religious beliefs (something profound and fundamental to one's being), with hobbies and sports (things inherently trite, mundane and superficial). GO SEAHAWKS! GO CHRISTIANS! Woot! :P

 

I guess I just take my religion more seriously than you do, and hence keep it to myself.

 

MrW.

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People like to share and talk about the things that mean the most to them - their favorite hobby, sports, their family, a new boyfriend, spouse, etc.

 

 

I find it both sad and humorous that you equate religious beliefs (something profound and fundamental to one's being), with hobbies and sports (things inherently trite, mundane and superficial). GO SEAHAWKS! GO CHRISTIANS! Woot! :P

 

I guess I just take my religion more seriously than you do, and hence keep it to myself.

 

MrW.

 

Right on!! B)

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People like to share and talk about the things that mean the most to them - their favorite hobby, sports, their family, a new boyfriend, spouse, etc.

 

 

I find it both sad and humorous that you equate religious beliefs (something profound and fundamental to one's being), with hobbies and sports (things inherently trite, mundane and superficial). GO SEAHAWKS! GO CHRISTIANS! Woot! :P

 

I guess I just take my religion more seriously than you do, and hence keep it to myself.

 

MrW.

Wow, I guess you didn't get my point, and I'm sorry that I didn't communicate in a way that you would understand. And I'm sorry that you felt you needed to put down my seriousness about Christ. B)

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Why do you INSIST on "spreading your word?" Sorry, but psychologists call it reaction formation. You're actually quite insecure with your own religious beliefs, so you overcompensate by overselling them to others, in order to actually convince yourself of their validity. Shakespeare said it best in Hamlet, Act III, Scene 2: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

I'm sure Shakespeare would be proud to be quoted so ironically.

 

The most respectable and honorable religious people I've ever met are the ones I didn't even know were religious.

I take it you mean that you eventually found out they were religious.

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People like to share and talk about the things that mean the most to them - their favorite hobby, sports, their family, a new boyfriend, spouse, etc.

 

 

I find it both sad and humorous that you equate religious beliefs (something profound and fundamental to one's being), with hobbies and sports (things inherently trite, mundane and superficial). GO SEAHAWKS! GO CHRISTIANS! Woot! :anitongue:

 

I guess I just take my religion more seriously than you do, and hence keep it to myself.

 

MrW.

 

I wouldn't take that bet. People bury skeletons in the closet. They discuss eveything else.

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...Why do you INSIST on "spreading your word?" ...The most respectable and honorable religious people I've ever met are the ones I didn't even know were religious.

 

MrW.

 

Some faiths, Christian among them, you are supposed to spread the word. Thus if the respectable and honorable people you know belong to one of those faiths, they may be respectable. and perhaps honorable, but they are not very religions.

 

There is no reason to hide who you are. If you are a person who spreads the word, or quotes Shakespeare . So be it.

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I guess I just take my religion more seriously than you do, and hence keep it to myself.

 

MrW.

 

In responce to this, I must say that I take my faith quite seriously, and anyone who wishes to believe differently about me need only spend a few days or hours with me to see that my faith is integral to my life.

 

In fact, my faith MUST pervade all I do. My God does not call me to 'Act Holy' and 'Speak Religiously' only on Sundays inside of a church and forget that I am a Christian the rest of the week. Some may feel comfortable with doing so... but I cannot. It is my belief that Christians are called to live our lives the same way EVERY day, to the Glory of the Lord.

 

That means, for me, that the conversations that I would normally have at church in front of "churchy" people will be the same conversations that I will have outside of the church with "normal" people. And conversely, the conversations that I would normally have outside of the church with "normal" people, I will also have them inside of the Church with "churchy" people. and If i am not willing to do so at church, then i will not do so outside of the church.

 

My Life is the same day in and day out. I don't hide who I am. I am not a perfect Christian. I don't believe in the existence of such a being. When you see a "Perfect" christian, what you are really seeing is a christian who is exeptionally good at hiding their sin. I don't advertize my faults, however I will never cover them up. What you see on monday is what you will see on sunday or any other day.

 

I feel that we should consider closing this thread very soon... I have no issue continuing the debate, however it appears that some people cannot debate without making very strong and very personal attacks on other peoples beliefs and the strength of their beliefs, and I believe that it is very inappropriate to do so.

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Why I share my faith. If people you know claim to be Christians and they do not attempt to share their faith with you at least once, then you should worry about whether they are actually your friend or actually a Christian. If they actually believe in a real hell, and do not try to warn you about it, then it appears they do not care if you go there, or they do not actually believe.

 

One example is this:

 

If you were on a road that curved sharply ahead. As you were rounding the blind curve a man stopped you and said, “I am the bridge engineer, the bridge I designed has serious flaws I have just came aware of. It will collapse if another car drives on it, killing the people in the car.”

 

This guy just saved your life. He asks you to stop traffic while he tries to repair the damage.

 

You are now armed with the knowledge that you believe can save another from destruction. If you actually believe there is destruction ahead, wouldn’t you do everything in your power to try to warn people? Would you care if some people talked about you, or said things like, “What a moron, doesn’t that guy know this bridge was just built with the best materials and best engineering minds.” Wouldn’t you try hardest to save those you liked. I like geocaching, and like every geocacher I have met, I would try as hard as I could to flag down the car’s I see with Geocaching window stickers or a Signal the Frog antennae ball from going over the broken bridge.

 

Whether you believe like I do (that the bridge is out and there is destruction ahead) or not, wouldn’t you find it intolerant if I did not at least warn you of the destruction I believe in?

 

I think it is hilarious and hypocritical to see people in one breath make fun of the Crazy Christians like me who are afraid of the invisible man, but in their next breath they condemn any mention of the invisible man. Who is the bigger crazy person, the person who believes in the invisible man, or the person who fears any mention of the invisible man they do not believe in?

 

If you do not like a cache item, in a cache what gives you the right to remove anything from it. I would not take anything relating to religions other than my own, or anything overtly secular. For every person who does not want something left in a cache, there are others who would like to get it. If you want to trade for something to then throw it away, that is your business, but to take something just because you disagree with it seems intolerant and against the trade even or trade up policy. It seems every poster who has identified themselves as a Christian has said they would pass over non-Christian material in a cache. Are your beliefs (or non-beliefs) so flimsy as not to tolerate opposing view points? Seems like you are the intolerant one and the one who is trying to force their ideas on others.

 

This all being said, I do not put tracts in caches, as I do not see that as trading up or trading even. However if it is a key chain cache, I have no qualms about putting in a cross keychain. For anyone to take anything from a cache just because of they disagree with it is intolerant. What would you say if someone took every carabineer out of a cache because they did not like them. They would not trade them out, just remove them and throw them away. This is against the spirit of our hobby. If you are unwilling to trade even or trade up, just log the find and go on. Unless you are the cache owner, you have no right to clean out caches, of what you find objectionable.

 

Who is the ideologue, the person who will pass on things he disagrees with, or the person who has to remove it every chance he or she gets?

 

Stop the evil proliferation of carabineers!!!!

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....I feel that we should consider closing this thread very soon... I have no issue continuing the debate, however it appears that some people cannot debate without making very strong and very personal attacks on other peoples beliefs and the strength of their beliefs, and I believe that it is very inappropriate to do so.

 

Why close it? It's always a good debate, it is an issue that does come up. If all sides cant' discuss it then the forums serve no purpose.

 

What's appropriate is to pull the plug on the behavior that is not desired. The topic is valid.

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RK,

 

I agree that it is a good debate and is a relevant Issue. The issue is when people stop debating and start attacking others on a personal level.

 

I think its a safe bet to say that you and I disagree on our views here (unless i'm confused)... However we are both respectful of eachother and present our views and thoughts respectfully without attacking each other on a personal level.

 

When people allow themselves to start personal attacks, I believe that its time to take that person away from the conversation or, if that is not possible (and it is not possible here) then the conversation must be ended. It is unfortunate, but I do not appreciate having a good and honest debate to only have a someone decide to start making personal attacks and ruin the debate.

 

that is why i said we should consider... if the disrespectful persons continue to make personal attacks, then the Moderators will have to step in and keep it from becoming a flame war.

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Stop the evil proliferation of carabineers!!!!

I know not what course others might take, but give me carabiners or give me death!

 

If I encounter a cache with a REAL carabiner in it, a CLIMBER's carabiner, I will trade for it. BUT...

 

If it is one of those EVIL miniatures... I feel I must take it out and dispose of it properly by melting it down with an oxy-acetylene torch!

 

DANGER! DANGER!

 

What if a KID sees one of them? Oh the Chiiiiildren! A poor innocent kid might be forced to climb on a chair and get hurt. It might be a HIGH chair!

 

How dare you to FORCE your CLIMBING dogma on unsuspecting children!

 

KEEP YOUR CARABINERS TO YOURSELF!

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People like to share and talk about the things that mean the most to them - their favorite hobby, sports, their family, a new boyfriend, spouse, etc.
I find it both sad and humorous that you equate religious beliefs (something profound and fundamental to one's being), with hobbies and sports (things inherently trite, mundane and superficial). GO SEAHAWKS! GO CHRISTIANS! Woot! :anitongue:

 

I guess I just take my religion more seriously than you do, and hence keep it to myself.

 

MrW.

The fact that you are calling someone else's view of their faith "both sad and humorous" makes me wonder how seriously you really do take your religion. A bit harsh, don'cha think?
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The Other day I found a Hillary for president in 2008 item. We all fell about the cache laughing. It was a classic moment.

 

Now there's a reason to pray.........

 

lol!

 

I have found a whopping 18 caches and left my signature hand pained 100' Year's War figure at each (that I could). I only took items a few times and 2 of which could be called religious in nature. I felt that these were very tasteful and one of the few things worth taking. I don’t want a collection of McToy's. But a signature wooden nickel (with passage on back) and an ancient mini bible were worth trading for to me. They go great with the pirate duck and other signature items we’ve found.

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Leaving religious items that solicit... like tracts... wouldnt that be against the rules too?

...

Placing a cache that solicits is against the rules for caches listed on this site. Swag is another thing, and even more freedom is had by finders when it comes to swag. This is what Freedom looks like.

...Can't we just leave religion out of this one little innocent hobby?...

No. People all believe what they believe because they are free to do so. Thank god we are free to act on what we believe right down to leaving or hating tracts. That too is freedom.

 

Bitching about it in a forum...that's also a freedom.

 

Freedom like Democracy isn't always pretty in action, its just better than the alternates.

 

I am only on page one of this thread but thought this was very well said and had quote it. :anitongue:

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The most respectable and honorable religious people I've ever met are the ones I didn't even know were religious.

 

My take on this is that respectable and honorable, maybe. If you didn't know they were religious they probably aren't. At least not truthfully.

 

As a Christian, if nobody knows I'm "religious", then I'm not doing my part. It should show in everything I do.

 

Do I fail? Oh, yeah. Miserably, at times. Doesn't stop me from trying, though.

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The most respectable and honorable religious people I've ever met are the ones I didn't even know were religious.

 

My take on this is that respectable and honorable, maybe. If you didn't know they were religious they probably aren't. At least not truthfully.

 

As a Christian, if nobody knows I'm "religious", then I'm not doing my part. It should show in everything I do.

 

Do I fail? Oh, yeah. Miserably, at times. Doesn't stop me from trying, though.

 

What is it that you are "trying" and "failing" at.....exactly?

Edited by Team Cotati
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The most respectable and honorable religious people I've ever met are the ones I didn't even know were religious.

 

Do I fail? Oh, yeah. Miserably, at times. Doesn't stop me from trying, though.

 

What is it that you are "trying" and "failing" at.....exactly?

 

"Doing"

 

Do. There is no try. You know the rest. Someone HAD to say it.

 

And while we're on the religion subject, wasn't Jedi (or The Force or something) officially declared a religion somewhere?

Leave a lightsabre in a cache and I'll find something to trade for it!

Edited by 0ccam
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The most respectable and honorable religious people I've ever met are the ones I didn't even know were religious.

 

Do I fail? Oh, yeah. Miserably, at times. Doesn't stop me from trying, though.

 

What is it that you are "trying" and "failing" at.....exactly?

 

"Doing"

 

Do. There is no try. You know the rest. Someone HAD to say it.

 

And while we're on the religion subject, wasn't Jedi (or The Force or something) officially declared a religion somewhere?

Leave a lightsabre in a cache and I'll find something to trade for it!

 

 

several countries did have the phenomenon of jedi in their 2001 census but one of those who made it official was england see this from wikipedea:

 

In England and Wales 390,127 people (0.7%) stated their religion as Jedi on their 2001 Census forms, surpassing Sikhism, Judaism, and Buddhism, and making it the fourth largest reported religion in the country. The highest percentages of such responses were typically in cities with high student populations.[10] In the 2001 Census 2.6% of the population of Brighton claimed to be Jedi. The percentages of religious affiliations were:

 

Christian: 72.0%

No religion: 14.8%

Chose not to respond: 7.7%

Muslim: 3.1%

Hindu: 1.1%

Jedi: 0.7%

It was confirmed prior to the census that citizens were not liable for a fine in relation to question 10 (on religion).[11] This was based on section 1(2) of the Census (Amendment) Act 2000,[12] which amended section 8 of the Census Act 2000 to state that "no person shall be liable to a penalty under subsection (1) for refusing or neglecting to state any particulars in respect of religion". The change in the law was implemented by The Census (Amendment) Order 2000[13] and the The Census (Amendment) Regulations 2000.[14]

 

Jedi was assigned its own code in the United Kingdom for census processing, the number 896, fittingly being Yoda's birth year (896 BBY

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.So many good things about geocaching why waste time on the bad.

 

Frankly I am offended by those who find silly things offensive . Please dont take offence to my being offended by you being offended for what you believe is offensive religious behavior .

 

I am not a religious person at all . It is a very personal thing for me . But only in a few cases is religion a bad moral gesture . Merry Christmas or happy holidays ?

 

Some where I read to turn the other cheek .

 

Perhaps we could both do this and get back to the reason we came here . Fun!!!

Thanks for listening :blink:

FLHTPI

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Some where I read to turn the other cheek .

yes, but see, that doctrine came from the Holy Bible.

 

The people who most vociferously object to religious stuff in caches can't accept that saying because it originated in that most dangerous book to which they so vehemently object.

 

Perhaps you could find a similar quote in Harry Potter. It would carry more weight here. No one has suggested BANNING H.P. (yet) :)

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In England and Wales 390,127 people (0.7%) stated their religion as Jedi on their 2001 Census forms, surpassing Sikhism, Judaism, and Buddhism, and making it the fourth largest reported religion in the country.
May the farce be with you... :) Does that mean that we shouldn't put Star Wars stuff in caches anymore? :P
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All the reasons listed here by people who think it's ok to pollute caches with religious tracts are the exact things that turn so many people off from religion.

 

Leave. Me. Alone.

 

If I want your assistance in finding a/the God/s, I'll ask. Till then, I'll gladly take your religious tracts from caches and add them to the circular file.

 

Why do you INSIST on "spreading your word?" Sorry, but psychologists call it reaction formation. You're actually quite insecure with your own religious beliefs, so you overcompensate by overselling them to others, in order to actually convince yourself of their validity. Shakespeare said it best in Hamlet, Act III, Scene 2: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

 

The most respectable and honorable religious people I've ever met are the ones I didn't even know were religious.

 

MrW.

The Shakespeare quote, used in this context, is really too funny. You are protesting so much about something left in a cache, as if it were aimed right at you personally, that the quote seems more appropriate about you, not from you.

 

Our Lord commanded us to go into all the world and share the gospel (good news) with everyone. There is no "insecurity" or "overcompenstation" in obeying that command. But it seems there might be in people who are so threatened by a simple tract.

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the key is to realize that a bazillion different kinds of people visit those caches,

Umm...are there even a bazillion people on the planet yet, but I guess if each cacher visiting has several multiple personalities...

And only a FEW of them are "offended" ;)

 

(take-off on Monty Python- "Some of my best friends are lumberjacks and only a FEW of them are transvestites")

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