Everything interesting I've said this morning has been a comment.

[kellinator]

To slsanfran, regarding http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/03/09/CM162371.DTL:

Just skimmed the article. Most of my family members are huge NASCAR fans (and I myself follow it with a passing interest, though not one which leads me to watch races or really anything beyond asking my family members who's leading/who won).

That said -- I disagree on the race issue, because I've heard people from my hometown say they like NASCAR because it's white. The bigwigs may like to pretend it's not that way, but to an extent it is. And this morning on the radio they were playing a sound clip from this weekend's "start your engines" -- which ran the gamut from "support the troops" (always a worthy goal, even for those of us who don't agree with the war) to "support American hunters because they're the real conservationists" -- meaning, presumably, those environmentalists who want people to reconsider their SUVs are pinko commie bastards.

A huge cross-section of the country, and especially the South, enjoys NASCAR, but the most vocal fans tend to fly Rebel flags, practice subtle (at best) racism, and talk down to their wimmen. Will that change? I dunno. I sure hope so. But the country's swinging so far right that I doubt it.

And that said, in my experience people with number 3's on their back window are asshole drivers and people with 24's are whiners. Sterling Marlin and Mark Martin fans are usually okay though.

To buckthorn, on my church experience and issues of doctrine (aka, "is Kelly becoming Lutheran because they tell her what she wants to hear?"):

Appreciate your opinion, Brian, but I'm not exactly a babe in the woods here. I grew up Southern Baptist and can give you lists of the inaccuracies spouted at me during sermons. (Example: "America was founded on Christianity." I really wanted to interrupt that sermon and explain to the preacher that most of the Founding Fathers were deists. He probably didn't know what a deist was.)

I've read my Bible through -- in fact, I probably have a better working Biblical knowledge than 90% of the American population. I've thought long and hard before reaching my conclusions, which include 1). a religion based in fear instead of love isn't what Jesus was about, 2). the Bible was divinely inspired, but it was written by men, which means like anything manmade there could have been errors, 3). the Old Testament bars rare steak and fabric blends, and I don't see anyone up in arms over those, and 4). Paul was a lot more interested in telling people they were going to hell (and women to shut up) than Jesus was.

I don't pretend to know the mind of God. Based on what I've seen, Lutherans will come closer to admitting that than Southern Baptists, or pretty much any other group of fundies. Anyway, if I join a church I don't agree with that won't even recognize that rational people can have disagreements over issues of interpretation, I'm a liar and a hypocrite. And one thing Jesus really didn't like was hypocrisy.

To mfree, on gated communities etc.:

I HATE homeowners' associations. I consider them unamerican. Once in a class at Vanderbilt, a girl said her family's homeowners' association controlled what color they could paint their house. I said something along the lines of "You're giving up your rights as an American. Doesn't that bother you?" and I shit you not, she said, "No, because they keep those people out." Stupid bitch.

to cynical7, on delicious David Duchovny:

One of my college profs went to grad school with David Duchovny. He said they all laughed their asses off when he quit to become an actor, because they'd seen him in a play and he was awful. Then he got The X-Files and they all laughed at him again because he wasn't acting, he was playing himself.

He apparently has a magnetism that makes all women want him. Duh, tell me something I don't know.

To tarpo:

I saw The Ring last night. It scared the ever-lovin' shit out of me.

Comments

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

This isn't a discussion, this is spoiling for a fight. I made a post about a very moving religious experience. I did not tell anyone else that they had to validate that experience; I just wanted to share it for those who chose to read it (hint: no one had to click the cut-tag). You come in my journal and tell me I'm not a Christian because I don't believe the truth -- which lookie here, happens to be just what you believe!

I could go through and dig up plenty of information on doctrinal changes in Biblical interpretation among Jehovah's Witnesses -- I have mad librarian skillz like that. But I choose not to because you don't want to hear it. You haven't considered things I've said; you've just insisted I'm WRONG and I'm NOT A REAL CHRISTIAN. This is not only poor debating skills, it makes me (and anyone else who might be listening) less likely to listen to you because you're making attacks.

I choose my blood pressure over an argument where my points will be ignored just because they aren't yours.

If God wanted sheep, He wouldn't have given us free will.

[buckthorn.livejournal.com]

The fact that Jehovah's Witnesses have modified their beliefs since they were organized as a religion is a documented fact; No mad librarian skillz are required to prove that to me. For me, it's comforting to know that I belong to a religion that isn't afraid to admit when we're wrong about the understanding of some Biblical something and change accordingly. Our changes continue to be made based on the Bible. There is a distinct possibility/probability that some of the stuff we believe now is off to some degree, and that's why it's incumbent on us to continue studying and expanding our knowledge and understanding. We believe that, based on what we know know, what we believe is accurate and harmonious with the Bible. But if we can be proven wrong on anything, we're not afraid to admit it.

What really got my attention was this line in your experience:
I found out that Lutherans don't really care about sexual orientation (a big issue for me, though I'm straight)

Explain to me how that harmonizes wtih Gen 1:28, Gen 9:1, 1 Cor. 7:2-5, Rom 1:24-27, 1 Tim 1:9-11, Jude 7, 1 Cor 6:9-11, and 1 Thess. 4:3-8.

[buckthorn.livejournal.com]

BTW, I never said you weren't a Christian. Read my words carefully, for they were chosen so. I said I believe that if you (either you Kelly or the plural YOU everybody) don't follow the Bible than you (again) are not a Christian. If that to you reads that I'm saying you're not a Christian, then that to me reads that you don't follow the Bible. In that case, I get really confused about how this is a discussion about Christianity and churches since we are speaking completely cross-purposes.