Comments on: Sowing the Seeds of Faith by Cutting Down the Neighbors’ Plant http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/ Atheism with Positivity Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:07:19 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Joel Sax http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-67607 Joel Sax Sun, 09 Sep 2007 04:57:04 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/#comment-67607 Sounds like a real holy war there. Bet they voted for Bush, too, and believe the elections were conducted fairly and, if they weren't, it was God's will. Yes, overt Christianity is often a cover for crooked affairs. And there are more than a few who will act in this fashion thinking that they are acting Christlike. They'll jump on people like Russell and Ginny and say nothing about the minister's big new Hummer. Sounds like a real holy war there. Bet they voted for Bush, too, and believe the elections were conducted fairly and, if they weren’t, it was God’s will.

Yes, overt Christianity is often a cover for crooked affairs. And there are more than a few who will act in this fashion thinking that they are acting Christlike. They’ll jump on people like Russell and Ginny and say nothing about the minister’s big new Hummer.

]]> By: Robert Thomson http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-67364 Robert Thomson Sat, 08 Sep 2007 01:05:43 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/#comment-67364 I am an atheist also. The biggest "Christian" in my neighbourhood 30 years or so ago went to church every Sunday, and preached the word. He was also an auto dealer. One day I went up to his house and found his son (my age 10 or so) using a drill to set back speedometers on cars. When I inquired about this I was told " God would guarantee the cars". Fast forward 30 years. I had my first house built by a "christian" who constantly praised the lord and tried to convert people. Found out later he was not reporting income from building houses and was eventually hung out to dry by the tax people here in Canada. Now he has a name around town "The crooked christian'. I probably have better morals as an atheist than many christians. They are self rightous. I am an atheist also. The biggest “Christian” in my neighbourhood 30 years or so ago went to church every Sunday, and preached the word. He was also an auto dealer. One day I went up to his house and found his son (my age 10 or so) using a drill to set back speedometers on cars. When I inquired about this I was told ” God would guarantee the cars”.

Fast forward 30 years. I had my first house built by a “christian” who constantly praised the lord and tried to convert people. Found out later he was not reporting income from building houses and was eventually hung out to dry by the tax people here in Canada. Now he has a name around town “The crooked christian’.

I probably have better morals as an atheist than many christians. They are self rightous.

]]> By: PrimateIR http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-67265 PrimateIR Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:59:58 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/#comment-67265 LOL! Siamang I think Jesus would send in the bears. <blockquote>As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. "Go on up, you baldhead!" they said. "Go on up, you baldhead!" He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths. 2 Kings 2:23-24</blockquote> LOL! Siamang

I think Jesus would send in the bears.

As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. “Go on up, you baldhead!” they said. “Go on up, you baldhead!” He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths. 2 Kings 2:23-24

]]> By: Siamang http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-67250 Siamang Fri, 07 Sep 2007 16:24:46 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/#comment-67250 P said:<blockquote>WWJD?</blockquote> 12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was thirsty: 13 And seeing an agave afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but thorns; for the time of tequila was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man drink tequila of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. P said:
WWJD?

12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was thirsty: 13 And seeing an agave afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but thorns; for the time of tequila was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man drink tequila of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

]]> By: P http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-67113 P Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:49:52 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/#comment-67113 WWJD? WWJD?

]]> By: Fred http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-67092 Fred Thu, 06 Sep 2007 22:35:54 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/#comment-67092 The agave owners should separate the trimming of the plant from the religious conflict. The agave next to the sidewalk like that IS dangerous. Sure the neighbors have cactus but they probably don't hang over the sidewalk like the agave spikes eventually will. The christian probably only cut the street side because he was upset and really didn't want to be trimming the plant in the first place. I bet he would have asked the owner nicely to trim it if they had any sort of normal neighbor relationship. Relax. Why assume something like this was done out of spite? It's important to keep the plants, trees, construction, whatever, in front of your property safe for kids and animals. If someone gets an eye poked out, the plant owners can easily be held liable. The agave owners should separate the trimming of the plant from the religious conflict. The agave next to the sidewalk like that IS dangerous. Sure the neighbors have cactus but they probably don’t hang over the sidewalk like the agave spikes eventually will. The christian probably only cut the street side because he was upset and really didn’t want to be trimming the plant in the first place. I bet he would have asked the owner nicely to trim it if they had any sort of normal neighbor relationship. Relax. Why assume something like this was done out of spite? It’s important to keep the plants, trees, construction, whatever, in front of your property safe for kids and animals. If someone gets an eye poked out, the plant owners can easily be held liable.

]]> By: PrimateIR http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-67070 PrimateIR Thu, 06 Sep 2007 21:20:33 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/#comment-67070 Hooray for the police. Wow, it turned out great. Its always nice when you are spared the cost of a suit. Hooray for the police. Wow, it turned out great. Its always nice when you are spared the cost of a suit.

]]> By: me http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-67065 me Thu, 06 Sep 2007 21:05:56 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/#comment-67065 They did some bad pruning. Let it go. They did some bad pruning. Let it go.

]]> By: Siamang http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-67041 Siamang Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:35:12 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/#comment-67041 Hmmm... I actually don't think it's that big a deal. "what bigotry and hatred", but really all a guy did was cut back a plant. Big deal. It's not like they keyed his car or threw a brick through his window. Neighbors need to learn to get along. That also means knowing when not to escalate an already prickly situation. Some peacemaking is in order. Hindsight 20/20 and all, and tempers flying... but really what he should have done is say, "I would have been very happy to cut back the plant if you had asked. We're neighbors, and I want you to be as happy in our neighborhood as I am. I'm not upset by your cutting back the plant... it's just a plant after all. I'm just upset that you felt you didn't feel confortable to ask me... and I've got to take responsibility for fixing that." Hmmm… I actually don’t think it’s that big a deal.

“what bigotry and hatred”, but really all a guy did was cut back a plant. Big deal.

It’s not like they keyed his car or threw a brick through his window.

Neighbors need to learn to get along. That also means knowing when not to escalate an already prickly situation. Some peacemaking is in order.

Hindsight 20/20 and all, and tempers flying… but really what he should have done is say, “I would have been very happy to cut back the plant if you had asked. We’re neighbors, and I want you to be as happy in our neighborhood as I am. I’m not upset by your cutting back the plant… it’s just a plant after all. I’m just upset that you felt you didn’t feel confortable to ask me… and I’ve got to take responsibility for fixing that.”

]]> By: Newt Hellbender http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/comment-page-1/#comment-67039 Newt Hellbender Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:23:41 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/09/05/sowing-the-seeds-of-faith-by-cutting-down-the-neighbors-plant/#comment-67039 Oops, just click on this to see the vandalized article: http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i273/elljayed/loonyhardly.jpg</a> Oops, just click on this to see the vandalized article:
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i273/elljayed/loonyhardly.jpg

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