The journey from there to here
Published on March 3, 2006 By Gideon MacLeish In Current Events

OK, I'm being blasted for trying to be neutral. I will concede that it is possible that the fault is truly in me, so here goes. I will take an issue on everything I can think of. If I haven't hit on your pet issue, ask me on the comments. And if I haven't offended you, READ those comments. I'll get to it.

I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He IS the Way, the truth and the life. While God is a just God and someone may go to heaven some other way, the only certainty I see is in a living, active faith in Jesus Christ that INCLUDES obedience to His teachings, to the best of our abilities. I believe unrepentant homosexuals, adulterers, fornicators, extortionists, murderers, rapists, liars, and thieves, among others are going to Hell if they don't repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. I believe there IS a Hell, and that it's a mighty crappy place to spend eternity.

I believe that most music is artistic, and have among my CD collection rap, country, pop, rock, classical, folk, blues, metal, hair bands, and pretty much anything except for Yanni, who I believe is probably the most painful thing you can inflict on a person outside of a life membership to the ACLU.

I believe the government should pretty much butt out of EVERYTHING except for the common defense and the general welfare. By "general welfare" I mean ONLY things that benefit the nation as a whole and not entitlements, subsidies, or other pet projects. I believe that no crime should exist unless it is a crime against another person or that person's property, and that what you do on my property is entirely within my right to regulate, but what you do once you step off that property is your own damn business.

I believe that war is wrong. Always. Without exception, and that it never should be seen as anything better than the lesser of two evils, and that it seldom IS the lesser of two evils. I believe that most war protestors are stupid, misguided megalomaniacs who are "in it" for their own self interest and not for any cause greater than themselves. I believe that conscription is wrong, and I believe that having a large standing military promotes, rather than prevents war.

I believe the death penalty is wrong. Always. Without exception, and that it never should be seen as anything better than the lesser of two evils, and that it seldom IS the lesser of two evils. I believe that most protestors against the death penalty are likewise stupid, misguided mgalomaniacs who are "in it" for their own self interests and not any cause greater than themselves. I believe that our prisons should be a horrible place for inmates convicted of crimes, and that they should be given nothing outside the bare essentials for survival for their crimes against society.

I believe abortion is wrong. Always. I believe that an intentional, planned abortion is NEVER the lesser of two evils, and that the doctors who perform them and the women who receive them are murderers and should languish away in penal colonies for the rest of their lives, and the women who have abortions should be sterilized to prevent their ever needing another one again.

I believe allowing others to live in poverty while you live in excess is wrong. Always. I believe that while the government should never force you to care for the less fortunate, it is a mortal sin to deny someone needs if it is within your ability to provide them.

I believe that we are, without exception a greedy self indulgent society, and that we are morally wrong for many of our lifestyle choices. I believe that we are duplicitous, sinful, and immoral creatures. I believe that the most people in church are there to con the church into receiving whatever they can from the church and not there for any expression of sincere faith, and that most ministers are in it for their own self interests and financial benefit as well.

But I believe in grace. And I believe I shouldn't have to tell you all that as a condition of our friendship. In short, I believe in my right to hold these views so long as I don't use them to attack, harass, or harm you and your family. And I believe a real friend wouldn't push me to state those views.

There you go, JU. You asked for it, you got it.


Comments (Page 1)
2 Pages1 2 
on Mar 03, 2006

Wow Gid.

I love it.  I love knowing where you stand, it helps me understand what you write SO MUCH BETTER.

I think if politicians passed out literature with I BELIEVE statements, I would personally feel better about voting and would vote for the ones who did.  Because for me personally, knowing what someone believes helps me to guess or interpret their behavior better.

But maybe that's just me.

Oh and I was with you until the Yanni comment.  Shesh.  Anti-YAnni...I think I'll start a protest!

Buwhahaha

on Mar 03, 2006
As I have said before, I agree with about 90% of what you do.  But while I am a conservative and usually vote republican, you are a more honest man who is conservative and votes his beliefs in libertarians.
on Mar 03, 2006
"among others are going to Hell if they don't repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour"

so I am going to hell huh gid, nice open minded thinking..
on Mar 03, 2006
OK, I'm being blasted for trying to be neutral. I will concede that it is possible that the fault is truly in me, so here goes. I will take an issue on everything I can think of. If I haven't hit on your pet issue, ask me on the comments. And if I haven't offended you, READ those comments. I'll get to it.
on Mar 03, 2006
Mod,

The point is, these are views I usually moderate for a reason. As I've said before, I'm NOT fair, I'm NOT balanced. My intent was to make the point that you really don't want me to open up and share ALL of my views. I withhold my opinions for a reason, because I am anything BUT open minded.
Another reason I withhold my opinions is on eht (EXTREMELY REMOTE...LOL) chance I might be wrong!
on Mar 03, 2006

so I am going to hell huh gid, nice open minded thinking..

Oh come off it ModMan.  Every single one of us is closed minded.  Getting your panties all up in a knot because Gideon has strong beliefs, that just happen to disagree with yours in some way, is being just as closed minded as can be.  I get so incredibly pissed off when people tell others they are closed minded because they don't believe or think the same way.  What a bunch of hypocritical rubbish.

Gideon, more power to you.  We agree on some points, disagree on others, and that is what makes life interesting.  I applaud you for having firm beliefs and having the balls to put it on the line.

on Mar 03, 2006

Oh and I was with you until the Yanni comment. Shesh. Anti-YAnni...I think I'll start a protest!

A pox on your Yanni! I have not completely ruled out the possibility that Yanni may well be the AntiChrist!

on Mar 03, 2006
#6 by BlueDev
Friday, March 03, 2006


Oh come off it ModMan. Every single one of us is closed minded


speak for yourself dev I have already started my views on religion many times, foremost among them as soon as YOU {meaning anyone} tell ME your way is the only way to GOD you lose me completely, to intimate that only christians go to heaven is such religious bigotry is boggles my mind.
on Mar 03, 2006

A pox on your Yanni! I have not completely ruled out the possibility that Yanni may well be the AntiChrist!

That one I agree with you twice on!

on Mar 03, 2006
foremost among them as soon as YOU {meaning anyone} tell ME your way is the only way to GOD you lose me completely


Exactly. Which is why you are closed minded. You refuse to accept something differen than what you believe. You even go so far as to assert that if someone believes differently than you they are a bigot.

Talk about closed minded.

So what is worse? Me believing that one God will be consistent enough to have one way, but if you disagree, that is your choice and doesn't affect me? Or you believing that I am a bigot because I couldn't have faith in a god so inconsistent as to not be able to make up his mind?

The only one using hate-filled epithets is you.
on Mar 03, 2006
#10 by BlueDev
Friday, March 03, 2006


foremost among them as soon as YOU {meaning anyone} tell ME your way is the only way to GOD you lose me completely


Exactly. Which is why you are closed minded. You refuse to accept something differen than what you believe. You even go so far as to assert that if someone believes differently than you they are a bigot.


I see so me being open minded and believing there are many ways to GOD makes me a bigot, but thinking there is only one way to God makes me close minded, man talk abaout convoluted thinking dev. Hate filled? where? I think you have been working to hard dev,
Please do not turn this into a flamae war, I am alreaady pissy enough and I like you, but.. if it waar you want than it is war ye shall have.
on Mar 03, 2006
I see so me being open minded and believing there are many ways to GOD makes me a bigot


Oh. My. Word.

Where did I ever say that? I never did. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS DECENT. You used the word bigot. NOT ME.

I have no problem with you believing there are multiple paths to God. Rock on. More power to you. I disagree. No problem. You see, I recognize I believe differently, but don't mind in the least that you and I have different beliefs. You, on the other hand, see my belief as religious bigotry.

I am okay with you believing what you want.

You are not okay with me believing what I want, and have gone ahead and labeled it religious bigotry.

So who is closed minded?
on Mar 03, 2006
As a self proclaimed heathen, I'm glad that hell has frozen over, thanks to the Eagles. I prefer the cold.

Doesn't really matter to me if you believe I'm going to hell. I still think you're a good writer, and will continue to "borrow"(aka steal) the opinions with which I agree. Of course, it helps that I agree with much of what you say.
on Mar 03, 2006
And frankly, this whole war thing? Pfffft. Give me a break.

I like you too ModMan. I just wish you would be honest and admit that sure, believing there is only one path to God is closed minded. But so is thinking that those who believe that are religious bigots.

We are all closed minded in our own way. The very fact that you are ready to "declare war" on me because I have a different belief than you confirms it.

I suppose the difference is I accept my closed mindedness as part of who I am.
on Mar 03, 2006
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