From: li@Data-IO.COM (Phyllis Rostykus)
Subject: Re: God and Science:  The Ramblings of The Nightstalker
Organization: Data I/O Corporation
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 02:16:17 GMT

In article <1e78bdINNppi@gap.caltech.edu> ajm@wag.caltech.edu (Abner J. Mintz) writes:
>Obviously, there are branches of Christianity which don't attempt to spread
>themselves or deny other ways of salvation!  You just don't tend to hear
>much of them ...

Grin... maybe I should start screaming?  Nah... too tiring.  You're right,
just because we're *not* annoying doesn't mean we don't exist. *Most* of
the Christians I know, work with, talk with and believe with are like me.
And, I'll readily admit that I do *not* have a statistically significant
sample of those who believe they are 'Christian'.  Makes sense, though, as
I *do* like working with people that agree with me.  Most people do.  But
*most* of us are against intolerance, *most* of us don't believe in the
damnation thing, *most* of us aren't literalists and *most* of us think
it's a cool way to live.  Most of us put Love of what is good and love of
each other as we love ourselves as top priority.  Most of us think of
homosexuals and bisexuals as the oppressed of this time and we should do
our damndest to help and protect and accept them.  The coalition *against*
Prop 9 had a very large number of churches in it.  Most of us think that
other religions are just as valid for those that pursue them as our
religion is for we that pursue this particular path.  Bill Yang had it
perfectly right, there are *many* paths up the mountain (or to the deli), 
and I have no reason to think that one is any 'better' than any other, 
depending on what a person is looking for in their walk.

As the Grey Lady pointed out to me (Hi, Lady!!  For some silly reason, I
simply *cannot* mail to your address, and I haven't figured it out, yet.)
there are many Christians who are as open minded as I am who don't study
the Bible the way that I do and who do not take it as seriously.  But it's
the only way I've found to 'defend' myself against those Christians who,
the minute they hear that I'm 'Christian' think that I should think
exactly as they do.

I am no sheep, though if I were I would probably that one black sheep that
never liked being with the rest of the flock.  But then no shepherd in his
right mind would leave a flock of 100 to chase down the one... chuckle...
it took one that was in his left brain and taught through stories...

I am no literalist.

I am no faith nut, nor do I shove my faith down other people's throats
unless they start in (sigh... I guess it's related to me only taking on
the huge, hairy guys that say they want to hammer someone) on trashing
*my* beliefs.  I do that mostly in private, too.  But, as someone pointed
out on another group, "Intolerance of intolerance is still intolerance."
So, usually, I just live and let live.  Which means that I'm quieter than
the others.

The Christians that I work with don't spread 'the Word' of God by talking
*at* people about it, because that never comes out right (as I repeatedly
get taught, I should learn, someday...).   The Word has become reality, so
we work with it the way it was shown to us, showing our faith by our
deeds.  We try to spread it by *doing* the right thing instead of telling
people what the right thing is...  So, naturally, most of us are quieter
and less heard from.  But we do try to spread it, but by deed instead of by
preaching at folks.

I don't say that *all* Chrisitians are like this.  I don't even know if
they 'should' be.  I only know that it's the path for me and those that 
work with me.
---
Liralen Li
li@Data-IO.com
Newsgroups: alt.callahans