From: mjmh@crsa.bu.edu (Michael J M Holmes)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: Another introduction...
Date: 17 Nov 92 22:12:32 GMT
Organization: Boston University Center for Remote Sensing

In article <OLSON.92Nov17000905@husc8.harvard.edu> olson@husc8.harvard.edu (Chip Olson@somewhere.out.there) writes:


>"Not for all, but a distressing percentage." observes Castellan.  "Friend of
>mine once asked to borrow a proselytizing BAC's Bible... then sat on it and
>said `Now what were you saying?' `Ummm...'  Poor fellow was completely help-
>less without his crutch.  My biggest problem is when they find out I'm Uni-
>tarian... some are convinced I'm going straight to hell, worship Satan etc.,
>but the worst is when they ask what it is... it's hard enough to explain to
>reasonably open-minded people, let alone those whose only interest is to get
>me to believe what they think I should believe.


"I can understand THAT completely." /* chuckles. "When I try to tell
even open-minded people about my beliefs, it comes out as a strange
humanistic agnostic Buddhism.  Some of the 'Born-Agains' I have met
see that as about equal to paganism!"


>>"Hmm, haven't heard of that one.  Sounds like a christian cult.


>"Worse, they're a political lobbying group, headed by the oddly named Rev.
>Donald Wildmon.  Anti-homosexual, anti-abortion, pro-school prayer, anti-
>anything remotely having to do with sex or education thereof; these are
>the people who give thousands of perfectly reasonable born-agains bad names."


"Yikes.  You're right, that sounds pretty extreme."

/* pauses to consider.  "I think that's the problem with
extremists in any sense.  They don't leave any room for
discussion, understanding, mutual respect -and they certainly
don't seem to be open to learning anything new!"


[deletions about my brother and the Boston Church of Christ]

>"Yeah, I managed to politely fend off a BCC member on the ferry back from
>Martha's Vineyard a couple months back... they look and sound like a normal
>church, but they are very cultish in some respects.  Fortunately, I was
>able to convince this fellow that I was an unlikely convert."


"They do seem to pop up in a lot of public places.  Long before my
brother got involved with the Providence chapter, I'd been approached
on the campus of UMass/Boston, and on the Red Line (one of the main
subway lines in Boston, for non-Bostonians!)"


[deletions - I'm commenting on diversity being important]

>"Amen, and it goes both ways- too many of my co-religionists claim to be
>open and accepting of all faiths and beliefs, then turn around and slam
>Christianity. Of course, most Unitarians became such as a reaction against
>Christian upbringings, so there's a bit of a blind spot there.


"As I've said, I also had a period of general 'Christian-bashing.'
In this culture, a lot of people see Christianity as 'the big one' that
squashes all others.  That's one of the reasons why I too have seen
a lot of people who are open about 'all religions' also slam 
Christianity.  It seems pretty odd at first."


>>"Thanks, Abner!  I think I need another drink after that Purple-People
>>Eater scare!!"

>"GRRROWFF!! sorry, just kidding..."

/* jumps back, then laughs.

>whew<

"I've got to watch out for that!  And all you shape-changers!  *Please*
try to control the impulse to shift into a Purple-People Eater as a
prank!  I don't think my purple heart could take it!!"

:)



-- 
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Mike Holmes       mjmh@crsa.bu.edu           "Happiness Will Prevail!"
Boston University Department of Geography (a truly GREAT place to work!)
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