Lord Save Us From Your Followers

[GTAsoldier]

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm back. Did y'all miss me? Anyhow, I wanted to put this in the "Your Religion/Beliefs" sticky but then I thought the topic I'm gonna share with y'all should be a thread on its on. So here I go....

I was watching this documentary yesterday and it really stood out to me.

I don't care what religious / spiritual beliefs you have (or what you don't have), but this is a must-watch for anyone. Don't be put off by the title and don't be derailed because of it's content. Here's the synopsis:

If you were to meet ten average Americans on the street, nine of them would say they believe in God. So why is the Gospel of Love dividing America?

Dan Merchant put on his bumper-sticker-clad jumpsuit and decided to find the reason. After talking with scores of men and women on streets all across the nation, and also interviewing many well-known activists in today’s “Culture Wars,” Dan realized that the public discussion of faith doesn’t have to be contentious.

From its opening Talking Heads sequence through its touching look at faith in action, Lord, Save Us From Your Followers is a fast-paced, highly engaging documentary that explores the collision of faith and culture in America while opening up this important conversation to all of us.

As discussion of religion floods the media, the rhetoric is divisive, hyper, and most often, angry. With humor more common in a comedy-sketch program than a documentary, Merchant brings the sensibilities of someone who is deeply concerned with how his faith is being represented by others. Lord, Save Us provides a provocative, funny, and redemptive discussion that is sure to continue long after the credits run.

Merchant sits down for interviews with well-known people on all sides of this great divide, including best-selling author William Paul Young (The Shack), comedian/politician Al Franken, former “Religious Right” Senator Rick Santorum, noted “liberal evangelical” Tony Campolo, conservative radio host Michael Reagan, and racial reconciliation activist Dr. John Perkins.

If that’s not divergent enough, other features include Bono, Rick Warren, Bill Maher, James Dobson, George Clooney, Jerry Falwell, Stephen Colbert, Ann Coulter, Pat Robertson, Lewis Black, Tony Perkins, Monty Python, and even Stewie from “Family Guy”… along with many others.

Add to that the nationwide man-on-the-street interviews with “Bumper-Sticker Man,” the Culture Wars game show, the “renaming” of St. Paul to New Leningrad, and a controversial and moving “Confession Booth” at Portland’s Gay Pride celebration, and Lord, Save Us From Your Followers delves into religious hot-button issues with candor, humor, and balance.

Engaging, unpredictable, and challenging, Lord, Save Us From Your Followers will change the way you talk about faith!

You can see it on youtube or Netflix or get it on DVD.

peace and blessings,

GTA

P.S. The guy who did this documentary wears a crazy bumper-sticker jumpsuit.

[Huckleberry Pie]

I'm born and raised as a Catholic, although not a very devout one to be honest. There are times when I feel uncertain about things, but then again I would still like to pay respects to The Lord.

The issue of colficting faiths and beliefs is a big one, and the fact that some Christians and atheists are debating whether what we believe in makes sense made me think so deeply about it. Some insist that religion is a paradox (the Bible for one, was said to be having conflicts), but I view it as a mere quirk. For me there's no need to argue about the presence of God or something. As long as I believe (and follow) Him, I'm OK with it.

Edited August 18, 2010 by Huckleberry Pie

[BlackListedB]

I'm raised a Lutheran Christian, better then Catholic. The problem with Man's Religious stance is that he is only Man, you have to still have Ultimate Faith in a Higher Power then Mortal man. Some people who don't wish to die and go to Hell just believe you die and never wake up or perhaps, are born again, not as human but re-incarnated as a butterfly or horse? What I'm saying is why should your stance that there is no God be correct all of a sudden, if you're a mere mortal taking guesses about such things.

Your proof perhaps not more valid then our own, however, Man surely did not create life or the Universe

[Gerard]

I'm raised a Lutheran Christian, better then Catholic. The problem with Man's Religious stance is that he is only Man, you have to still have Ultimate Faith in a Higher Power then Mortal man. Some people who don't wish to die and go to Hell just believe you die and never wake up or perhaps, are born again, not as human but re-incarnated as a butterfly or horse? What I'm saying is why should your stance that there is no God be correct all of a sudden, if you're a mere mortal taking guesses about such things.

Your proof perhaps not more valid then our own, however, Man surely did not create life or the Universe

Why should *your* stance that there IS a god be correct? There's no proof or evidence at all, only books and stories.

Yes there is the existence of the universe, but that doesn't prove there's a god at all. Of course it wasn't man that made it, but why does it have to be an old man in the sky?

There is SO much that happens naturally (reproduction, plate tectonics, weather, stars/planets) that people previously thought was operated by a god. To me, everything happens naturally, including the start of the universe, and most of what humans do.

On this forum, we've had a lot of people say things like "ALLAH CREATED THE WORLD, SO HE IS RIGHT" without any explanation at all. Just don't do that.

(I don't blame people for having beliefs, especially not if they were brought up with it, I just think it's wrong)

[jf1093]

If this is anything like Religulous then I'll watch it, loved that movie lol

I was born and raised Christian and believe in God, but take it much more lightly than a lot of other people. There's no definitive proof that theres a God, but there doesn't need to be, whatever you believe is fine with me. In a way, It's all real. Think about it. Haven't Luke Skywalker and Santa Claus affected your lives more than most real people here? I mean, whether Jesus is real or not, he's had a bigger impact on the world than any of us have. And the same can be said for Bugs Bunny and Superman and Harry Potter. They've changed my life, changed the way I act on the earth. Doesn't that make them kind of real? They might be imaginary but, they're more important than most of us here. And they're all gonna be around here long after we're dead. So, in a way, those things are more realer than any of us.

[Nate10]

If this is anything like Religulous then I'll watch it, loved that movie lol

x2

I was born and raised Christian and believe in God, but take it much more lightly than a lot of other people. There's no definitive proof that theres a God, but there doesn't need to be, whatever you believe is fine with me. In a way, It's all real. Think about it. Haven't Luke Skywalker and Santa Claus affected your lives more than most real people here? I mean, whether Jesus is real or not, he's had a bigger impact on the world than any of us have. And the same can be said for Bugs Bunny and Superman and Harry Potter. They've changed my life, changed the way I act on the earth. Doesn't that make them kind of real? They might be imaginary but, they're more important than most of us here. And they're all gonna be around here long after we're dead. So, in a way, those things are more realer than any of us.

I see your point, but we understand Luke Skywalker is fiction. Luke Skywalker isn't telling us that the force is real and that if we don't believe in it we'll burn in hell for all eternity. See the difference?

[Masked Marauder]

I consider myself to be the last person who would want to take part in a religious discussion, along with politics. Mostly because I just do not want to take part in a "holy war" as I call it. But to idly sit by and say nothing is no better than opening one's pie hole just to hear one's own head roar.

Born and raised Protestant Christian. Am I better than anyone else? Do I look down on others of different faith or beliefs? Do I think that I have it right and everyone else has it wrong? Certainly not.

With that said, a comment was made that seemed to say "God, if you are out there, show yourself and maybe I will believe". If the stock market was nothing but a sure thing, EVERYBODY would be playing and where would that leave the global economy? Would a writer put the climax of mystery novel in the first chapter or at the end? My religious background centers around faith. There are formal interpretations of what faith is, but I will spare everyone all of that. It is basically the belief that there is something more in store for me beyond the finite limit of my short time here. I have faith that when I leave this world that I have more to look forward to besides being tits up holding a lily while taking an eternal dirt nap in a horizontal phone booth. Simply put: there HAS to be something more. IF there is not, what am I out by believing? I hope for something more; for something that I don't give much thought to on a regular basis: my soul.

The God that I know is a God of love. We have interpreted the Bible in a myriad of different ways, but He never instructed us to hate or kill each other because of our own meager attempts at understanding Him. I do not think that it pleases Him to fight each other over who is right and who is wrong. We probably ALL have it wrong in His eyes. Which is why He summed it up very simply for us: Love Him, and each other - in our everyday lives. If that's all that He requires of me then no problem.

Which is why I took the time to type all of this. Not to preach, or convert, or damn everyone else to unholy hell. Just what He asks of me.

Edited March 21, 2011 by Masked Marauder

[MrLlamaLlama]

My issue lies within why alot of religious people get irate when people like me say can't we do this:

I do not think that it pleases Him to fight each other over who is right and who is wrong.

without a god?

Now, I believe that religion has, beyond any doubt carved the human sense of morality (which varies between what societies deem acceptable), probably for the better, otherwise we'd be on par with the Animals, where it's ultimately a free for all to preserve your own bloodline and lineage. Let's face it, working together has got us pretty far.

On the flip side, why if all these religions are teaching morality, and love... do members of one religion hate so readily members of another whose standpoints overlap so vastly? One bible verse has always piqued my interest. "If a man strikes you on your right cheek, turn and offer him your left" - If I turn around and tell a Christian I think their religion is based on fiction, should they not simply accept and move on with the resolve that they know they are taking the right path? Instead I'd more often find someone that becomes angered and begins to attack my views and call them out. If you take it on the larger scale, should this really happen inter-religion - I can't help but think nobody can really agree what the Bible is saying - yes, ofcourse the are many interpretation and translation differences, but some CORE aspects seem to be confused aswell.

For the record, I change my beliefs based on the information I'm presented with. If I come across a new way of thinking which seems more logical than the one I hold now, I pursue it.. I go with my gut. Some people may say this is a little elitist and means I'm a glory seeker, etc, but I disagree. If you like the Big Mac and think it's the best burger in the world, then go to KFC and try their new burger and it's better - like, clearly - I'm talking 4 bits o' chicken, 3 bacon, 2 cheese, no salad and don't skimp on the barbecue sauce better, then you don't stick to your guns on the undersauced, over gherkinned Mac Shack.

This went on longer than I wanted it to. And had more metaphors.

[Masked Marauder]

@MrLlamaLlama: I honestly did not think that too many people would pay attention to this thread. *L* Yes, it is easy for a few thoughts to turn into a few long paragraphs when discussing something like this isn't it? I find myself using analogies a lot. Not because I think that people will not understand, mostly so that I am sure that the point that I was trying to make came out right. I liked the viewpoint of religion carving a sense of morality so that we at least do not resort to a "eat or be eaten" existence. And yet...

One could say that it's human nature to get irate when someone does not see things our way. I live in the U.S., a capitalist society, which could be loosely interpreted as "more for me, less for you" or "me first, you last". Maybe less IS more? Small wonder that we tend to be so defensive, even offensive, about personal beliefs. I am thinking that it is easy for even some of the most devote God-fearing church goers there are to forget everything that they think they know about God once they step back into everyday "eat or be eaten" life. Ironically, it is everyday life where (I am thinking) God would like those who believe in Him to set a good example. Perhaps those who think that they are basking in the light are more in the dark than they realize? "When I think that I know it all, then I actually know nothing at all".

There are also the factors of forgiveness to consider, and all of that good stuff. But, like you said, I do not wish to go overboard with my perspectives. I certainly do not have all of the answers, and I will not pretend that I do.

But one last thing. I heard, or read, a month or two ago a quote from the Bible: "Remember, they hated Me first".

[BlackListedB]

There's an Old Man in the Sky? that's a new one on me, I think many things you can't explain could be God's proof to you, maybe you forgot what the word Miracle means? It's a proof that God exists, as I understand it. I believe in Good, Evil, sin in the World, and the mortal Soul.

If things were as simple as black and white, then your Faith would not be tested, once you die and HE judges you, then things are that simple...black and white. In simple terms. God is the final judge of your character, I just think it behooves you to be a caring person, see the folks helping the Japanese, helping their Global Neighbors?

Well, I say, God bless those folks, they've got the right idea, that's for sure