Board:   [DoveNet] Religious Discussion/Debate/Evangelism
Subject: Re: On deeply held belief
From:    Boraxman
Date:    Wed Nov 11, 2026 08:47

@VIA: MSRDBBS
-=> Outatime wrote to Boraxman <=-

 Ou> @MSGID: <6AF289DE.14273.dove-rel@vert.synchro.net>
 B> Some of the most fanatical fundamentalists are those who describe
 B> themselves as
 B> atheists.  They technically are, but they are religious, its just their
 B> religion doesn't have a God (unless you count Hitler as some sort of
 B> anti-God)

 Ou> At this point the word "religious" is not part of my vocabulary when I
 Ou> talk about people of faith in God. Because at best it's meaningless in
 Ou> that context; at worst, it's derogatory.

 Ou> There is a word used to describe certain Christians, "evangelical,"
 Ou> which means strictly, according to the (Christian) Gospel, and a little
 Ou> more nuanced, referring to Christians who hold firm the authority of
 Ou> the Bible and a personal conversion to faith. A number of Christian
 Ou> denominations--perhaps not Catholic, Orthodox, or some protestant
 Ou> mainline--could be described this way. But in public, it's a stain.
 Ou> It's the evangelicals who (used to) terrorize abortion clinics.
 Ou> Evangelicals had a big hand in voting in Trump, twice! Evangelicals
 Ou> hate gays. I mean, that's what they say. But none of it is actually
 Ou> true. It's a misused label for conveniently grouping people together
 Ou> who don't necessarily belong grouped together.

 Ou> So, even though it's a fine word with a solid definition, it's got
 Ou> baggage, like "religious" and I wouldn't use it among most company.

Evangelicals are not a big thing here in Australia.  There are some, and
they've grown in the last couple of decades (thanks to US influence :( ), but
for most of us here, it is a curiosity, something strange.  Most Australians
would probably agree with me when I say we don't really want that kind of thing
here.

This is a big cultural difference between us and the US.  We don't do revivals.
We don't do these big stadium filling political rallies.  We're laid back and
understated in the regard.  I remember when a company I worked for was
purchased by Americans, and the American managers came with their over-the-top
"Gee golly aren't we all great today!" over-enthusiasm and we all cringed
inside.

From the point of view of someone who tries not to be religious, the key
defining feature is that faith based belief.  It's the "trust me, its true".
"Trust me, I know" aspect.

I'm agnostic, in the sense that I don't think anyone truly knows the nature of
God, if there one, and anyone claiming to doesn't actually know more than me.



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