Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

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nobspeople
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Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #1

Post by nobspeople »

In a recent thread, when asked 'what percentage/how much of the bible needs to be real for you to believe?', the answers' ranges weren't too surprising.
I was once told my experiences with XYZ group shouldn't soil my view of the whole group. When ask exactly how many I should have experiences with to form an opinion, I was met with nothing of value.

There is a saying of 'one bad apple spoils the whole bushel'. Can this thinking be attributed to christians and, by proxy, the whole belief system?
I believe it's very possible. Why? Because god should have 'better control over the situation' if god is wanting his sheep to minister and, thus, draw more people into its 'bosom' (no people aren't robots but that doesn't mean god should have some sort of control over situations and peoples' heart).

I don't believe anyone honestly thinks christians should be perfect. Humans are going to fail, even the most devout and righteous. As the saying goes, 'christians aren't perfect, just forgiven'. That said, christians should be held to a higher standard than the lay person simply because they have access to 'a power' or influence that others do not, as well as 'knowing better' when it comes to doing the right vs. wrong thing.

This leads to the concept of the 'one bad apple'. One bad experience with a christian can hurt another's view on the belief system, or at least that denomination. But is this appropriate? Is it logical?

For discussion:
Should having a bad experience with one christian be detrimental to one's view of christianity?
If not, how many 'bad experiences' should one have to form an accurate opinion of christianity?
Has this happened to you?
Do believers accept that 'one bad apple' can sully the view of another for their religion? Or do believers have a totally different POV on the subject?
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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Re: Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #11

Post by TRANSPONDER »

Not sure I follow you, mate. As I said, bad apple does not infect the barrel if tossed out quick. So one wierdo in a circle may pass undetected which surely means he is NOT poisoning the group (unless he's the preacher (1) and if he's detected....well I've seen a works group turn collective backs on one who went out of his way to me obnoxious (no, :) not me, this time). He's get the message in time.

However a barrel that is bad will infect anyone that joins the group. The teaching alone will spoil them, with our without mindbending authoritarianism. There is only one cure - run for the door and never give them your name, address or phone number.

(1) but everyone will make a bolt for the door unless he's already shot the bolt on the door.

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Re: Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #12

Post by nobspeople »

TRANSPONDER wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 8:49 am Not sure I follow you, mate. As I said, bad apple does not infect the barrel if tossed out quick. So one wierdo in a circle may pass undetected which surely means he is NOT poisoning the group (unless he's the preacher (1) and if he's detected....well I've seen a works group turn collective backs on one who went out of his way to me obnoxious (no, :) not me, this time). He's get the message in time.

However a barrel that is bad will infect anyone that joins the group. The teaching alone will spoil them, with our without mindbending authoritarianism. There is only one cure - run for the door and never give them your name, address or phone number.

(1) but everyone will make a bolt for the door unless he's already shot the bolt on the door.
I wanted to make the differentiation between everyone in the barrel actually BEING bad because one person is vs. others SEEING everyone else in the barrel as being bad because on person is.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

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Re: Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #13

Post by TRANSPONDER »

nobspeople wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 8:56 am
TRANSPONDER wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 8:49 am Not sure I follow you, mate. As I said, bad apple does not infect the barrel if tossed out quick. So one wierdo in a circle may pass undetected which surely means he is NOT poisoning the group (unless he's the preacher (1) and if he's detected....well I've seen a works group turn collective backs on one who went out of his way to me obnoxious (no, :) not me, this time). He's get the message in time.

However a barrel that is bad will infect anyone that joins the group. The teaching alone will spoil them, with our without mindbending authoritarianism. There is only one cure - run for the door and never give them your name, address or phone number.

(1) but everyone will make a bolt for the door unless he's already shot the bolt on the door.
I wanted to make the differentiation between everyone in the barrel actually BEING bad because one person is vs. others SEEING everyone else in the barrel as being bad because on person is.
Ah Gocha. Yes. Public or popular perception because of One person (which is of course a handy propaganda tool, if someone is caught red handed. Which leads of course to smearing one person in hopes to smear the group. We have to be a bit canny here and differentiate as you say the odd bad apple from a barrel that is habitually rotten.

Of course this is really a matter for the Law (assuming it isn't tramelled by some vet0 card that the group is able to play - which is why they are always looking for power or at least exemption from the Law. Which is why it behooves us to ensure that the Law does not become the tool of this or that group, as that way Authoritarianism lies.

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Re: Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #14

Post by JoeyKnothead »

TRANSPONDER wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:59 am Darwininst Stanspawn
You owe me a mouthful of biscuit, and that sip of milk with it. I can wash off the screen.
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Re: Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #15

Post by JehovahsWitness »

nobspeople wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 2:24 pm
For discussion:
Should having a bad experience with one christian be detrimental to one's view of christianity?
If not, how many 'bad experiences' should one have to form an accurate opinion of christianity?
...
Do believers accept that 'one bad apple' can sully the view of another for their religion?

Should having a bad experience with one christian be detrimental to one's view of christianity? No, it shouldn't , no more than being mugged by a black man should make one view all black people as criminal.


If not, how many 'bad experiences' should one have to form an accurate opinion of christianity? Any number would be arbitrary; our personal experiences are limited by géographe and circumstance. For example a person might might live in a particularly high crime area where the population is mostly black. If he went out regularly at night multiple muggings might more be a result of his own bad choices than the race of the mugger.

Do believers accept that 'one bad apple' can sully the view of another for their religion? Of course.... but the discerning eye looking for truth will take a wider view and seek to find out the fundamentals of a religion if he wants to find (the) one that pleases God.



"wisdom is shown to be right by its results" - JESUS CHRIST
To read more please go to other posts related to POSTS RELATED to ...

RELIGION, CHRISTIANITY and ...JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Last edited by JehovahsWitness on Sat May 07, 2022 12:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681


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Re: Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #16

Post by JoeyKnothead »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 11:24 am
Should having a bad experience with one christian be detrimental to one's view of christianity?
No, it shouldn't, no more than being mugged by a black man should make one view all black people as criminal.
Very much.
JW wrote:
If not, how many 'bad experiences' should one have to form an accurate opinion of christianity?
Any number would be arbitrary; our personal experiences are limited by géographe and circumstance. For example a person might might live in a particularly high crime area where the population is mostly black. If he went out regularly at night multiple muggings might more be a result of his own bad choices than the race of the mugger.
Yup. I know not to go around the pretty thing when she's upset with me, so I hide out in the barn til she rings the dinner bell.
JW wrote:
Do believers accept that 'one bad apple' can sully the view of another for their religion?
Of course.
...
Well dangit, ya didn't give me nothing to fuss about :wave:

But yeah, humans're such that there's a cuss in every group, and some in the same group, ya just wanna hug.

That said, there's a problem when one bunch seeks to impose goofy notions on another bunch.
I might be Teddy Roosevelt, but I ain't.
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Re: Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #17

Post by TRANSPONDER »

JoeyKnothead wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 6:13 am
TRANSPONDER wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:59 am Darwininst Stanspawn
You owe me a mouthful of biscuit, and that sip of milk with it. I can wash off the screen.
"A smear of Theist hate is thus wiped away as easily as a gob of soggy biscuit from a computer screen".

(Old saying that I just made up)
JehovahsWitness wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 11:24 am
nobspeople wrote: Tue May 03, 2022 2:24 pm
For discussion:
Should having a bad experience with one christian be detrimental to one's view of christianity?
If not, how many 'bad experiences' should one have to form an accurate opinion of christianity?
...
Do believers accept that 'one bad apple' can sully the view of another for their religion?

Should having a bad experience with one christian be detrimental to one's view of christianity? No, it shouldn't , no more than being mugged by a black man should make one view all black people as criminal.


If not, how many 'bad experiences' should one have to form an accurate opinion of christianity? Any number would be arbitrary; our personal experiences are limited by géographe and circumstance. For example a person might might live in a particularly high crime area where the population is mostly black. If he went out regularly at night multiple muggings might more be a result of his own bad choices than the race of the mugger.

Do believers accept that 'one bad apple' can sully the view of another for their religion? Of course.... but the discerning eye looking for truth will take a wider view and seek to find out the fundamentals of a religion if he wants to find (the) one that pleases God.



"wisdom is shown to be right by its results" - JESUS CHRIST
To read more please go to other posts related to POSTS RELATED to ...

RELIGION, CHRISTIANITY and ...JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
As agreed with Joey K above, we have to be able to tell a good organisation that happens to have a bad apple slip into it and an organisation that is itself rotten.

Known by their fruits. yes? Which is why some organisations ;) try to keep the lid tight fast on the barrel and deny the fetid smell.

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Re: Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #18

Post by TRANSPONDER »

JoeyKnothead wrote: Fri May 06, 2022 6:13 am
TRANSPONDER wrote: Thu May 05, 2022 7:59 am Darwininst Stanspawn
That's another fine mess he's gotten us into..,

These users thanked the author TRANSPONDER for the post (total 2):
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Re: Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #19

Post by Difflugia »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 11:24 amIf not, how many 'bad experiences' should one have to form an accurate opinion of christianity? Any number would be arbitrary; our personal experiences are limited by géographe and circumstance. For example a person might might live in a particularly high crime area where the population is mostly black. If he went out regularly at night multiple muggings might more be a result of his own bad choices than the race of the mugger.
It never occurred to me that victim-blaming might be the solution to racism.
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Re: Christians and their 'bad apple-ism'

Post #20

Post by JoeyKnothead »

Difflugia wrote: Mon May 09, 2022 12:12 pm
JehovahsWitness wrote: Sat May 07, 2022 11:24 amIf not, how many 'bad experiences' should one have to form an accurate opinion of christianity? Any number would be arbitrary; our personal experiences are limited by géographe and circumstance. For example a person might might live in a particularly high crime area where the population is mostly black. If he went out regularly at night multiple muggings might more be a result of his own bad choices than the race of the mugger.
It never occurred to me that victim-blaming might be the solution to racism.
I didn't catch that angle before. Thanks for the schooling.
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