now, i didn't mean to horribly offend anyone by saying in class that not everyone is christian. i just think that is extremely important to realize that people are different and they have different beliefs. if you can begin an argument with "its says so in the bible" but end it with a statement completly un-religious based...more power to ya. just remember when debating with others, that not everyone reads the bible and not everyone is christian. try backing your opinion up with something else.

Kaelyn I totally agree with you! Like you I am unsure of what my religious standings are, but I do know that people use the bible as a way of backing up what they are saying and that is so unfair to people that are not practicing christians. I have been scutinized in many discussions by people who take random sayings from the bible and use that as a weapon to discard my arugment. The bible itself is open to interpretation and I don't think its right for people quote things and use it as a "law" that all people should follow.

i understand where you two stand. i realize not everyone regards the bible as i would, as a christian. however, i feel that it can't be completely discarded from an argument as a reliable source...even if it is merely looked upon as a historical document. i also apologize that the bible has ever been presented to you as "law". you definitely have choice in how you view it.

and since you've both mentioned your uncertainty of religious views, i would like to encourage you to continue to discover them. i've definitely learned how important it is to be confident in my beliefs/convictions and to understand why i have them.

I think it is very hard for a Christian to think about such issues without basing it on the Bible and their beliefs. The way we are brought up makes us what we are and what we think on such issues.

I totally agree with you all. Being Jewish, all my life people have pointed out various things that the Bible states as proof for why something is right or wrong. I'm always kind of like, "um, ok. you got your Bible from our Old Testament and i thought i knew and understood what that said.." my point being that interpretation is all up to us. If you're Christian-more power to you, and I totally understand that's your belief system and where your values are shaped. However, the rest of the world has various belief systems, so I just want to remind you all that as creditable the Bible may be to you, it may not be to someone else-and I think that's what Kaelyn was getting at. I also believe that the last time I checked, one of the commandments says "Love thy neighbour," and not "Love thy straight Christian neighbour." I hope I'm not offending anyone, just trying to open some eyes.