Yeah, I was reading that aloud to people yesterday. To my ear, the Catholic pronouncement sounded condescending and the Baptist rebuttal sounded downright offensive.
Then again, my Baptist grandmother's reaction to my mother's conversion to Judaism was "I'm glad you've finally got religion." Granted that she was rather unusual, I'd still say that it's the leadership, not the followers, that need rectal craniotomies.
Being from the Bible belt, I can attest that many Southern Baptists hold the "you're going to hell" line very firmly in their hearts. It's not because they hate Jews, but because of their theology -- anyone who accepts Jesus is saved, anyone who doesn't goes to hell.
Half of my family is Southern Baptists. When my mom converted to Catholicism, she never told my greatgrandmother because she didn't want her to worry about her going to hell. She's actually spent a year trying to convince her Southern Baptist coworker that Catholics are not idolators. She did it. But then again, they have the same "pantheon"! Of course, my greatgrandmother knows nothing of me being Jewish....
Southern Baptist, splinter sect ("Primitive Baptist" is the name of it; it seems to be a cross between Shakers and Baptists).
My Aunt Trish tells a story about going holiday shopping with Grandma in the 70s. Grandma picked out a decidedly Christian Christmas card to send to my family, and Aunt Trish said, "But Mama, Gloria and Gordon don't believe in Jesus, you should pick out something else." To which Grandma said, "Well, Tricia, at least they believe in *something*." (I don't remember which card actually got sent, as it happens.)
I think that Grandma and I agreed that all forms of worship manage to see some aspect of God. I can't wrap my mind around this Son of God concept, but it's thanks to her that I don't tell people who can that they're nuts. :) I guess I'd appreciate the same respect from them. Especially after over 1500 years of persecution by them.
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Some people...
Date: 2002-08-14 01:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-08-14 01:24 pm (UTC)Then again, my Baptist grandmother's reaction to my mother's conversion to Judaism was "I'm glad you've finally got religion." Granted that she was rather unusual, I'd still say that it's the leadership, not the followers, that need rectal craniotomies.
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Date: 2002-08-15 04:54 am (UTC)Being from the Bible belt, I can attest that many Southern Baptists hold the "you're going to hell" line very firmly in their hearts. It's not because they hate Jews, but because of their theology -- anyone who accepts Jesus is saved, anyone who doesn't goes to hell.
Half of my family is Southern Baptists. When my mom converted to Catholicism, she never told my greatgrandmother because she didn't want her to worry about her going to hell. She's actually spent a year trying to convince her Southern Baptist coworker that Catholics are not idolators. She did it. But then again, they have the same "pantheon"! Of course, my greatgrandmother knows nothing of me being Jewish....
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Date: 2002-08-15 07:20 am (UTC)My Aunt Trish tells a story about going holiday shopping with Grandma in the 70s. Grandma picked out a decidedly Christian Christmas card to send to my family, and Aunt Trish said, "But Mama, Gloria and Gordon don't believe in Jesus, you should pick out something else." To which Grandma said, "Well, Tricia, at least they believe in *something*." (I don't remember which card actually got sent, as it happens.)
I think that Grandma and I agreed that all forms of worship manage to see some aspect of God. I can't wrap my mind around this Son of God concept, but it's thanks to her that I don't tell people who can that they're nuts. :) I guess I'd appreciate the same respect from them. Especially after over 1500 years of persecution by them.