Are there any leftists who dont see the world with a simplistic religious "good vs evil guy" mentality?
831917
Well one thing for sure they aren't History majors or economists. No country has held any standard of living for long by laying that heavy a burden on their economy. The lefts pipe dreams have been tried over and over again through history yet why they don't look at these as case studies and learn is beyond me.
952701
The Universalist Unitarians are probably the closest thing to what you are asking.\n\nNot a specific religion but more a conglomeration of them and generally, as far as religious people go, extremely welcoming and not prone to proselytizing.\n\nI am generally against y kind of organized religion because of the negative effects that seem to come from it (especially these days) but even I can't really find too much fault with them, they are all about spiritual growth and worshiping in your own way... kinda odd but different at least.
415958
"Do they not see that their position is untenable?"\n\nThey don't allow themselves to see. You have to remember you're talking about a group of people who believe that even thinking a thought that could, possibly, lead them into thinking about things other then what they've been told is the truth, is bad. \n\nThey believe that even their THOUGHTS are being monitored 24/7/365 for any "bad" thoughts. They live believing any a very super-1984'sih existence. It's kinda sad. \n\nDon't get angry at them, it's not their fault for the most part. They are scared of everything. Of death, of God, of eternal damnation, etc, etc. Just remember, it's their supposed mission to "convert" people, not yours. They try to force people into believing what they do, be better then they are.
466926
'narrow minded jerks' comes to mind
833879
excellent question, you seem the only one so far that gets it. Good for you  - I'm being to think that these people are so brainwashed they can no longer think objectively
696814
Democrats are not dumb.  I know several who are very intelligent.  They just tend to be like sheep.  They believe everything any liberal says as if it where the word of God himself.  Just look at the garbage on moveon.org and you'll see what I mean.  Don't judge our democratic friends, just help educate them.
817397
It doesn't sound like any religion in particular, but it does sound like a utilitarian utopia. Perhaps that helps.
469504
Well, to commence, the framework you are using for your question only accounts for those of Abrahamic faiths.  That's to say there are three major religions that share a common plotline going back to Abraham.  They are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  Of the hundreds of religions on the planet outside these three, many fail to have such a melodramatic “good verses evil” relationship or have alternately interesting structures of faith.  So, you could see why many of those would not believe in a devil, but could believe in a god.\n\nNow, among those faiths that do purport the existence of an all-evil figure, there are many which do not practice their faith as taught.  They still consider themselves Christians or Jews or Muslims, but have found fundamental fault with humankind’s influence over how a god's teachings are put into action.  In so doing, they've been left without guides beyond the self, spiritualists, people smart enough to know that there is something quite precious larger than themselves, but unable to articulate that feeling out beyond a natural, balanced, state of neutrality.  In many cases these folk might be closer to the truth than a practitioner and in many cases further from it.  Nonetheless, in the infinite constructs it takes to presume greatness without guidance, a sort of an independent research, many constructs take a shape leaning toward righteousness to such a degree of obliterating evil as an outside source.  To these folks, evil is construct of humankind and personifying anything as a greater source of evil than humankind is a shallow attempt to take the blame off of ourselves.  That said, the opposite also occurs with equal frequency.  Some people are able to make that personification of an evil source, without being able to conceptualize a being greater than that, one which could make all that evil go away.  They are, in fact, only human.\n\nIn Belgium, for instance, in the 80s, the opposite of your question was true. There were many people who believed in God, but did not believe in the devil.  You can see where those folks and the folks you are worked up over, kind of fall into the same basket.\n\nIt comes down to source materials.  If a person derives belief in a god from words above all else, then s/he logically has to believe the remainder of those words.  If instead, a person's belief in a god includes words, but more readily comes from nature or quantum physics or emotions or imperial thinking or consistencies between religions or practices or art or study of other words, then it becomes very easy to formulate alternate spiritualities that neither step on the toes of religious dogma nor fall in regimented concordance with it.  In any case, that is HOW some people come to believe in one and not the other.  Best be careful not to lump the conscientious folks who’ve thought their ways into this positions to be lumped in with the “confused” masses who’ve arrived there out of laziness.\n\nFor you, good asker, though known as Satan, as Lucifer and by other names, the word "devil" was actually taken from mythology that existed in non-Abrahamic religions.  Devils, among their other supposed appearances, were little, red, horned miscreants that caused bad things to happen.  They were just as fictional as gremlins, sprites, trolls, and imps, but we, as Judeo-Christians borrowed that image and that word to better explain Satan because it was something that the people already knew about from drawings.  So, in a linguistic sense, if you believe in the devil, you are believing in something that doesn't exist and therefore the person best suited to answer your own question.
749698
My Christian upbringing tells me to have compassion for those less fortunate, to help the poor and the needy, to give and share for the benefit of all, to love my neighbor, to turn my back on hate and violence, and to put my fellow man (and woman) above material wealth.\n\nThe liberals, even the ones who are atheists, espouse the Christian teachings and the examples of Jesus we're supposed to follow more than conservatives.
352509
Yes I am, and I don't appreciate the dirty tricks squads from their people. All the scandals in the name of Capitalistic Religion. Our forefathers knew best about separation of church and State, and it would keep America from falling into a Fascist Dictatorship, lead by a false Religion. Capitalism is not a Religion of the Lord, it's just the opposite of. It's says you can't follow two masters and be tuned into the Lord.
233840
My guess is no.  They tend to have a social Darwinistic, sink-or-swim mentality that not unlike the Calvinistic doctrines, justifies the accumulation of wealth.\n\nI tend to see them as selfish and socially irresponsible on average. Its a sort of " I've got mine -screw you " attitude that is so characteristic of the Bush Administration. \n\nGod knows if ever I become rich I may undergo a similar transformation, but I don't think it will happen. \n\nThen you have these crazy, born-again, Talibornagain, Rapture-cult Christians who want to rape and plunder the world because they are going to heaven anyway. \nThose folks are Republicans too. \nI am not pulling any punches here, am I ?
1032822
Excellent question and I bet that you will not get an intelligent answer.  If liberals were truly open minded you would have balanced political representation at all Colleges & Universities, instead of the typical 80 - 20% split that currently exisits.  If liberal were truly open minded they would not attack Christianity and defend it like they do other religions.  Liberals are the epitome of doulble standards.
935809
It has been my experience that white people DO expect other white people to share their narrow minded views.  It is seems to me that most narrow minded individuals expect others to share their views.
368192
I am glad there is someone else out there questioning the manmade mythological figure as well as the socially constructed theologies or religious politics, I was raised in a catholic environment and decided based on the hypocrisy and stupidity that there was no god at the age of five,but only told my dad,my mom and her mom dragged us to church almost everyday and on the weekends where we were forced to witness a bunch of ignorant hypocrites who drank,beat their wives and children,whose sons were in prison for raping and murdering,daughters who have illegitimate children or are molested by a family member it is the same typical congregation anywhere you go, everyone goes to the meat market looking for a date,ready to punish and condemn other people for their mistakes or flaws while pretending to have none themselves,and pay (donate money) to listen to some stranger talk about something he does not believe in or follow himself (it is rare to find a sincere minister and you can tell that because when people find out one exists only his mass becomes a standing room only event and people come from all over to hear him)\nthe Jehovah witnesses were the most intolerant as children we were scared of them and we would run inside ,turn off the tv and play quietly pretending not to be home,when they came walking down the street with their watch tower magazines trying to convert everyone and prepared to argue with you for hours with your own bible if you give them a chance to,they rejected and disowned their own children and family members for their cult and we felt sorry for their kids and wanted nothing to do with their selfish god who seemed worse than our catholic one ,only the exdrug addict /alcoholic - former convict born again christians could match the persistence and brainwashed mentality of the witnesses, it's like their new addiction was jesus and they had to praise every other damn word out of your mouth it is sickening(remember these were observations of a child)as children we saw through all the crap that adults hide behind ,so they dont have to deal with what they dont understand, and watched them practice predjudice,bigoted behavior,heard their ugly intolerant words as they punish others for the same sins they commit themselves in private,I wonder happened to some of my peers and how they ended up becoming part of this virus of society, \nwhat bothers me most is the comments and questions that demonstrate many supposed christians dont know what the hell they are talking about - they miss the whole point or dont understand and apply their own supposed values to themselves but hold the world to their personal standards ,they all insist jesus came from a virgin (god forbid that vagina ever had a penis in it or an orgasm)but dont seem to understand or care about the significance of the heretic christs story or parable, either the whole lesson went over their head or they are stupid hypocrites that dont understand a blind man can smell their bs\nas an adult I am still learning about other religions and I see alot of ugly things people do to cause suffering in the name of god and alot less good coming from religion which seems to serve evil more than anything else\nI have seen men die afraid,sad,and alone knowing that they are somehow treated as subhuman and regarded with hatred by their own parents for being gay and having aids. \nsecond only to protesting at funerals this is one of the most vile unforgivable christian acts ,I have witnessed\nand if I were wrong and there is actually a special hell for those that believe in hell ,then I would gladly go there and wait for all those parents who did that to the children they brought into this world and pull their souls in after there bodies died and give satan a break while I did his work for them on their souls\nand no I am not a gay man,just a human female that cares about humans despite their assigned social statuses and labels\nif you have read any of my previous answers yo
281303
hmmmmmnnn! very much like the conspiracies from where I come from... but not as sophisticated. But you know, I believe that those in power tend to justify evil for a "better" cause...sometimes even  if it meens erradicating people who in their belief whose lives are "insignificant" to their cause. That "cause" maybe  power,pride,vengeance, wealth,religion, lives of a few or more non "insignificant" individuals.  I find it hard to accept but somehow, I believe it is in it each one of us. In fact, it is written in our history books. We all have our Guardian Devil's to guide us.....fighting the urge to give in to the "URGE" would deeply depend on our individual ability to balance our sense of good and evil, right and wrong. sometimes....we tend to balance things with the conclusion that evil becomes right, and good becomes less right.  sad but true.......  9-11 is just a reflection of this nature.  sometimes, I believe that the whole world has becum a physical entity of HELL itself. This is not the world God wants us to live in or what He wanted for us. But we formed it this way.....so much for free will!!! After Noahs Arc, God may want to punish us all next with FIRE for all we know. I dont know if this world could ever get cured..... God knows......!
428813
The Positive roles were too numerous to list here, every thing from faith based actions to the fall of the iron curtain. About the only negative ones were from the wackoes on the extreme ends of the bell curve. This current "war against terrorists" started in the twentieth century by a right-wing (as opposed to the left-wing atheists) bunch of religious fanatics that have trashed the Koran. At the same time, the "lefties" have trashed Christmas, Halloween, Easter, the sacrament of marriage,, etc. etc.
249487
I am sorry to not be able to offer better company. If it is of any relief, I did meet one guy a long time ago who was a true atheist. His belief was that mankind would be better off the sooner they realized that a higher power was neither existant nor necessary. I was intrigued to find someone of such a like and opinion. Although I do not agree, I did respect his thoughts and beliefs. Unfortunately, the rest of the class overheard and went off on him. I had to apologize for it was not my intention when I first asked. So, no, you're not alone.