INDEX 

0. Disclaimer

 1. Introduction
  1.1 What is Usenet?
  1.2 What is a FAQ?
  1.3 What is alt.flame.jesus.christ?
  1.4 Do I have to agree with anything in this FAQ to post anything to alt.flame.jesus.christ?
    1.4.1 alt.flame.jesus.christ is an unmoderated newsgroup.
    1.4.2 This FAQ is largely opinion.

 2. Flaming, Trolling, and Combat
  2.1 What is a flame?
    2.1.1 What is the purpose of flaming in general?
    2.1.2 How are flames used in alt.flame.jesus.christ?
  2.2 What is a troll?
    2.2.1 Why do people troll?
    2.2.2 How do I deal with a troll?
  2.3 Are there any Rules of Engagement here?
    2.3.1 Stick with your convictions.
    2.3.2 Know your enemy.
    2.3.3 Know yourself.

 3. Christianity In A Nutshell
  3.1 What is a Christian?
  3.2 Who was Jesus Christ?
  3.3 Who do Christians think Jesus Christ was?
  3.4 Why is a major religion based on Jesus?

 4. Modern Christianity
  4.1 What do Christians believe today?
  4.1.1 Jesus is alive.
  4.1.2 Jesus is God.
  4.1.3 You are a sinner.
  4.1.4 You are going to Hell.
  4.1.5 Jesus loves you and wants to save you from Hell.
  4.2 How do Christians practice their religion?

 5. Some Raw Truths About Christianity
  5.1 Is Christianity valid?
  5.2 What might suggest that Christianity is invalid?
  5.2.1 The Holy Bible itself.
  5.2.2 Christians themselves.
  5.3 Is there a basic, underlying motivation for Christians?
  5.4 Who becomes a Christian?
  5.4.1 Children born to Christian parents.
  5.4.2 The vulnerable and impressionable.

 6. Christians As Enemies
  6.1 Christians seem like nice people. Why oppose them?
  6.1.1 Many Christians are liars.
  6.1.2 Christians are often ignorant.
  6.1.3 Christians are narrow-minded.
  6.1.4 Christians are very hateful.
  6.1.5 Christians condone child abuse.
  6.1.6 Christians are predators.
  6.2 Are Christians dangerous?
  6.3 How should Christians be dealt with?
  6.3.1 How should Christians be dealt with in-person?
  6.3.2 How are Christians dealt with in alt.flame.jesus.christ?

 7. Opposing Christianity
  7.1 Why spend so much time denigrating things you don't believe in?
  7.2 Why focus on Christianity? There are plenty of other religions to oppose.

SECTION 0 - DISCLAIMER 
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0.1 This article is provided without any expressed or implied warranties. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the factual information in this article, be advised that this article also contains many opinions that are not necessarily endorsed by anyone other than the author(s). The author(s) assume(s) no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

1.1 What is Usenet?
To be brief, Usenet is a part of the larger internet where places for discussion (newsgroups) have been set up for group interaction. Messages are posted to these groups for others to read and comment on. For greatest ease of use, most newsgroups have specific topics, usually reflected in the name of the group.

1.2 What is a FAQ?
FAQ stands for "frequently asked questions" or "frequently answered questions", depending on who you ask. These are documents on various topics, usually composed by experts and/or enthusiasts in order to answer certain questions that constantly come up in regards to a subject. 

In the context of Usenet, FAQs are intended to answer some (not all) of the common questions asked in a particular newsgroup. Most newsgroups have their own FAQ, and these are periodically posted to their home newsgroups, and to news.answers. 

A FAQ is intended to answer some (not all) of the common questions asked in a particular newsgroup. This ensures that the time of the 'regular' posters don't have to repeatedly answer the same questions. It also saves you from potential ridicule for asking a common question. 

This FAQ doesn't contain many frequently asked questions and their answers (although there are a few); it's more of a fact file, and a summary of opinions shared by most of the people who contribute to the critical conversations in alt.flame.jesus.christ. It may be best to think of this document as more of a "guide" than a FAQ.

1.3 What is alt.flame.jesus.christ?
A flame newsgroup (see definition of "flame" below) dedicated to exposing, ridiculing, and critically discussing Christianity. Some of reasons for this activity are explored below.

1.4 Do I have to agree with anything in this FAQ to post anything to alt.flame.jesus.christ?
No. 

1.4.1 alt.flame.jesus.christ is an unmoderated newsgroup.
Nobody decides what is or is not an appropriate post. Ideally, posts should somehow relate to Christianity, but that is not a requirement. No posts are ever cancelled due to content, as far as I know.  Please be aware that the posting of 'spam' or commercial advertisements is frowned upon by most ISP's as well as the usenet community.  If someone -is- posting spam, he/she runs a risk of being reported to http://spamcop.net and runs the risk of having his/her account terminated.

1.4.2 This FAQ is largely personal opinion.
Most of the subjective material in this document is merely the opinion of the author(s), but others have helped shaped it to varying degrees. The FAQ author's opinions are offered to serve as a basis for understanding opposition to Christianity, but nobody is expected to agree with them.

2.1 What is a flame?
A "flame" is a message intended to insult and provoke, often directed with hostility toward a particular person or people. 

A closely related activity is "trolling", wherein one posts a message intended to cause others to post flames as responses. 

2.1.1 What is the purpose of flaming in general?
This is a highly subjective topic, but most flames are usually intended to put down another person or their ideas, or start a critical discussion. Often this is seen as a competition sport, and many users will treat it as such, some even going so far as to "keep score". When seen this way, it's a sport with a long heritage; many may be familiar with "doin' the dozens" or simply "dirty dozens", another popular form of flamewar. 

To others, it's simply a way to blow off steam. It's been suggested that if more people took advantage of this largely-anonymous and relatively harmless form of stress relief, there'd be far fewer instances of real-world ("meat world", for Gibson fans) violence. This may not be universally true, but many of us swear by it.

2.1.2 How are flames used in alt.flame.jesus.christ?
They are usually used to expose, denigrate, or insult Christians. This is accomplished in many ways which include sarcasm, humor, contrary evidence, and outright hostility. Flames can take the form of huge rants, line-by line disassemblies of contrary posts, or one-word responses ("LIAR" is very popular, and seems very effective. It requires little effort, but for some reason xians fall all over themselves in their haste to refute it...)

2.2 What is a troll?
A troll can take many forms. Think of it from two perspectives. One, a troll is a creature hiding under a bridge, causing trouble, and despised by many. Two, to troll is a way to catch fish. Using the first definition, a troll posts in a newsgroup with the intention of causing a disruption to the group. This troll is universally disliked. The second definition can be applied to someone who goes to another group looking for trouble, or trying to start discussion. 

2.2.1 Why do people troll?
The reasons are many. In brief, most trolls just like causing trouble. However, it has been suggested that trolling, like spamming, is often used as a way to break up the continuity of a newsgroup and make it less readable by provoking floods of responses. These floods, in extreme cases, can destroy older messages in the newsgroup by causing smaller Usenet servers to discard old messages before they are read to conserve disk space. 

In this way, trolling can be used as a sort of "guerilla warfare" against a newsgroup. However, it's generally a bad idea for several reasons; one, if the troll is crossposted to other newsgroups, it can have the same effect on those groups - including groups you didn't intend to effect. Two, trolling is prohibited in the Terms of Service, or TOS, of many Service Providers; therefore it's a good way to get your account terminated.

2.2.2 How do I deal with a troll?
The easiest way is to add the troll to your killfile (to plonk). If you are comfortable in the group, you may want to flame the troll. Be cautious, though; often such flames are exactly what the troll wants, and only serve to encourage further disruption. Use common sense in determining the best course of action; if you are new to the group, watch the reactions of the regulars for "pointers".

2.3 Are there any Rules of Engagement here?
Not really anything defined. As with most newsgroups in the alt.flame hierarchy, it's more or less open season. However, as with any street fight, there are some mostly-unspoken guidelines that often determine who is viewed as the "victor" and the "loser". 

2.3.1 Stick with your convictions.
It's very easy to get trapped by your own words if you make a habit of changing your philosophies from flamewar to flamewar, and resources like Deja News make it simple for your opponent to find old material to hang you with.

2.3.2 Know your enemy.
Study their past posts to get a good idea of their abilities and failings. Look for inconsistencies, logical flaws (inherent in xians), and oversights.

2.3.3 Know yourself.
If you've never read the bible, don't get involved in a scripture debate with a lifelong xian over scriptural minutiae - chances are that if he's at all competent, you'll end up looking stupid. In other words, don't let your opponent choose the battlefield; don't let yourself get drawn into debating a topic you know nothing about. If you're determined to cross swords with someone more knowledgeable about a subject, do some background research - the internet is there, USE IT.

3.1 What is a Christian?
Somebody who participates in a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Most Christians accept the Holy Bible as the main record of those teachings, although some denominations claim that other books also contain some of his teachings.

3.2 Who was Jesus Christ?
The answer to that question depends on whether you believe he really existed or not, and in what form you believe he existed (if at all). 

A discussion of the various theories concerning who Jesus Christ was is beyond the scope of this FAQ.

3.3 Who do Christians think Jesus Christ was?
First of all, his name was just Jesus. "Christ" means "messiah", and actually refers to what Christians believe was his life's purpose. It is more accurate to say "Jesus the Christ", but this has been shortened to "Jesus Christ". 

According to the Holy Bible, Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod. He lived for approximately thirty-five years, during which time he reportedly healed sick people at the touch of a hand, cast "demons" out of people, and taught people about how they ought to live and prepare for the afterlife. 

Many Jews of the time thought Jesus was a heretic, and that his claims and teachings were blasphemous. For this, he was eventually executed by crucifixion.

3.4 Why is a major religion based on Jesus?
According to the Holy Bible, Jesus was born to a virgin who had been impregnated by God. Being the son of God, Jesus was perfect and was the ultimate authority on the afterlife. This also explained his reported ability to heal the incurably sick, and cast out demons. 

Christians believe that Jesus' execution was a sacrifice to God that symbolically "paid" for all the sins of mankind. They believe that he returned to life after remaining dead for three days, thus proving that he was the son of God. Jesus' death and resurrection are therefore sufficient to "pay" God for everyone's sin, allowing them to enter Heaven and escape punishment in Hell. This explains Jesus' title of "christ" or "savior". 

Today, Christians believe that Jesus is fully aware of everything that happens in the lives of every person on Earth. They believe that it is possible to have a strong, personal relationship with him while alive on Earth, and that he can influence one's life in powerful ways. After leading such a life, one can enter Heaven.

4.1 What do Christians believe today?
There are many different denominations of Christianity, each with its own beliefs, ceremonies, and values. Detailing the beliefs of every denomination would be a monumental task, and one that I simply cannot perform. However, below are a few beliefs that a great many Christians around the world share. 

4.1.1 Jesus is alive.
According to the Bible, Jesus was crucified but rose from the dead. He now lives in Heaven, along with various other beings including God.

4.1.2 Jesus is God.
I know what you're thinking: "Hey! I thought Christians believed that Jesus was the *son* of God, and that he now lives (with God) in Heaven?" 

That is correct. Many Christians (but not all) believe in a concept called "the trinity". Here's how the trinity works: There is just one God. But God is so complex that no human could ever understand him, so he simplifies himself by representing himself to humans as three beings: The son (Jesus), the father (God), and the Holy Spirit. In this way, Jesus is both God *and* the son of God. 

Confused? Don't feel bad. Many Christians are also confused by the theory of the trinity, or "godhead". Some denominations don't even believe in it, because they view it as polytheism.

4.1.3 You are a sinner.
Everybody is born a sinner. You can't escape it. You sin all the time whether you realize it or not. This has been true ever since Adam and Eve first disobeyed God in the garden of Eden.

4.1.4 You are going to Hell.
As a sinner, you cannot be in God's presence. God and sin, like oil and water, simply do not mix. Anyone who cannot be with God is sent to Hell (and, later, the Lake of Fire) to be tormented with fire for all of eternity.

4.1.5 Jesus loves you and wants to save you from Hell.
Jesus wants to get to know you, and be your personal friend in spirit. He can hear you, and see you, and he knows your thoughts. If you believe in him, you will go to Heaven instead of Hell because Jesus will tell God to consider the crucifixtion as payment for your sins; thus, you will no longer be a sinner and can be in God's presence. 

Most Christians also feel a strong urge to share this with everyone, especially anybody who doesn't seem to know it already. This is called "sharing" or "spreading the word".

4.2 How do Christians practice their religion? It's practiced on two levels: Everyday life, and in structured meetings. 

• Structured meetings: They attend church services, where ordained ministers teach the congregation about Biblical matters; they often attend informal "bible studies" or other meetings to discuss various their beliefs and how they relate to the rest of the world. 
• Everyday life: Every Christian tries to live the way they think Jesus wants them to live, and this is reflected in nearly everything they do. They study the Holy Bible, avoid any sinful or temptingly sinful activity, and try to encourage non-Christians to become Christians. Christians often exhibit a cheerful, calm, pleasant demeanor to demonstrate that they have a "spirit-filled personality". 

5.1 Is Christianity valid?
A debate on this question could fill a library. There are so many arguments and counterarguments both for and against the validity of Christianity, that there is simply no room for them in this FAQ.

5.2 What things might suggest that Christianity is invalid?
I'm not going to attempt to list and discuss every possible suggestion that supports the idea that Christianity is invalid, but I will briefly present a couple of common ideas. 

5.2.1 The Holy Bible itself.
The Bible was written by men who may not have fully understood some of the things they recorded in it. In some cases, symbolic Biblical descriptions can be explained by science. In other cases, events described in the Bible can be interpreted as "mad" just as easily as they can be beheld as "divine".

5.2.2 Christian behavior.
There are many different types of Christians, each following slightly different beliefs. Some of those beliefs directly contradict others, sometimes even for the same person. It can also be said that some Christians merely extract the Bible verses that support the things they want to believe, and ignore the rest. Also, some Christians, including entire denominations, have been known to use their own scripture to justify truly appalling behavior. Finally, it is not uncommon for a Christian to twist scripture to justify his own views about the world.

5.3 Is there a basic, underlying motivation for Christians?
Yes, and it is very simple. A Christian's entire belief system is founded on the offer of eternal bliss (Heaven) as opposed to eternal torment (Hell). If there were no threat of Hell, there would be no Christians.

5.4 Who becomes a Christian?
Theoretically, anybody who believes what is written in the Holy Bible. 

It is interesting to note, however, that many Christians were "saved" or "converted" when they fell into one of these categories: 

5.4.1 Children born to Christian parents.
Children usually adopt the religion of their parents. Parents who are unwaveringly devoted to a particular religion have great difficulty understanding why a child would choose another religion, and will try to persuade their offspring that other religions are simply not smart alternatives. Christian parents ensure that their children think all other religions, including other Christian denominations, are evil. Exploration of other religions or denominations is highly discouraged.

5.4.2 The vulnerable and impressionable.
Anyone who has "hit bottom" (deeply depressed, imprisoned, dying) may have an unusually open mind. The idea of a powerful personal friend who offers eternal bliss may be very attractive, even though the friend cannot be seen or touched. A well-versed Christian can easily persuade such a person that Jesus is "real", by acting in a "holy" or "righteous" manner and claiming that their actions are directly affected by Jesus himself.

6.1 Christians seem like nice people. Why oppose them?
Yes, Christians may seem nice in certain ways. Many avoid harsh language, try to "love" everybody, and do other things that tend to endear them to others. But behind the pleasantries there are darker sides to some Christians. 

6.1.1 Many Christians are liars.
Whether accidentally or intentionally, many Christians routinely try to deceive themselves and others by simply making things up. Strangely, the Christian may not be aware that he is, in fact, confusing fact with fantasy, for various reasons. The lies are sometimes accompanied by verses, or fragments thereof, extracted from the Holy Bible in an attempt to disguise their falsity.

6.1.2 Christians are often ignorant.
Many Christians are not even familiar with the very religion to which they have dedicated their lives. 

A good example is Christmas, a pagan holiday that Christians have come to recognize as the "birthday of Jesus". Amazingly, Christians can come up with many Holy Bible verses to justify a "holy" holiday that has nothing to do with who they claim Jesus Christ was.

6.1.3 Christians are narrow-minded.
Christians are continuously taught that a certain set of beliefs and values *must* be followed, and that any deviation may bring grave consequences. Because of this, Christians refuse to even consider alternative perspectives on a wide variety of subjects. Any Christian who does "stray" is said to have been "lost" and is assumed to be doomed to eternal torment in Hell.

6.1.4 Christians are very hateful.
In a dark extension of their narrow-mindedness, Christians do not hesitate to hate people who act in ways that they consider "evil". Satanists, abortionists, and homosexuals often top the list of people who Christians loathe, even though most Christians really do not understand (or want to understand) the true issues surrounding those people. Christians have been known to violently attack homosexuals and abortionists.

6.1.5 Christians condone child abuse.
Corporal punishment is the norm in a Christian household. Apparently, Christians do not believe that a child can learn properly unless physical violence is involved. 

Additionally, many Christians support the practice of circumcision (a surgical procedure performed on the genitalia of infant boys without anesthetic), which has very little medicinal value.

6.1.6 Christians are predators.
Christianity, like any organization, must recruit new members if it is to survive. Christians have little difficulty in this, however, as they are eager to "share Jesus" with anyone who will listen. 

Interestingly, the people most willing to listen are often at a very vulnerable or impressionable stage in life. Christians will swoop down on these poor people like lions rushing in to take a wounded wildebeast. The new convert will experience some relief from his predicament (from the attention of his "friends"), and he will be told that he experiencing the "joy of the Lord".

6.2 Are Christians dangerous?
Yes, to varying degrees. In the mildest form, a Christian is a mild threat to a normal person's individuality and freedom. In the most serious form, a Christian is very real threat to one's life. As I noted above, Christians have been known to physically attack certain practitioners of "evil".

6.3 How should Christians be dealt with?
That depends on whether you meet one in person, or if you are communicating via a medium such as alt.flame.jesus.christ. 

6.3.1 How should Christians be dealt with in-person?
Avoidance is the best policy, especially for people who are experiencing temporary hardships. If avoidance is not possible, make it clear in no uncertain terms that you are NOT interested in what the Christian has to say. Do not negotiate or try to find "middle ground", because you will lose; to the true Christian, only total agreement with and capitulation to his beliefs is acceptable. Remember: Christians are deceitful, and will employ a variety of attractive tricks to gain your attention.

6.3.2 How are Christians dealt with in alt.flame.jesus.christ?
In alt.flame.jesus.christ, an unspoken goal of many non-Christian members is to expose the lies, hatred, and other dark features of the religion. This done with various flame-posts that strip away the various facades of Christianity, leaving the truth open and exposed for all to see. 

Of course, being a an unmoderated flame newsgroup, Christians can also expected to face raw and merciless insults, sarcasm, laughter, mockery, and other forms of verbal abuse.

7.1 Why spend so much time denigrating things you don't believe in?
People cannot be expected to make informed decisions, or form logical opinions, about a subject if they do not consider alternative perspectives. We can critically discuss Christianity and shed new light in its features to present a more well-rounded set of ideas on which religious opinions and decisions can be founded.

7.2 Why focus on Christianity? There are plenty of other religions to oppose.
Different people have different reasons for choosing to oppose Christianity in general. The reasons are so large in number, and so varied - indeed, specific reasons depend on the individual - that there is not room in this document to discuss them. However, I will briefly offer a few general suggestions that many non-Christians may cite as reasons for actively opposing Christianity. 

7.2.1 Christians are annoying.
Christians feel the need to "share the gospel" with absolutely anyone who will listen. Sometimes they can seem like annoying little flies, buzzing 'round ones ears, that refuse to go away. It is easy to understand how one might be embittered by such experiences, and decide to oppose all Christians.

7.2.2 The basic motivation of Christianity is stupid.
It all boils down to a simple threat: Accept Jesus, or go to Hell. That's it, nothing more. 

Pretty lame, eh? To make matters worse, some Christians are fond of throwing this in non-believers' faces with a catchy little phrase: "Turn or burn." Some people think that's enough to warrant opposing Christianity.

7.2.3 Christians take their beliefs way too seriously.
It's not hard to oppose a religion that brainwashes its followers into reducing their lives to one of hatred and narrow-mindedness in the name of "love", when all they're really doing is buying a "ticket" out of an imaginary place called Hell.