Are you religious?

Are you religious?

Nope.

Stig wrote:Someone over on another forum I visit has posted this:

The way I see it religion feeds the most basic fear in humans - The Fear of the Unknown. Believers use religion to pacify this fear, whilst Atheists mollify it by denying that anything else exists so there is nothing to fear

The real baddies are the ones that exploit this fear in others to control them

Which I find very difficult to disagree with.

Spot on. Religion is a by-product of the natural benefit of tribal behaviour and our curiousity about the World/fear of the unknown. Organised religion comforts a lot of people and this is a good thing, but it also detracts from the thing we're doing right now, y'know, living. I would much prefer if people were spiritual individually rather than as part of an organised religion and I believe quite a few religious people would feel a lot more free if they did. If there is a creative force in this Universe (and I doubt it personally, but cannot disprove it) it has nothing to do with Christianity, Islam, Judaism or any other organised religion. All of which are arrogant, self-righteous death cults written sloppily by many men a long, long time ago in a desert far, far away.

Octoroc wrote:

Witcher wrote:

Octoroc wrote:

Witcher wrote:Religion's for people can't think for themselves - it's irrational - and since it's clearly rooted in insecurities, it's weak

Not as weak as your grammar.

Oh I missed out one word... wow your point is soo strong - pathetic.

...I was thinking more about the three apostrophes you failed to insert in the correct places... Just for fun, see if you can find them...

Ricockulous Italian legal system. Abslutely stupid.

Denster wrote:

Mini E wrote:

Denster wrote:My invisible friend is better than yours - thats what religion is.

People grasp hold of ludicrous beliefs because they don't like the idea that we are alone. That we are here because of a happy accident. There is no guiding force. No justice in the end. No reward for a lifetime of sacrifice and self denial.

We live and die. How we do both is all that should concern us.

Religion is a conjurors trick to distract us from looking into the abyss.

I do pity you if this is all you can see in life. I do genuinely pity that you're not more open to possibilities.

You're agreat guy denny, But your post there really ... Bullshit in my opinion mate.

I'm sorry you feel that way - although your pity would be far better applied elsewhere. As i have said. This is not a bleak outlook. I love life and love my life but dont need the additional support that it has to mean something in the grand scheme of things. I accept that my life is just on of billions and the universe will not notice when i have gone. Thats self awareness and its a marvellous thing. Far more miraculous to me than myths and ancient chinese whispers dressed up as fact.

I'm going to have to back Denny up here, as he sees things pretty much exactly the same way I do.

Basically, in my opinion, I feel religion was mainly an excuse for explaining away how the Sun rises every morning, and merely exists today due to the basic human fear of death. Simple as.

Also, Mini E, you pity that we're not open to possibilities? Perhaps you should consider that we weighed up these possibilities, realised that our conclusion was the only one that isn't completely ludicrous and only survives because the idea is implanted into children's suggestible mind, and got on with our lives? Believing in God is just like believing in Father Christmas. It's just noone told you one doesn't exist.

And yet I accept that people find comfort in religion, and in real life I don't attack it as aggressively as I do on the internet, it just riled me that Minimum Effort can call what is possibly the most sensible view "bullshit".

I respect Aaron's post, to be honest. You'll never find me, or most of us who aren't priests, cardinals or whatever, saying anything about pitying those who don't believe in God. Because you're just as likely to be right, at the end, as we are. It's just another viewpoint, innit? We don't know what happens when we die. In the main though, for me it doesn't matter that I'm a Catholic, I'd like to think I lived and improved some people's lives, instead of just selfishly toddled through my own regardless of what my creed is. I just like to think that there's something more to life than death. If that makes me a weak person, then I'm weak. Doesn't matter to me, and I won't argue with you about it.

Edit: I'm a Catholic, btw. You may now slander.

Edit 2: This thread has been going round in circles for 21 pages. Can we not just agree that the Phelps family and those like them are a disgrace to humanity and let it be?

Moderator Sir Geoff wrote:I am not a religious man, I simply believe in God. As for the Big Bang theory, it's fake I'm afraid. Can't believe in that. Way too simple and it doesn't even make sense, if everything blew up then how could it exist? Those people on the Internet should have thought of that when they came up with the Big bang theory. Besides there would have to be a god, the world is too great for it not to be.

I'm not sure whether you're trolling or simply stupid (or both) but that is the single biggest load of gooseberry fool you've ever come out with.

Skarjo wrote:

Mind Crime wrote:…A question for Mic: I saw that you said that these people (the Phelps nutters) have misinterpreted the Bible. What do you make of the passage that states that a man should be put to death for lying with another man the way he would with a woman?

…when people are basing their beliefs on the Bible, surely they have to follow this part as well? …but doesn't this make a case for the 'pick and choose' aspects of a flawed religion?

Now we're talking!

17 pages but we ******* got there!

Gentlemen, start your engines.

YES! They do indeed have to follow that part as well – if they are Jewish and live in Israel about 2000 years ago! Is that cherry picking? Not at all! You have to acknowledge the specific society for which those laws were created – a nation living in the very presence of God (manifested in the temple Shekinah).

We, in western society, have no reason whatsoever to even make any attempt to enforce laws upon a people for which they were not meant. The comparison often made likening homosexuality to eating shellfish or pork is an accurate one – ALL are abominations. However, once the gospel had been spread to them, the gentiles (non-Jews) themselves were to take up the message while continuing to live amongst other gentiles.

Is the bible instruction AT THAT POINT to kill or ostracize as many gays, unclean-carnivores and uncircumcised (all of which would pretty much be everyone!) as possible? It is one or the other – and as evidence of the course we should pursue, Jesus left the perfect example.

Beyond stating that homosexuality is an abomination to God and that this abomination is to be removed from among Israel as a nation unto God by execution of the perpetrators, where in the Bible are we told to continue this clean-up operation into the gospel or gentile dispensation, in spite of the fact that the Israel of old is non-existent?

I would like to note that my treatment of these cultural or Levitical laws IN NO WAY applies to the Ten Commandments.

Mind Crime wrote:…I don't mean to be rude…I completely respect that other people can choose to live their lives by word of the Bible…

No need to patronize – revealed, your true feelings are!

Mind Crime wrote:…but I just don't understand this part of it. It really does seem to me like you have either ignore parts of it or become a complete animal, like the Westboro loonies.

Again, no ignoring is necessary – Leviticus serves Christians as a guide. Abstinence from pork is not a commandment, yet I know from the old testament that it is an offence to God – therefore I choose to refrain. I do not then persecute others who eat pork, nor make any attempt to force them into doing what I do – if they didn’t want to, what would be the point?

Even where a commandment IS directly broken (stealing, perhaps? Or adultery?), Christians are not themselves told to attempt to punish the perpetrator, so why the emphasis on an abomination - especially when other abominations are ignored?THAT would be cherrypicking.

Skarjo wrote:… I'm sure I'm getting it wrong (possibly on purpose for effect, who knows?) but I don't think mic considered killing homosexuals murder… I think he considers gays to be akin to livestock or something…

Your impish-delight in setting the cat amongst the pigeons suits you, Skarjo. As for gays being livestock, I’m sure Hexx, Cal & co. appreciate a nice, big hunk of meat…

One more thing – I can only imagine that shocking ignorance is the cause of this thread frequently reiterating that Catholics are Christians. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AT ALL.

Oh strawberry float yeah! Now it's gonna be good! That'll save a boring Friday afternoon!

Religion -

Here read this instruction manual. We just made it up. If you follow it well you will get a present from Jesus Christ!

Be bad and you will get sent to the naughty step. Forever. And they are on fire.

Atheists -

Don't gooseberry fool on your own doorstep. And by the way what a lovely day it is today. I could die happy.

Aye, Catholics shouldn't be shovelled into the Christian camp. Although the two share many fundamental beliefs, there are big differences in there as well that set the two apart.

Denster wrote:

Mr Plough wrote:That is quite a bleak world view there Denster though I suspect its just the way you put it. I think the fact that the human mind even has the ability to comprehend its own existence is quite a comforting thought whether or not its the result of a creative force. If anything the lack of a creator makes us even more unique.

No its not bleak. I have a fierce joy of life and for all of its wonders and beauty. I just enjoy it for what it is and try to enjoy my time here as much as i can. I just dont need to explain my existence in terms of why im here and what does it all mean. Some many lives have been wasted in senseless conflicts, persecutions and living lives hamstrung by relgious dogma when you can just be free. I try to live my life in a way that benefits myself and those closest to me. I chose a profession where im helping and looking after people who are much less fortunate than myself and i try and avoid causing harm or distress to anyone if i can avoid it. This is a conscious choice by a free thinking person not because i have been told to do so or feel compelled to do so by an outdated set of rules.

Like I said it was just the way you put put it that looked a little bleak. Of course a Godless universe isn't necessarily a bleak one

Corazon wrote:I respect Aaron's post, to be honest. You'll never find me, or most of us who aren't priests, cardinals or whatever, saying anything about pitying those who don't believe in God. Because you're just as likely to be right, at the end, as we are. It's just another viewpoint, innit? We don't know what happens when we die. In the main though, for me it doesn't matter that I'm a Catholic, I'd like to think I lived and improved some people's lives, instead of just selfishly toddled through my own regardless of what my creed is. I just like to think that there's something more to life than death. If that makes me a weak person, then I'm weak. Doesn't matter to me, and I won't argue with you about it.

Edit: I'm a Catholic, btw. You may now slander.

I think people are often prone to misinterpret what faith is. Your post typifies what I think most religious people would interpret as faith. Faith is just putting your beleif and hope more than anything else in there being something more to the Universe and insisting that the Universe is more than just a coincidence. Its why the argument from beauty (a modern version of the design argument) is actually really persuasive to some people even though philosophically its somewhat lacking. Religion is the cosmological equivalent of comfort food essentially. And again I reiterate Religion is a force for good on a personal level partly because on a personal level your beliefs aren't fully shaped and dictated by someone else. Its on a large scale that it can turn nasty.

Corazon wrote:Edit 2: This thread has been going round in circles for 21 pages. Can we not just agree that the Phelps family and those like them are a disgrace to humanity and let it be?

Welcome to Philosophy of Religion

Your post typifies what I think most religious people would interpret as faith. Faith is just putting your beleif and hope more than anything else in there being something more to the Universe and insisting that the Universe is more than just a coincidence.

I'm not a particularly religious person, mind. I go to Mass on a Sunday and I believe that God exists, but I don't shout it from the rooftops and I won't get into a theological argument about it because I have my beliefs and I've seen this thread in countless iterations so I know that no-one on this board who disagrees will listen to anything I have to say and regardless, there are those on here who can put my points across so much more eloquently than I ever could. I just feel that I have to say something in these thread were I'm (indirectly) being called an idiot, a fool, weak minded and all the rest of it for believing in God. Read my posts in other threads, get to know my opinions on matters that don't involve religion, meet me in real life, and then call me that. Then I won't have an answer for you, no reply. Don't make an assumption based on one facet of my personality and belief system please, it makes you come across as badly as those on my side of the camp who would do the same to you.

Welcome to Philosophy of Religion

Ah.

Actually I can see the similarity between homosexuality and eating pork.

mic wrote:One more thing – I can only imagine that shocking ignorance is the cause of this thread frequently reiterating that Catholics are Christians. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AT ALL.

Afternoon, all.

For hard-of-thinking who've turned up late to the porch-party, could you talk me through this one, mic?

Atreyu wrote:

mic wrote:One more thing – I can only imagine that shocking ignorance is the cause of this thread frequently reiterating that Catholics are Christians. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AT ALL.

Afternoon, all.

For hard-of-thinking who've turned up late to the porch-party, could you talk me through this one, mic?

Catholics are icon worshipping pagans in the thrall of the Antichrist (or Pope if you like).

Octoroc wrote:

Atreyu wrote:

mic wrote:One more thing – I can only imagine that shocking ignorance is the cause of this thread frequently reiterating that Catholics are Christians. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AT ALL.

Afternoon, all.

For hard-of-thinking who've turned up late to the porch-party, could you talk me through this one, mic?

Catholics are icon worshipping pagans in the thrall of the Antichrist (or Pope if you like).

Cheers. Good to have that one cleared up. Will come as a surprise to a few people, but I guess that's the way the wafer crumbles.

Octoroc wrote:

Atreyu wrote:

mic wrote:One more thing – I can only imagine that shocking ignorance is the cause of this thread frequently reiterating that Catholics are Christians. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AT ALL.

Afternoon, all.

For hard-of-thinking who've turned up late to the porch-party, could you talk me through this one, mic?

Catholics are icon worshipping pagans in the thrall of the Antichrist (or Pope if you like).

...Yeah!


Or alternatively, no.

Wafer's crumble? Surely they just break or snap?

Atreyu wrote:

Octoroc wrote:

Atreyu wrote:

mic wrote:One more thing – I can only imagine that shocking ignorance is the cause of this thread frequently reiterating that Catholics are Christians. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AT ALL.

Afternoon, all.

For hard-of-thinking who've turned up late to the porch-party, could you talk me through this one, mic?

Catholics are icon worshipping pagans in the thrall of the Antichrist (or Pope if you like).

Cheers. Good to have that one cleared up. Will come as a surprise to a few people, but I guess that's the way the wafer crumbles.

No worries, I didn't know myself until I visited the JESUS-IS-LORD website. It'll explain things more clearly for you.