All-Purpose Religion Thread

[Morpheus]

Before i met my fiancee i went with another girl who i had met holidaying in The Isle of Man.

 

When we both arrived home again we continued our relationship for a few weeks then we had our first and last discussion about religion.

 

She wanted me to become 'saved.' Indeed she informed me that unless i became 'saved' i wouldn't get into heaven. This lady was 'saved' by the way.

 

This immediately grated and i therefore asked her to confirm something for me. I asked her if a mass murderer became 'saved' would he or she still get into heaven while i wouldn't? She confirmed that would indeed be the case.

 

Needless to say the relationship was ended abruptly.

 

Not that i would want to but just out of interest what do you have to do to become 'saved' and no i don't mean by Guzan.

[villaajax]

It was always fun asking the RE teachers at school awkward questions "Doesn't this part of the bible contradict itself?" "... just get on with the work please"

 

The best RE teachers were the ones who didn't believe in nonsense "Sir, do you believe in God?" "No. Let's watch Escape from Sobibor". Brilliant.

[Kiwivillan]

Posted this in another site and wonder why the point doesn't get brought up more:

 

 

 

I have a question about the bible that has long confused me and very often street christians have no concept of. 

In the trial of Pilate, Jesus Christ was put against Barabbas and the crowd could choose one to go free. What was Barabbas' first name.... Jesus! Coincidence? 

Most Christians know that Christ is from Greek and means "the annointed one". Jesus, the son of god was put against another Jesus who's surname is Barabbas. Well it turns out that Bar Abbas is Aramaic for "son of the father"(I believe the same in Hebrew is Ben Abbas). 

So we have Jesus, son of the almighty father, up against Jesus, son of the father. 


Seems a bit madey-uppey for my liking. 

At the end of the day it was these and many other inconsistentcies in the bible and the fact that it's a Jewish heritage system borrowed off previous cultures and spread through Europe by the Romans as a method of control, as someone brought up Catholic going to Mass every week by 14 my brain said enough is enough. This does not make sense.

 

 

[legov]

You had read all that by the age of 14?

[mockingbird_franklin]

My biggest problem with christian/Judaic based religions is it really should be subjugate to mankind, because without mankind it can't exist, While we can exist without religion. My reasoning behind this is Religion only exists because people believe in it, they put faith in it. without that belief and faith it doesn't exist any more, It doesn't have a physical presence you can touch and feel, it only exists in the minds of people hence the often desperate need try to give physical representation in buildings statues paintings and the overwhelming need to make people believe in it.

But what actually happens is religion subjugates people, it puts itself in authority over people which is contradictory to the fundamentals of what it is, The trick it pulls is to say it is created by a God or some other creator of man who man is subjugate to because he created man, hence the religion has a higher authority. The fact is it actually isn't the religion that does this but those that present themselves as the leaders of that religion. If they didn't they would be have to be servants of the believers. Hence it's just a mechanism used by some to strip away every humans fundamental right to be the equal to all others as a human (most religions have this principle as one of the core teachings). I don;t believe any religion started out with this objective but the situation is due to the evolution over time through the machinations of people seeking elevated status and power, either consciously or unconsciously, and they are aided by the immature  and lazy people want others to look after them, think for them, tell them what they should do. It very comforting to be looked after spiritually and effectively remain a child in these matters, and it is in the interest of the religion to encourage people to be like this.

How can anything so contradictory be considered worthwhile. As for the moral code that requires you not to hurt or cause loss to your fellow human, it's perfectly possible to have this in an non religious way, I would argue religion can exist subservient to the people and in this form it could very well be a good thing, but them would most consider it a religion.Most religion doesn't.

 

If you think about it, most things mankind has created by putting belief and faith in it does the same as religions have, i.e It's employees turn the tables and stop being the servant of the people who create it and become it's masters, Government and the legal system (as opposed to the law) are two examples,

[mjmooney]

Religion is a successful meme. So far.

[vandaq]

Religion is a successful meme. So far.

[Kiwivillan]

Religion is a successful meme. So far.

 

 

More of a bad trope IMO

Edited June 4, 2013 by Kiwivillan

[limpid]

Seems a bit madey-uppey for my liking. 

 

It's all made up.

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

Lady: Do you believe in god?

Me: No.

Lady: Why not?

Me:

 

 

 

 

I asked her to tell me why she didn't believe in Zeus, and she didn't know who Zeus was, so I asked why she didn't believe in Allah and she went on a rather offensive rant about Muslims.

 

I decided then not to waste my time any further.

[vandaq]

I would never ever be with a woman that is a religious, that is the biggest turn off ever. Honestly I don`t want to be friends with people that believe in that stuff, no matter how "cool" they are. It`s pretty shameless, all of it really. I hate how they tried to turn us to christianity at a young age when you go to school. Singing stuff, going to church sometimes. Mostly harmless can one say but I would say it is the complete opposite. Religion is holding back progress.

[legov]

Lady: Do you believe in god?

Me: No.

Lady: Why not?

Me:

 

 

 

 

I asked her to tell me why she didn't believe in Zeus, and she didn't know who Zeus was, so I asked why she didn't believe in Allah and she went on a rather offensive rant about Muslims.

 

I decided then not to waste my time any further.

 

This calls for a facepalm.

[limpid]

There is a good argument that monotheism is holding back progress (because "god did it"), but in primitive societies, polytheism encouraged thought processes about how individual things worked. The invention of the absent sky fairy was a huge backward step for mankind. Admittedly, inventing people who could speak on His behalf was genius.

 

Indoctrinating children to accept received wisdom and not ask questions is abusive.

[mjmooney]

It really is. Probably the single biggest factor in making me hate religion was the dawning awareness, aged about eleven, of how much I'd been lied to from a very young age. Made me really angry, and I lost a lot of respect for teachers (and adults generally) for a good while thereafter. 

[Avfc96]

Having to **** pray at school was the worst.  

Edited June 4, 2013 by Avfc96

[Jon]

It really is. Probably the single biggest factor in making me hate religion was the dawning awareness, aged about eleven, of how much I'd been lied to from a very young age. Made me really angry, and I lost a lot of respect for teachers (and adults generally) for a good while thereafter. 

It's not really any different to Father Xmas or the tooth fairy etc though is it Mike? (although perhaps more harmful for those that choose to believe in it).

 

I can't recall when I realised this whole God/Jebus thing was nonsense, but it was at a very young age - all seemed so implausible and unrealistic. Same kind of time I realised Santa was made up too.

 

I find it difficult to then get my head around those that do believe in that nonsense.

[mjmooney]

 

It really is. Probably the single biggest factor in making me hate religion was the dawning awareness, aged about eleven, of how much I'd been lied to from a very young age. Made me really angry, and I lost a lot of respect for teachers (and adults generally) for a good while thereafter. 

It's not really any different to Father Xmas or the tooth fairy etc though is it Mike? (although perhaps more harmful for those that choose to believe in it).

 

I can't recall when I realised this whole God/Jebus thing was nonsense, but it was at a very young age - all seemed so implausible and unrealistic. Same kind of time I realised Santa was made up too.

 

I find it difficult to then get my head around those that do believe in that nonsense.

 

 

It was different to Santa Claus and the TF. There was always a bit of suspicion about those, adults said it with a bit of a nod and wink, kids at school regularly let the cat out of the bag, and when challenged, parents 'fessed up immediately.

 

But the Jesus stuff was all so earnest. All done with a straight face, and a veiled threat that if you dared to doubt it you'd be punished by the big guy himself. Evil shit, IMO.

 

i wouldn't have minded if there had been some acknowledgement that it was OK NOT to believe it, and that millions didn't, and got along perfectly all right. Atheism/agnosticism was an option that was never even mentioned. It was blatant brainwashing of infants, and that to me is totally unacceptable.

[PussEKatt]

There was a lady at work who wanted to marry this islamic guy, but he is not allowed to marry anyone that is not a muslem, so she had to change to the muslem relegion before they could marry. 

So, the way I see it is that it goes something like this.

I want to marry you but you do not believe in Allah.

Never mind, I will go to sleep now and when I wake up I will believe in Alla.

FFS ?!

[BOF]

It really is. Probably the single biggest factor in making me hate religion was the dawning awareness, aged about eleven, of how much I'd been lied to from a very young age. Made me really angry, and I lost a lot of respect for teachers (and adults generally) for a good while thereafter.

It's not really any different to Father Xmas or the tooth fairy etc though is it Mike? (although perhaps more harmful for those that choose to believe in it).

 

I can't recall when I realised this whole God/Jebus thing was nonsense, but it was at a very young age - all seemed so implausible and unrealistic. Same kind of time I realised Santa was made up too.

 

I find it difficult to then get my head around those that do believe in that nonsense.

 

It was different to Santa Claus and the TF. There was always a bit of suspicion about those, adults said it with a bit of a nod and wink, kids at school regularly let the cat out of the bag, and when challenged, parents 'fessed up immediately.

 

But the Jesus stuff was all so earnest. All done with a straight face, and a veiled threat that if you dared to doubt it you'd be punished by the big guy himself. Evil shit, IMO.

 

i wouldn't have minded if there had been some acknowledgement that it was OK NOT to believe it, and that millions didn't, and got along perfectly all right. Atheism/agnosticism was an option that was never even mentioned. It was blatant brainwashing of infants, and that to me is totally unacceptable.

There's also the completely different motives behind the 2. Santa and the TF are intended to be nothing other than harmless childhood fun that have a finite lifespan. The whole God thing is anything but harmless.

[bickster]

Santa just says lying is ok.