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Post by samba :) on Apr 6, 2017 22:53:22 GMT
Religious beliefs still exist throughout the world?
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Apr 7, 2017 0:18:51 GMT
Yes.
But if I wrote you an essay on it would you be any the wiser Samba?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2017 2:43:55 GMT
Spirituality is a big part of the human existence.
If you don't understand that, you're probably a savage.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2017 2:50:48 GMT
Smokescreen for greed, and opium for the masses.
Science and evolution are just too hard to understand for most people, therefore invent some fake story ( religion) and keep the masses happy.
Instead of worshipping God our creator ( FAKE NEWS ) we should be worshipping single cell amoebas , after all that's where ALL life evolved from.
The biggest flaw in this whole God, Adam and Eve story is who came next after Adam and Eve. They had Cain, Able & Seth, so who bore their children, i.e 3rd generation....Well...NOBODY DID...Cuz it's a STORY...
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Apr 7, 2017 4:00:55 GMT
Keep the Faith.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2017 6:36:36 GMT
Comfort
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Post by bathstoke on Apr 7, 2017 7:25:30 GMT
We live in a post-modern age & people with access to the internet don't need missionaries. "Seek & Ye shall find"
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Post by samba :) on Apr 7, 2017 7:36:10 GMT
Yes. But if I wrote you an essay on it would you be any the wiser Samba? can you simmarise your unwritten essay? |
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Post by barney117 on Apr 7, 2017 7:50:58 GMT
Fucking hell xx
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Post by Rick Grimes on Apr 7, 2017 10:47:42 GMT
I'm agnostic but I've heard a professor of clinical psychology explain religion, and specifically Christianity, in a way that really resonated with me.
The stories in the bible are not supposed to be taken as literal truths, religous truth is not scientific truth. Scientific truth tells you what things are but genuine relgious truth tells you how you should act. Religious writings in the deepest sense relate to a mode of being which has meaning, they're meta-true. If you take the most true things about your own life and then take the most true things about 10 other peoples lives and then you amalgamate them into a single figure, a literary hero. Then you take a 1,000 literary heroes and extract from them what makes the most heroic person, that is a religious deity. It's the collective imagination attempting to build an exemplary drama that everyone can act out, behavioural truths which appear everywhere, stories which can be passed down through the generations.
Stories and myths, like comic book heroes are very prominent and popular in our culture for a reason, examples of good and bad, of chaos and order like Batman and the Joker, the Harry Potter stories etc.
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Post by Mendicant on Apr 7, 2017 10:50:22 GMT
I'm agnostic but I've heard a professor of clinical psychology explain religion, and specifically Christianity, in a way that really resonated with me. The stories in the bible are not supposed to be taken as literal truths, religous truth is not scientific truth. Scientific truth tells you what things are but genuine relgious truth tells you how you should act. Religious writings in the deepest sense relate to a mode of being which has meaning, they're meta-true. If you take the most true things about your own life and then take the most true things about 10 other peoples lives and then you amalgamate them into a single figure, a literary hero. Then you take a 1,000 literary heroes and extract from them what makes the most heroic person, that is a religious deity. It's the collective imagination attempting to build an exemplary drama that everyone can act out, behavioural truths which appear everywhere, stories which can be passed down through the generations. Stories and myths, like comic book heroes are very prominent and popular in our culture for a reason, examples of good and bad, of chaos and order like Batman and the Joker, the Harry Potter stories etc. Great post!!! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2017 11:53:54 GMT
Scientist thought the world was flat and then curved. The ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, the one Michelangelo painted is shaped like the top of a sea chest because that is what scientists thought the world was shaped like.
If you want to listen to the things they tell you are true then that is your religion.
Until someone (not Stephen I'm always right Hawkins) can SHOW me how big the universe is and how it came into being then I'll believe in some supreme being or beings have created the ZOO we live in.
What name we give to that being is irrelevant it is just someone/something that is beyond our comprehension a man with a fluffy white beard is the face we all wish it were, if you like our dream God.
Remember at the edge of the map it reads "Here Be Monsters" But every generation is driven by something inside to "Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before" to seek our origins and to seek out other beings no matter what dangers that may entail we are driven to do it.
Or we could just all die rot into the ground and become worm fodder with no reason or purpose and if that is the truth then most people can not deal with it.
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Post by rogerjonesisgod on Apr 7, 2017 12:03:15 GMT
I'm agnostic but I've heard a professor of clinical psychology explain religion, and specifically Christianity, in a way that really resonated with me. The stories in the bible are not supposed to be taken as literal truths, religous truth is not scientific truth. Scientific truth tells you what things are but genuine relgious truth tells you how you should act. Religious writings in the deepest sense relate to a mode of being which has meaning, they're meta-true. If you take the most true things about your own life and then take the most true things about 10 other peoples lives and then you amalgamate them into a single figure, a literary hero. Then you take a 1,000 literary heroes and extract from them what makes the most heroic person, that is a religious deity. It's the collective imagination attempting to build an exemplary drama that everyone can act out, behavioural truths which appear everywhere, stories which can be passed down through the generations. Stories and myths, like comic book heroes are very prominent and popular in our culture for a reason, examples of good and bad, of chaos and order like Batman and the Joker, the Harry Potter stories etc. Excellent post. I'm not very religious but married a Catholic. I attended church with an open mind and enjoyed it. The vast majority of activities were focused on the community as a whole and not just church members. Church fete's, sponsored cycle rides, assisting the elderly etc, etc. The church was the common link but there was never any bible bashing. It was more trying to advocate understanding, love and support in the here and now (albeit influenced from a particular view of a faith) rather than conversion from and criticism of, any other belief. With a little bit of language update the Ten Commandments are decent guidelines for modern living. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2017 12:11:23 GMT
I have always looked at religion years ago as an invention to control people. I always wonder if these long lost tribes are religious and whether it is just something people are programmed to do. I believe today's religions are mainly used for good though ànd help many people.
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Post by bathstoke on Apr 7, 2017 12:26:17 GMT
It's the collective imagination attempting to build an exemplary drama that everyone can act out, behavioural truths which appear everywhere What, like collective unconsciousness or sur-realism... |
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Post by manmarking on Apr 7, 2017 12:49:04 GMT
I'm agnostic but I've heard a professor of clinical psychology explain religion, and specifically Christianity, in a way that really resonated with me. The stories in the bible are not supposed to be taken as literal truths, religous truth is not scientific truth. Scientific truth tells you what things are but genuine relgious truth tells you how you should act. Religious writings in the deepest sense relate to a mode of being which has meaning, they're meta-true. If you take the most true things about your own life and then take the most true things about 10 other peoples lives and then you amalgamate them into a single figure, a literary hero. Then you take a 1,000 literary heroes and extract from them what makes the most heroic person, that is a religious deity. It's the collective imagination attempting to build an exemplary drama that everyone can act out, behavioural truths which appear everywhere, stories which can be passed down through the generations. Stories and myths, like comic book heroes are very prominent and popular in our culture for a reason, examples of good and bad, of chaos and order like Batman and the Joker, the Harry Potter stories etc. An excellent post mate, as others have said, and certainly makes a lot of sense  The problem with religion is that a literal interpretation can breed fundamentalism, while a more modern "mode of being"/interpretative mindset can breed people like Tony Blair or George W. Bush who'll simply do whatever they please yet still claim some sort of divine right. Ban the lot of it, I say  |
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Post by Pretty Little Boother on Apr 7, 2017 15:23:13 GMT
Simply put, if you think that "religion" is a tangible, concrete thing which has to justify its own existence, or is something that can be banned, you're a fucking idiot.
"Religion" is a spectrum of investitures in theories to explain what cannot be explained. In doing so, it alleviates otherwise potentially crippling existential nihilism that would swamp a huge percentage of the world's population. "Comfort" is too simple a phrasing; if you swept from under the feet of billions the idea that there is an inherent meaning to existence; global society would collapse in on itself.
As well as this, it provides a structural narrative to life. It removes the fear of chaos and chance being the overriding forces of nature, and allows many to develop a sense of beginning, time, end and totality; as opposed to just having this blob of life which means fuck all.
Intrinsically linked to this is the development of morality. This is not to say you can't be moral without being religious; but if, as you imply, there is no higher power, then all morality is ambiguous and subjective; what you feel is right, I may feel is wrong. An over-arching guideline system based on Christianity has founded the West's system of law, order and justice over the course of millennia; so it's impossible to argue that religion hasn't been for ultimately the good of society as a whole.
It encourages charity, education, and the closest achievable actions to altruism as is really possible. Again, this is possible without religion, but its influence ultimately puts it in credit in terms of posititive contribution to the world.
I'm not sure from which angle your criticism is launched so I'm a little reluctant to second-guess where you're coming from; but if you're wheeling out the eye-rollingly vacuous and ill-considered garbage of "religion causes wars hurr durr lol ban religion and war will stop" that's so tediously in vogue at the moment, you're peddling a reductive myth that ignores the entire nature and history of mankind up until this point.
People have always fought wars over everything, from berries and nuts to animal skin to sex and caves and frigging insults and football and race and basically anything that someone could be jealous of, or anything that is different and to be afraid of.
It's the bastardisation of religion that is the issue, when people use it is an excuse to be a violent dick, but anyone can be a violent dick over anything. It's also the bastardised version of it which is the exploitative, controlling force that so many people are against; but then again, anything can be manipulated into scaring people into doing your bidding. Man's nature.
I've given a list of reasons defending it, but ultimately I can sum it up by saying "The justification for religion's existence is that people have the right to choose to believe in it". Anyone who would infringe on people's rights to think what they wish to think is an authoritarian fucking shitwipe and the lowest form of scum on the planet.
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Post by Skankmonkey on Apr 7, 2017 15:56:47 GMT
Not a believer myself but I don't begrudge others beliefs. Each to their own.
Historically, bad things happen when we, as humans, give over our responsibilities for each other to any higher power; be that a God, a state or an ideology.
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Post by Staffsoatcake on Apr 7, 2017 16:38:34 GMT
I just thank God I'm an Athiest.
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Post by nott1 on Apr 7, 2017 16:42:32 GMT
If all religion was banned it would save Hundreds of thousands of lives every year.......fact.
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Post by Frogger Theft Auto on Apr 7, 2017 16:55:14 GMT
If all religion was banned it would save Hundreds of thousands of lives every year.......fact. Banned and punishable by death. Hundreds of thousands saved. |
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Post by Parkhall Wanderer on Apr 7, 2017 16:55:57 GMT
Used to go to church up until a few years ago. Met some very nice folk but unfortunately I also met a lot of hypocrites who should have been ashamed to call themselves Christians. After that I stopped going and realised that I'm classed as a SBNR these days. Religion ? They are welcome to it.
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Post by Pretty Little Boother on Apr 7, 2017 17:12:46 GMT
If all religion was banned it would save Hundreds of thousands of lives every year.......fact. Banned and punishable by death. Hundreds of thousands saved. Implying people aren't willing to die for their faith, nullifying the point you're making? Or am I missing the irony? I hope I'm missing the irony because that's profoundly less stupid of me than the suggestion you've made. |
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Post by Pretty Little Boother on Apr 7, 2017 17:14:36 GMT
If all religion was banned it would save Hundreds of thousands of lives every year....... fact unverified and unsubstantiated opinion. |
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Post by Frogger Theft Auto on Apr 7, 2017 17:20:31 GMT
I think I figured out too young that Santa & the tooth fairy weren't real and I've been picking apart my parents' belief in Christianity, clairvoyants and superstitions ever since. My childhood was like a house of cards made up of nonsense and I've got this need to find out what else people have made up.
There are so many holes to pick in religion that it boggles my mind a bit that anybody sticks with Christianity (or any of the others) if they've thought about it or know a little bit about its beginnings, where it has changed over the years (mainly because of scientific discovery) and where it sees its future, you've just got to come to the conclusion that it's nonsense.
I can understand people being spiritual, believing in some unknown higher power and needing to think that there's an afterlife where you meet your passed loved ones when you die but Christianity (and the others) can't be right about it, you're probably best off having your own separate belief.
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Post by Frogger Theft Auto on Apr 7, 2017 17:29:04 GMT
Banned and punishable by death. Hundreds of thousands saved. Implying people aren't willing to die for their faith, nullifying the point you're making? Or am I missing the irony? I hope I'm missing the irony because that's profoundly less stupid of me than the suggestion you've made. Come on eh Boother, it wasn't even subtle. |
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Post by The Drunken Communist on Apr 7, 2017 17:49:20 GMT
People having 'faith' or believing 'there must be something else/after', are different to religions.
They're both shit, the only difference is one of them was/is used to excert power over people, and the other is used 'cos people don't like to admit they're not the oh so important thing they like to think they are, and at some point in time you'll be thought about for the last time ever, and basically might aswell never have existed to begin with.
No-one gives a shit about a fly, or a worm, or a tree, but I'm different, I'm special... Apparently.
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Post by turtlefox on Apr 7, 2017 18:05:31 GMT
You can't avoid religion. Whether that be believing in God or an ideology or no God. They are all the same in their own respect. Religion is the way you think and feel about life in general but it hasn't always been thought up by you.
My gripe with God based religions is that although you are allowed to interpret the teachings of it, in many ways,(someting I find a bit blurry in itself) you can't question Gods existence too much. You would think if they were after truth they would allow this.
Not saying that God doesn't exist.I haven't got a clue if God does or not but all questions should be open and all punishments,physical and mental, should be forgotten.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Apr 7, 2017 18:45:11 GMT
Yes. But if I wrote you an essay on it would you be any the wiser Samba? can you simmarise your unwritten essay? No need to now Samba, RicG and PLB have pretty much covered my thoughts on the bigger picture, the wider perspective. On a more personal note. Whilst always being a religious cynic my more recent experiences have softened my approach. My mum attends a local methodist chapel it's more of an informal supportive network for the older folk of the village than a strictly religious experience. I attend {infrequently} and see it's benefits in action. It's easy to cut through the god language and see many valuable moral parallels in the parables. The local minister is a decent chap who is open to discussion and not at all about conversion or persuasion. At this level I really can't fault it. |
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Post by Pretty Little Boother on Apr 7, 2017 19:08:27 GMT
Implying people aren't willing to die for their faith, nullifying the point you're making? Or am I missing the irony? I hope I'm missing the irony because that's profoundly less stupid of me than the suggestion you've made. Come on eh Boother, it wasn't even subtle. I will take looking like a penis. |
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