Recently I have been reading some Bhuddist texts as well as in the past read the Bhagavad Gita..not sure I spelled it right. My fater was a Lutheran Pastor so I know much of religion.

You wisely point out the unsaid so as to that then you know of course I am talking about the Institution of religion around the globle...

No, that does not show that religion is all about money. That shows that there are stupid people.

I am a Christian and you didn't see me bidding on that.

Your father is religious so you know a lot about religion? HAHA! My cousin is a surgeon. I'll give you a discount if you need your tonsils removed.

There's already a thread with the stupid cheese sandwich, isn't there?



[edit on 26-11-2004 by Thomas Crowne]

That religion is for stupid people. If you cannot look inside your heart and find the truth and the light that should lead you in your life then you would never be able to know a 'god'. So as for the toast...It shows that Religion plays a role in our society that is higly valuable and even has monetary value. TC don't you know how much the vatican has? Is it even past the trillions yet? Let us not whisk this example of truth away so frivilously. The toast shows us that even when back in the time of Martin Luther people sought pennance to redeem their sins, still today people equate the wealth of the church with it's power to save souls. If the church had no money, no one would follow it!

Although one cannot go on what is presented today...
I will u2u you some good reads if you wish to understand jesus as a person, before he was a messiah, because like us, he had to do much learning as well..

Those readings would be much appreciated...I think there was another post about a movie coming out on June 6th, 06' about Jesus never existing the title is the beast...they have a forum there on the movie's pre release website..we should have some cross forum debates!?!

OOPs, I highly suggest you refrain from calling religious people stupid. Your insults such as those will do one of two things, or both - start flame wars, or get you booted. Got it?

While people will use anything for monetary gain, that does not detract from the Word of God. In the Word of God, you'll see how Jesus reacted to the money changers in His day. What, do you think that in today's technologically advanced state, devious people would be fewer in number and lesser in capability?

Even so, this does not change the Word.

In reference to the Vatican, I am Protestant, not Catholic. Regardless, thee are Catholics who believe that the Lord is their Savior and they do not purchase stale cheese sandwiches off e-bay.

Its also about instilling the fear of god in people so they do EXACTLY as you say...


The fear of death is the beginning of slavery!

Well it would be easy to not say Jesus existed because of the lack of HARD evidence, but the gnostic writings the "early christian writings" speak for themselves, they in no way point to any organization or person other than God or Jesus. Contrary to the bible, which paganistictly (probably not even a word) make people congregate to buildings with icons posted on the walls.
IMHO, I would have to say call me a nut, but I will believe in "Giant" Nephilims/"Aliens", and the fact we are our temple and God is the head of the "church" (our temple) not the vatican, with its horrid abominations which I will post later and you can all view and make you own minds up.

You two need to stop and compare your writing to reality.

00ps, Report to the connference room, NOW!

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
OOPs, I highly suggest you refrain from calling religious people stupid. Your insults such as those will do one of two things, or both - start flame wars, or get you booted. Got it?

While people will use anything for monetary gain, that does not detract from the Word of God. In the Word of God, you'll see how Jesus reacted to the money changers in His day. What, do you think that in today's technologically advanced state, devious people would be fewer in number and lesser in capability?

Even so, this does not change the Word.

In reference to the Vatican, I am Protestant, not Catholic. Regardless, thee are Catholics who believe that the Lord is their Savior and they do not purchase stale cheese sandwiches off e-bay.

got it...let me rephrase myself...the religion where people go to church every sunday and sing songs like zombies and then go home and feel they are righetous because they have devoted the sabbath to the lord in the house of 'god' that they will be saved have much more to learn are might be what is called a form of 'ignorant'

Sitting in the pews my whole childhood life listening to my father give sermons to crowds of the masses really drove me away from respecting the institution of the church.

I am definately not so naive that in today's world I would think their are less theives...they are pretty much the same or more percent as in the time of christ that robbed the people. And getting back to the topic: that the church controls the minds and finances of the people!

This toast is an excellent example of how the value of the church has been equated in worth of ability to save as the money is able to sustain belief...that might be a little confusing...

Yes people do believe Christ save them, but too many devote their life to the church and not to that of the inner light inside them that is truly the presence of 'god'.

And we definately don't want a flame war!

Originally posted by Corinthas
Its also about instilling the fear of god in people so they do EXACTLY as you say...


The fear of death is the beginning of slavery!

Jesus was not about fearing death.

"The Lord answered and said: "Truly I say to you, none will be saved unless they believe in my cross. But those who have believed in my cross, theirs is the Kingdom of God. Therefore, become seekers for death, just as the dead who seek for life, for that which they seek is revealed to them. And what is there to concern them? When you turn yourselves towards death, it will make known to you election. In truth I say to you, none of those who are afraid of death will be saved. For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who have put themselves to death. Become better than I; make yourselves like the son of the Holy Spirit."

Religion and the truth of faith if you can believe that rocks can cry because you convictions no body can change that, but are you able to see a rock cry?

Religious organizations feed on the faith of religious believers and they cash on their faith indiscriminately and is not control as what they can do.

Everything in the name of God and faith and occurs here in the US god is replaced by Jesus, is acceptable because religion said so and the government allowed too.

Originally posted by dnero6911
Jesus was not about fearing death.

Chrisitanity has nothing to do with Jesus directly. Jesus never left us any teachings... all we have are second hand accounts of the guy. Its the gospel by mark et al and not by Jesus and friends!

I was talking about religion.

And when the only thing supposed to limit your behaivour (stopping you from committing sin) is the threat of an uncomfortble afterlife, that is surely using the fear of death to encorage cirtain behaiviour.