so is religion bad like i think it is?

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: TinySickTears
You need to understand that Biblical religion is always a joint operation, God and humans working together.
Look closely, and you will see that the bad stuff comes from the human contribution.
I've done a whole series on how that works for the social laws of the Pentateuch.

(Actually, this is probably a "Conspiracies in Religion" thread)

Actually requires a whole lot of understanding. That is one violent book.

originally posted by: toms54
a reply to: TinySickTears

All I can say to this is when you are standing there in the funeral home, looking at your mother in a box, it helps to believe in something.

Funerals are for the living.

What is the point of looking at a dead vessels in a box?

What's a "great" last memory.

Not in my world.

originally posted by: Annee

Politics can be and should be about laws based on logic and need.

And then you throw those pesky humans into the mix. Religion can be and should be about love and respect...damn humans screw things up every time...

So what about one of the most persecuted religious branches of abraham? The one that believes they are gods chosen people. That have at the heart of their religion a term for themselves and another term for everyone else, the non chosen. How many atrocities have arisen from this belief?

You are not allowed to lie, cheat or steal from a fellow believer but if you are non chosen, it is their duty to deceive as much as possible to get the best terms. They can easily break contract with the non chosen because it is impossible to give their 'word' to the non chosen. But if they are dealing with their own, honor and respect are mandatory. When you see high practitioners spitting as required upon the relics of the non chosen, should that be considered harmless and accepted because of 'belief'?

When they gain sufficient concentration in numbers, all others become persecuted and poorer due to the business tactics of the concentrated? Is it just a dog eat dog world and if you allow yourself to be used, it is your fault? If others are more successful, then their version of religion is correct? Even at the expense of all the non chosen? Why do they own the majority of the press? Why do they own the majority of hollywood? Why are they so concentrated in finance? Why is it perfectly acceptable to practice usury on the non believers but unacceptable for themselves?

Is it OK to complain about the other 2 branches but this one is sacred? To call one of the other branches barbaric and uncivilized but excuse the other 2 that originated from the exact same source?

I just think it is funny to look unfavorably on one of the branches while giving the others a pass.

Edit to add:

The bolshevik revolution wasn't non religious persecution. It was full of one of the sides of religion.

I will let you guess, unless you actually wanted to research a bit.

a reply to: TinySickTears

It has been my experience........... and judgement -- though my religion indicates that judgement doesn't belong to me -- that religions aren't bad or good; they are systems of faith that people collectively share for their mutual benefit.

But the people.......... Oh the people are real bastards, sometimes. Some of the world's most horrific transgressions have been done in the name of religion. The religion may not have ordained it, but the people used it as a weapon and committed horrible attrocities in His name.

On the other hand, just occasionally, people endorse the spirit of the Word (of their choosing) and really wonderful things happen.

It really depends upon the person, the group, the State, the Country. We all hold the Yin and Yang in our hot little hands. Heads or tails.

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: Annee

Politics can be and should be about laws based on logic and need.

And then you throw those pesky humans into the mix. Religion can be and should be about love and respect...damn humans screw things up every time...

Religion steals the brain.

originally posted by: Annee


Religion steals the brain.

Religion is an abstract thought get over it...lol

a reply to: Xtrozero

You could argue that WW2 was a war of religion. Hitlers not only Jewish issue but his anti catholic stance which ended in the death to the tune of 80 million people globally or perhaps some of the other more historic wars like 'The french Wars of Religion' where around 4 million people were slaughtered... in fact going further back from the crusades, to the anti Christianity persecutions of the roman empire. Equally we have the Israel vs Canaan, Muslim Conquests,UK Catholics vs protestants from Henry VIII onwards, Children’s Crusade, Buddhist Uprising, Northern & southern Ireland, Second War of Kappel and the Lebanese Civil War; plus the current tensions in Israel and the middle east right now... or we could look at dictatorships such as Stalin, Pol Pot to see the route of those tensions are set in religion and effectively power struggles between church and state.

Christianity along with other religions are so fragmented not simply because of politics but because of interpretation. That last idiot threatening me hell fire is a prime example not actually understanding that I do actually have a faith in God and Jesus just NOT IN THAT BOOK because perhaps unlike him I have studied it and formed my own view point just as people have done for generations. They simply come back to it because there is no concrete evidence of what the right interpretation is. So it boils down to 'personal faith' but that seems to be the problem the tolerant like him become the intolerant. My way is the only way ethos and then you have wars.

Believe what you wish.. we are ALL wrong. We will either one day find out or we won't but until that day I will never accept some jumped up little man or commercial company (the church) telling me how I should think, it's as simple as that.

Incidentally, when the pope sits on a golden throne and drinks from golden cups and dares to lecture me on the homeless does that not upset anyone else or is that just me????

a reply to: Scrutinizing

Who is the wicked armies of the world lol?!?!

The unbelievers?!?!

The Bible makes it perfectly clear that the unbelievers are wicked..


Hell the muslims have the exact same Armageddon planned, led by the very same jesus..

originally posted by: Annee
Actually religion steals mans power.

Politics can be and should be about laws based on logic and need.

Politics gives a select few men power over all others. Religion at least has the common decency to give that power to a being worthy and strong enough to handle it.

a reply to: AScrubWhoDied

Except they are only analogies for moderate modern Christians/muslims.. ...

For almost all the southern baptists, exc. it is the precise infallible word of god..


Which kinda makes sense..

If some is an analogy , why would the craziest premises be the truth. Or I guess literal??

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Well there is no being worthy of said power. God sure is absent which is convenient.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6

originally posted by: Annee
Actually religion steals mans power.

Politics can be and should be about laws based on logic and need.

Politics gives a select few men power over all others. Religion at least has the common decency to give that power to a being worthy and strong enough to handle it.

I was raised Christian.

Really don't need anyone to explain it to me.

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: toms54
a reply to: TinySickTears

All I can say to this is when you are standing there in the funeral home, looking at your mother in a box, it helps to believe in something.

Funerals are for the living.

What is the point of looking at a dead vessels in a box?

What's a "great" last memory.

Not in my world.

Yea well, that's you.

a reply to: toms54

I agree completely with her..

When your dead , your dead..

Don’t spend 10,000 on a funeral for me..

Go out to eat and swap stories or something..

originally posted by: ClovenSky
So what about one of the most persecuted religious branches of abraham? The one that believes they are gods chosen people. That have at the heart of their religion a term for themselves and another term for everyone else, the non chosen. How many atrocities have arisen from this belief?

You are not allowed to lie, cheat or steal from a fellow believer but if you are non chosen, it is their duty to deceive as much as possible to get the best terms. They can easily break contract with the non chosen because it is impossible to give their 'word' to the non chosen. But if they are dealing with their own, honor and respect are mandatory. When you see high practitioners spitting as required upon the relics of the non chosen, should that be considered harmless and accepted because of 'belief'?

When they gain sufficient concentration in numbers, all others become persecuted and poorer due to the business tactics of the concentrated? Is it just a dog eat dog world and if you allow yourself to be used, it is your fault? If others are more successful, then their version of religion is correct? Even at the expense of all the non chosen? Why do they own the majority of the press? Why do they own the majority of hollywood? Why are they so concentrated in finance? Why is it perfectly acceptable to practice usury on the non believers but unacceptable for themselves?

Is it OK to complain about the other 2 branches but this one is sacred? To call one of the other branches barbaric and uncivilized but excuse the other 2 that originated from the exact same source?

I just think it is funny to look unfavorably on one of the branches while giving the others a pass.

Edit to add:

The bolshevik revolution wasn't non religious persecution. It was full of one of the sides of religion.

I will let you guess, unless you actually wanted to research a bit.

I don't know if this is true but when I was studying history in grammar school, my teacher was discussing tribes in Africa. She said there was a great variety of different tribes all physically distinct from one another like pygmies, Watusi, etc. In their own native language the name for the tribe or for their people simply meant man. They believed they were the only true humans and every other tribe was a type of animals.

This is what that chosen people thing reminds me of. Do all of the non Jews that buy this actually see themselves like cattle?

a reply to: ChristianParr

So many of those wars were fought for power and money. Or independence from the larger empire so they could control their own fate and not have to pay tribute. They were just couched in religious terms. These wars would have been fought even if there was no religion.

My way is the only way ethos? Looks like you have also converted. At least you don't push it on others.

There are Popes all over the place in every religion and every walk of life. Don't let it get to you.

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: toms54

I agree completely with her..

When your dead , your dead..

Don’t spend 10,000 on a funeral for me..

Go out to eat and swap stories or something..

Don't worry. I wasn't planning paying for your funeral.

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