Religion is dying; does it need replacing?

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed
a reply to: TerraLiga

Religion isn't dying at all. It is PEOPLE themselves who are dying (spiritually).
Christianity is growing fast in many other countries, especially China!

The communist government there have already died spiritually.

They allow Christian and other religions churches to be built, and then many of them are then bulldozed by government officials on the day of completion.

People see this evil in governments and they long for spiritual freedom. They congregate in secret to worship Christ in China, and other countries with similarly spiritually corrupted leadership. This can only end bad in a physical sense for everyone.

In a sense you could also take away the more freedom = less religion.

Said another way, China is a free-ish society. But, nowhere as free as America or Western Europe, for instance.

So, in a society where you can freely explore alternate theories, literature, philosophy, science, etc. AND have the freedom to largely believe and act on however you feel dogma becomes constraining - which goes against the (at least perceived) notion of freedom.

If you contrast that with China, where people are used to dogma/“the party line”/being followers of the state religion doesn’t feel constraining - it’s what they’re used to - and in many cases they may not have access to diverging opinion or other perspectives.

So, maybe this really is all about personal freedom (which “the church” professes to so long as it fits their definition of freedom) and not about “religion” in the sense of not believing in a higher power.

a reply to: Specimen

Religion is a counterfeit and counterfeits ONLY exist when there is a genuine.

The reason that counterfeit religion is so deceptive is because it looks so much like the real thing.

If you were to be given a counterfeit $20 bill, it has to look an awful lot like a real one or no one is going accept it.

This is the primary reason why religion is so powerful when used as a mind control tool.

The stealth agenda behind it is to discredit and keep you away from the genuine.

History is strewn with cults who twist Scriptures and use them as bait for false credibility.

If Christianity is a true religion, then it should come as no surprise that the devil has raised up a false Christianity to discredit the true one.

Ex-satanist Ana Mendez Ferrell talks about how religion uses the name of Jesus as a 'hook' to lure people in:

He will disguise himself as an angel of light and in every false religion the name of Jesus is there as the hook that makes them believe that something is real there. ~ Ana Mendez Ferrell

originally posted by: TerraLiga
...
I don’t personally know of any Marxist, communist or socialist regime that has banned outright or actively upheld a ban on all faith-based religions or philosophies, which is what I have been referring to. To me, religion does not automatically equate to Christianity.

And that makes you wrong. Several regimes have, and are still persecuting people of various religious faiths. In Cuba all religions were banned. The Soviet Union also banned religions, North Korea, and many others including China.

Just because some of these regimes, like China, are now allowing "confucianism" because it has similarities to the belief of the communists, it doesn't mean that there is religious freedom, when people of other religions are still to this day persecuted, arrested, and beaten up...

BTW, the argument of the op, and some other members, to "replace religion with something else" is exactly what "communists" did all over the world. The same argument of "just science" was used to ban religions, and oppress religion freedom all over the world.

But like the saying states, history tends to repeat itself when people don't learn from history.

a reply to: Metallicus

That makes sense, most Islamic countries don't seem to have freedom of the press. I guess it works to their benefit. I do see how the press has ramped up on anti-Christian rhetoric lately in the West.

I stopped being a Christian when I saw for myself how much they began to hate people lately, like gays, lesbians, transgenders - and I've seen for myself how racist they can be against blacks and especially immigrants from down south.

I am personally someone who enjoys helping others and has empathy for people from all walks of life. I guess I picked up my values from when I was a Christian as a kid. I heard a lot about Christ back then. I also went to college and learned a lot about the world and focused a lot on science and math.

So one other thing that bothers me about Christians today is that some of them don't accept science. I've taken a lot of science and math courses, and I just can't be persuaded to believe in things like Noah's Ark or the book of Genesis. Even as a kid, I thought they were supposed to be fables collected and passed down through the generations.

It isn't that big of a deal for people to believe in these sorts of things until it starts to interfere with their ability to handle reality.

Now - it is possible that the hatred of gays, lesbians, Hispanics, blacks, etc. is overblown. It is possible that most religious people accept gay marriage. It is possible that most religious people accept science, but the media overblows it. Is that what you are saying?

I mean more than half of my opinions about conservatives and religious folks come from my interactions with them here on ATS.

Counterfeit to what, Zoroastrianism and Babylonian beliefs? I'm aware that the Roman Church have their own separate set of practices, beliefs, or undertones , which may have originated from Sumer/Babylon. Like the well known fish hat( mitre hat what I think it was) and maybe even the popular goddess Inanna/Ishtar. I'm just going to stop there or I'll be rambling about it... pinecones an all.

originally posted by: Murgatroid
a reply to: Specimen

Ex-satanist Ana Mendez Ferrell talks about how religion uses the name of Jesus as a 'hook' to lure people in:

He will disguise himself as an angel of light and in every false religion the name of Jesus is there as the hook that makes them believe that something is real there. ~ Ana Mendez Ferrell

The only religion that even uses Christ name is mainly Christianity, and Islam but I'm pretty sure they just call him Jesus and might be 3rd place in their divine hierarchy. And some Jews think he was a false Messiah that led to the down fall of ancient Jerusalem with illegal immigration.

The problem is that religion has refused to evolve with the times.

Moral lessons of the past may well be worth remembering but they do not really pave the way for the future.

I want to see a future, a real future for the species Man - How about you

"SCIENCEFICTIONALISM the Religion of the FUTURE"

ScienceFictionalism is a new religion of the future. It is being created by time travelers from an indeterminate and undefinable future who ask to be determined and defined. ScienceFictionalism worships the future and tries to shape its direction to ensure that it [the future] continues. Its followers are more than futurists and transhumanists -Its followers are its creators - Its followers are time travelers who create time!

SCIENCEFICTIONALISM the Way of the FUTURE

We Sciencefictionalists believe in the future - Believe that Man with the support of benign alien beings [most from the future] can design a better future for the Planet Earth and for the Human species now occupying it. WE use all known and rational observation be it scientific or philosophical and postulate future scenarios and potentials that might be achieved by different paths.

WE consider whether a course of action is more likely to result in a dystopian or utopian future and seek the utopian path - Whereas no absolute utopia may ever be possible - wrong choices, which Man often makes will definitely lead to a dystopian future - or no future at all.

Join us Human - there is a huge universe to explore and together we will show you the meanings of the universe and why you are a part of it.



Our main concern Human is not whether or not you have a soul - Our main concern is whether your species has a future?

And remember:

THE FUTURE IS NOW !!!

universalspacealienpeoplesassociation.blogspot.com...

a reply to: darkbake

You are wrong in so many things that is not even funny. First of all, religious people include people of all minorities such as Hispanics.

Second of all, Christians "don't hate gays, lesbians etc." People like you can't differentiate between "disagreeing with the views" of some people, more so when those views are being shoved down people's throats, and hatred. There is a big difference between "hatred" and "disagreeing/not wanting other's beliefs shoved down people's throat."

Third of all, just using the name "science" doesn't make certain "beliefs" right... For example AGW. There is plenty of evidence showing that the "belief" in AGW is wrong, and it is a belief when observation and scientific knowledge shows that AGW is in fact wrong.

Even "evolution" is a theory. Not to mention that the "theory of the Big Bang" is actually a theory of "Creatio ex nihilo" or "Creation out of nothing," and was created to reconciliate religion with science.

I was just having this conversation with a friend.

In my opinion, the internet has become the new religion. People, kids etc can just google an answer to anything so why would they place stock in the allegory of Western religion. Try telling a kid with a few thousand instagram followers who has been on an iPad since nappies that man was made out of mud and a guy built a boat and got two of every kind of animal on it and watch their eyes glaze over sighting bullsh!t

a reply to: TerraLiga

No. Christianity for instance, is being attacked on every front. It's not dying. Most religions are bad, in that they're mostly cults anyway, but Christianity is all about Resurrection, and will prevail in the end.

originally posted by: Dfairlite
a reply to: KansasGirl

To a great many people today, Science is their religion.

The throes of a dying society (western societies). After-all, no one dies for scientific fact. See the whole transgender movement for exhibit A on how much people adhere to science and what they're willing to sacrifice for it. But people will die for God and for Christ and be at peace with it. That's why science loses to religion throughout history. science is not a worthy supplement for religion. It's a nice complement for it though.

So you’d rather have people devoutly killing each other due to their strong religious beliefs and that’s the justification for religion > science?

This statement tells me we haven’t been super smart as a species through history - not that religion > all else.

originally posted by: Dfairlite

The throes of a dying society (western societies). After-all, no one dies for scientific fact. See the whole transgender movement for exhibit A on how much people adhere to science and what they're willing to sacrifice for it. But people will die for God and for Christ and be at peace with it. That's why science loses to religion throughout history. science is not a worthy supplement for religion. It's a nice complement for it though.

Lots of people have died and have been murdered or subjected to cruel experimentation, without their consent, in the name of "science."

Communism was founded as an atheistic belief in which "science" was favored, and forced on people, and religions were banned.

Many of the "beliefs" of the nazis were based on "science."

Even to this day the belief in "eugenics/population control" was started by the nazis, and to this day "scientific beliefs" that the nazis had are still entrenched in "left-wing beliefs." The nazis, whom I abhor to this day, also believed that is was more humane to kill babies/the unborn if they could be born with deformities of illnesses, or for "genetic reasons/disorders."

a reply to: ElectricUniverse

Yes, many have been killed in the name of science. Few have been killed standing up for science (think martyrdom).

How about not blaming concepts, religion, science, and etc etc etc and blaming what's actually at fault?
The individuals that did whatever.

a reply to: EnigmaChaser

So you’d rather have people devoutly killing each other due to their strong religious beliefs....

What? I said nothing about killing people. Where in the world did you get that? People are willing to go to great lengths to stand up for their religious beliefs. The same cannot be said for scientific beliefs. If someone held a gun to your head and told you to agree that 1+1=8 or they'd blow your brains out, would you stand up for the scientific fact that it really equals 2 or would you agree that it's 8? Now apply that scenario to people denouncing the existence of God or being told to worship another God. Nations have been forged from the latter, not the former, including the greatest nation on earth. This is why science is lost and religion is not, many times over throughout history.

a reply to: Dfairlite


Science arose in a time where human life has been becoming more and more valued.
And then laying deaths committed during more savage times at religion's feet.

a reply to: Murgatroid

It seems the pharisee's did have knowledge....

(Gospel of Thomas).... Jesus said : "The Pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of knowledge and hidden them. They have not entered, nor have they allowed those who wish so to enter. You, however, be as shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves."

Perhaps the keys were qabalah which is starting to become available in our age. It has many similarities to Hinduism which shouldn't surprise given Aristotle stated “Jews are derived from the Indian philosophers; named by the Indians as Calami". Many names in Torah were indian rivers long dried up etc.

a reply to: HarbingerOfShadows

Well this is awkward...

a reply to: ElectricUniverse

We seem to be going round in circles here and you are becoming increasingly angry and agressive, so I’ll end our personal conversation with this post. You are of course free to respond.

I’ve never been to Cuba and I’m not over familia with religion in that country. I do know a bit about Castro and his regime though. I did read, however, that Castro banned religious schools when he came to power and ceased to invest in new religious buildings or repair existing ones. He did grant several hundred ‘house churches’ though, so worship could continue. There was a special department for this express purpose. I don’t see how that is banning religion. In the 90s he invited the Pope over for to conduct a series of open air masses.

I know a fair bit about the former USSR and current Russian Federation, having travelled there several times. Stalin was vehemently opposed to religious activities, I will concede that, but modern Russia is open to most faiths. I have personally never seen any religious persecution and the Orthodox Church has a healthy membership. Whatever you are reading to base your judgements on is obviously very old.

China is another country I have visited many times professionally. Buddhism and Confucianism and Taoism are now and have always been very healthy active religions, despite the State officially being non-religious. When the PRC was formed, Christian religions were persecuted to some degree, but like I said religion does not equal Christianity alone.

I’ve also not been to N Korea either, so what I know is secondhand and what I’ve read. Again, Christian religions have been banned for some time, but not indigenous faiths.

Either what you are reading is biased, old or has an agenda. I know from firsthand experience that what you are claiming is untrue of all faiths, but is fairly accurate only for Christian beliefs, but like I said from the beginning, I don’t count religion as belonging only to Jesus, like you seem to.

a reply to: ElectricUniverse

You obviously missed my point.

Yet another person who claims that only them are "not ignorant," that only "them" are "enlightened."

I never claimed any such thing.

to simply have a huge ego and nothing else...

You might want to look in the mirror.

a reply to: Dfairlite

In which you prove you have no clue what you're talking about.
Natural Philosophy is not precisely "science".
More of a precursor.

Science as we imagine it has it's start largely in the Enlightenment.

Try again.