Religion, the biggest con of all, page 1

Originally posted by thesneakiod
Religion is the disease that plagues this planet, full of corrupt individuals who
are only interest is to manipulate and squeeze money out of the poor saps who lap it up and think they're going to be saved.

I tend to agree with the first part of your statement; that religion is the disease. However it is not the true disease or perhaps I should say the only disease.

The basic ailment of mankind is partisan anything. Self-oriented anything. And even on a group level, we still find a 'self' (entity/identity) that is self-oriented and exclusive of any who won't change their minds to conform.

No one is allowed into their inner circle and their many secrets(why won't the vatican let people into their vaults, even historians?)

They do let scholars/historians in. But the texts are ancient and most are in archaic languages that many of the most learned linguists can not decipher. And the material which they are made of is fragile and old. They truly are protecting them...for what I don't know. Time goes on and the languages grow more obscure and the pages continue to crumble. Those books are dead but God is alive and so are we.

There have been many wars in the name of religion. We have terrorists trying to kill us in honour of their god. To fight, kill, and die for a cause that you don't know for sure if its real or not is quite frankly absurd and certainly bordering on a short cut to thinking.

No doubt. But there are just as many wars fought on things that don't fight back (drugs, etc) and terrorism (fighting terror with terror? won't work!) and the traditional reason was not God but land. Kingdoms and power. It is men that fight and they hide behind creeds and patriotism to excuse themselves.

It was created to keep the peasants in check and stop them from going insane from the thought that there might not be an afterlife.

I think that religion is more fundamentally a natural result of man's inability to understand God. It is expected and was created when man began to have a moment or two of rest between killing food and surviving the wild. That is why astrology is as old as it is and even in the oldest digs, archaeologists find effigies and other evidence of religious activity.

For the amount of horror that happens on this planet, god just can't exist.

Man does! And man causes the horror, not God. God is not a tyrant nor is He cruel. God is wise and knows that the best lesson is learned the hard way. The hardest times the world has known were during the first half of the 20th century. Until then, global terror was not possible...but wars and oppression and all cruelties still took place EVERY DAY in every local community of every sort. But when we began to become one global village we didn't overcome our small minds - our minds must grow as the world becomes small. A small world is only managed correctly with a broad view and an open mind - not one that seeks to divide and make smaller and smaller parts.

Religion (especially nominal organized christianity) campaigns heartily against a 'one world government' and a 'one world religion.' But truly - what other solution is there for war and for our miserable lives spent fearing death? What freedom is there aside from universal freedom and equal rights on all levels? What peace is there that isn't good?

If Jesus, himself, said he came to spread the sword...and the so-called antichrist is coming to bring peace...then maybe the masses need to rethink their values and step apart on their own and SEE the history of the last 7000 years for the chaotic ungodly events that mar the achievements that we should be building a future upon - for all the children on every shore! Sea to shining sea! 7 seas and 7 lands and one species of Man and one creator of ALL.

God DOES exist - I don't expect to persuade you, only testify to my own persuasion in that regard. That is probably the only thing I truly KNOW. And I am almost as sure of one other thing: God doesn't play favorites nor does He pick and choose countries, religions or families.

Those individuals that He plucks (elects) out of the crowd are proven by their unwillingness to divide and spread hate or favoritism. They feed the poor and help all who need help - they might have their own personal religion or they may not appear religious at all! Regardless they keep that part of their life to themselves - they don't evangelize but rather labor and serve. They care about the people in need without trying to gain for self.

You can be sure that such are in God's hands and are doing His will not man's. We kill a lot of them - yesterday was the birthday of just such a one. MLK Jr was truly sent - truly a saint - a prophet who spoke of peace and love beyond man's ability to accept. And He literally turned the other cheek once when a kid threw a rock in a parade and hit him in the face! He didn't do a thing! That is something I admire more than I can say!