Religion IS Malware

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

Here's a brief but interesting book written by a psychologist and doctor in education:
The God Virus

He talks exactly about how we are programmed and how it works to keep people hooked in with a cycle of reward and punishment and negative reinforcement.
Worth the read.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

Are they still not part of the same team as the ones doing the killing? The practice squad of a football team doesn't get on the field on Sunday but they are still an integral and necessary part of the team and organization.

Their participation, however small you may perceive it to be, is still facilitating those doing the dirty work.

Go and look; then ask yourself if what you are saying is true. Billions of people are religious, the better part of the entire human population. It should be easy to find this religion causing people to murder. Show yourself how these people are facilitating murder, the mechanism by which it occurs, and go from there, because until then the argument has no merit.

Sadly religion has her extremists, fundamentalists and crazies, its no surprise that atheism has hers as well.
its sad for both groups that they breed extremism

There is a true cancer on both sides, a virus with no cure.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

What's supposed to happen before Jesus returns? War. What's been happening for thousands of years now? War. What have people been saying for thousands of years now? The end is near. Why? Because war is supposed to happen before Jesus' return.

The second coming of Jesus being preceded by war has caused complacency toward war because people see it as fulfillment of vague prophecy and to stop it is to try to stop God's grand plan of salvation.

Yes, religious people believing in religious doctrines have facilitated war throughout history.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

Here's a brief but interesting book written by a psychologist and doctor in education:
The God Virus

He talks exactly about how we are programmed and how it works to keep people hooked in with a cycle of reward and punishment and negative reinforcement.
Worth the read.

Here is what happened, in my opinion, people who are perceived to be religious and those who do not understand religions, think that religion is based on one particular set of traditional acts, meaning rites and rituals. Rites and rituals are found everywhere, the baseball player who religiously tugs his stocking up, the Pittsburgh Steelers football players who don't take showers before important games, actors in theater who say "break a leg", rituals are found in everything we do.

Etymology of religion

religion (n.) Look up religion at Dictionary.com c. 1200, "state of life bound by monastic vows," also "conduct indicating a belief in a divine power," from Anglo-French religiun (11c.), Old French religion "piety, devotion; religious community," and directly from Latin religionem (nominative religio) "respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods; conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation; fear of the gods; divine service, religious observance; a religion, a faith, a mode of worship, cult; sanctity, holiness," in Late Latin "monastic life" (5c.). According to Cicero derived from relegere "go through again" (in reading or in thought), from re- "again" (see re-) + legere "read" (see lecture (n.)). However, popular etymology among the later ancients (Servius, Lactantius, Augustine) and the interpretation of many modern writers connects it with religare "to bind fast" (see rely), via notion of "place an obligation on," or "bond between humans and gods." In that case, the re- would be intensive. Another possible origin is religiens "careful," opposite of negligens. In English, meaning "particular system of faith" is recorded from c. 1300; sense of "recognition of and allegiance in manner of life (perceived as justly due) to a higher, unseen power or powers" is from 1530s.

Religion in it's etymology doesn't simply mean that one is monastic or that one is even a Christian or Jew or any other faith system, it means this, one who has respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods; conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation; fear of the gods; divine service, religious observance; a religion, a faith, a mode of worship, cult; sanctity, holiness

Which the Book of James also says

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

James indicates that religion isn't just simply rites and rituals, which some people feel compelled to worship their chosen deity in because that is how they understand, but that religious people can also be those who are superstitious and do things that are seemingly ridiculous to everyone else.

Religion vs. Supserstition

These are all important psychological benefits often used to explain the reason why religion exists and why religion persists. They are also reasons for the existence and persistence of superstition. It seems reasonable to argue, then, that while superstition may not be a form of religion, it does spring from some of the same basic human needs and desires as religion does. Thus, a greater understanding of how and why superstition develops can be useful in gaining a better understanding and appreciation of religion

The above writer is the expert on atheism/agnosticism. Compare this to Pope Leo

To hold, therefore, that there is no difference in matters of religion between forms that are unlike each other, and even contrary to each other, most clearly leads in the end to the rejection of all religion in both theory and practice. And this is the same thing as atheism, however it may differ from it in name.

Some people might be atheist and yet still perform certain rituals religiously, and some religious people might not ever have rituals. But the very meaning of religion in Latin simply means that one can have a conscience and act according to their moral precept.

Why do people read the fortune cookies, even if they aren't Buddhist? Everyone has some type of ritual that we religiously do, even if it is something we don't think about it.

I don't think that is malware. If the Christian follows what James says, then they are religiously keeping the faith. I would say that could not be malware.

What is the reward or punishment in the fortune cookies?

originally posted by: ParasuvO

originally posted by: infolurker
LOL, This is just the standard Evangelical Atheist rhetoric. This should be a rant

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Evangelical Atheist: An evangelical atheist is one who not only believes there is no god or other supreme being, but is obsessed with convincing everyone around them to become an atheist too, usually through hard-line intolerance (the kind they accuse other religions of).
When cornered they usually try to put down their opponent's religion and bash them for 'blind faith', not realizing that their belief that there is no god is no more or less valid or provable than the other guy's belief that there is one.

The New Atheists see religion as a disease to be exterminated. Their dream, in short, is not a government neutral to religion, but a government actively hostile to religion. The evangelical atheists assume that religion must inevitably breed mindless fanaticism. Countering that image means not just answering the atheists’ arguments against God, but also correcting their false impressions of religion.

One way or another, we will get to see a world without your particular religion, and most likely all the rest even existing , or remembered.

And GOD or anyone else you imagine to be protecting it, can do a dam thing about it.

I fully believe you will "come for us" in the near future. You will even believe you are doing just work and a good thing

Nothing new there.

Are you dancing with anticipation at getting to "get rid" of people like me? I don't think you will have to wait much longer to be honest:



When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10

They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”

11Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,e were killed just as they had been.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

14I answered, “Sir, you know.”

Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died ina the great tribulation.b They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.



13:7-8 "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

The unbelievers of the world will be deceived into believing in the Beast (2 Thess. 2:4 11). Only those whose names are written in the book of life will refuse to worship the Beast.

The Beast will persecute the saints of God, and exercise power throughout the world.

The Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world in the sense that Christ's redemptive death for mankind was part of God's plan from eternity past.

The Power of the Beast - "He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them."

Today the world is prepared for a one world governmental philosophy. That philosophy, propagated by Satan and advocated by the intellectual, godless, atheistic leaders of world governments today, is rapidly spreading across the earth.

As already seen, humankind has just about come to the conclusion that the only solution to the problem of continuous war is a one world government.

That government will be the devil's government, established during the Tribulation. In the midst of that time he will assume control himself and, as verse 7 tells us, will exercise power over "every tribe, people, language and nation."

Satan's "authority" will be all but unlimited, and almost everyone on earth will worship him. This is the very thing Satan has sought from the beginning, worship from angels and men. Of course, believers in Christ will not worship Antichrist, because they will have their names written "in the book of life of the Lamb."

This book of life of the Lamb contains the names of all those who have called on the Lamb of God for salvation

originally posted by: ParasuvO

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: soulpowertothendegree


Out of every religious person I've met, not one of them killed another in the name of their religion. In fact, most were friendly, charitable, and family orientated. Why isn't their malware causing them to kill and act evil?

Because they have sold all the value they have, to others who do all the killing for them, so that they can live in total and complete deception that they are on the side of GOD.

They do not realize that they are more dead than the meth heads stumbling around the streets, and they like it that way.

Please explain to me what my value really is, just so I know exactly how much I have sold.

I perceive myself as having worth, I have great self-worth and consider you as having worth. Do you think that I think I am on the side of God, because I have a military in my country? If this world were not dangerous we would not need police or military. God that we should have no military or police, but this world isn't safe.

I don't think that we can ever say this world can be safe in any way if everyone has their own moral relativism. What do you suggest we do about the people who feel no qualms about stealing your stuff because to them your stuff is their stuff.

What do you suggest we do about people who feel no qualms about taking the life of a child, because after all, it's just another kid?

a reply to: BELIEVERpriest

What I am is a Soul that operates in a human condition and has the innate ability to understand what it is I am saying...it is not about killing in the name of GOD, it is about religion period. The fact killing occurs in the name of GOD is one aspect...there is a place where we can be that does not have religion to guide us, a place where LOVE exist without conditions...unfortunately for most of this planet it does not exist here....it cannot exist here in this human condition without first ridding this planet of the traps. There are to many conditions attached to existing here in this place we call Earth.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Thanks for sharing. It seems I am not in need of reading that though.

a reply to: infolurker

Seals? More brainwashing crap. This is exactly the BS I am talking about....the cleansing I am talking about has nothing to do with an Apocalypse, but I expected all the reaction to my thread to go down this exact path....quote me the bible chapter and verse and I will tell each and every one of you the same thing....it is all a bunch of man made rhetoric designed to brainwash you and control you.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

Well if that's the case then that would make you SPAM for creating a post on the topic. See what I did there, I made a funny.

originally posted by: soulpowertothendegree
a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Thanks for sharing. It seems I am not in need of reading that though.

I read it. BuzzyWigs was kind enough to provide a link to support her position, so I thought it respectful enough to look at it.

BuzzyWigs and I might not agree on everything, but she has an opinion that is worth hearing. After all, aren't we all supposed to respect the fact that everyone has an opinion of value because all people have value?

Maybe when we all start listening to each other, because listening isn't hard.

G.K. Chesterton

Fairy tales are more than true — not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten.”

Maybe some dragons aren't worth defeating.

A woman uses her intelligence to find reasons to support her intuition.

Maybe some women are too intuitive?

a reply to: Klassified

That's the beauty of it, as long as humans interact with each other, they disagree. Therefore, we know that anyone seeking to unify a spiritual creed by political means or by foce is either naive or dangerous, as they are seeking to unify a force (humanity) that cannot remain unified by nature.

Therefore Christians should follow the bible the way the spirit leads them, and leave the unifying work to Christ at his return. For now, division guarantees our freedom of spiritual thought.

a reply to: Akragon

Faith alone is purely Paulian doctrine...

Depends on what your talking about. Salvation is by faith(trust) alone. This is one of your favorite topics and I don't think you understand how silly it is.

Belief requires action or its nothing but words...

Imo, belief doesn't require action but rather belief requires faith(trust). Without trust no actions occur. Works are the evidence of trust in Christ, but they are not the requirement for salvation. Jesus plainly taught that the only way to the Father was through Him. Denying that would mean you and I are speaking of two different people.

a reply to: WarminIndy

reverence for the gods; conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation; fear of the gods;

Ok, but see -
"reverence for the gods" and "fear of the gods" doesn't really have anything to do with human, innate, natural "conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation"

The latter (conscientiousness etc) does NOT depend on reverence or fear.
It is just part of being human and living in the world - with other humans, with other animals, among plants, etc.

What I object to is how the concept of morality is sandwiched in between "reverence" and "fear." Neither is necessary to be a good person (but, admittedly, some people seem to need it to keep themselves in order).

a reply to: ServantOfTheLamb

Depends on what your talking about. Salvation is by faith(trust) alone. This is one of your favorite topics and I don't think you understand how silly it is.

How is it "silly"?

So - all you have to do is say "yes, please, Jesus" and everything is awesome? You have no responsibility to participate in or contribute to the well-being of your fellows?

As long as you "say you believe", everything is fine and dandy and your ticket is reserved?????????

I'm sorry, I just don't buy that.
"Faith alone" is lazy.
Just saying.
PROVE IT.

From Matthew 25:31-46:


34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Yeah.
So - all you artful dodgers ------
no, "faith alone" is not enough.




Or, here ya go:

New Living Translation
"And he will answer, 'I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.'

English Standard Version
Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’

New American Standard Bible
"Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'

And then, "I do not know you, yada yada and scooby dooby doo."

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

I wasn't directing it "at you" -

yes, it is clear you don't need it.
I offered it to provide support to your point. For the beneift of others who might need reinforcement before understanding it.

a reply to: WarminIndy

Thanks, WarminIndy.
I appreciate very much that you make that effort to understand what I'm trying to get across.

I'm glad you're back!

originally posted by: BELIEVERpriest
a reply to: Klassified

That's the beauty of it, as long as humans interact with each other, they disagree. Therefore, we know that anyone seeking to unify a spiritual creed by political means or by foce is either naive or dangerous, as they are seeking to unify a force (humanity) that cannot remain unified by nature.

Therefore Christians should follow the bible the way the spirit leads them, and leave the unifying work to Christ at his return. For now, division guarantees our freedom of spiritual thought.

Now THAT is something to agree with.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
a reply to: WarminIndy

reverence for the gods; conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation; fear of the gods;

Ok, but see -
"reverence for the gods" and "fear of the gods" doesn't really have anything to do with human, innate, natural "conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation"

The latter (conscientiousness etc) does NOT depend on reverence or fear.
It is just part of being human and living in the world - with other humans, with other animals, among plants, etc.

What I object to is how the concept of morality is sandwiched in between "reverence" and "fear." Neither is necessary to be a good person (but, admittedly, some people seem to need it to keep themselves in order).

I suppose it really depends on your definition of "the gods" as gods can be simply spiritual entities, connectedness to some power, some own ideals.

Your consciousness is connected to something, maybe you can say "god" for that?

Fear as in afraid or fear as in awe?

Back in the day, people used to say "I fear", not that they were really afraid, they just said it because they understood something that wasn't spoken or that they had knowledge of before and was verifying that they realized something.

"I fear that I was right". People used to say that. If being afraid means total fear and horror, I am really afraid of some people more. But inwardly, if you don't keep a moral obligation, how does it make you feel, inwardly? If you have a conscience I am sure that you do feel something that makes you just a little twinged over a failure?