Religion has had it's time.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by Oerets

My experiences with religion is a simple one. It has little effect on a strong willed persons ability to do the right or wrong thing. Just the easily swayed.

So will always be around in one shape or another to control the masses. Even the Nazis came up with a mythology to confuse and use.

Barney

Barney some people are control freaks and they manage without religion as a tool. I recall summat about Kool Aid in South America. The one thing that I have learned, well two things actually, first we have free will so whatever happens to us is usually our own fault or just happenstance. The second thing was what He called the second greatest commandment* is quite true - love your neighbor as yourself. Now think about that - most people really don't love themselves and so cannot love others. So you see what the shrinks call projection - people will assume that others will act toward them as they themselves would. Now loving yourself does not mean being blind to one's own faults - but at least you know they are faults and so don't project them onto others.

* I have often wondered why we call them commandments, I mean who is going to enforce them, beyond 'Thou shalt not murder'.

Another thing is this idea that the Old Testament is God's word - he did not fax it down. It is mostly allegorical and historical. You don't actually believe Adam and Eve were the first surely. Note that every artists painting of Adam and Eve shows both with navels - really?

Actually that story was the first example of misogyny. Blame it all on poor Eve.

[Rajoo]

Religion has been a unifying force for societies for centuries. But once unified and indoctrinated, religions are quite effective in promoting discord and eventual wars between people of different beliefs. And this cycle repeats. It is at it's worst usually when there are wars between factions of the same religion.

Also for a religious faith to take hold, one needs a strong document that people will take at face value without discourse. This is usually not easy without certain brainwashing and guilt trips. Most people that quote the Bible or the Koran do so expecting you not to challenge what is written and can seldom explain why. "It says so in the book" is the end of it. Try asking who wrote it?

So in the end, religions were meant to unite people but ends up dividing and leading to conflicts. Yet it is also an effective stick in countries with poor educational levels. Or without it, anarchy will prevail. "God will punish you" is a very effective tool.

I am and have been a practicing atheist but it has been more of a defense mechanism than an answer.

[whell]

Of course there are extremists on both ends of the spectrum of the religious debate that give their respective causes a black eye. The folks in the middle are caught up in the damage caused by the folks on the extremes who can't seem to embrace the concept of "live and let live". For example, while you might admire his conviction, here's an example of someone who can't "live and let live":

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...sade/22253013/

As far as religious types who don't get it, one need look no further than what's going on in Iraq and Syria.

[Rajoo]

Originally Posted by whell

Of course there are extremists on both ends of the spectrum of the religious debate that give their respective causes a black eye. The folks in the middle are caught up in the damage caused by the folks on the extremes who can't seem to embrace the concept of "live and let live". For example, while you might admire his conviction, here's an example of someone who can't "live and let live":

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...sade/22253013/

As far as religious types who don't get it, one need look no further than what's going on in Iraq and Syria.

I disagree. From the link above:

"Everybody knows this is a Christian place, not a Muslim place, not a Hindu place," Matt Kooienga, associate pastor of Harvest Baptist Church in Hudsonville, said during the Jan. 13 work session. "We don't have to lock our doors. The reason for that is we're Christians."

Is this sentiment OK with you? To say the least, it is discriminatory and illegal.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by whell

Of course there are extremists on both ends of the spectrum of the religious debate that give their respective causes a black eye. The folks in the middle are caught up in the damage caused by the folks on the extremes who can't seem to embrace the concept of "live and let live". For example, while you might admire his conviction, here's an example of someone who can't "live and let live":

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...sade/22253013/

As far as religious types who don't get it, one need look no further than what's going on in Iraq and Syria.

There are obviously extremists who are non religious, except that one might consider atheism to be reverse religion.

Why do people go so extreme escapes me although I have noticed this among folks who convert to a religion - are they trying to convince themselves that they did the right thing?

I know what I believe and since it has made me so happy (well it helped me find Florence and she has more than made me happy) so if I get preachy sometimes it is only with the wish that others be happy.

The Catholic wedding prayers suggest the 'the husband and the wife become one." and there are days when I swear we are one soul that just happens to occupy two bodies.

Of course since I was divorced we had a civil wedding, even the Anglicans (God's Frozen people) would not let us renew our vows in the American Chapel at St. Paul's in London.

[Tom Joad]

IMO George Carlin got it right where religion is concerned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r-e2NDSTuE

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by BeamOn

I disagree. From the link above:



Is this sentiment OK with you? To say the least, it is discriminatory and illegal.

No in fact the Constitution states that upon assuming public office no one is required to swear a religious oath so the pastor is misinformed. And what if the thief is not a good baptist?

[nailer]

Originally Posted by sanford12

I believe that too.

There are far more good people than bad people. Sadly, for us the desire for power is the root of all evil.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by merrylander

No in fact the Constitution states that upon assuming public office no one is required to swear a religious oath so the pastor is misinformed. And what if the thief is not a good baptist?

You'll never convince a true believer/patriot that there is no God in the Constitution.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by nailer

You'll never convince a true believer/patriot that there is no God in the Constitution.

The Declaration of Independence speaks of a 'creator' and from what I have read most of the founders were 'deists' in fact did not Jefferson create his own bible by simply cutting out the bits he agreed with and pasting them into a blank book?

We have seen what a theocratic government can do and surely want no part of that.