To me, the word "god" represents man made weirdness. It's only a figure of speech. Even the word "faith" to me is just meant as a figure of speech whose purpose is to convey that I believe in something. I have faith that I'm going to get home soon. To a believer in the weirdness, they read statements like mine with some kinda wish-washy forgiveness stuff and some kinda weird mentality called "prayers" for me. It's (the story of god) a friggin made. up. thing. by. dead. people; whom told weird stories to servants. And it got beat into their heads over and over and OVER and over and over and over and OVER again. And people would be threatened by punishment by DEATH if they didn't believe what the crazies were telling them. How convenient! Then the bible (and similar books, whatever y'all call em) got printed and printed and printed and printed wayyyyyyyyyy way too many times but the point was.... just keep beating and beating and BEATING these stories into the minds of people. Wow... the tenacity! Still goin strong to this very day. Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... BAAAAAAaaaaaaaaa. Only a human would have the capacity to do something so insane. A mosquito wouldn't - not evolved enough. A frog wouldn't - can't communicate with people. A rock on Neptune wouldn't - afterall, it's a rock on Neptune. That gravity thing.... it's tough shit! oh and rocks have no brains. But some brains do have rocks. That's also, just a figure of speech. And I'm a geologist! (really.... I am honestly a geologist. There are rocks on my desk. They're anywhere from 50 million years to 250 millions years old. Pretty cool when ya think about it.) See ya on the rest of the forum. I respect your belief in god. I'm beginning to sound like a preacher!
Those who put faith in God and abide by his rules are the ones that survive the end of the world and are rewarded and I believe this...but everyone has a free choice to believe or not to, each to their own.
Where do you get to go? Where are all the believers who have already passed?
These types of logistical questions have never been answered very well for me. I'm just left with this visual of a bunch of people hanging out on clouds and listening to angels play harps. Obviously, this cannot be heaven... so where exactly is heaven? And where will the faithful get to live for eternity?
Those who put faith in God and abide by his rules are the ones that survive the end of the world and are rewarded and I believe this...but everyone has a free choice to believe or not to, each to their own.
This is exactly why I said this above: " It's those who profess to know something others or "should" or "ought" to know that are asking for a little razzing."
If you try to tell someone what is "stronger" "wiser" or "more deserving" or try to say who will or won't survive, you're merely provoking and asking for a major razing. Jesus just slammed another two shots and is zooming down a highway in your town. Better be a good dodger 'cause here comes that crazy Logger Dude (caps to show respect of course) and he ain't all that happy.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
brianlux, when are we gonna get together for beers and jam about Roger the Lager Dodger Logger ? i mean...... holy hell! Thirty Bills Unpaid - smooth move. strike another one up for the good guys. (that sounds so childish, but we arrrrre talkin about the mystery in the clouds. shit, wait... there wasn't a cloud in the sky today. hmmmmm. it was heavenly out there though, I'll tell you that.) "sure is fun minglin with these laid back country folk, isn't it?" - by the way, I'm also from the country. Lots of churches in our small town. My grandparents believe - same with my aunts and uncles... heck I think my parents do as well. And maybe even my sister a little - they all so cray. But we cool. My younger cousin doesn't and I think his sister doesn't, yet one of his sisters does... the theme here... it's only people. Not one dog, cat or crack in the wood has ever shown a belief ... hmmmmm isn't that weird? Is god only subject to humans... bahhhhhh can't be. or caaaaaaaaaaan it... QUICK! TO THE DODGER MOBILE! Can I just say this - I fucking LOVE that more and more people are standing up for themselves with this whole god thing. About friggin time. We all know Santa isn't... ahhhh crap. a can of worms! yum!
^^^ I would be definitely be up for tipping a few brews with you evsgjamm. :-)
And that goes for anyone here, you too JWPearl, as long as we don't tell each other what to believe. We can always talk the great music that brought us here or any number of things- even your faith as long as you don't tell me I have to believe in God... or else!
And if some of us sometimes stand up and say "shove it with your religion" it just might be that we are tired of having it shoved down our throats. I'm not upset about any of that any more- I got over it a long time ago when I decided its all a matter of personal perspective and that what is most important is being true to my own beliefs while respecting others- and I really do have a lot of respect for all the people I know who have their own personal concepts of God or not-a-god including atheists. But the thing is, when I was younger, other people's perception of God was forced on me and I tried to see what it was all about and it didn't hold water for me but then that guilt thing got laid on thick by others who said I would be judged if I didn't see it their way so I do understand when people say, "screw that."
Another little thing to consider- if you're truly comfortable with your beliefs you might find you lose the feeling of a need to make others believe in what you believe.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Those who put faith in God and abide by his rules are the ones that survive the end of the world and are rewarded and I believe this...but everyone has a free choice to believe or not to, each to their own.
Which rules would those be?
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
Oh I am so echoing brianlux's post. echo! echo echo oh what the heck is this "code" thing I clicked. I was just looking to make my letters smaller for the whole echo effect. let's see how this displays. oh hey! That's pretty cool! it looks like i peed on my own comment! beauty I've got the guitar out now - the jammin has been goin on for a few hours here at the ole desk. peace.
haha. WEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeee..... WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeee (thread de-railed: kudos to the OP for havin the balls to start it though. insert popcorn icon heEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeere
Please do you ever dream ??? And if you do have you ever thought about God and Jesus himself and asking ???instead of assuming there is none and going according to your own desires against his will... Usually the truth hurts for sinners who refuse to repent in their bad mistakes The bible has the story clearly written out why God does allow suffering, he does not agree with it but he doesnt stop it bc of an issue that needs to be proven to the angels and the creation on earth...
Have my morals. Don't need assistance. And as Ed has stated it's all about the present.
I don't get the point in belittling those who do believe in (a) god. It's just as silly as those berating atheists.
"blah"...c'mon man. That's just rude. As is saying it's fine to believe as those need to...but "it's wrong"? By whose standards?
And this?
"I mean no disrespect to believer's or people that just hate my rambling. kiss my arse"
If this was heat of the moment, you excited in your posting, so be it. Hopefully upon reflecting you'll see how it might've been as offputting as the ramblings you don't care for.
Why always a divide? If living in and speaking with peace, how is that not good enough?
Simple respect. Otherwise, we're all fucked.
Till these folks infringe on your rights or worse yet your career is threatened because your boss discriminates against you due to your non beliefs. They pry ask questions.
Those who put faith in God and abide by his rules are the ones that survive the end of the world and are rewarded and I believe this...but everyone has a free choice to believe or not to, each to their own.
If there is a god, which I do not believe there is, and if there is a heaven, which I believe even less in (if that's possible), then I do not want any part of an afterlife where one's acceptance is based simply on belief and faith. "Screw everyone else" eh?
I choose to live my life based on common sense and a good core of morals, not folklore and mores passed down through centuries of generations and eventually written down...a few thousand years ago, misinterpreted again and again until parts of it completely contradict other parts and have pretty much no relevance to modern life. (Let me add: I have no problems at all with some parts of the holy books, like the 10 commandments...but I don't need a "holy" book to tell me that murder is evil or that nailing my neighbor's wife is probably a bad idea)
In my mind, and I mean no disrespect to believers, it is very freeing to realize exactly what religion is. When my eyes opened up, I couldn't walk away from my faith fast enough. Modern day religions started in an era with an extreme lack of education among the masses. When the ruling class realized it was even easier to keep the masses at bay by "explaining" the world around them in terms of god(s) and heaven/hell and submissiveness, it became even easier to rule. If you speak out, you're going to hell. If you rise up, you're going to hell. If you question them, you're going to hell. This was their life. This was all they knew. They "knew" they would be rewarded in the afterlife, so just suck it up while you're alive. Those in power live in a lap of luxury, knowing full well what they are doing.
Sometimes I am astonished that the masses haven't left religion behind at this point. We've come to far, and I just see religions, and especially organized religions, as this truly archaic and outdated system. For example, the bible outlaws: homosexuality, eating pig, eating shellfish, clothing that exposes too much skin, mixing fabrics in your outfit, short hair, shaving off your beard, tattoos, working on Sundays (do you like football?), psychic readings (silly I know, but it's still banned), defending your husband in a fight (want to lose a hand? defend your husband and you'll get your hand cut off), cursing at your parents (thou shalt be killed if you do), women speaking in church (not a peep!), sex before marriage.
That's just a sample. Yet people still cling to these books and these ideals. I simply don't get it. We've come so far as a species, but still cling to these thoughts and stories from centuries ago.
Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
^ And if some of us sometimes stand up and say "shove it with your religion" it just might be that we are tired of having it shoved down our throats.
This is a very good statement ... never once had an atheist or agnostic push their beliefs down my throat ... but have had plenty of religious folks pushing their beliefs down my throat, knocking at my door on and on. If their so sure of their religion and their afterlife fine with me ... just leave the rest of us alone, but they can't do that, they need to recruit, they need $$$ and folks thats all religion is ... just another way to scam money from people.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
a higher power (if you will) is not locked up in some church with what could be many people praying, singing & being spoken to or even lectured by their leader (if you will). i think we are looking way to deep into this. a higher power is inside of each of us; get in touch w/ yourself, this energy. this is everywhere in everything. try meditating, being creative & listening to your feelings & the feelings of others.
& if a higher power wants to be a cloud or lie around on clouds feasting on grapes while listening to angels strum harps then that is what the higher power will be doing... this & a few 999,000,000,000,000^2 X's vast endlessness & other things simultaneously. how many events are happening in the oceans from microscopic on up to the blue whale? countless vibrations
did this, does this vibration just happen? existence is sound, vibrations are existence. let's think about this awhile. so life is existence full of sounds vibrating in, out & across all of this
something like this.
so where did existence come from? maybe this is all a dream, yes? think about for a moment... nonexistence into existence or existence into nonexistence. this is very vast, far bigger than the cosmos. emptiness, nothingness & everything happening is being birthed or not.
(sound/vibration)
all of this is limitless, greater power with no shape or qualities, just all of it at once time & so forth
something like this: 1 + 1 is not 2 1 + 1 = 1,000,000
like an entire galaxy collapsing into itself & completely vanishing our perspective is limited & will be this forever so, what is our forever is not known
& so energy vibrations carry on maybe be a better life for yourself & everything else self-realization
Those who put faith in God and abide by his rules are the ones that survive the end of the world and are rewarded and I believe this...but everyone has a free choice to believe or not to, each to their own.
Where do you get to go? Where are all the believers who have already passed?
These types of logistical questions have never been answered very well for me. I'm just left with this visual of a bunch of people hanging out on clouds and listening to angels play harps. Obviously, this cannot be heaven... so where exactly is heaven? And where will the faithful get to live for eternity?
Since coming back to this thread this morning and then digesting it on the way to work...once again must say that I have no disrespect toward anyone who has faith or doesn't...live your life as seen fit and leave others alone.
If we all do that, who is anyone to mock?
It does make me sad, though, to essentially call those with religion rubes. Got the wool pulled over yer eyes, ya numbnuts!
One aspect on the personal front - in all I've come to learn of the Holocaust, I never read of Jews trying to shove anything upon anyone. Their religion was precious to them and most practiced it in peace and with genuineness.
Were they dumbasses for adhering to something they believed in, even willing to die for it? My father's parents were both sent to concentration camps, where my grandmother died. For being of "a" religion. Others for being gay. Handicapped. Gypsies. Other...undesirables.
She wasn't deaf or blind or dumb or born to follow (to quote one of my favorite songs, quite fitting here). She held to something intrinsic to her, and I'm thankful my father also held those beliefs until he died.
One thing that strikes me...much as Judaism was a part of my father, he always respected my questioning of a god; in fact, he encouraged it. Never with spite, never with ridicule. He just knew that "belief" can't be forced.
Also...being religious and intelligent aren't mutually exclusive.
how many times and ways will some of you keep conviencing your selfs that you don't believe in God ? this and gun threads are rehashed every couple months or so and it's just about as exciting as watching paint dry,what are some of you so afraid of that you hide your selfs from faith ?
how many times and ways will some of you keep conviencing your selfs that you don't believe in God ? this and gun threads are rehashed every couple months or so and it's just about as exciting as watching paint dry,what are some of you so afraid of that you hide your selfs from faith ?
Godfather.
I'm not afraid of anything...I'm quite comfortable in my non-faith.
Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
how many times and ways will some of you keep conviencing your selfs that you don't believe in God ? this and gun threads are rehashed every couple months or so and it's just about as exciting as watching paint dry,what are some of you so afraid of that you hide your selfs from faith ?
Godfather.
Yeah, I'd echo the frogman, GF. I don't really give a shit who does or doesn't believe, or why. OK, in the spirit of sharing ideas, I do. I'm just not big on the talking smack side of things, no matter the view.
how many times and ways will some of you keep conviencing your selfs that you don't believe in God ? this and gun threads are rehashed every couple months or so and it's just about as exciting as watching paint dry,what are some of you so afraid of that you hide your selfs from faith ?
Godfather.
Not afraid of anything ... I know a scam when I see a scam and religion is a scam and to my knowledge there is 0 evidence that god exist ... but religion says "thats why its called faith" all the while they got their hand out asking for some $$$.
To quote George Carlin religion is the greatest bullshit scam going.
I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I have no disrespect toward anyone who has faith or doesn't...live your life as seen fit and leave others alone.
I agree, but I tend to not respect people that are deeply religious. In all honesty, I believe only weak minded people are religious to start with..In most cases, it was programmed into them at an early age, regardless of the religion.
I mean seriously, just look at the history of "rewrites" of the bible and why... The powerful used it to control the underclass with fear... FEAR OF GOD... Kings were chosen by GOD... yea okay.. Look at how most of the stories of the bible were "copies" of Sumarian texts that are much much older..
Plus how did that religion work out for Ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Myans, Aztecs, the list is long of those that prayed to invisible gods and their societies crumbled under the weight of nonsense and myth.... etc etc....
I find it humorous that religious people will easy scoff and laugh at god/s of history as myth and nonsense when they have no more proof of their god than a man living in 500BC that prayed to Zeus or Poseidon... After thousands of years..it's still nonsense for the weak minded..
"The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera." - Yusuf Karsh
Since coming back to this thread this morning and then digesting it on the way to work...once again must say that I have no disrespect toward anyone who has faith or doesn't...live your life as seen fit and leave others alone.
If we all do that, who is anyone to mock?
That's a line i try to tread carefully, and I admit I do not always get it right.
I try to respect those who are religious, especially if their hearts are in the right place. I respect your beliefs even more if you can HONESTLY (few can) and truly say that you've questioned your faith and then decided it was still something that you wanted in your life. Many believers will say they questioned their faith at some point, but very, very few actually have.
But i do honestly and truly believe this world would be so much better if religion just disappeared. Far too many people use it as a crutch, and far too many people are hurt and destroyed in its name.
Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
One of my all-time favorite P.J. lyrics is from "Faithful":
M.Y.T.H. is Belief in the game controls that keeps us in a box of fear We never listen Voice inside so drowned out
Religion is so often those controls that keep people boxed up by fear. Listen to what's inside, the song says, to your own voice that has been drowned out. A personal faith that does not infringe on the rights and well being of others is fine. An organization of any kind- especially something as unproven as a religion- that keeps people boxed up by fear, that suppresses, that kills and destroys, that subjugates and separates and annihilates- that is evil.
Have your faith. Believe in God or fairies or trees or rocks and rock stars or stars. Just don't tell me what to believe.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
myyoung321...fine by me to consider religious people weak-minded. Two off the top of my head - MLK and Maya Angelou (hell - my own father and his family) - haven't struck me as small-souled or puny in thought.
But...this is where I say it's OK to think this way of many good and generous people (well, aside from the perceived chink in their armor). I know / believe what I do, and get others don't. I accept it.
Doesn't mean I won't speak my mind where I see fit, but in the end, your view, my view - the words and thoughts make little difference.
That said, I've seen many honorable deeds from religious, atheists and agnostics alike.
Comments
Only a human would have the capacity to do something so insane. A mosquito wouldn't - not evolved enough. A frog wouldn't - can't communicate with people. A rock on Neptune wouldn't - afterall, it's a rock on Neptune. That gravity thing.... it's tough shit! oh and rocks have no brains. But some brains do have rocks. That's also, just a figure of speech. And I'm a geologist! (really.... I am honestly a geologist. There are rocks on my desk. They're anywhere from 50 million years to 250 millions years old. Pretty cool when ya think about it.)
See ya on the rest of the forum. I respect your belief in god. I'm beginning to sound like a preacher!
2010 WATCH IT GO TO FIRE!!
These types of logistical questions have never been answered very well for me. I'm just left with this visual of a bunch of people hanging out on clouds and listening to angels play harps. Obviously, this cannot be heaven... so where exactly is heaven? And where will the faithful get to live for eternity?
If you try to tell someone what is "stronger" "wiser" or "more deserving" or try to say who will or won't survive, you're merely provoking and asking for a major razing. Jesus just slammed another two shots and is zooming down a highway in your town. Better be a good dodger 'cause here comes that crazy Logger Dude (caps to show respect of course) and he ain't all that happy.
when are we gonna get together for beers and jam about Roger the Lager Dodger Logger ? i mean...... holy hell!
Thirty Bills Unpaid - smooth move. strike another one up for the good guys. (that sounds so childish, but we arrrrre talkin about the mystery in the clouds. shit, wait... there wasn't a cloud in the sky today. hmmmmm. it was heavenly out there though, I'll tell you that.)
"sure is fun minglin with these laid back country folk, isn't it?" - by the way, I'm also from the country. Lots of churches in our small town. My grandparents believe - same with my aunts and uncles... heck I think my parents do as well. And maybe even my sister a little - they all so cray. But we cool. My younger cousin doesn't and I think his sister doesn't, yet one of his sisters does... the theme here... it's only people. Not one dog, cat or crack in the wood has ever shown a belief ... hmmmmm isn't that weird? Is god only subject to humans... bahhhhhh can't be. or caaaaaaaaaaan it... QUICK! TO THE DODGER MOBILE!
Can I just say this - I fucking LOVE that more and more people are standing up for themselves with this whole god thing. About friggin time. We all know Santa isn't... ahhhh crap. a can of worms! yum!
2010 WATCH IT GO TO FIRE!!
And that goes for anyone here, you too JWPearl, as long as we don't tell each other what to believe. We can always talk the great music that brought us here or any number of things- even your faith as long as you don't tell me I have to believe in God... or else!
And if some of us sometimes stand up and say "shove it with your religion" it just might be that we are tired of having it shoved down our throats. I'm not upset about any of that any more- I got over it a long time ago when I decided its all a matter of personal perspective and that what is most important is being true to my own beliefs while respecting others- and I really do have a lot of respect for all the people I know who have their own personal concepts of God or not-a-god including atheists. But the thing is, when I was younger, other people's perception of God was forced on me and I tried to see what it was all about and it didn't hold water for me but then that guilt thing got laid on thick by others who said I would be judged if I didn't see it their way so I do understand when people say, "screw that."
Another little thing to consider- if you're truly comfortable with your beliefs you might find you lose the feeling of a need to make others believe in what you believe.
echo oh what the heck is this "code" thing I clicked. I was just looking to make my letters smaller for the whole echo effect. let's see how this displays.oh hey! That's pretty cool! it looks like i peed on my own comment! beautyI've got the guitar out now - the jammin has been goin on for a few hours here at the ole desk. peace.
2010 WATCH IT GO TO FIRE!!
Holy Smoke Batjamm! It the Yellow God Code!!Cool... never tried that before! :-)
WEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeee..... WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeee (thread de-railed: kudos to the OP for havin the balls to start it though. insert popcorn icon heEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeere2010 WATCH IT GO TO FIRE!!
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I choose to live my life based on common sense and a good core of morals, not folklore and mores passed down through centuries of generations and eventually written down...a few thousand years ago, misinterpreted again and again until parts of it completely contradict other parts and have pretty much no relevance to modern life. (Let me add: I have no problems at all with some parts of the holy books, like the 10 commandments...but I don't need a "holy" book to tell me that murder is evil or that nailing my neighbor's wife is probably a bad idea)
In my mind, and I mean no disrespect to believers, it is very freeing to realize exactly what religion is. When my eyes opened up, I couldn't walk away from my faith fast enough. Modern day religions started in an era with an extreme lack of education among the masses. When the ruling class realized it was even easier to keep the masses at bay by "explaining" the world around them in terms of god(s) and heaven/hell and submissiveness, it became even easier to rule. If you speak out, you're going to hell. If you rise up, you're going to hell. If you question them, you're going to hell. This was their life. This was all they knew. They "knew" they would be rewarded in the afterlife, so just suck it up while you're alive. Those in power live in a lap of luxury, knowing full well what they are doing.
Sometimes I am astonished that the masses haven't left religion behind at this point. We've come to far, and I just see religions, and especially organized religions, as this truly archaic and outdated system. For example, the bible outlaws: homosexuality, eating pig, eating shellfish, clothing that exposes too much skin, mixing fabrics in your outfit, short hair, shaving off your beard, tattoos, working on Sundays (do you like football?), psychic readings (silly I know, but it's still banned), defending your husband in a fight (want to lose a hand? defend your husband and you'll get your hand cut off), cursing at your parents (thou shalt be killed if you do), women speaking in church (not a peep!), sex before marriage.
That's just a sample. Yet people still cling to these books and these ideals. I simply don't get it. We've come so far as a species, but still cling to these thoughts and stories from centuries ago.
Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
& if a higher power wants to be a cloud or lie around on clouds feasting on grapes while listening to angels strum harps then that is what the higher power will be doing... this & a few 999,000,000,000,000^2 X's vast endlessness & other things simultaneously. how many events are happening in the oceans from microscopic on up to the blue whale? countless vibrations
did this, does this vibration just happen? existence is sound, vibrations are existence. let's think about this awhile. so life is existence full of sounds vibrating in, out & across all of this
something like this.
so where did existence come from? maybe this is all a dream, yes?
think about for a moment... nonexistence into existence or existence into nonexistence. this is very vast, far bigger than the cosmos. emptiness, nothingness & everything happening is being birthed or not.
(sound/vibration)
all of this is limitless, greater power with no shape or qualities, just all of it at once
time & so forth
something like this:
1 + 1 is not 2
1 + 1 = 1,000,000
like an entire galaxy collapsing into itself & completely vanishing
our perspective is limited & will be this forever
so, what is our forever is not known
& so energy vibrations carry on
maybe be a better life for yourself & everything else
self-realization
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
And Thirty, me too. I'm OK if I never get them.
To me, it's important to be able to say "I don't know" and be comfortable with that fact.
Humans have a long history of being uncomfortable with the unknown (hence the need for religion to begin with - trying to explain the unexplained).
Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
If we all do that, who is anyone to mock?
It does make me sad, though, to essentially call those with religion rubes. Got the wool pulled over yer eyes, ya numbnuts!
One aspect on the personal front - in all I've come to learn of the Holocaust, I never read of Jews trying to shove anything upon anyone. Their religion was precious to them and most practiced it in peace and with genuineness.
Were they dumbasses for adhering to something they believed in, even willing to die for it? My father's parents were both sent to concentration camps, where my grandmother died. For being of "a" religion. Others for being gay. Handicapped. Gypsies. Other...undesirables.
She wasn't deaf or blind or dumb or born to follow (to quote one of my favorite songs, quite fitting here). She held to something intrinsic to her, and I'm thankful my father also held those beliefs until he died.
One thing that strikes me...much as Judaism was a part of my father, he always respected my questioning of a god; in fact, he encouraged it. Never with spite, never with ridicule. He just knew that "belief" can't be forced.
Also...being religious and intelligent aren't mutually exclusive.
Godfather.
Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
To quote George Carlin religion is the greatest bullshit scam going.
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I mean seriously, just look at the history of "rewrites" of the bible and why... The powerful used it to control the underclass with fear... FEAR OF GOD... Kings were chosen by GOD... yea okay.. Look at how most of the stories of the bible were "copies" of Sumarian texts that are much much older..
Plus how did that religion work out for Ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Myans, Aztecs, the list is long of those that prayed to invisible gods and their societies crumbled under the weight of nonsense and myth.... etc etc....
I find it humorous that religious people will easy scoff and laugh at god/s of history as myth and nonsense when they have no more proof of their god than a man living in 500BC that prayed to Zeus or Poseidon... After thousands of years..it's still nonsense for the weak minded..
I try to respect those who are religious, especially if their hearts are in the right place. I respect your beliefs even more if you can HONESTLY (few can) and truly say that you've questioned your faith and then decided it was still something that you wanted in your life. Many believers will say they questioned their faith at some point, but very, very few actually have.
But i do honestly and truly believe this world would be so much better if religion just disappeared. Far too many people use it as a crutch, and far too many people are hurt and destroyed in its name.
Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
M.Y.T.H. is
Belief in the game controls that keeps us in a box of fear
We never listen
Voice inside so drowned out
Religion is so often those controls that keep people boxed up by fear. Listen to what's inside, the song says, to your own voice that has been drowned out. A personal faith that does not infringe on the rights and well being of others is fine. An organization of any kind- especially something as unproven as a religion- that keeps people boxed up by fear, that suppresses, that kills and destroys, that subjugates and separates and annihilates- that is evil.
Have your faith. Believe in God or fairies or trees or rocks and rock stars or stars. Just don't tell me what to believe.
myyoung321...fine by me to consider religious people weak-minded. Two off the top of my head - MLK and Maya Angelou (hell - my own father and his family) - haven't struck me as small-souled or puny in thought.
But...this is where I say it's OK to think this way of many good and generous people (well, aside from the perceived chink in their armor). I know / believe what I do, and get others don't. I accept it.
Doesn't mean I won't speak my mind where I see fit, but in the end, your view, my view - the words and thoughts make little difference.
That said, I've seen many honorable deeds from religious, atheists and agnostics alike.
thank you, hedonist
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce