when you read the bible from start to finish and view it in a economics point of view... in Genesis man is tasked to lord over nature.. then conquer lands and eventually build permanent structures for living & worshipping... offereing animals for sacrifice... evengilization: all these have sort of resulted to the colonization of the East and industrializing the East. what i've observed is that colonized places are the most over-developed & over-industrialized (with exceptions) in the world, and in effect these places' enviroment are destroyed.
In Genesis, when man was "tasked to lord over nature" he was still perfect, not having yet sinned. Once Adam & Eve sinned, well, it all went downhill from there and continues to do so. God never purposed for the world to be in the state it is in... he intended it to stay how it was created, but man destroyed that. :(
I do not have a very favorable opinion of religion. In fact, I think that it could be the undoing of the human race. That doesn't mean that I don't believe in God...I totally do...just that I think that all religion is a lie, and that's why you see so much suffering surrounding it.
God...Allah...they are all alive and here right now. You won't find them in a book, church, mosque, or religious exercise. The harder you look for them there, the farther away from them you will get.
That is what the vast majority of people...hundreds of millions the world over...just don't get. Religion cannot prevail, because religion is not God. Wars fought over religion are really just wars that humans would fight anyway. religion is only the excuse.
If you don't believe in religion, I humbly ask (without prodding) why do you believe in God?
I'll offer an answer, one of many, that if God is the invention of religion... then there is nothing sacred about any such deity.
Or... do you think that religions stole "God" and created a false concept?
I think, that God is a concept, and invention, and that we humans must have thoroughly prided ourselves by now - and left that nest to dismantle in the wind.
If you don't believe in religion, I humbly ask (without prodding) why do you believe in God?
I'll offer an answer, one of many, that if God is the invention of religion... then there is nothing sacred about any such deity.
Or... do you think that religions stole "God" and created a false concept?
I think, that God is a concept, and invention, and that we humans must have thoroughly prided ourselves by now - and left that nest to dismantle in the wind.
You do not need to be religious to believe in God. There are many reasons why someone would choose not to be religous and still believe that a god exists. Someone can say they believe a god exists, but to which one it is, be it Jesus or Allah, they do not know. Religion is to take people out of their mundane life style and dedicate time to rituals. All religions have a god, otherwise it isnt a religion.
"Or... do you think that religions stole "God" and created a false concept?"
In Genesis, when man was "tasked to lord over nature" he was still perfect, not having yet sinned. Once Adam & Eve sinned, well, it all went downhill from there and continues to do so. God never purposed for the world to be in the state it is in... he intended it to stay how it was created, but man destroyed that. :(
How do you know what god intended? You are also talking about one god, how do you know this is the "God?" This is the problem with religion, not someone eating some damn fruit. It's that people have to be close minded and think they know which god is the "right" god. It is the fact that they believe in sometihng with no evidence, which is what faith is, a belief in something with little or no evidence. People eat apples because humans evolved and developed color vision, so that they could distinguish the colors of ripe and fesh fruit to know which to eat.
You do not need to be religious to believe in God. There are many reasons why someone would choose not to be religous and still believe that a god exists. Someone can say they believe a god exists, but to which one it is, be it Jesus or Allah, they do not know. Religion is to take people out of their mundane life style and dedicate time to rituals. All religions have a god, otherwise it isnt a religion.
"Or... do you think that religions stole "God" and created a false concept?"
I don't know what that means.
As in, they all create a false god.
If, there is a god, and they all say they have the right one - well it is safe to say, at least - that those religions who chastise other religions are those who have created the negative image - the religions that are intollerent of other religions privillege to worship a god, maybe they're just worried that they too, someday will be caught stuffing the bread in the sepulture.
In Genesis, when man was "tasked to lord over nature" he was still perfect, not having yet sinned. Once Adam & Eve sinned, well, it all went downhill from there and continues to do so. God never purposed for the world to be in the state it is in... he intended it to stay how it was created, but man destroyed that. :(
well, the interpretation of the bible that i posted was created by people who want Gold, Goons and Land...
If God exists, then he is insane !!
Why else would he create us , let us go without a fixed set of rules, then punish us interminably with plague, war famine, tempest, sexual cravings etc for eternally not measuring up to his expectations.
Sounds like a battering relationship to me, where the husband comes home every day and says, " you didn't do it right, bitch" and slaps her !!
HAve a look at some pictures from teh Hubble telescope and see stars being born in nebulae lights years large and ask yourself seriously, if there is an entity powerful enough to create this, why the fuck would he care if I had a pull today or not ?? Or ask yourelf, could I really control teh actions of that entity with my prayer, or I am I a tosser who is totally kidding himself ??
Religion is not only insane but totally narcissistic.
I fear we are headed to another age of religious wars, just to satisfy teh ego of a few nutcases !!
How do you know what god intended? You are also talking about one god, how do you know this is the "God?" This is the problem with religion, not someone eating some damn fruit. It's that people have to be close minded and think they know which god is the "right" god. It is the fact that they believe in sometihng with no evidence, which is what faith is, a belief in something with little or no evidence. People eat apples because humans evolved and developed color vision, so that they could distinguish the colors of ripe and fesh fruit to know which to eat.
You are entitled to your opinion. I am entitled to my faith. I respect your opinion as I hope you respect my faith. I have my reasons for believing what I do, as you have yours. I am afraid I cannot express myself fully on this board, as it would take up entirely too much space. PM me if you like, or e-mail me. I would be curious to know what you believe, though, and why. Do you have faith? It really is a wonderful thing.
How do you know what god intended? You are also talking about one god, how do you know this is the "God?" This is the problem with religion, not someone eating some damn fruit. It's that people have to be close minded and think they know which god is the "right" god. It is the fact that they believe in sometihng with no evidence, which is what faith is, a belief in something with little or no evidence. People eat apples because humans evolved and developed color vision, so that they could distinguish the colors of ripe and fesh fruit to know which to eat.
well, a priest friend of mine told me any religion is good, that it wouldn't really matter if a guy tatoos the word "CATHOLIC" on his forehead, "BAPTIST" on his chest, "IN GOD WE TRUST" on his ass... as i said, preference in a religion is a very personal thing, a person doesn't have to tell anybody from which denomination he belongs.
Do you have faith? It really is a wonderful thing.
Faith is a vast term not necessarily linked to religious belief.
Faith can be defined by any belief that is not based on proof (whether god or a scientific hypothesis which one knows will eventually be validated, etc). It is also the belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty (from the dictionnary this one!)
So yeah... faith is a wonderful thing.... faith in one's value, in others, in nature....
With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.
-Steven Weinberg, winner of the 1979 Nobel Prize in physics
That's a good quote. Not just religion though, I'd add patriotism to that list too.
"We have to change the concept of patriotism to one of “matriotism” — love of humanity that transcends war. A matriarch would never send her own children off to wars that kill other people’s children." Cindy Sheehan --- London, Brixton, 14 July 1993 London, Wembley, 1996 London, Wembley, 18 June 2007 London, O2, 18 August 2009 London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 31 July 2012 Milton Keynes Bowl, 11 July 2014
London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 06 June 2017
Comments
In Genesis, when man was "tasked to lord over nature" he was still perfect, not having yet sinned. Once Adam & Eve sinned, well, it all went downhill from there and continues to do so. God never purposed for the world to be in the state it is in... he intended it to stay how it was created, but man destroyed that. :(
If you don't believe in religion, I humbly ask (without prodding) why do you believe in God?
I'll offer an answer, one of many, that if God is the invention of religion... then there is nothing sacred about any such deity.
Or... do you think that religions stole "God" and created a false concept?
I think, that God is a concept, and invention, and that we humans must have thoroughly prided ourselves by now - and left that nest to dismantle in the wind.
You do not need to be religious to believe in God. There are many reasons why someone would choose not to be religous and still believe that a god exists. Someone can say they believe a god exists, but to which one it is, be it Jesus or Allah, they do not know. Religion is to take people out of their mundane life style and dedicate time to rituals. All religions have a god, otherwise it isnt a religion.
"Or... do you think that religions stole "God" and created a false concept?"
I don't know what that means.
How do you know what god intended? You are also talking about one god, how do you know this is the "God?" This is the problem with religion, not someone eating some damn fruit. It's that people have to be close minded and think they know which god is the "right" god. It is the fact that they believe in sometihng with no evidence, which is what faith is, a belief in something with little or no evidence. People eat apples because humans evolved and developed color vision, so that they could distinguish the colors of ripe and fesh fruit to know which to eat.
As in, they all create a false god.
If, there is a god, and they all say they have the right one - well it is safe to say, at least - that those religions who chastise other religions are those who have created the negative image - the religions that are intollerent of other religions privillege to worship a god, maybe they're just worried that they too, someday will be caught stuffing the bread in the sepulture.
Why else would he create us , let us go without a fixed set of rules, then punish us interminably with plague, war famine, tempest, sexual cravings etc for eternally not measuring up to his expectations.
Sounds like a battering relationship to me, where the husband comes home every day and says, " you didn't do it right, bitch" and slaps her !!
HAve a look at some pictures from teh Hubble telescope and see stars being born in nebulae lights years large and ask yourself seriously, if there is an entity powerful enough to create this, why the fuck would he care if I had a pull today or not ?? Or ask yourelf, could I really control teh actions of that entity with my prayer, or I am I a tosser who is totally kidding himself ??
Religion is not only insane but totally narcissistic.
I fear we are headed to another age of religious wars, just to satisfy teh ego of a few nutcases !!
You are entitled to your opinion. I am entitled to my faith. I respect your opinion as I hope you respect my faith. I have my reasons for believing what I do, as you have yours. I am afraid I cannot express myself fully on this board, as it would take up entirely too much space. PM me if you like, or e-mail me. I would be curious to know what you believe, though, and why. Do you have faith? It really is a wonderful thing.
well, a priest friend of mine told me any religion is good, that it wouldn't really matter if a guy tatoos the word "CATHOLIC" on his forehead, "BAPTIST" on his chest, "IN GOD WE TRUST" on his ass... as i said, preference in a religion is a very personal thing, a person doesn't have to tell anybody from which denomination he belongs.
Faith can be defined by any belief that is not based on proof (whether god or a scientific hypothesis which one knows will eventually be validated, etc). It is also the belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty (from the dictionnary this one!)
So yeah... faith is a wonderful thing.... faith in one's value, in others, in nature....
That's a good quote. Not just religion though, I'd add patriotism to that list too.
---
London, Brixton, 14 July 1993
London, Wembley, 1996
London, Wembley, 18 June 2007
London, O2, 18 August 2009
London, Hammersmith Apollo (Ed solo), 31 July 2012
Milton Keynes Bowl, 11 July 2014