Another Big Big Thread of Religious Discussion

[Nique]

In short, I'm totally switching churches. There's no other churches my denomination in my recent vicinity.... but I don't even give a rats ass. Should I go Baptist, Wesleyan, or Presbyterian?

There's not a lot of 'Huzzah! Singing!' at this one, but there's probably a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses nearby. The sunday 'sermons' are generally pretty interesting. It depends on the speaker - there's a fairly large rotation of speakers every sunday, could be basically any Elder in that congregation or any from the surrounding area.

And plus, I mean, if you're looking for a way to piss off the minister you're talking about, mentioning you've been to a Kingdom Hall might make him fly off the handle a bit, so that could be fun?

[P-Sleazy]

Originally Posted by Red Fighter 1073

Personally though, I hate that belief where if you don't believe in a religion, you go to hell or that god is out to get you if you don't believe in his/her religion. I mean, if he/she really was looking out for us then why the fuck should he punish non-believers just because they don't believe in his religion?

But also, I'm pretty religious, and I really couldn't care less about whether or not you are. Whatever makes you happy really. See, that's what I think the goal of any religion is, helping people find happiness. It's all about finding that balance that keeps you living the best life possible. However much you factor religion into your life is fine as long as it makes you happy.

Heh, no kidding. If anyone ever asks me about stuff going on in their life and possible decisions they have to make that could become religious I usually turn it around on them so that it doesn't get my own religious convictions about it, but whether or not it makes them happy as a person. Whether it makes them feel good about themselves. If they think its right or wrong.

If someone is always reliant on some religious official or another to decide for them if something should make them happy or not, then they just aren't living thier life to their OWN expectations, but rather to someone else's. And if making someone else makes you happy, then so be it, but if you're only doing it cause you've been told to without REALLY thinking about it yourself then fie on you. If you're being told to do stuff, then fie on them for trying to control other people's lives.

Yes religion is good, but it should NEVER be forced on anyone but oneself. So I must ask, what does one have left that is truely his own, if not his religion?

[Content]

So I was talking to another one of my agnostic friends when we "stumbled" across this little tid-bit.

If you can survive the stupid insulting beggining and make it to the actual facts its a thought provoker, and only pushes me more away from religion in general especially christianity.

Enjoy.

http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=4s3k0hw4qg

[Red Fighter 1073]

I was thinking about this one thing that I thought was kinda funny in an odd sort of way. I'm personally Hindu so when it comes to being at the temple or that kind of place singing religious songs, I'm singing Sanskrit or Hindi which I don't really understand unless I get a translation from someone. One thing I am very glad for is not having to sing those same songs in English. I mean, I don't mind saying "I give my all to you" in Sanskrit, but if I were to actually sing that in English, it would sound so unbelievably corny to me. I dunno why but I would much rather listen to some religious that I don't understand then one that I do. It just seems like, if I were singing an English religious song, no matter what religion it appeals to, it just seems like it would feel like I'm in Kindergarten again.. And not the fun part of Kindergarten, the annoying, "I can't believe we used to do that" part of Kindergarten. I just kinda felt like saying that... Anyone else agree with me?

[Bob The Mercenary]

Most of the hymns I sing in church aren't too corny. I guess because they sound more dramatic than anything. Some do touch the border though. Especially Sunday school children's songs. I know they're just kids and they're vocabulary isn't that large yet. But please, every time they sing in church I have to do something to distract myself. Also, what the freak is with the hand gestures?!

And I watched that video, Content. Interesting, but it never says anywhere that Jesus was born on December 25th. That's just when we celebrate it. It's not catalogued anywhere. And who knows, maybe all of those other religions were based on the original Christian prophecy. Just a hypothesis, I'm going to have to read up on this a bit more. I think it's a little more than a coincidence that all of those religious figures did exactly the same things and died and raised under the same circumstances.

And I'd like to lend another subject to the conversation. I've been thinking hard about this one for a very long time. I don't know if I've already mentioned it, I'm pretty sure I haven't, so I'll throw it out there. It's about the ultimate question: if there is a god, why did he make us. I'm not trying to prove anything, again, just tossing this in the mix.

Let's assume a couple things first:
1) God exists
2) he can see into the future (since he would be all-powerful than he could)
3) he loves us (humans) more than anything in creation

Now, God's sitting there in the void of nothingness before time began. He's not bored, doesn't need worshippers, is completely content. Now you have to ask yourself a question, would you rather have never been born? Would you rather not exist at all? With that let's assume one more thing, that you like being alive. I think it's a good assumption.

God looks into the future and sees that we would rather exist than not. So, just for once he puts our will above his (or makes it his own, your pick). It would make sense, him having an incomprehensible love for us. He creates us and makes a world around us, fitted to sustain us. Along with the world, however, he creates a pact with us. "I give you a perfect world to live in as long as you obey a couple rules." Obviously the rules weren't obeyed and we have the world we live in today. In essence, I think God made us because we wanted to be made.

Now, the fact that he looked into the future and saw we'd like existence would seem to be a flaw in reasoning. Why not make an infinite amount of creatures? I'm pretty sure there is no organism out there, real or imaginary, that would rather not live.

It says in the Bible that we were created in God's image. And only one species can be created in his image.

And that's my two cents. Just wanted to get it out there. Agree with or dismantle it as you will.

[ZAKtheGeek]

I don't much see the point in thinking there's some sort of all-knowing, all-powerful being and then trying to understand its reasoning.

Also, saying that God could look into our hypothetical minds, while a concept I agree with, opens up a whole can of worms, what with the illusion of free will and the judgment based on actions which, from God's point of view, are known before the person ever exists. Hell, you pretty much broke your own reasoning right here:

Along with the world, however, he creates a pact with us. "I give you a perfect world to live in as long as you obey a couple rules." Obviously the rules weren't obeyed and we have the world we live in today.

If God could have known that we'd like to exist, then surely he could have known that weren't obeying no damn rules; making the whole pact and paradise kind of a sham, huh?

Final point:

Why not make an infinite amount of creatures? I'm pretty sure there is no organism out there, real or imaginary, that would rather not live.

Most organisms have no "wants."

[Bob The Mercenary]

Originally Posted by ZAKtheGeek

I don't much see the point in thinking there's some sort of all-knowing, all-powerful being and then trying to understand its reasoning.

That's what half this thread has been about. But yeah, I'm not trying to prove anything with this, and I know it's just opening a can of worms. But, at least it'll resurrect this thread a bit.

Yeah...the pun there...I saw it...

And there's really no use in arguing something where faith is required anyway.

[Crodevillian Team]

If you can survive the stupid insulting beggining and make it to the actual facts its a thought provoker, and only pushes me more away from religion in general especially christianity.

I'm not sure where exactly the "actual facts" were, but I can only conclude that the ridiculous, grasping-at-straws-that-aren't-even-there wordplay was included in the video as a joke. Where on Earth did they get the notion that "horizon" is derived from "Horus has risen," or that "hours" and "horus" share some sort of significant etymological connection?

Much of what was in the video was outright fabrication, with a healthy dose of twisting the truth into unrecognizable knots thrown in for good measure.

[Content]

Originally Posted by Crodevillian Team

I'm not sure where exactly the "actual facts" were, but I can only conclude that the ridiculous, grasping-at-straws-that-aren't-even-there wordplay was included in the video as a joke. Where on Earth did they get the notion that "horizon" is derived from "Horus has risen," or that "hours" and "horus" share some sort of significant etymological connection?

Much of what was in the video was outright fabrication, with a healthy dose of twisting the truth into unrecognizable knots thrown in for good measure.

Who cares about 'hours' and 'horus'?

More importantly are the connection between the the story of jesus and his subsequent ressurection and the exact same story told before with different characters playing the same parts before the Christianity was born.

You say much but you dont actually point at anything of substance in the video, perhaps if you were to say exactly what is outright fabrication in relation to this thread, I can make a more helpful post .

[MasterOfMagic]

Originally Posted by Bob the Mercenary

It says in the Bible that we were created in God's image. And only one species can be created in his image.

Why? I fail to see how there can be restrictions on an omnipotent being. Or, assuming there are, why they're in place.

Besides, its not like all intelligent beings have to have his image.