Another Big Big Thread of Religious Discussion

[Toast]

From a Christian standpoint, your theory is pretty sound. "Let us make man in Our own image" could certainly refer to God giving humans similar but weaker versions of His power, especially since God rarely appeared physically on earth. Being made in the intellectual and spiritual image of God would account for the human race's ability to advance so quickly over time, regardless of whether we were created in the forms that we have now or evolved from something else.

This is actually sort of similar to Robert Heinlein's thou art God theory, expressed in Stranger in a Strange Land. However, there are some differences in that anything that can understand (even grass and insects) is God.

Personally, I feel that any form of the word god is a symbolic representation of the creative power of our mind and our collective unconscious. Which is sort of my own spin on the thou art God theory.

This is a little off topic but, have you ever heard Christian heavy metal? DAMN I hate that stuff. Where I live, tons of people are addicted to it. It's sickening. I'm not an atheist,(not that I'm saying I hate atheists, just to be clear) I'm Roman Catholic, but I've heard some of it, and I find it extremly offensive, and all-around moronic. Anybody else got an opinion they'd like to share on this stuff?

While I've never listened to any christian heavy metal, it sounds almost as much an oxymoron as a christian psychologist, but there are plenty of those around.

[Exit18]

Originally Posted by Lady Cygnet

From a Christian.....
What do you find so offensive about it?

I'm guessing you've never heard it. Do you think metal and religion go together? It sounds horrible, and I like most heavy metal. And since I'm Catholic, as previously stated, do I even have to say why else it offends me?

[I_Like_Swordchucks]

Originally Posted by TheSpacePope

I know it's from your sig, but could you please add intolerance?
That is what is destroying us. XD

Really? Is that really whats destroying us? Because I don't really think if humanity ends it'll be the fault of intolerance. I always thought it would be greed and lust for power...

[Lady Cygnet]

Originally Posted by Exit18

I'm guessing you've never heard it. Do you think metal and religion go together? It sounds horrible, and I like most heavy metal. And since I'm Catholic, as previously stated, do I even have to say why else it offends me?

Yes, I have heard it, and a good friend of mine is a Christian Metal guitarist. And yes, you do need to say why it offends you, because I don't see why being Catholic would make Christian Metal offensive to you. Christian Metal's not my cup of tea, but I don't see why praise, worship, and testimony should be limited to only a handful of music genres.

Originally Posted by I_Like_Swordchucks

Really? Is that really whats destroying us? Because I don't really think if humanity ends it'll be the fault of intolerance. I always thought it would be greed and lust for power...

I think that greed, lust for power, and intolerance all spring from ignorance and/or apathy.

[Darth SS]

Yes, I have heard it, and a good friend of mine is a Christian Metal guitarist. And yes, you do need to say why it offends you, because I don't see why being Catholic would make Christian Metal offensive to you. Christian Metal's not my cup of tea, but I don't see why praise, worship, and testimony should be limited to only a handful of music genres.

You know that rich white kid from Connecticut who wears his polo shirt with the collars flipped up, and his hats at funny angles all the while trying to talk like "the shit" and have "mad street cred" because he's "gangsta'" and wants "his bitches showin' respect?" You know the one?

Christian Heavy Metal is basically the exact same thing except with "white boy" replaced with "traditional religious insitution followers" and "rapper" replaced with "hardcore anarchists."

Here's the basic problem: Christianity is pointedly not cool, and is very pointedly oriented to structure, order, and hierarchy. Christian heavy metal bands and doing their best to be cool and show off how hardcore and rebel they are, but there is a basic problem here. They aren't. They do not stick it to the man. They do not want death or shit like that. Instead of coming off as that, like that pain in the ass earlier discussed, they come off as exactly what they are.

Christian heavy metal, or death metal, or whatever you kids are calling it these days is a desperate emulation of something else, and in the process a glaring illustration of the reality of christianity. You are not hardcore. You do not rebel. You are not an anarchist. Maybe you want to be, maybe you want to be like those other guys, but to do that means giving up everything else.

[Exit18]

I find it so offensive because, like Darth SS said above me, Christianity is not meant to be cool and involve head-banging, that would be weird. Christian heavy metal isn't worshipping God, it's degrading Him.

[Bob The Mercenary]

I think it all depends on intent. If you want to worship God with heavy metal music, as long as it's intentions are good, it's not being degrading.

[42PETUNIAS]

Yeah, I agree that degrading isn't a good word, but also with Darth SS in that the conformism of christianity isn't compatible with heavy metal.

[Lady Cygnet]

Originally Posted by 42PETUNIAS

Yeah, I agree that degrading isn't a good word, but also with Darth SS in that the conformism of christianity isn't compatible with heavy metal.

I don't think that Christian metal musicians make their music in the hopes of being perceived as cool. Most Christian metal musicians came to the faith from a metal background, so they are just worshiping God by using the talents and skills that they already have. They do what they do with the intent to praise God, not to degrade Him.

Also, not every denomination of Christianity is conformist. Many churches I have attended have used Christian music of every genre as part of their ministries. While I have yet to see headbanging during a really spirited song service, I have seen a lot of charismatic dancing and joy coming from both the performers and the audience.

[Darth SS]

Yes, pounding base lines and screaming into the microphone in a genre known for glorifying murder, death, rape, torture, and suffering is instead now being used to talk about how awesome god is.

I doubt anyone truly tries to degrade god. The problem I have is more that christian metal groups that say "We're just as hardcore as any of those other guys."

Writing and singing religious oriented music is a restriction that other musicians do not have, and because of it you're not going to compare, nor are you drawing in the same crowd because that crowd doesn't care about you. As stated before, they're trying to be something they pointedly can't be.