With Scientology and any of those kinds of religions, yer you're right! They are obvioussss money making schemes! I'd have to disagree that ALL religions are like this though. My church doesn't go around asking people for money. It is not a business and does not make ANY sort of profit. ALL money handled in the church DOES go to building community based projects, helping people in need, etc. (I know this for a fact because my brother, uncle, and cousin are all priests!) There are many religions out there that not all about making money. Religion has solved pretty much all of mine and others problems. If you want proof: I was stuck with a crazyyyy guy i was seeing. I couldnt break it off, every time i brought it up he would beat the shit out of me then threaten to kill my family. he actually broke into my house once looking for me, luckily no one was home. I went to see heappppsss of people for help: psychiatrists/psychologists, counsellors, the works! ALL of them told me that I should stick around with him, and encourage him to see a doctor. So I did. Anddd of course it all got worse. In the end, I went to see a priest (they're not just singing dudes! they serve as a kind of 'counsellor' too!) He gave me advice as to what I can do and say. How to act aaround him, etc... Couple of months later the guy is gone This might sound like a dumb example, but it was a verryyy big thing in my life. I was trying to get rid of this guy for 3 years! And as for religion having no place in this modern world, why are most country's laws based on the 10 commandments (dont steal, dont kill, etc!!)? Why do people have a natural sense of right and wrong?... Sorry for the essay/response! Ive probably bored you to death!
1: people are screwedddd up these days! look around! little shits start rooting their buddies at age 12! Psycho bastards run around killing people for the sake of it! Some idiot decided to kill one of his best mates and use the guys head as a bong a few weeks ago! People are becoming violent more and more these days. Respect is gone! 2: A lot of wars in history have not been based on religion. Many are purely based on expanding empires (back in the dayysss) etc. These days, I don't really follow politics much. It just pisses me off! So forgive me for not having a properly informed answer, but I honesty have no idea why America is fighting with other countries... I understand the whole terrorist thing, but how did all that start? 3: Religions (or most of them anyway) DO NOT preach that it is right for a country to go to war. In fact, they say the opposite.
What the fuck? That was uncalled for.... @q u 3 3 n 1. That doesn't necessarily mean that religion has a right to endorse war. People might as well be screwed up because of the religion itself. Doesn't that mean that the religion has failed in its purpose to create a world where people AREN'T screwed up? Not accusing, just contemplating. 2. That's true. All too often it's the interests of the powers that be or a certain group of people who spark these wars. They tend to justify their wars with religion in some way or another, so it can't totally be blamed here. 3. Yes, virtually ALL of them DO in a way (I doubt Buddhism does, but I digress). All religions have a core aspect which is self-preservation. Needless to say, if they feel that their religion is threatened, then it justifies for them to act on that threat. No religion sits idly by while it's being destroyed. If what you say is true, tell me why the Spanish Inquisition happened.... BTW, I do follow a religion.
What's with the whole purpose in life? Why do you even need one? Are you really that insecure? I go through life to have fun, in the end when it's all over I'll be able to look back and say "damn, that was fun" and then I'll be happy, I don't give a shit if there's some being at the end to judge me, well that's not true, I'd be rather pissed off if there was, because he's never done shit for me so he's no right to judge me. But really, I don't need some higher sense of purpose to know that my life isn't meaningless. I don't need a religion to apply meaning to my existence, the sole fact that what you do makes a difference in other peoples lives should be enough for you know that everything you do is not without meaning. I honestly think that religion is something you hide behind to not have to think about certain things such as "what's after death?", it's also a convenient way for people not to have to make up their mind about things, they can simple say that "the bible says so" I've heard that said to death, and it's infuriating that intelligent human beings would accept such things without even considering why the hell it says so. And I'm not saying the bible is always wrong here, there are some good things such as love thy next and turn the other cheek, but I (try to) live by those because they make sense - not because they're written in the bible. This rant got long and off the actual discussion by a fair bit, so sorry about that.
@ BloodVayne Again, thanks blacksun23!!! and i dont give up easily too, im a Christian ;D Ok...You said you follow a religion. Which one? (if you don't mind me asking...) I don't know too much about the Spanish Inquisition so I can't comment on that. I didnt say that religion has any right to endorse war. I meant that violence happens not because of religion (although as you pointed out the Spanish Inquisition, in some cases the reason for a war may be different) but because people these days have lost their fukn respect!!!! People go around doing crazy shit every single day!! People's minds are screwed up not because of religion (although some religions like cults and shit do tend to screw people over..) but because that's the way the world is now! If you read the Bible, it does not say that it is ok to go kill someone for hanging shit on your faith. It actually says that we should forgive them... So, before you generalize and say that all religions promote wars just because some idiot is a disrespectful fuk and bags out your faith, do a bit of research BTW...sorry i kept screwing up this message!
lol im sitting here defending my religion, only one person seems to agree with me, and yet im still ranting. Sound insecure? I just want to get my point across! just because someone believes in something (and yes it does give my life a meaning!) doesnt mean you cant have fun along the way... You think He's never helped? Have you actually asked for help? We can't all just expect some dude to come down from the sky and say "yer i'm here to help you.." Most of the time something/someone DOES help us...and we dont even realise... Religion is not in any way something i hide behind. Its the opposite for me. I'm proud of it! If i need ansers to ANYTHING thats where i'd turn, and so far I've always found them ;D For me that's proof enough. I dont just believe it coz thats what the Bible says. As you so nicely put it, it makes sense to me!
I'm Greek Orthodox Christian... I'm speaking from that point of view. The religion these people followed back then was extreme and the people were a little toooo fanatic! in the 1600's people had an obsession with witchcraft! everything new was 'the devil'!!!! in england.... In my church, that IS NOT in any way considered forgiveness! When we say 'forgiveness' we mean the dictionary meaning of the word!
I don't need "his" help, I'm doing very fine without. But I can see other people who do need the help, and if he's such a gracious God then they shouldn't have to suffer, and religions answer to this? "They're sinners", or "Gods will works in mysterious ways", or my personal favourite "without suffering/evil/whatever we could not appreciate the good" And the idea that he's already helping us and we don't know is so fucking stupid my abs are hurting from laughing. I suppose the amount of help you receive then depends on your geographic location. Depending on how you find that answer that *is* hiding. If you read the bible and it gives you your answer then it's hiding behind it. If you, however, don't accept it at face value but think about why the bible is saying this, what are the reason? Do I agree? Then that's fine, because then you're thinking for yourself. I have no problem with religion on the individual level, I have a problem with organized religion and people who believe in it so intently that anything else is discarded, if you use religion as a guide and something to get you through the dark nights, then fine by me, if you use it to justify your actions and base your opinions on it - then you're a fucking idiot. Sorry for being blunt.
thanks for calling me a fukn idiot! If you think thats hiding, then thats your opinion. i dont believe it coz its there, yes i do question it then when i find an answer i dont just fukn accept it! if it makes sense to me then, yer i believe it! So far it all makes sense to me! I believe in my religion intently, however i never discard anyone else's opinions/beliefs etc. i listen coz im genuinely interested! "without suffering/evil/whatever we could not appreciate the good" If you were permanently happy happy joy joy, how would you know the fukn difference between that and anything else? My entire life has been one fukd up thing after another, when ive asked for help, i get fukn help! Then when something good is going on i can appreciate it more! Have you never EVER needed help with something? You never get upset? mate, it must great being you then!
So has mine, I don't fucking get help. I didn't when I was christian, and becoming pagan has given me the capability to deal with it myself in most cases, and to put up with it in other cases. Where was god when I had an ear infection that nearly killed me? where was god when I was being institutionally discriminated against at school? where was god when I was condemned to having a second class existance because 'deaf people aren't intelligent'? he was fucking NOWHERE as fucking usual. god does not fucking exist as far as I am concerned
If you question what it says in the bible and then decide to agree with it after thinking - then I didn't call you an idiot, and good for you! Well I once needed some help with a maths assignment, but I got that from a friend - not God, and no, I don't believe God had made me friends with that guy just so he could help me. And yeah, it is pretty great being me, partly because in Denmark it's impossible to be really fucked over and left on the street, education is free and such, so there are great options for me. But also because I work hard to get what I want, I don't wait for God to help me after it all goes to shit.
Where was God when my bf had a fukn knife on my throat???? He got the asshole's neighbour to come knock on the door asking for cigarettes, then the bf was forced to put his stupid knife away! Where was God when the idiot was bashing my head against a wall for talkng to a guy on the street?? He was busy giving the bf a cramp in his leg so he had to stop! Where was God when I was fukn dying of an infection that the idiot doctors couldnt pick up on??? He was busy sending one that actually knew what he was talkng about! When i have been discriminated against, i fukn stuck up for myself! I prove the fuckers wrong!!!! And who has helped me??? My GOD!!! If you think He doesnt exist, you're entitled to your own opinion. And who the fuk said to you that deaf people aren't intelligent??? Are you deaf? (sorry that somehow sounded like an insult... its not!) just because a bunch of dicks reckon deaf ppl are stupid, you go and change religions? You're just letting the fukwits walk all over you. If these dickheads reckon you're not intelligent coz you're deaf, mate THEY're not fukn intelligent. So far you're on of the only ones here giving "intelligent" answers. tell them 2 go eat a dick. Sorry for being so rude btw :S I get a bit worked up sometimes! Rant over now.... i'll be good!
well good on you for working hard! My Bible does say that in order to get where you want to be in life, you've obvoiusly got to work your ass off! Nothing is handed to you bcoz you ask 4 it.... Everything in life isnt free, you've got to work at everythoing, whether it is your faith, school, job, or relationships.... I highly doubt that its "impossible" to get fukd ova no matter where in the world u are.
I was born Christian too, but for my search for answers to questions to things my born religion has spoon fed me that it has no answers for, & finding it in the teachings of others, I have attained a better understanding of myself & who I am. And I stand by my words, I believe in something & believing in them makes me a whole person. 8) Ooops, I don't want to get in trouble with that last statement, so I'm removing it. It's just very annoying when some prick keeps giving out offending remarks, you know who I mean right? Sorry.
I saw tens of doctors over a period of about a year and they all said nothing was wrong with me. By the time my mother found one that would actually listen to her it was almost too late. That doctor saved my life, but if mum had not been ignored and obstructed for a year she would have saved my hearing too. I was discriminated against from age 5 and no-one stuck up for me, the people who were supposed to ignored it or promoted it. my parents were ignored every time they tried to complain. Every person in the schools I attended, everyone in the education authority told my parents not to expect anything of me because I was deaf, and I would not get far in life. They said I wasnt worth the cost of sending to a special school, and that I should go to a local school and fail my exams because I wasnt capable of passing. My parents fought the case for years and lost repeatedly. In the end they gave up, and as a last resort my mother wrote to the regional TV station. One of the presenters read the letter, and wrote to one of her friends, who happened to be one of the richest men in the country. Less than a week after the second anniversary of losing his son in a tragic car accident in paris (the same crash that killed Princess Diana), this man (a devout Muslim) offered to pay for me to attend the special school. I started secondary school the following week, a year and 2 months late. The TV presenter was Jewish. So much for my mother being a devout christian, it did me no good whatsoever.
