The Faith & Religion mega Thread

Many's fear of the (unavoidable) future is from trusting\learning *** and not "truth!."

Tinkerbell can not fly (this is kids #!is((yes, unless they're named "Tinkerbell" and controls some apparatus.?!)))

The Atheist Experience - matt dropping logic bombs on callers https://youtu.be/15a3EQgmnXA LOL by the way!

Edit by date: if you think your stories are the true religions because their some of the oldest, then you weren't taught how to reason? Tho, we're all human so only stories... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason

How come this cartoon is still valid threat? So if we live friendly life and help others we still count as sinners and go to hell? I really hope there are third options then cause if Heaven and Hell is like that then i rather choose none! Also average human can do nothing about sin removal or fix or whatever.

Frankly, the entire "you're damned from the get-go" thing strikes me as a very-Roman Empire version of "the carrot or the stick." If this "all-loving God" absolutely cannot stand the notion that you might screw-up, why didn't He change the design of human beings ... and/or why did He create them in the first place? Etcetera.

We live our entire lives surrounded by morons who screw-up ... just like we do. Somehow, we manage to put up with it. Why can't He? Especially when we "were His idea to begin with?"

Whups. Something just flipped the BOZO bit, and it's not turning off anytime soon.

Frankly, to me it simply smells of (Roman) Imperial crowd-control. A convenient way to corral the plebeians who, as a rule, were illiterate. The mere fact that someone was "reading a book" would have lent quite an air of authority to them, and by-and-large people love rituals anyway. They also love to be right, and to exercise control over other people, and to condemn other people.

Quite a contrast to: "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more."

Most disturbing to me was when author Tim LaHey (sp?) made a ton of cash from his "Left Behind" series. Dreadful as the thought may seem, there obviously were a lot of people who loved the idea of them (of course, of course ...) sitting on the celestial bleachers while "the rest of the world 'got theirs,'" even relishing the gruesome notion of "rivers of blood rising as high as a horse's bridle." (At "5 pints apiece," you do the math.) Of course, it never occurred to them that they might be the ones "left," nor that presumably billions of other human beings would be suffering so extremely. That, to me, is bloodthirsty pandering to brutal, craven thoughts of vengeance, and: "well, that's certainly not the voice of my Shepherd."

Anyhow ... I have little use for such things, and such thoughts. I have my own ideas about God and deities, and they/He "are certainly not like that!"

So, if I turn out to be wrong, just remember who's "keeping the light on for ya, down in the furnace room," when you turn a celestial switch on your way to your singing lessons. You tell the Eternal Narcissist how incredibly great He is, just as you've been doing every hour of every endless day for the last umpty-zillion years , and meanwhile I'll be listening to heavy metal.

Hell might be hot, but at least it's honest.

Twenty first century "sin," we still just make it up as we go!. Some are: Amish, Ethiopian, English-teachers, lairs, followers(leaving (like your video) ignorant little circular pamphlets laying around as litter for me to throw-out,) Kardashians, Dilbert-fans, someone who tries a different religion every 10 years and believes them all, someone who tries a different religion every 10 years and doesn't believe any of them, &c...\https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_religions_and_spiritual_traditions ...and, why is that? See no speak no hear no

Actually, I have n-o problem ... no problem whatsoever ... with "spiritual traditions." I fully recognize these to be a fundamental part of human life "since, well, forever." Therefore, I do not condemn these practices.

However, I do condemn and reject ... any and every interpretation of those traditions, which "condemns and rejects" any other person ... damns them to Hell with neither escape nor even a fair trial, and makes their life on Earth utterly miserable in so doing.

When I see one person doing that, to any other person, no matter what his "justification" may be ... "this is not the voice of my shepherd," and therefore I shall not choose to follow ... nor, frankly, to have anything whatsoever to do with, that insufferable, self-sanctimonious a*shole him or her.

... and if, someday, I find myself toasting in a very-hot place for a very-long time, then, c'est la guerre.

Meanwhile:

"Brother (Sister), I have no idea if you are bound for Hell or not. ("Do I look like God to you?") Meanwhile, is there something I can do for you now, while you are here and I am here too?"

Yeah, I like the sound of that. Yeah, I like it much, much better. That sounds like a familiar voice that would prompt me to move across a pasture.

Originally Posted by sundialsvcs Frankly, the entire "you're damned from the get-go" thing strikes me as a very-Roman Empire version of "the carrot or the stick."

Amen to that!

I'm reminded of a conversation I had a while ago with someone who believed that not only will those who don't "make it" end up in a fairly "traditional"-sounding Hell, but God had actually chosen to send certain people there by not influencing them in the other direction. Perhaps because I'm a fairly pathetic debater, I didn't make what later seemed the obvious point: if he was right then God appears to want me to go to Hell, in which case I should cheerfully head down the steps knowing I was serving Him by doing so.

I mean no disrespect to people who believe the above (and fwiw, the individual in question is one of the nicest guys I've done business with and I really do wish him well), but I can't see how to reconcile that belief with any of (what's left of) the books of the Bible, or with any serious conception of a loving - or just - or even mildly interested - God.

Come to think of it I could say the same about several allegedly Christian traditions that I've heard spouted over the years.

When I hear people like that "spout," I first-of-all remember that they might well have been steeped in that particular fire-brand of "religion."

"In a world filled with violence and uncertainty, certainty is very appealing, even if it is violent or pointless."

But when I step back and consider what (if anything ...) I am going to do about it, I simply remember the bit about "by their fruits shall ye know them." And, "My sheep know My voice, and a stranger's voice they will not follow." In many ways, these verses are saying, "trust your gut." And so, that's what I do.

If you're condemning me to hell ... that is to say, "according to you" ... and you seem to be happy or at least smug about that (because you're so sure that you're not going there) ... then: "I don't know you!"

Aside: Certainly, one of the problems with trying to "follow Jesus' words" is that those words are so-obviously so-heavily redacted. There are fascinating books on "the quest for the historical Jesus," speculating as to where (and when) these four scant "official" books ... and a precious-few other ones ... actually came from, and what might have been done to them in the many centuries that followed. If you want to somehow believe that the text is "pristine," that's your prerogative, but ample evidence indicates otherwise ... "just what 'otherwise(s)'" being the chosen topic of discussion. Everyone, it seems, had a hand in wanting to put words in that man's mouth, and to tell obviously-conflicting versions of his life-story. (Much the same thing happened with Moses, Buddha, and Muhammad.) "And so, here we are."

The "truth," today, cannot be objectively obtained – the data is lost, but, "trust your gut and maybe listen for still, small voices." It's a shame that no one "back in the day" ever invented a digital-signature algorithm that could be applied to papyrus or clay tablets . . .

As someone who feels pretty firm in reality (when I want to be,) I view a body as the machine it is. Until we are 25*ish nourishment of ALL kinds is key.?!^ Everything we learn collectively, environmentally and\or individually is programming, plain and simple—oh also many problems.

Add: whether enslaved by what you are or what I am,,, makes no difference... evolution, why not?

People who preach AND atheists actually behave like this teacher does from 2+2=5. Truth exists and does not care if we like it or not. Too bad some people not only do not want it but also try to prevent others from discovery.

Lot's of types of both of those groups of humans, aren't there; preachers and\or atheists that is... probably infinite like they say?

What definition of truth are you using, the ones referring to FACTS or???

Originally Posted by sundialsvcs Actually, I have n-o problem ... no problem whatsoever ... with "spiritual traditions." I fully recognize these to be a fundamental part of human life "since, well, forever." Therefore, I do not condemn these practices. However, I do condemn and reject ... any and every interpretation of those traditions, which "condemns and rejects" any other person ... damns them to Hell with neither escape nor even a fair trial, and makes their life on Earth utterly miserable in so doing.{...}

Bingo! Nailed it! What is the point of such Deity who does not treat everyone equally and not provide all possible options like:
- be in heaven by force and by choice
- be on earth with and without sin
- be in hell by force and by choice
- you get the idea for rest
However opposite is also stupid. I don't have anything against possible God or Devil but their beef between each other is not human fault!!! As example: Maybe God wanted test Devil when asked to bow before God creations not to punish or make slave out of..just few options. Endgame is still the same. Plus soul market idea is absurd! Why sell something that you might not own to begin with or get something you should get free to begin with! Truth is not the problem - the people who control it for business and other interests are!

Meh, religious zealouts like controlling others. It is in their DNA.
They believe they have a mandate from god.
Which makes them believe they are god, and decide what is best for others.
Including killing them. Brain washing them. Telling them what is good. Telling them what is bad.
Making up rules as they go. Like shooting girls in the head for wishing to learn something.
Or making slaves of others because of the color of their skin.
Or murdering a kid on a Wyoming field because he has a little sugar in him.

"You don't need to go here"

Like they are the deciders. Not god. I try and allow no human organizational control over me.
So far so good. I am glad most religious zealouts consider me

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,…

in·fi·del ˈinfədl,ˈinfəˌdel/ nounarchaic noun: infidel; plural noun: infidels; plural noun: the infidel 1. a person who does not believe in religion or who adheres to a religion other than one's own.

Because for all their Christian/Islam lovey dovey what ever. They just wish to control others.
Seems to be a by product of religious agendas.

I see no atheists or agnostics passing a collection plate and demanding tithes , or you will be ostracised. From what I read. You have to have religion, to be hateful, controlling, righteous, and judgemental.

I am probably closer to Jesus than any preachers here. Because Jesus was a outlaw. Hung out with hookers. Helped when he could. Never bashed gays. Not like some, who profess to have found god.
Just using Jesus as a reference because I live on the Mexican Border and it is what I know.

Buddha and others were probably people like me who did not like being controlled by others either.

Gods, killing, demons, heavens, sex, hells, minotaurs, kids, centaurs, dragons and so-back are all proven or metaphors!!!.

• dragons = dinosaur-bones
• centaurs = first men evolving to get on horses
• [*][*][*]

A human mind can believe anything try some concentrated salvia, salvinorin A to "see!". (Pun not fun. )

Originally Posted by jamison20000e Gods, killing, demons, heavens, sex, hells, minotaurs, kids, centaurs, dragons and so-back are all proven or metaphors!!!. dragons = dinosaur-bones centaurs = first men evolving to get on horses [*][*][*] A human mind can believe anything try some concentrated salvia, salvinorin A to "see!". (Pun not fun. )

How you not considered possibility they existed in past?

Human mind maybe does create fictional religions but that does not make religion core wrong, besides religious people were happier and had sense of honor and such. Now is just anarchy?. This is exactly where alien theory can save both sides - give freedom and give purpose while not loosing hope of better future. And no i do not believe hardcore that either i am just proposing that if religion is too strict with rules and evolution too depressing then idea of not so perfect creators still can give possibility we can advance + gain some deserving rewards like powers and such. Kinda like Batman or Superman. Both are needed.

So what your saying (and am sure most (at lest)-subconscious unswayable religious minds)
is there should be one true religion
(like a dictatorship on the unprovable otherwise my god cancels out your god)
and then by its code live happily ever after?

Were you mad when you found out santa wasn't real and your folks were eating the cookies?