What religion are you?

Scythe · Post by **Scythe** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 21:54

My quick and not very worthwhile opinion: Religion is bogus, as is mysticism. There's nothing out there. I may respect you (whomever, I'm not talking to anybody specifically) as the sums that make you the person you are, but I don't respect your beliefs/faith. Feel free to take offense at my words, I take offense at blind faith.

Zandrav Ibistenn · Post by **Zandrav Ibistenn** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 22:47

A question, Scythe: Since you can't really know if there is "something out there", what has convinced you that there isn't anything?

Scythe · Post by **Scythe** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 19:48

The complete and utter lack of inexplicable occurrences in my life, I suppose. Or maybe it's just my occasionally controversial nature.

Post by **Chroelle** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 19:53

The big problem is that people find their own way of describing things... You cannot really argue with people who believe deeply in their religion...
You say that it's the natural laws that make something happen, and they say it is god. Who can with 100% certainty say who is right and who is wrong, and who says that it is not nature making god do it, or the more used other way around...

As such I find it hard to explain some things. My lack of COMPLETE knowledge about how EVERYTHING works really shows it's ugly head there...

OSH · Post by **OSH** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 22:30

Have you ever read a book "The Power of your Subconscious Mind" by Joseph Murphy? I've read. And after this book nothing is for me the same as before. I believe in God more stronger than ever and I doubt in religion even more stronger than ever...

Zandrav Ibistenn · Post by **Zandrav Ibistenn** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 22:54

@Chroelle:

With the accumulated knowledge about the natural laws, man can create technology - does that not play a deciding role in the assessment of God's role in the Universe?
Science gave you the aeroplane, the Internet, the electric tooth brush - and the atomic bomb. Religion gave you... No that's wholly different, because it gave some people some answers they wanted. But does the static state of religion (in the sense that it follows and slowly adapts to the rest of society) not inspire the thought, that it (and thus also God) is secondary to physical world around us. In other words: God is an invention, used to explain the unexplainable. - However, if this is true - and more and more scientific discoveries are made - does it not diminish the role of God (and religion) in society? For example, no one (with the proper education) would blame God for diseases anymore, but attribute those to vira, bacteria or genes.

The animals do not appear to be conscious about God, and so it is reasonable to assume, that since mankind has evolved from beings similarly incapable of knowing God, the ability to have religious experiences is also something that has evolved. But if that is true doesn't it again seem more likely that God isn't a reality, but an illusion that our brains have evolved to easily conceive?
On the other hand - you could also claim that God has chosen evolution as the tool to create life, and that everything that has happed and will ever happen does so in accordance with his master plan.
Regardless, the way mankind has evolved to be a religious being (most people are religious after all) is a fascinating conundrum.
http://curlysworldoffreeware.com/viewtopic.php?t=243

@OSH:
Perhaps you could summerise the book's most important claims and explain why it had such a powerful impact on you?

Post by **Chroelle** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 12:27

Well the only flaw I see in your assumption here is that you put religion and "god" at one anothers sides. What if religion was the way that humans have tried to explain things unexplainable and thus the name God came up. But what if... God was there to allow us to make these discoveries and hence make us masters of our own fate... He made the human brain so evolved that it could eventually realise what was going on around it... That is my point, that we can never truelly know that there is no higher power allowing us these things, and thus being able to remove it again.
I am not that deeply religious but these thoughts have been nagging me lately.
Oh... An idea for a thread came to me there, and I don't have the time to create it.
If we remove the relion is God phrase then there is truelly nothing left to argue with. If you want to claim that religion has done so and so, and hence God has never existed and done any good, then you have to decide which religion is THE religion. Since Hindi, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Buddhism (I know it is only a philosophy) and so on have a lot in common but is not alike. They have very different viewpoints on many things, and eventhough they do tend to use the same gods, prophets and so on then they have different messages for everyone.

But if that is true doesn't it again seem more likely that God isn't a reality, but an illusion that our brains have evolved to easily conceive?

Oh but more likely is not enough.
Lets remember that God was a name we gave him/she/it. He need not be a white old bearded man. For all we know he could be a hedgehog. And animals could be very well aware of his/her/it's presence, but just not show in the same manner as us. Who says that anthills are not really enourmous temples to settle the rainmaker...?

Zandrav Ibistenn · Post by **Zandrav Ibistenn** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 20:02

I was speaking of the monotheistic religions since they have best represented the believing side in this thread so far.

Chroelle wrote:
But if that is true doesn't it again seem more likely that God isn't a reality, but an illusion that our brains have evolved to easily conceive?
Oh but more likely is not enough.

Actually I tend to think it is. At some point people must make up their mind about any particular matter. The decision is influenced by the sum of knowledge, experiences and beliefs aperson have, so in an environment where science provides answers concerning nature's mysteries, where the moral of society stems from ethics derived from philosophy and where people themselves design the rituals of ceremonious celebrations, does that development, seen as a direct result of technolgical sophistication not serve to expedite God's departure out of the collective consciousness of the culture?
At this point I'm tempted to say something about how technological development can be seen as the slow maturation of a sentient species, but I would not like to associate myself with a certain fictitious despot.

*Off topic*

Scythe wrote:Or maybe it's just my occasionally controversial nature.

Ack, I wasn't paying attention before...
You know, "controversial" is primarily a label designed to ostracize potential threats from society to preemptively prevent tensions between its members.
Representing a group of like-minded individuals opposing such ingrained conventions, instead endorsing the "contra mundum" of initiatives considered radical by the remainder of society, I recommend you (and everyone else intrigued by these lines) to click this link and consider taking a small but important step towards a diversified future.

OSH · Post by **OSH** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 20:06

Zandrav Ibistenn wrote:@Chroelle:
those to vira, bacteria or genes.

@OSH:
Perhaps you could summerise the book's most important claims and explain why it had such a powerful impact on you?

Hmm, I try. I don't speak English very well...
The essence this book is a fact, that faith is the most powerful force, which human possess. I've read this book when I was 18 years old. Before this reading I have believed in God, but my faith was uncertain...I thought so: The God exists, I can pray to him for example something to reach (wealth, health, wife or others things), but I can't be sure I receive this what I pray. Murphy wrote, I (and all people on this planet) can reach EVERYTHING, when we pray an BELIEVE that we this receive. When I doubt, I block, what I pray. I can't doubt, I MUST BELIEVE. Even, when the thing what I pray is very "improbable" (in opinion others people), I can reach everything: wealth, health, dream-wife, I can foresee the events, which will be in the future, I can answer each question. Because the God is allmighty, allknowly, and will help when a human Him believe. The God don't punish, don't judge, is my personally friend and I can turn to him with my all problems/sadnesses.
Sorry for my English, I 'm still learning...

spanek · Post by **spanek** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 14:12

I was baptized as a Christian Orthodox. 95% the population of Greece is Christian Orthodox.

I can't really say that an religious person, but I try sometimes to follow the flow.

At one time some years ago, I started reading about the 12 Gods of Olympus, and my mother thought that I had become a dodekatheist!! I had lots of fun with that, because I used to play jokes on her (I asked her if she had fresh fruits so I could make a sacrifice to Demeter (Ceres in Roman Mythology)

)

moshboy · Post by **moshboy** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 16:05

I'm an athiest. Ever since I was a kid I just didn't believe in God. The whole concept makes little to no sense to me - especially when people say to me that he has a plan for everyone. Sorry but that just doesn't cut it for me. Too much screwed up sh*t happens, so those plans must be pretty strange if you ask me.

dolce24 · Post by **dolce24** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 22:57

I like living the buddhist way, but i won't call myself a buddhist, because i am not that religious. I believe god is inside us all. I also used to meditate alot, because it help against stress, and calm me down. i Haven't meditated for a half year now, but i hope to get back to it.

Curly's World

What religion are you?

Always trying to promote articulated debate.