Christians on arbtalk?

[gibbon]

Atheist here, well, in that I don't believe in a god as such. However high on a mountainside or up a tree on a beautiful day I do feel spiritual, maybe that is just endorphin release due to the stimuli though?

 

The Bible was written as a way for those at the top to control those at the bottom, simple as.

 

With all the suffering in the world how can you explain it all away?

 

Does that make you an animist rather than an atheist?

[difflock]

Cor,

What a Sunday morning gift to a Northern Ireland Presbyterian.

(i) Worcswuss was 100% correct (if I recall)

(ii) It was Dave Allen (and I think it was may your "gods" go with you?)

Anyway reared Presbyterian, it did not stick though I will probably be buried Presbyterian, might need to bung the Clergy a wheen o thousand up front first, just as insurance.

Felt oblidged to take the children to church, that did not stick either simply because they were cured of religeon at School by the RE teacher, a religeous "nutter"

Met a few Nuns in my time and I have to say their Sereneity was remarkable?

Have attended Roman Catholic Funerals without fuss, merely a bit bemused by all the rig-ma-role/ritual.

And Then I remembered Karl Marx,s comment.

PS

There are also plenty of Presbyterians who should be tramped in a hole ( i.e. they merely reflect the wider cross section of Society)

My God fearing maternal grandmother remarked 50 or 60 years ago to my mother, in respect of a local "bad egg" who had taken to religeon in later life, and I quote " the bigger the Bible, the bigger the bastard hiding behind it"

That shocked me and I still wonder what she knew?

Otherwise a god fearing christian woman.

Wor 20 year old son hangs out with the Bahia crowd, when he is not in the Pub, he reckons theirs is the only rational religeon, in that one is allowed to question, plus their central tenent is merely to do good to others.

And Oh them nutters that preach in Coleraine of a Saturday

They def got several screws well loose, strangely all men too??

God Bless

Marcus

[GardenKit]

Yep, stand corrected, of course it was Dave Allen.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

 

I strongly feel that until we can somehow rid ourselves (as a species) of this psychological dependence on the concept of a power greater than ourselves, we will never, ever progress to the point where we can live harmoniously.

 

In that you hint that WE are the greater power, that is another of humanities great sins.

 

we are not, the power of nature is FAR greater than you or I and the human species is constantly reminded of this in the face of natural events.

 

we are not special, we are an organism in a system.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Does that make you an animist rather than an atheist?

 

always had trouble defining the fine lines between animism, paganism etc

 

all I know is that MY religion is MY own, its unique to me and I worship nature and "commune with it"

 

I get the same spiritual connection and reward as any devout religous believer does.

 

I dont need answers because there are no questions for me to ask, life is simply beautiful and I am grateful for the time I have to bear witness to this fact

[skyhuck]

How many religious people truly believe????

 

Why do we never see people celebrating the death of a loved one?? if heaven is so great why so sad???, whats the old saying "every one wants to go to heaven but no body wants to die":sneaky2:

 

Some one mentioned nuns earlier, they and monks are the only true Christians, Jesus told his disciples to be "no part of this world".

 

I see so many christians living very full lives now, but having read the entire bible several times (well I listened to it on audio tape) I know that jesus taught that his followers should have only the very bare necessities of life and spend the majority of their time and effort preaching the the good news of his kingdom, this is very rare among most Christian groups.

 

I honestly think that religion is a crutch or sort of insurance policy, people do what they think is enough and this gives them peace of mind and means they don't need to worry about death (which some people really struggle to come to terms with) Some people do have a "God shaped hole" in there lives and a religion helps them cope, but a great many people do not. I don't, I remember nothing from before my birth so I'm sure thats the same state to which I will return, so why worry. As has already been mentioned my immortality is in my children, their future is far more important to me than mine.

 

When I was a JW there were many benefits, I had a huge family of "brothers and sisters" who would help me when ever asked. I could travel to any part of the world walk into a Kingdom hall and be treated like family. If I wanted help with DIY of car repairs, they were there and most of them were very nice people, I miss them greatly. BUT its simply not true and once I realised this I could not live a lie and more importantly I could not teach my children a lie.

 

We had 200 people at our wedding, a huge number of those people would now cross the road if they saw me coming. My wife and I have had to leave virtually everyone we knew behind when we left (as did her parent), but we knew by leave our children would not be within this cult and the friends they made would be unconditional and hopefully last a life time.

 

I thing that gets me most about many religious people is the hypocrisy, as the bible puts it "they have a form of godly devotion but prove false to its power"

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

How many religious people truly believe????

 

Why do we never see people celebrating the death of a loved one?? if heaven is so great why so sad???, whats the old saying "every one wants to go to heaven but no body wants to die":sneaky2:

 

Some one mentioned nuns earlier, they and monks are the only true Christians, Jesus told his disciples to be "no part of this world".

 

I see so many christians living very full lives now, but having read the entire bible several times (well I listened to it on audio tape) I know that jesus taught that his followers should have only the very bare necessities of life and spend the majority of their time and effort preaching the the good news of his kingdom, this is very rare among most Christian groups.

 

I honestly think that religion is a crutch or sort of insurance policy, people do what they think is enough and this gives them peace of mind and means they don't need to worry about death (which some people really struggle to come to terms with) Some people do have a "God shaped hole" in there lives and a religion helps them cope, but a great many people do not. I don't, I remember nothing from before my birth so I'm sure thats the same state to which I will return, so why worry. As has already been mentioned my immortality is in my children, their future is far more important to me than mine.

 

When I was a JW there were many benefits, I had a huge family of "brothers and sisters" who would help me when ever asked. I could travel to any part of the world walk into a Kingdom hall and be treated like family. If I wanted help with DIY of car repairs, they were there and most of them were very nice people, I miss them greatly. BUT its simply not true and once I realised this I could not live a lie and more importantly I could not teach my children a lie.

 

We had 200 people at our wedding, a huge number of those people would now cross the road if they saw me coming. My wife and I have had to leave virtually everyone we knew behind when we left (as did her parent), but we knew by leave our children would not be within this cult and the friends they made would be unconditional and hopefully last a life time.

 

I thing that gets me most about many religious people is the hypocrisy, as the bible puts it "they have a form of godly devotion but prove false to its power"

 

I had no Idea you was ever a JW!

 

The mourning or opposite celebration of life/death is different in other cultures.

 

I think the thing about religion is its like a phone contract, theres lots to choose from, one isnt right for everyone, some are heavy callers others will only pick up the phone when they need something.

 

Its not wrong to have faith, its only wrong to believe YOUR faith is the only faith and expect everyone else to burn in the fires of divine retribution!

 

Burning in the fires of retribution would imply that punishment being delivered by a rite orrible.... and that doesnt sound like an overly empathic and all forgiving god like entity to me!

[skyhuck]

and that doesnt sound like an overly empathic and all forgiving god like entity to me!

 

He ain't!!!

 

Read your bible mate, god is cruel and blood thirsty.

 

After the flood, after god had destroyed every living thing on the planet, saving only those in the box, what was the first thing he asked Noah to do after finding land???? Kill and burn some of the animals from the Ark, and it says as the smoke went up to heaven "god smelt a restful odor"

 

God is made in the image of man, a tool to control the weak.

[butler]

Week argument shout louder.........an empty vessel makes most noise

[skyhuck]

Week argument shout louder.........an empty vessel makes most noise

 

:lol: