The Damn Catholic Church...

[HarryPotter]

I'm not religious, but was raised in a religious household.

I like organized religion. People like it, church's bring good things to the community and religion can serve to unite a country.

Don't blame religion for bad things happening, that would happen anyways.

Ah, so now we finally know the real reason why your dick is dry and brittle.:o

Fuck that shit.

[HarryPotter]

The earth was created 4 thousand years ago, FACT.

[ck_taft325is]

Was this directed towards me? Because I dont' really think I said much negative beyond the obvious. I like churches in society as a whole.

Nope ;)

It was mostly directed at those with issues or "everyone who belives (and therefore faith) in God or attends church is a retard!". I haven't yet heard a specific thing or personal experience someone had that was negative with the exception of a poster who had an uncle that commited suicide. I personally have had tons of bad experience with people in the Church. I realize now that to blame God for everything while claiming that he doesn't exist is short sighted and stupid. To blame the actions of men on God and what he stands for and is does a diservice to what Right is.

I'm not advocating the Catholic Church. Theologically they are a bit off and their whole belief in Christ AND needing a Priest to mitigate between God and you is really, really off base.

[87e30]

The earth was created 4 thousand years ago, FACT.

You trust science that much, I know I don't. Science changes as technology improves, that's what we know as of now.

And no, smart ass, I don't believe in anything religious; I don't attend church, and I'm not saving myself because of god. I'm waiting because I fucking want to.

I like what churches do for communities though, in the sense of unification and helping those in need.

[ck_taft325is]

Precisely. The whole "Church goers are stupid because xyz" while ignoring the fact that a bunch, not all mind you, of churches go out in the community and help those in need. I'm not sure why everyone's all anti-Christianity. Because you can't or choose not to believe in something that differs, you're what? Hateful towards good things that people do simply because their beliefs don't line up? Give me a break. Are there really irritating people out there that do really, really stupid things in the name of God? Yeah. But there's just as many non-believers that do plenty of stupid things. It's not nearly as polarized as a lot of you make it out to be.

[87e30]

I'm not advocating the Catholic Church. Theologically they are a bit off and their whole belief in Christ AND needing a Priest to mitigate between God and you is really, really off base.

And here is where you turn and thank Martin Luther and the catholic church for taxing Germany.

This is your belief, and interpretation. But we shall not get into that here.

[ck_taft325is]

And here is where you turn and thank Martin Luther and the catholic church for taxing Germany.

This is your belief, and interpretation. But we shall not get into that here.

If you profess to believe in the Bible, Christ and his teachings then drop a bunch of sub-section rules and religious acts to justify yourself in the sight of God, which is in direct opposition to his teachings, I'm sorry, you're theoglogically off a bit.

[87e30]

If you profess to believe in the Bible, Christ and his teachings then drop a bunch of sub-section rules and religious acts to justify yourself in the sight of God, which is in direct opposition to his teachings, I'm sorry, you're theoglogically off a bit.

In some ways, they interpret his teachings differently, so they would disagree. But yes, the church has done some things that are pretty interesting. (bad media cases and penances to name a couple)

[Bill 84 318i]

Truthfully, the Bible tells you to respect other people and question everything. That doesn't exempt anyone despite "authority".

I'll be the first to admit that I never really studied scripture - I found it's didactic stories vague and confusing and it is far too contradictory to ever take seriously, much less build a life on. But does it really tell you to question everything? Religion goes so far in the direction of substituting itself as truth that I can't imagine it actually promotes skepticism. If you're to believe all things in the Bible, you surely aren't reading it with a skeptic mind.

I feel about Religion (capital R) much differently than I do about religion. Capital R Religion has a lot of tangible products that are easy to hate - the fact that the Pope says passing out condoms in Africa would make the AIDS situation worse, the anti-homosexual propaganda spread by assholes like Rick Warren and Richard Cohen in Uganda that encouraged laws to put gay people in prison for life (and execute ones with AIDS), the fact that children are taught that the world began right around the time of the agricultural revolution, the wicked oppression of women, any wars driven by religion (as opposed to socioeconomic reasons), systematical fondling of children...I could obviously go on, but I don't think that this is the question you're asking.

As for lowercase R religion, I recognize people's need to feel like they're talking to a higher power - it's a very significant part of people's lives. I don't do it myself, because I think that any time you chalk something up to a higher power, good or bad, it makes you believe that you are less than what you can be. Sure, sometimes it's convenient to toss the responsibility of something bad happening on a higher power, or to have someone to thank when something good happens, but it's not honest. I personally never felt so liberated as when I embraced the fact that there is no God and stopped living a fear-driven life.

And I won't finish without saying that I acknowledge a lot of tangible good comes out of religion in the form of charitable work and giving, etc. I might be a bit of an idealist, but I just wish that people would be good for the sake of being good - I suppose that I might have a little too much faith in humanism, but that's the kind of world I would want to live in. Maybe then people will go to underprivileged areas not to pass out Bibles, but to hand out food and medicine and to educate.

Question, why is the Bible to blame for people being the over all ugly religious, power hungry types you're claiming the Bible insights. People will just assume use Government, Businesses, Wealth, etc, etc... to gain their destructive ends as the Bible. It's not so much the "Church" as it is people, agree or disagree?

I'm not sure I understand your last question...are you asking whether the Bible or people are the cause of evil coming out of religion?

[Stephen]

You trust science that much, I know I don't. Science changes as technology improves, that's what we know as of now.

And no, smart ass, I don't believe in anything religious; I don't attend church, and I'm not saving myself because of god. I'm waiting because I fucking want to.

I like what churches do for communities though, in the sense of unification and helping those in need.

I almost like the because of god reason more

[HarryPotter]

You trust science that much, I know I don't. Science changes as technology improves, that's what we know as of now.

And no, smart ass, I don't believe in anything religious; I don't attend church, and I'm not saving myself because of god. I'm waiting because I fucking want to.

I like what churches do for communities though, in the sense of unification and helping those in need.

I believe in science far more than some book anyone could have wrote back in the day. I don't know what sounds more crazy you tell me?

I just hate close minded people that believe nothing but what the bible preaches, open your minds. And people who thank god for everything, and mostly I hate christians because my aunt and uncle are insanely religious, praying before EVERY meal, all 5 kids are all homeschooled, no TV, no ANYTHING. When the oldest one hit's 18 she'll probably become a rebellious whore. Fuckin wackos.

[ck_taft325is]

I believe in science far more than some book anyone could have wrote back in the day. I don't know what sounds more crazy you tell me?

I just hate close minded people that believe nothing but what the bible preaches, open your minds. And people who thank god for everything, and mostly I hate christians because my aunt and uncle are insanely religious, praying before EVERY meal, all 5 kids are all homeschooled, no TV, no ANYTHING. When the oldest one hit's 18 she'll probably become a rebellious whore. Fuckin wackos.

Could be said on the other side of things. You realize that, right? Ironically, a lot of people don't give it a chance. "Oh look it said don't kill (FYI this is wrong, it says do not murder. There is a difference) and then it said God told them to go wipe out a city that would have masacered them if they didn't!!! Such a contradiction!!"

Why does praying before every meal offend you? If you don't believe, you should at least be open minded enough to respect their decision to do something they take pleasure in or find special/important.

Home school kids are almost always socially awkward, but honestly, some of the smartest kids I know (graduate at 15, finish college by 18, etc etc) were home schooled. Not the case always, but what is the case always?

[HarryPotter]

They are fucking wackos that's what offends me. You don't even realize. I don't understand how you can find anything believable in that stupid book when it says the earth was created in 7 fucking days and it's only 4k years old. That's just fucking malarkey. It also says that ladders came from the sky creating the separate races or some shit like that, and that's just fucking lunatic like crazy bs.

[HarryPotter]

Could be said on the other side of things. You realize that, right? Ironically, a lot of people don't give it a chance. "Oh look it said don't kill (FYI this is wrong, it says do not murder. There is a difference) and then it said God told them to go wipe out a city that would have masacered them if they didn't!!! Such a contradiction!!"

Why does praying before every meal offend you? If you don't believe, you should at least be open minded enough to respect their decision to do something they take pleasure in or find special/important.

Home school kids are almost always socially awkward, but honestly, some of the smartest kids I know (graduate at 15, finish college by 18, etc etc) were home schooled. Not the case always, but what is the case always?

I'm not opening my mind to something so false and that has absolutely zero fact. It's a fucking book for god sakes, writtin by some guys.

[Farbin Kaiber]

What's wrong with being thankful you have a meal to eat?