Your favorite religious or political quote.

[Dozyproductions]

Speak for yourself, or at least whatever your dogma allows you to say. I'll continue criticizing what is deserving of criticism, namely all that is illogical and immoral in your bible and religion.

Just coming back from a religious retreat I wouldn't mind trying to explain it. All evil that is done to the 'undeserving' or you happens from god's will not so he can fuck with you but so he can funnel your path closer to him. That such things exist and happen because through your actions during times of trials (that includes for anybody) make you either become closer with christ or to make you realize your lack of faith and your choice to disown the gospel.

Kinda like the ending to lost, they were all dead from the get go but their actions on the island determined where they ended up in at the end.

Personally I don't want to believe in such ideas but again as was said before that to genuinely love God you have to know the opposites of good, or in this case his love.

[herbivor]

"Rational arguments don't usually work on religious people. Otherwise there would be no religious people."~ Gregory House M.D.

"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires."~ Susan B. Anthony

[cale]

Just coming back from a religious retreat I wouldn't mind trying to explain it. All evil that is done to the 'undeserving' or you happens from god's will not so he can fuck with you but so he can funnel your path closer to him. That such things exist and happen because through your actions during times of trials (that includes for anybody) make you either become closer with christ or to make you realize your lack of faith and your choice to disown the gospel.

Kinda like the ending to lost, they were all dead from the get go but their actions on the island determined where they ended up in at the end.

Personally I don't want to believe in such ideas but again as was said before that to genuinely love God you have to know the opposites of good, or in this case his love.

And this is known how, because it is how some religious counsellor who was fortunate enough to grow up in the first world has chosen to interpret the Bible? I find it despicable that people try to put a supernatural "positive" twist on the suffering and deaths of millions every year. Do you go to Africa and share this bullshit with children as they die of starvation, explain to them that the pain they are going through is simply a path to God and then hop a plane back to your comfortable livings?

I have zero belief or love for your god, in fact I think that if he exists he's truly an asshole for what he's responsible for yet I've lived an excellent life with few true hardship's or tragedy. Shouldn't I be the one experiencing such a difficult path to bring me to him and not innocent children? Oh wait that's right, he works in mysterious ways and it's not our place to judge him. Please stop breathing my air.

[A Sucked Orange]

There is nothing for it: the feelings of devotion, self-sacrifice for one's neighbor, the entire morality of self-renunciation must be taken mercilessly to task and brought to court: likewise of the aesthetics of 'disinterested contemplation' through which the emasculation of art today tries, seductively enough, to give itself a good conscience.

There us much too much sugar and sorcery in those feelings of 'for others', of 'not for me', for one not to have become doubly distrustful here and to ask: 'are they not perhaps - seductions?' That they give pleasure - to him who has them and to him who enjoys their fruits, also to the mere spectator - does not yet furnish an argument in their favour, but urges us rather to caution. So let us be cautious!

Nietzsche

[2761377]

And this is known how, because it is how some religious counsellor who was fortunate enough to grow up in the first world has chosen to interpret the Bible? I find it despicable that people try to put a supernatural "positive" twist on the suffering and deaths of millions every year. Do you go to Africa and share this bullshit with children as they die of starvation, explain to them that the pain they are going through is simply a path to God and then hop a plane back to your comfortable livings?

I have zero belief or love for your god, in fact I think that if he exists he's truly an asshole for what he's responsible for yet I've lived an excellent life with few true hardship's or tragedy. Shouldn't I be the one experiencing such a difficult path to bring me to him and not innocent children? Oh wait that's right, he works in mysterious ways and it's not our place to judge him. Please stop breathing my air.

how much have you personally done to alleviate the suffering in the world? all your material possesions and happiness are an affront to those who have not.

hating God doesn't excuse your culpability; it only limits YOUR life.

good luck with that.

robert w.

[herbivor]

how much have you personally done to alleviate the suffering in the world? all your material possesions and happiness are an affront to those who have not.

hating God doesn't excuse your culpability; it only limits YOUR life.

good luck with that.

robert w.

"Be thankful that you have a life and forsake your vain and presumptuous desire for a second one."~ Richard Dawkins

"Faith does not give you answers, it just stops you asking the questions."~ Frater Ravus

[cale]

how much have you personally done to alleviate the suffering in the world?

I never claimed that I have done anything drastic to change the world, but holding something good in front of their eyes they can never obtain themselves and then wishing them all the best is cruel.

all your material possesions and happiness are an affront to those who have not.

Why, because I was fortunate to be born in the west? Get off your high horse, I very much doubt you have made any significant sacrifices or impact yourself.

hating God doesn't excuse your culpability; it only limits YOUR life.

Please provide one limitation I have imposed on me that is a direct result of my lack of belief in your god. Don't bother scrolling through your book of two-ply either, I'm not bound by the same chains you are lemming.

[Dozyproductions]

And this is known how, because it is how some religious counsellor who was fortunate enough to grow up in the first world has chosen to interpret the Bible? I find it despicable that people try to put a supernatural "positive" twist on the suffering and deaths of millions every year. Do you go to Africa and share this bullshit with children as they die of starvation, explain to them that the pain they are going through is simply a path to God and then hop a plane back to your comfortable livings?

I have zero belief or love for your god, in fact I think that if he exists he's truly an asshole for what he's responsible for yet I've lived an excellent life with few true hardship's or tragedy. Shouldn't I be the one experiencing such a difficult path to bring me to him and not innocent children? Oh wait that's right, he works in mysterious ways and it's not our place to judge him. Please stop breathing my air.

Never said I believed in any of it. There are certain secular teachings in the bible though that you personally can use to better yourself because you just like being a dick to be a dick.

“Give me just one generation of youth, and I'll transform the whole world.”

lenin

[Fourbanger]

have you ever believed? if so, you have forgotten that this world is not the most important thing. that is the point those misguided fools who sticker their rides with NOTW are advertising. it is too serious a claim for a window sticker.

"Because children dying of dysentery in third world countries totally chose to bring that pain into their own lives"

no, you make an unjustified jump of logic. their suffering is not their fault- other sinful men have created the evil the poor live in. all men who can but don't help alleviate that suffering are also guilty of sin.

"If God were omnipotent he could prevent evil and suffering. Evil and suffering exists, however, so either he does not wish to prevent it or he is not omnipotent. That's all Epicurus was saying. I don't see a third option."

read more fully, and with an open mind the post above that spells out free will. God truly is not of this world, Satan has dominion here. for whatever reason God put us here to test/prove ourselves. interference on his part would be counter-productive.


that last part makes me a little nervous as i am not worthy to judge Gods' motives or plan. as are none of us. it only represents my personal appreciation.

Personally I don't want to believe in such ideas but again as was said before that to genuinely love God you have to know the opposites of good, or in this case his love.

So we've established that God is okay with needless suffering and death because it will make people love him more. He could stop it if He wanted to, but the millions dying in deplorable conditions will bring us closer to the Lord, and so we will spend eternity with Him in heaven as long as we truly believe and don't question the motives behind it.

[Dozyproductions]

So we've established that God is okay with needless suffering and death because it will make people love him more. He could stop it if He wanted to, but the millions dying in deplorable conditions will bring us closer to the Lord, and so we will spend eternity with Him in heaven as long as we truly believe and don't question the motives behind it.

yes.

[87e30]

So we've established that God is okay with needless suffering and death because it will make people love him more. He could stop it if He wanted to, but the millions dying in deplorable conditions will bring us closer to the Lord, and so we will spend eternity with Him in heaven as long as we truly believe and don't question the motives behind it.

I figured I'd try to chime in and answer this how I imagine that some christians may (not my personal beliefs):

It is not that God is okay with the suffering or that he is happy about it, as you may have been implying with your statement. He allows this to continue (yes allows) because he created man to have free will and does not intervene with our actions. This may get hairy to 'understand' when one considers prayers and miracles, but the general idea is that God/Jesus/Etc does not make decisions for us but rather allows our actions to carry out. It may be argued that those suffering are simply not living a life in accordance with God or are given struggles to make them stronger.

^I see lots of issues with this argument, but there are religious answers for all of them.

[cale]

yes.

Demented puppeteer, you sure the one that prey's on fear and is truly evil is the one surrounded by fire and brimstone?

[Kershaw]

this quote

[A Sucked Orange]

True, they are more of a cancer.

[b*saint]

In my opinion all "religious" quotes should stem from the bible, qua ran, or torah, not from personal opinion or opinions about religion.