Religion, what do you think?

[Dr. Funk]

First off I'd like to get it out of the way that this is not a thread to insult any religion in any way.

I am a person who in my spare time, likes to think about the big questions in life. A topic that has been on my mind quite a bit lately is religion. Not any specific religion, just the concept. I personally belong to no religion, I have my own beliefs and none of them are in any kind of god. Religion seems pointless to me, and truthfully, I find it to be a waste of time.

I recently saw a program about the origins of the earth, from a religious viewpoint. There was a scientist who was interviewed by a priest of some sort. This scientist was talking about the Big Bang Theory, and evolution, and all the other theories, and then this priest just interrupts him and says he was completely wrong, that God magically created the universe and all of it's inhabitants, and I couldn't help but think, "Wow, this guy sounds crazy right now."

But I didn't start this topic to talk about my beliefs, I want to hear yours.

NO RELIGION BASHING! If there are any replies insulting any other religion(s), it will be dealt with! Not by me, I'm not a mod. Yet...

 

[moog]

But I didn't start this topic to talk about my beliefs, I want to hear yours.

so where is the discussion then

idg this topic, it seems more like a blog. you cant just start talking and expect a discussion, you have to set it up better.

 

[Dr. Funk]

Just tell me your views on religion, that's what this is for. Do you think it's pointless, false hope? Or is it a good thing like spiritual guidance or whatever it is religious people think.

 

[Feldschlacht IV]

I was raised Christian, and I guess that's what I identify with the most.

I used to be really interested in religious debates and all that, but now I couldn't really give a shit what other people do or don't believe and I really don't care why they do.

Of course, I mean that with no offense to you or this topic, but I'm just answering the question you posed.

 

[mawk]

addendum: if this thread turns into a lot of religious posturing and baseless MY GOD COULD BEAT UP YOUR GOD shit I am locking it and handing out warns. don't mess this thread up.

personally I don't see a lot of potential for discussion either but hey it's worth giving a chance I guess. if you can find some ground for debate that doesn't revolve around YOU CHRISTIANS ARE SO ZANY AND BACKWARD ^ _ ^ then more power to you!

 

[Cruelty]

i think a few of the religions are mostly good for instilling values in people. of course theres lazy [people of whatever religion] who don't really follow the teachings while they believe the mythology/whatever, and the fundamentalists who take everything way too literally, but the people who take just enough of it are usually pretty morally decent people.

personally, i like religion. i think its really interesting, and i'm really torn between which i identify with most, but a few of them are really positive and good for you (or at least me). i remember reading a bunch of books about buddhism, and just thinking "this is the most sensible, optimistic, and interesting thing i've ever read'", and it really did change the way i look at a lot of things in life for the better. it made me much nicer, i've had a much more positive attitude, and i'm mostly happier like this as opposed to being the cynical 'youre all crazy' anti-religious prick i was at some point.

the religions i dont even follow (yet) have made me a better person [so i'd like to think!], so i think they're mostly good for people. that's not pointless, at all.

 

[Croda]

----> Miyamoto is my god. :angel:

(I voted "none". But buddhism rocks. :boo: )

 

[Star]

I think it's all based on opinion white pimp. I mean. When I heard about the big bang theory, I almost laughed and said wow. Do they really think a comet hit something and humans came to life?

You gotta think. Since we've explored space, We've found no other forms of life. Maybe we need to explore farther? Well I personally believe there's nothing out there but nonliving matter.

I believe the world started 6,000 years ago with Adam and Eve. I mean, we really have no texts that go back farther than that. I"m not even sure if we even have texts dating farther than 2,000 years ago. Not counting on Rewritten texts like the bible. I'm talking about original sources of literature.

*edit* I just found this Article on the oldest text. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 229801.DTL It dates back 5,250 years ago. That's like 3250 BC :shock:

:huh: But really. The mods are right. A discussion with religion will often lead to heated debates. But I'm not going to play PokeGod and say my God is super effective against yours :box:

 

[Dr. Funk]

When I heard about the big bang theory, I almost laughed and said wow. Do they really think a comet hit something and humans came to life?

Although I understand your views, I think you may have misinterpreted the big bang theory. It's not just boom and then a bunch of people, it's a process that took millions and millions of years. Whatever I'm not going to go into it.

Also, I hope this topic doesn't lead to religion bashing, that's not why I started it. I just want to hear what your thoughts/beliefs are.

 

[Croda]

When I heard about the big bang theory, I almost laughed and said wow. Do they really think a comet hit something and humans came to life?

More beliviable than a god giving life to a dude and a girl. And this is not a comet ! Oo Where on earth do you heard something like this ?? And it's not "humans" but the univers. Humans came after a lot of things. We are not the center of the world.

Since we've explored space, We've found no other forms of life. Maybe we need to explore farther? Well I personally believe there's nothing out there but nonliving matter.

If you scratch one millimeter of eart with your nail and don't see any living form does it means there is no life form in the whole mother earth ? :boo: There is more than 800 billions of living forms in it.

It's the same. Our capacity of exploring the space is really limited. People just can't easily imagine what they don't see. Remember of people believing the Earth was flat or that this is the sun which turn around it.

I believe the world started 6,000 years ago with Adam and Eve.

oh my fucking jesus ! :crazy:
And adam and eve hide some fucking dinosaures bones all over the world ?
Man, you just have to wake up. You can't believe such a fairy tale if you have ever heard about science. :boo:

I mean, we really have no texts that go back farther than that. I"m not even sure if we even have texts dating farther than 2,000 years ago. Not counting on Rewritten texts like the bible. I'm talking about original sources of literature.

Yes humans of course don't existed if they can't write. :toot:
This is pointless. A lot of people in the world can't just write : like 3 billions lol. They still exist you know.
And in addition : human always known to create and draw so there is proof of those in a lot of caverne or sites (wall painting or weapons). Or maybe this was just adam and eve...

:huh: But really. The mods are right. A discussion with religion will often lead to heated debates. But I'm not going to play PokeGod and say my God is super effective against yours :box:

Sorry but I just can't to explain what was proven since decenies... :blush:
I got nothing against you, dude. :cute: But religions are proven to make people believe in something and wash their evil thoughts away. This mostly works (most in the old days in fact). I don't imagine people of science lie to use about a thing nobody would care.

I know it would be hard to figure this out (most if you got brain washed since childood), I respect that you "believe" this but please don't try to prove it's true. Please...

To finish this the word "believe" is quite accurate for this. You can "believe" in a religion but it's not possible to "believe" a science cause science in definition is true.

EDIT : to make you and me happy, let's say God create universe and then evolution make the rest. :angel: :specs: :cheers:

 

[Citrus Insanity]

I think that all religion was created just as a way to instill morals and values upon people back in a time when they desperately needed them. Not only that, but it took the really heavy questions of humanity off of our shoulders so that we could live our lives without having to deal with the psyche-crushing facts that we have no idea why/how we're here or where we're going.

My personal belief is that the only acceptable response to these questions is: "I don't know." We don't know if there is a God who created everything, and there is no way one can say with certainty that they know these things as fact. We really don't know, no matter how much we'd like to, and pretending we do has just been a source of conflict for as long as it's been done.

Maybe as science pushes us forward we'll find out the nature of God and whether or not he exists in any form, maybe we'll find that out when we die, but right now there is no way for us to be sure of anything. Nobody really knows, be you Christian or atheist.

 

[Star]

Seriously Croda. I was just pointing out my views. You don't have to prove me wrong. I wasn't trying to make people believe what I believe, so you don't have to make me believe what you believe.

Although you do prove some good points. I think it's best that you just take to your own on this subject and don't bother trying to change what people think

 

[Croda]

StarGGundam2 : yep, sorry, I was not trying to change your believe, in fact. My apologies... :blush:

Citrus Insanity : yes, I believe the same about religion prurpose. In fact I just realize that when I was a child and believe to santa I told one day to my mom "I mustn't tell curses cause even if you are not there Santa can hear me." It works the same way : human had to be cared by something or someone to stay in the rules or good things...

 

[Cruelty]

to make you and me happy, let's say God create universe and then evolution make the rest.

i'm not sure if you were joking or what, but that's kinda what i believe. :p

 

[Feldschlacht IV]

Yeah uh, I always thought that sounded relatively reasonable. It's what I believe.

 

[Croda]

It's not completely serious but in fact since the big bang theory is (for now) ineplicable with human maths logic I agreed this kind of thing.

 

[skirtboy]

My belief on religion is that God set the universe in motion and allowed it to develop. The Bible is His way of explaining what he did to a Copper Age nomadic people with next to no scientific knowledge, and that most of its teachings are meant to preserve order and health among His children.

 

[Dissonance]

the christian god makes me laugh.

He's only been around for a couplea thousand years and he thinks he owns the place.

 

[sayonara-p]

This is what I think about religions, always respecting religious people (although I just can't understand them)

What it started being? A lot of years ago religion (I mean when men can't even write) was a way to tribute earth and it virtues (just like the sun, rain, rivers and the like) and explain some 'unexplainable' facts (like death, why sun goes and comes again, etc)

After that, more 'organised' religions appeared. Most of them (all of them, I would dare to say) are just copies from older religions, and most of them astrologically-based religions (those who have seen the 1st part of Zeitgeist 1 know what I mean). The Holy Bible, The Torah and The Koran are almost copies between it, metaphoric books, with some fictitious characters and some fictitious facts (another ones are documented historical facts and characters). All of them based on Egyptian astrology.
Then, it started to turn into what religions are today.

What are today then? A powerful way of controling population. And even worse, religions became just excuses to move great amounts of money, trying to justify wars through religion (when in fact the same bank usually finances both factions of any war). As we say in my country "a Dios rogando y con el mazo dando", that means something like "Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition".

On the other hand, along the history, religions helped on redistributing money more and more unjustly. I mean, TV spots begging for your money in order to end with worldwide hunger while religious high circles eat 10 times a day, have the most expensive art, jewels, buildings, etc. They proclaim austerity and anti-materialistic behaviours when they have the most materialistic behaviours on the face of our pauper planet. Only a word can describe this: (sorry if I offend anyone) hypocrisy.

So I think religions (all of them) are just this nowadays: hypocrisy and greed.

What should religions be? I think that they are not absolutely neccessary, but if anyone wants to believe in a greater entity, they can do without supporting completely obsolete eclesiastical organizations, that promote wars, injustices, etc. They can do just in their own way.

regards

 

[friend]

FYI, guys, I don't think Buddhism is a religion, just a philosophy.

Whoa there! Don't let that bashing against Christianity slip off!

Since I do Bible study, I could say some things.

Sayonara, I think the people you are looking at aren't actually religious people. Just crazy people using religion as their shield. The real thing would never do that. ( Like Bill Gates said, he dosen't know whether there is a God BUT he thinks the principles is good and beneficial. )

I hope that pretty much counters the "Religion brings disaster" part.

Science I would say remains in the neutral side, they have proofs of religions and vice versa.