Look at some other threads in this forum. Many of them have to do with religion, or even turn into debates about religion, and will probably answer your question. As for answering it in this thread? senate pretty much nailed it; it's not the kind of question I'd like to think about to answer. Maybe somebody else will, though.
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Originally posted by Squeek
My mind says "GOGOGOG" and my hands go "wut no scru u ***"
Religion sucks. It's all lies. Anyone who disagrees with me will go to hell.
Good sir, you are going to be sigged for that.
Religion topics are pretty much off limits in CT just because the cannot be settled. I recommend not asking them and instead looking in to your history textbook. Perhaps read Guns, Germs and Steel.
Heh, I don't think you caught the satire/irony - I was laying it on pretty thick. Religion is an incredibly intimate topic. Unfortunately, when personal beliefs collide, nothing good comes of it. That we understand each other - seeing eye-to-eye - may be much more important than morality.
"Convictions are more dangerous foes of truth than lies." -- Friedrich Nietzsche
You know what? I'll be the first one to line up and agree that organized religion has caused many wars and conflicts. I personally am proud to say I am an agnostic. I don't believe in organized religion because most of them are run by greedy men. Of course, I do comfort the idea that if it weren't for religion to "control" the people of older eras (i.e. encourage the people to do good to go to heaven), there might have been even more wars than religion conflicts have caused. Think about it. Before large governments like the United States came around, religion was what people fell back upon during times of oppression and conflict. Faith kept people moving forward instead of destroying each other (for the most part). As for the 21st century. I think organized religion is outdated.
Religion sucks. It's all lies. Anyone who disagrees with me will go to hell.
LMAO, that's really good. I love the subtle contradiction there... I caught the irony it's pretty good.
Anyways, what you asked is a pretty broad and open-ended question which leaves entirely too much room for discussion... try to be more specific, otherwise, you'll just get broad answers like you have thus far.
That said, I'll try to lead the discussion in some sort of... direction. One thing that often ticks me off about theists (Christians particularly) is the attribution of moral to religion. They express it in such a way that if you're not Christian, you're not moral, which in my mind is in no way the case. However, the interesting paradox is despite the fact that USA is probably the most open ended country I know of in that you can believe what you want (even though it's overwhelmingly Christian). The thing here is that in government legal practice we find TOO many exceptions as we try to find our moral standing, because we don't have a faith to base it on... as been said, it's a complex issue.
For the masses I think organized religion might be good, but it's hard to say. The question isn't so much as how it effects society as how much it effects humanity's view on life... this might be the fear of science. Bare with me... the only certainy we have is death, and we have no proven idea of what lies beyond... I consider every religion, including science, to be theory. However, look at the wave of technology that science has provided us. There might be a subconcious fear of science revealing some "truth" that we've never before found... however, it's hard to say. That's just a theory...
Ultimately I'm not sure... where I stand is 'agnostic', considered in the layman's term. For those of you familar with Decartes, well, he describes my thought process perfectly. Again, try to be more specific in your topic and I can give better discussion.
Originally posted by Grandiagod
My father rapes me with logging equipment and my mother is a three legged grizzly bear going through menopause.
You know what? I'll be the first one to line up and agree that organized religion has caused many wars and conflicts.
No, you won't. Maybe in this thread alone, but hardly in the world or even just this forum. Nobody is doubting this fact. Hell, even the leaders of organized religions admit this.
Originally posted by Pinsy14
I don't believe in organized religion because most of them are run by greedy men.
Most cults are, but I can't think of any mainstream religion led by people with a vested economic interest in it.
Originally posted by Pinsy14
Of course, I do comfort the idea that if it weren't for religion to "control" the people of older eras (i.e. encourage the people to do good to go to heaven), there might have been even more wars than religion conflicts have caused. Think about it. Before large governments like the United States came around, religion was what people fell back upon during times of oppression and conflict. Faith kept people moving forward instead of destroying each other (for the most part).
Think about what? What you've proposed to think about is a ridiculous situation where anything could happen. Yes, what you suggest could happen in that world, but so could anything else. You can't take such a complex entity out of the mix and expect to predict what would have happened accordingly. You can't just say that it was religion that got people through tough times; much more consideration has to be taken.
Originally posted by Pinsy14
As for the 21st century. I think organized religion is outdated.
For you, perhaps, but remember, religion is a personal thing. Such things cannot be outdated. Sorry for the lack of a better word, but faith can never be outdated or excluded. Even if some interpretation is done by another trusted person (in the form of the religious leaders), religion will always have the same impact that it has and had. Religion is not merely an object used to sway people.
CREATION OF NEW RELIGION TOPIC IN CT
DISCOURAGEMENT OF SUCH BEHAVIOR BY CT REGULARS
DESCRIPTION OF OUTRAGE OVER RELIGION BY 14-YEAR-OLD AGNOSTICS
USAGE OF TERMS "BRAINWASHING" "CONTROL" AND "MASSES"
REFUTATION OF ARGUMENTS BY BRAINY RELIGIOUS TYPES
SIDETRACKING OF TOPIC INTO THE ISSUE OF CHURCH AND STATE
ENTRANCE OF JEWPIN INTO TOPIC
REHASHING OF 14-YEAR-OLD'S ARGUMENTS IN A MORE WITTY FASHION BY JEWPIN
ESCALATION OF TOPIC INTO FLAME WAR
LOCKING OF TOPIC
REPETITION OF PROCESS TWO MONTHS LATER
This doesnt have much to do with the topic, just my personal opinion, not that anyone cares about it, I'm just venting.
I am not religious. If I were to classify myself as anything, it would be agnostic. I believe, if a god does exist, science will one day be able to prove it. But just because I dont go to church nor believe in a conventional god, I still pray. Not to anyone or thing inperticular, I just pray. It's more for myself, it provides some comfort. Even in silly things, like fortunes, I find comfort in. Or if a bad thing happens to me, it's easier to just think "hey, I probably deserved it, karma."
So I dont think faith is outdated at all. Even though I dont have a God, I still have faith. And chances are, everybody does to some extent.
Of course, I do comfort the idea that if it weren't for religion to "control" the people of older eras (i.e. encourage the people to do good to go to heaven), there might have been even more wars than religion conflicts have caused. Think about it. Before large governments like the United States came around, religion was what people fell back upon during times of oppression and conflict. Faith kept people moving forward instead of destroying each other (for the most part).
Think about what? What you've proposed to think about is a ridiculous situation where anything could happen. Yes, what you suggest could happen in that world, but so could anything else. You can't take such a complex entity out of the mix and expect to predict what would have happened accordingly. You can't just say that it was religion that got people through tough times; much more consideration has to be taken.
Jewpin, on an off topic note, if there's one thing I like to believe, it's karma. It somehow gives comfort to how unfair and plain shitty the world is.
Originally posted by Grandiagod
My father rapes me with logging equipment and my mother is a three legged grizzly bear going through menopause.
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