Religion, what's the point?

Shamana said:
How do people feel about non-monotheistic religions?
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I don't know much about any modern-based ones but I'm a huge fan of the Greek mythology mainly due to the fact of how fascinating it is.

Had an old book about it that my grandfather passed down to me and since reading it as a kid, I've always followed stuff related to it, whether it's fictional books, movies, series or games. It's just such an interesting concept and idea, in my opinion.
MadMike said:
What you're describing is religion as a part of a cultural identity. It's one of the big pillars of identity along with race/tribe, nationality and language. Its importance is very big in that particular context. It's emblematic of the human need to both self-identify and belong. Trying to change who a person feels he is, tends to be met with huge resistance.

Doesn't really say much about the belief itself though. Generally, putting all the pillars under a microscope, they don't stand very well individually. But humans seem to need something to hold on to. If it's not gonna be that, it'll have to be something else.

Heavily multi-cultural states (like US) tend to focus very much on the national identity as the main pillar.
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Absolutely, my nation takes huge pride that we have our own religion, language, alphabet and heritage, whilst preserving it all despite all the atrocities we've endured.

Unfortunately, we've been losing sight of what is important in our modern history and this has lead us to be one of the poorest countries in Europe, the poorest one in the EU and officially the fastest shrinking nation in the whole world. I despair at the situation we find ourselves in as I had big dreams when in my teenage years, was a big ideologist but reality has been hitting me very strong in the last 3-4 years.
 
DoomSlayer said:
My parents used to tell me religious stuff, but it never was forceful or on an extreme level - what my father made it known to me was the historical importance of our religion and basically what impact it had on our survival. I used to question a lot of things in life since a little kid so I never actually believed in the Bible or followed some sort of set of religious rules.

Our religion is Orthodox Christianity and it's kind of ironic how vital it was to my nation during extremely dark times, like the 500 year Ottoman rule after their conquest of our nation and also the period of the totalitarian soviet communism that was put upon us after WW2 due to the fact that we were left on the side of USSR. Religion was banned and prohibited by the communists but at times it wasn't as harshly enforced and people used it as a subtle method of protest, although a lot did get severely harsh punishments for stuff like that at the end of the day.

Religion is a crazy thing, it can be used for good intentions but also for very very bad ones.
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Am I right that you come from Bulgaria. If so that goes a long way to explaining your views, especially the Soviet era.
I have always been fascinated by the Cold War era and in many ways it still dominates East/West relationships.
My mother was born in Syria. My father was English but died when I was 10.
My mother was a young widow with 4 young children.
However, when she needed some help from my father's side of the family, who were very religious, they turned their backs on my mother because she was a 'foreigner' and wasn't (in their eyes) a Christian.

Despite that she made sure that we went to church and were christened and confirmed.
England in the 1960's was nothing like as open a society as it is today.
Thank you for your interesting input.
 
Eriku said:
Stand up for myself from someone categorising me as of a "sort", that casually throws shit around. Without knowing shit about me.

I’m sure it can be interpreted a number of ways, and certainly saying you should stop criticising others and concern yourself more with living up to any standard you purport to hold. Or do you take a more literal read?

Wiki is no great source, obviously, but let’s quote part of the analysis section anyway:



The same point seems to be ubiquitous if I check people discussing the exegesis of this passage. I guess the main wrongness I would obviously have would be assuming you’re out to help with your obvious diversionary tactics.

I wish I hadn’t indulged you, yet again, but now I really am shutting up. :)
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Thank you for doing some research. As for your final sentence, I’m happy to be proven wrong, but it is rare indeed for a hyena to stop yapping.
 
Carolina Red said:
I expect you to stop wumming and actually post something worthwhile or don't waste our time.
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Oh but Mr. Red, surely you think anything that defends religion isn’t worthwhile? And therefore, by extension, anything I post is worthless to you. Why bother to even interact, Mr. Red?
 
McUnited said:
Oh but Mr. Red, surely you think anything that defends religion isn’t worthwhile? And therefore, by extension, anything I post is worthless to you. Why bother to even interact, Mr. Red?
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No need to worry about that, then. If you decide to stop wumming then maybe you can try again.
 
IMO buddhism is both truest and greatest of all religions. In monotheism it's all about worshipping some pridefull god. In Buddhism the hightest goal is to acheive buddhahood which is state of omniscience, unconditional compassion and trascendence of birth and death. Basicly buddhism is about becoming more or less superhuman and such's people exists out there in the buddhist community.s
 
Shamana said:
IMO buddhism is both truest and greatest of all religions. In monotheism it's all about worshipping some pridefull god. In Buddhism the hightest goal is to acheive buddhahood which is state of omniscience, unconditional compassion and trascendence of birth and death. Basicly buddhism is about becoming more or less superhuman and such's people exists out there in the buddhist community.s
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Would you say the Buddhist monks behavior against the Rohingyans is similar to Buddhist extremism? After all they seem to look like the face and soul of the religion (just as beards do of other religions for example)
 
I’d say Jainism probably takes the cake as far as religion is concerned.

I think Sam Harris put it something like this...
“The more radical you get as a Jain, the less we have to worry about you”
 
Dumbstar said:
Would you say the Buddhist monks behavior against the Rohingyans is similar to Buddhist extremism? After all they seem to look like the face and soul of the religion (just as beards do of other religions for example)
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They are extremists and recognised as such by Buddhists worldwide. Unfortunately, people of all religions have defilements of greed, hatred and delusion. Becoming a monk or priest or imam doesn't change this basic fact.
 
OohAahMartial said:
They are extremists and recognised as such by Buddhists worldwide. Unfortunately, people of all religions have defilements of greed, hatred and delusion. Becoming a monk or priest or imam doesn't change this basic fact.
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Fair enough. I didn't know that before.
 
McUnited said:
This was indeed a long time ago and I’m sorry if you’ve been waiting as I’ve forgotten what you even posted. The fact you’re still mulling over this suggests to me that you have a God-shaped hole in your life.
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:lol:

You're not fooling anyone but yourself. You're clearly out if your depth here.

You don't even need to re-read the original posts, just read the one you quoted and you'll have all you need to know.

Now provide the 'context' to all of the horrible things that your Yahweh clearly endorses.
 
Dumbstar said:
Would you say the Buddhist monks behavior against the Rohingyans is similar to Buddhist extremism? After all they seem to look like the face and soul of the religion (just as beards do of other religions for example)
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They are no better than other violent and hatefull people. Actually I would say that they are worse because they pretend uphold the teachings of the buddha.
 
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/09/fda...-selling-fraudulent-coronavirus-products.html
FDA warns televangelist Jim Bakker and six others to stop selling fraudulent coronavirus products

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/11/8145...-jim-bakker-for-selling-fake-coronavirus-cure
Missouri Sues Televangelist Jim Bakker For Selling Fake Coronavirus Cure

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com...through-the-tv-and-ill-cure-your-coronavirus/
Televangelist: Touch My Oily Hand Through the TV and I’ll Cure Your Coronavirus
 
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Have we had any reports claiming that some old hermit from 1645 who lived in a cave predicted this? What a about the doomsday predictors, there must be scores of Americans holed up somewhere claiming the end is nigh.
 
He's testing us. (Go to answer when either something tragic happens, or they haven't got a fecking clue)
 
I'm surprised all those people who post stuff online saying we are really in a simulation etc aren't having a field day with this.
 
The religion is part of personal choice which should be respected and not mocked in the sense you're an absolute moron for believing in imaginary things which is guideline now for most of the people. Was raised in that sense, but I don't believe it anymore for one reason or another. Saying that, some priests are absolute bonkers now in terms we should pray together and are against closing churches. Some relegious people are borderline pain in the ass again in terms of looking you down and judging if you don't follow the same view (which are made by people and flawed in that sense). It even goes against basic principle that religion is an intimate experience which you can have (and should have in the private) without going on crusade.

But, in terms of general question I've seen enough people that were helped by it and become better for it. So, for me, it does help people. Normal, regular people who are not extremes.
 
I am really not sure it's time to criticise the religion, pretty sure biggest religions wouldn't allow eating bat soup, illegal markets, etc. and they would all support washing hands, being clean, etc. Also pretty sure that mosques, churches, and other religious objects stopped their biggest events, prayers, etc. earlier than your average pubs, shops, etc. to stop spreading the virus. At least I am 100% it's the case in my country in Islamic and Christian institutions..

Using facebook religious idiots as an example to criticise religion at the moment is ridiculous.
 
Jim Beam said:
The religion is part of personal choice which should be respected and not mocked in the sense you're an absolute moron for believing in imaginary things which is guideline now for most of the people. Was raised in that sense, but I don't believe it anymore for one reason or another. Saying that, some priests are absolute bonkers now in terms we should pray together and are against closing churches. Some relegious people are borderline pain in the ass again in terms of looking you down and judging if you don't follow the same view (which are made by people and flawed in that sense). It even goes against basic principle that religion is an intimate experience which you can have (and should have in the private) without going on crusade.

But, in terms of general question I've seen enough people that were helped by it and become better for it. So, for me, it does help people. Normal, regular people who are not extremes.
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Religion is only for normal people. Those people that use religion for extremism are only extremists or cultists. It's just difficult trying to explain this difference to people that don't want to hear it. Which is a huge majority.
 
Dumbstar said:
Religion is only for normal people. Those people that use religion for extremism are only extremists or cultists. It's just difficult trying to explain this difference to people that don't want to hear it. Which is a huge majority.
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Yeah, do agree with that. Am passed bothering arguing to that group. Actually, never had time for them.
 
marukomu said:
Do corona viruses have a god?

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South Carolina’s state government has been opening the governor’s Covid-19 press conference each day with prayer... and ignoring constitutional questions... I keep asking myself if they realize that if an omnipotent creator god exists, that it created this virus too and has a purpose for it, so what good will it do to pray to it to stop it?
 
Carolina Red said:
South Carolina’s state government has been opening the governor’s Covid-19 press conference each day with prayer... and ignoring constitutional questions... I keep asking myself if they realize that if an omnipotent creator god exists, that it created this virus too and has a purpose for it, so what good will it do to pray to it to stop it?
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Is it a satanic virus?

But was Satan created by god...or is he us? This shit is hard.....
 
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