Is religion friend or foe?

[fred913]

In respect of the happenings of the last few weeks, I find myself asking, once again, the question I've been asking for the past 50+ years, since I left school and supposedly became an adult. During my now 68 years, many events have occurred to make me question the validity of the Christian religion. I can't give an opinion on any other, not knowing enough about them.
When my wife died in her mid forties I asked if there was a valid reason for her premature death, anything that would convince me it was a fair decision, if as people believe these things are God's will. Now in retrospect I wonder why thousands if not millions, sit in church on a Sunday morning taking in everything told them by a man who may well have physically or sexually abused dozens of children in his time as a Priest, then absolved by his peers in the confessional. It seems to me there is one law for the congregation and another for the preachers.
The poor children dying from AIDS, starvation, or lack of clean drinking water, in Africa and parts of Asia, should pray harder and all will be good, or so the Bible tells them. " The meek will inherit the Earth" I'm sorry but that is a load of twaddle, along with many other such promises made by the man who wrote the fairy story a thousand years after the event.
I could go on all night but I suppose I've dug a deep enough hole. I don't believe in fairy stories, I suppose you gathered that.
This is just my opinion, if I'm wrong I expect I'll rot in hell, can that be worse than witnessing it here on earth. This is my own feelings on religion, not a sermon from the mount, sorry if I've upset anyone, I'm sure you'll tell me if I have.

[daddyspoon]

if there is a god its very cruel. i personally dont believe. if people want to jusdge me fo that go ahead.

i remember once having a debate with a man in the street he wanted me to go to a sermon. told him i wasnt a believer. he asked why i said science cannot prove theres is a god. this bit shocked me. he said science is false. evolution wasnt real it was made up to discredit religion. theres proof of evolution all over and no solid proof a god exists. needless to say i never went to the sermon.

i have no problems with people believing in god. its when my beliefs are not respected i get annoyed.

[Danny_19]

Well i have had many times when i have prayed and things by define intervention have helped and yes i do believe and i believe i have a destiny since i was 9 i knew what that was and i am now ready to make it happen.

Danny


I respect others believes and yes dont think that i have never thought diffrenty but i have had times when my sixth sense has saved me iterally and i belive thats what god is good at.

wait forgot to add one point i believe in my god and not the "god"

[THEBUDDHA66]

i dont believe in god and i think religion has caused more wars and caused more trouble than anything else on earth
in the past people were tortured and killed for not believing in god and religion has held back science for hundreds of years
i know many members of this forum do worship god and their faith helps them cope with life and i belive faith is a great thing

i also had a conversation with a christian about an under sea land slide off the coast of norway that caused a tidal wave to cover the region of scotland where i live 7000 years ago trying to explain that these kind of events can happen all over the world

i was amazed when he started telling me that the earth wasnt 7000 years old yet and that evolution was a myth not a fact
i offered to show him 50 books on eveloution for every 1 proving creationism he could only provide 1 written thousands of years ago by some desert living tribesmen but aparantly this one is the only book that matters because it is the word of god
it dosent matter that the book is full of contradictions it dosent matter that it was written hundreds sometimes thousands of years after the fact
it dosent matter that the book borrows storys from much older cultures (the saga of gilgamesh for example) it also dosent seem to matter that it changes religion half way through and the main charecter if you had asked him would say he was jewish but the rest of his followers would call him christion this is the book by which they lead their lives

also aparently dinosaur fossils are the demons who died when the devil and god had a little tiff

[fred913]

I expected to get shouted down on this subject, yet I find I'm not the only one to question the absurdities written for us to believe. Maybe they seemed true a thousand years ago when only rich children got any sort of schooling, but now it must be difficult for educated children to believe stories that just cannot be true. A virgin birth is ridiculous, surely.

[stevo_58]

I see it the same way as you and Buddha Fred

[Danny_19]

Well i respect the reasons why,but i believe in god for how many lucky things have happened to me and my family,but yes theres always a doubt in the back of my mind but what else is there to beleive in,everyday theres murder/suicide/floods/tsunamis stuff that get us all down.


i think i have the right to believe in something.


Danny

[TheTexan]

Originally Posted by fred913

A virgin birth is ridiculous, surely.

Why? Have you never witnessed a miracle? Something that happened that you could not explain?

I am not going to shout anyone down, their religion is their choice, and I feel like this is a discussion on religion NOT faith. Two different things.

As for religions, in general, I would agree that there are numerous issues with humans who take the faith of others and twist it for their own gain.

As for creation versus evolution, science versus faith, why can't both be true? If evolution says humans came from monkeys, why are there still monkeys (yes I am being funny there) but why can't science confirm creation and intelligent design even be discussed.

There is a hugely complex discussion to be had here, Who is God? If we have the power then we have made ourselves god, if God has the power and we are subservient to his master plan, then we are not God.

Not an easy conversation to be sure.

[stevo_58]

Danny, you have a right to believe in anything you want to. I respect your right to do that, but I happen to not believe.

[Danny_19]

I wasnt trying to say its wrong not to believe,like i said before i respect whatever people believe and all i was trying to say is that it makes my life easier to believe


I dont mind i know loads of people who dont believe in god,i know one who believes in the Devil! lol

Danny

[fred913]

Yep, quite right Steve, and I would never expect anyone to change their beliefs because of anything I said, that would be hypercritical in the extreme. It's a very interesting subject with many obverse opinions. I don't pretend to have any of the answers, just my own thoughts on the subject. One thing is for sure, with so many different religions with different Gods, they can't all be right.

[THEBUDDHA66]

Originally Posted by Danny_19

Well i respect the reasons why,but i believe in god for how many lucky things have happened to me and my family,but yes theres always a doubt in the back of my mind but what else is there to beleive in,everyday theres murder/suicide/floods/tsunamis stuff that get us all down.


i think i have the right to believe in something.


Danny

of course you have a right to believe sir as i have allready said faith is a great thing
many people take comfort in their religious beliefs

its good now that we have the choice to believe in god or not
a few hundred years ago you would of been persicuted for not believing

the thing that gets me about SOME religious people is that they will argue that a matter of fact is wrong just because it contradicts what they have been taught to believe

everyone on this world should have the right to believe or not to believe it should be their own choice
i do not believe religion should be taught in schools unless at the pupils choice

in some states of america eveloution has been banned from the cariculum of schools because some religious activists have campaigned against it Assimilated Press: Evolution Banned In Kansas
US schools ban Darwin from class | World news | The Observer

to me this is taking a step back to the dark ages

let everyone have an individual choice not their parents ,schools , countrys or peers

if someone chooses to believe in their god then let them be free to do it
if someone chooses not to believe and to study eveloution then let them be free to choose that path

[symbolon]

As the Texan said 'is it science versus religion', with so many children going to university now and taking science subjects and following with jobs in the same industry, they find it hard to believe in religion.

I can appreciate their point of view with all the new information and the internet supplying so many answers right or wrong!

However,I still have this nagging feeling that there is someone playing us all like a computer game and we are all part of a huge hoax!

Do hope not!

xxsymxx

[Danny_19]

Originally Posted by fred913

One thing is for sure, with so many different religions with different Gods, they can't all be right.

I think what you said about the diffrent religeons is totally right and i think this deffently gonna be my last post in this thread lol


Danny

And i belive in THEBUDDHAS and symbolons posts aswell

[BBOB]

I absolutely believe in God and im one of the most liberal persons youll ever meet especially among those i live with in the deep south USA who are mostly hard core conservative and considered the religious right. I agree that religion is the root of most wars and genocide. But for me anyone who kills in the name of God and so on has it all wrong as do most of the religous world. I believe the ideas put forth by JESUS in the newtestament should be taken to heart they include peace and love toward your fellow man,helping the sick,poor and down trodden and not shunning someone else because of their differences in thought or lifestyle. I cannot look around me or at my lifeexperiences without saying their is a God. Ive been thru the fire and come out unscathed. Most on site dont know this but im a recovering drug addict and im talkin hard drugs and without God and especially the words of CHRIST id be dead or in prison. The point is while alot of horrendous things have been done in the name of God. Its crazies doing the acts and its not Gods fault people do have free will. I dont attend church anymore but read and pray most every day. And dont forget most of our constituitions and laws against killing,stealing,and on and on come directly from the bible and or other religous texts from other religions. I feel that we of the world are brothers and sisters and regardless of religion (or lack thereoff),creed or race that God loves us all and knows whats in our hearts. All or those who want to attack people who dont believe in what they do should read their bibles and remember no man is in a position to judge anyone only the almighty can do that. The churches in my area (baptist mostly) do nothing but judge others on their looks,race,politcal affiliation, and on and on. I feel all of these local congragations and preachers should read their bibles more closely I believe their missing that the point that Jesus was about love and understanding not exclussion and bashing those who believe differently no matter how slightly. IF YOU TAKE THE RIGHT THINGS FROM IT RELIGION IS VERY MUCH OUR FRIEND BUT ABUSE IT FOR YOUR OR OTHERS ADVANCMENT OF POWER OR TO PUNISH NON BELIEVERS IS VERY WRONGGGG AND GOES AGAINST EVERY PRICIPLE THAT CHRISTIANITY AND MOST OTHER FAITHS WHERE FOUNDED ON >

[fred913]

Absolutely right Bbob. I consider myself an atheist but would help anyone in need without some priest telling me i should do this. Let every man look into his own actions then think twice before criticising his fellow man.

[maddarcy]

well my parents were catholics im a catholic had my holy communtion as child went to church with family every sunday my say is no religion is a tool of war and bloodshed between man and man but i do believe in being good to your fellow man and women children animals as i can if im wrong god tell me in thread ty .

[maddarcy]

great thread fred hey that rhymes lolo hope it dont get out of hand a very contraversey topic m8

[LfcFan]

Am i atheist or not? My head tells me that no gods exists but i would be a lier if i said i have never stared at the sky asking for help or thanking something up there.
I've always asked myself "how can there be so many gods?", and my answer has always been "there isnt". Sorry, i cant get past that.
Overall though, i believe religious texts are just guides on how to behave.
Faith on the other hand appears to me to be people wishing there was a god who will save us from ourselves.
If you're a believer then thats great as long as its used for good and to instill hope. Its a shame that others use it as a excuse to destroy the human race.

[Pocket_Ducks]

all i can say is, THANK GOD FOR ATHEISM!!!

kwak