Ashes - will you be getting them

[Birroc]

Do you understand the meaning of the term 'gratuitiously condescending' ?

Hundreds of millions of people draw comfort and spiritual sustenance from their faith and beliefs. For you to dismiss them as 'deluded .. have issues' is offensive.

I think you are mixing posts: I said they are "deluded" - UFC said they "have issues" which I dont particularly agree with mainly because I dont know what "having issues" actually means (even though I have loads of my own)

And yes people do as you say "draw comfort and spiritual sustenance from their faith and beliefs" - but this does not make them any less deluded. And I think their organised religion cause much more harm than good.

If my neighbour came in and told me that he was the next messiah and that a spaceship was coming to take him (and his worshippers) away to Planet Utopia where nice things happen, I would consider him deluded - if he called his belief a religion and many people signed up to it, society would expect me to respect his beliefs under the banner of religion but I would still consider them all deluded (and perhaps having issues!).

 

[UFC]

Fair point but you do seem to be getting very defensive about scientology. Hmmmm.

"A cult is a religion with no political power" - Thomas Wolfe

No my point was people's opinions are inconsistent when it comes to fantasy -- I would be confident the majority of people here who are defending christian beliefs would dismiss scientology beliefs. That seems rather hypocritical.

Btw I'm not a scientologist. I guess you could say I'm an athiest.

 

[UFC]

Another thing I find funny about people defending religion is the fact that we know religion is the most destructive thing in the world (nothing kills more people than religious beliefs) yet most people would rather ignore this fact.

However I know I'm mostly wasting my time saying all this because most people will believe whatever they think they're supposed to believe.

 

[DB74]

AFAIK, no religion instructs its followers to kill people in their basic doctrines.

It is fundamentalists who interpret the basic teachings of their religion in a particular warped way who then cause death and destruction in the name of their religion.

The vast vast majority of religious people don't go around killing people.

 

[Purple]

Religion is fine but don't make it a way of life...

 

[UFC]

AFAIK, no religion instructs its followers to kill people in their basic doctrines.

It is fundamentalists who interpret the basic teachings of their religion in a particular warped way who then cause death and destruction in the name of their religion.

The vast vast majority of religious people don't go around killing people.

Sure, I agree most religious people don't kill people, but that doesn't change the fact that religion is responsible for the majority of wars throughout history, as well as many other problems such as women being forced to wear burkas, women being stoned because they were raped, people getting AIDS because it's wrong to wear a condom, etc.

A huge amount of problems would go away if society got real about religion and started talking about it honestly, i.e. it's a delusion and shouldn't be taken seriously.

 

[haminka1]

I think maybe members of the Greek orthodox church might get them too but within christianity I don't think anyone else does, no.



Edit: From googling, it seems they don't. Episcopalians do though apparently - maybe that's what I was thinking of. Sure dere all de same dem funny religions.

Eastern Catholic Church /also called Greek Catholic Church/ members will

 

[Vanilla]

Sure, I agree most religious people don't kill people, but that doesn't change the fact that religion is responsible for the majority of wars throughout history.

I thought it was more that people have used religion as a reason to hide the real motivation, which was usually power/money.

 

[Teatime]

Speaking as a non-believer...

Maybe it's just me but this word 'non-believer' annoys me. Saying you are a non-believer to me implies that there is something to believe in but you choose not to. You are a non-believer in what exactly? Are you atheist, agnostic etc? I think the latter words are better in comparison to non-believer which means you are in the middle ground somehow, sitting on the fence...

 

[Capt. Beaky]

I thought the thread was about Cricket when I saw the title... just shows how much of a heathen I have become!

Howzat!

 

[Capt. Beaky]

If God didn't exist man would have invented him

 

[ney001]

Howzat!

he's out!

 

[Capt. Beaky]

LBW, one presumes

 

[DB74]

Stumped surely!

Or maybe Run Out (of town)

 

[MOB]

A huge amount of problems would go away if society got real about religion and started talking about it honestly, i.e. it's a delusion and shouldn't be taken seriously.

As far as I can see that - pretty much - is what seems to be happening in Ireland and a lot of Western Europe right now. No doubt I can look forward to an old age free of the huge amount of problems with which I have up to now been plagued...........

 

[liaconn]

I don't think you understand the meaning of the word "tolerance". I have repeatedly said they should be allowed have these beliefs.

I'm just a realistic person who has no interest in being politically correct so I stand by my statement that people who live their life according to obvious make believe have issues. For starters, they can't accept the reality of life, e.g. This post will be deleted if not edited immediately and your dead granny aren't waiting for you when you die.

Fantasy confused as reality should not be encouraged, although I am willing to tolerate it because so many people suffer from this delusion, and as seen here, it's a topic people are very sensitive about.

Thank you, but I do understand what the word 'tolerance' means. To me, dismissing anyone who has a religious belief as 'having issues' or 'not accepting the reality of life' does not show much tolerance for people who have an opinion that differs from your's.

 

[VOR]

A girl in work came in with ashes this morning and a couple of people were laughing about it when she went out of the room. I thought that was pathetic.

And then there's Kay Burley's cringe-filled moment on Sky News:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLeJMoS-_Jo&feature=player_embedded#

And she was on such a good run after making Peter Andre cry.

 

[MrMan]

Another thing I find funny about people defending religion is the fact that we know religion is the most destructive thing in the world (nothing kills more people than religious beliefs) yet most people would rather ignore this fact.

However I know I'm mostly wasting my time saying all this because most people will believe whatever they think they're supposed to believe.

Its a silly argument and could open up 'at least religion protects the unborn' but lets not go there and take a breath and think.
If we concentrate on our own country, and the religion in question, exactly how many deaths would you attribute to this religion?

 

[MrMan]

Sure, I agree most religious people don't kill people, but that doesn't change the fact that religion is responsible for the majority of wars throughout history, as well as many other problems such as women being forced to wear burkas, women being stoned because they were raped, people getting AIDS because it's wrong to wear a condom, etc.

A huge amount of problems would go away if society got real about religion and started talking about it honestly, i.e. it's a delusion and shouldn't be taken seriously.

General statements don't help your argument, War is about power and control and the history books are filled with evidence to back this up. How many people get aids because they believe its wrong to wear condoms??

 

[Caveat]

Eastern Catholic Church /also called Greek Catholic Church/ members will

Er... i.e. members of the catholic church?

So, obviously yes then.