Quote: Matthew Stott @ April 22 2013, 9:07 AM BSTDid he lend you some money?
>_<
Sadly not, but I am now thinking of forming my own religion, The Church of St Pingl the Poor. Any donations can be given to my new address Pinglneedsamacdonalds. Please give generously and not only will you be allowed to pray for me but you can also be assured I will spend your money wisely, starting with a double sausage and egg mac muffin.
If the burger won't come to Pingl, Pingl must go to the burger.
Quote: Gordon Bennett @ April 22 2013, 11:20 AM BSTHi baby!
I'm on my way!
Quote: Gordon Bennett @ April 22 2013, 11:27 AM BSTIf the burger won't come to Pingl, Pingl must go to the burger.
Verily it is written
Quote: Pingl @ April 22 2013, 12:11 AM BSTI just happen to believe their is a higher being, a God, who I have prayed to and has on occasion answered my prayers
Did something supernatural happen? Or did things just work out the way you hoped they would according to the normal laws of physics?
Quote: Mr Carnegie @ October 16 2012, 12:19 PM BSTYeah, but the Athesists make out they are fighting some injustice. Like religion is oppressing our lives, when it doesn't.
Religion has kept ordinary people in a place of ignorance and obeisance for centuries. The church wrote the first books and controlled access to them. Nowadays they attempt to create and control social morality and lobby political parties behind the scenes.
Then there's Skycake - or 'pie in the sky when you die, by and by' in the words of the old activist song 'Preacher and Slave'. An attempt to stop people fighting injustice in their everyday lives by assuring them that there'll be a divine reckoning when they die. That's just about the most 'evil' thing I can think of.
Quote: Pingl @ April 20 2013, 11:15 PM BSTNo one needs religion, but whatever gets you through the night. I find it hard to understand why non believers seem so intent on destroying others beliefs. Is it because they secretly envy belief.
It's their caring nature. They don't want you to be disappointed. And they don't want your madness infringing on their lives.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ April 22 2013, 12:15 PM BSTAn attempt to stop people fighting injustice in their everyday lives by assuring them that there'll be a divine reckoning when they die. That's just about the most 'evil' thing I can think of.
Really? What about this idea of having your crimes forgiven simply by accepting that Jesus was a god? That's pretty bad too.
Well, you only get absolution by being truly sorry, not just by signing up and asking for forgiveness and of course stopping people changing their lives is far more evil than telling them the bad things they done have been forgiven.
If a person believes in God and gets something from it then whats the problem?
Why deride something that you do not believe even exists?
So far all that has been discussed is organised religion not faith.
I have no faith or God but those that do have love him or her or it, it may keep them feeling safe or wanted or needed in a world that can be cruel and lonely.
Tolerance is a by product of understanding and tolerating people who need gods and idols is the road to understanding.
And tolerance goes both ways!
Tolerance has no direction if it did it would eventually become dogma.
Quote: Teddy Paddalack @ April 22 2013, 1:40 PM BSTTolerance has no direction if it did it would eventually become dogma.
True, and I really didn't care for that film.
Aw it was fun. If only Alanis Morisette was God...
Why does anyone need religion?
I don't think people need religion - but actually like being a part of something. A community, something where you all believe in something similar. I guess the same sort of feeling when you're at a football match cheering on your team. You are all a part of something.
Religion is still going because of all the traditions, the way it draws people together for special moments in people's lives, when someone dies...
There's something special about continuing something that's been going on for thousands of years.
Religion is changing, it has to change to suit modern times, but a lot of people derive happiness from belonging to something.
That's my simple take on "Why does anyone need religion".
Quote: Teddy Paddalack @ April 22 2013, 1:21 PM BSTIf a person believes in God and gets something from it then whats the problem?
Why deride something that you do not believe even exists?
So far all that has been discussed is organised religion not faith.
I have no faith or God but those that do have love him or her or it, it may keep them feeling safe or wanted or needed in a world that can be cruel and lonely.
Tolerance is a by product of understanding and tolerating people who need gods and idols is the road to understanding.
Well I'm not a tolerant person so I don't have to engage with your debate.
We don't tolerate people believing superstitious nonsense because it leads to this.
A sample, if you can't be bothered to click the link:
'Over four days, Kristy, who was visiting his sister with his siblings from France, was tortured with metal bars, a chisel, a hammer and a pair of pliers in a "prolonged attack of unspeakable savagery and brutality", the court heard.'
This case was discussed on Newsnight. It caused much Liberal angst amongst Paxman and the other Oxbridge types who didn't want to tell the black preachers and 'exorcists' present that nobody could be possessed by the Devil.