Viking Supporters Co-operative

Viking Chat => Off Topic => Topic started by: bpoolrover on November 02, 2018, 12:43:59 pm

Title: How scary is religion?
Post by: bpoolrover on November 02, 2018, 12:43:59 pm
http://news.sky.com/story/asia-bibi-protests-delay-release-of-christian-woman-accused-of-blasphemy-in-pakistan-11542356
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: Not Now Kato on November 02, 2018, 02:31:38 pm
Cause of more problems in the world than you could shake a stick at!
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 02, 2018, 02:39:17 pm
Aye. 11 folk shot dead last week in Pittsburgh just for being Jewish at a synagogue.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: bpoolrover on November 02, 2018, 03:34:22 pm
Yes happens no matter what faith
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: Pancho Regan on November 02, 2018, 06:41:16 pm
Religion isn’t the problem, people are the problem.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: idler on November 02, 2018, 08:05:08 pm
What makes me laugh is that whatever the religion a lot of their aims are the same. Don't kill, don't steal etc. but this then goes out of the window if the person suffering is of a different faith.
I'd rather live next to a good Muslim than a bad Christian, and I do actually.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 02, 2018, 08:25:43 pm
Religion isn’t the problem, people are the problem.

True. But aspects of all religions can be used to encourage certain people to believe that they are the chosen ones and The Others have lesser rights. Including, in the worst cases, not having the right to live.

Yes people are the problem and there will always be psychopaths. But religion all too easily divides people into Us and Them.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: Pancho Regan on November 02, 2018, 08:47:06 pm
Hmmm.... a huge subject BST and we already have almost a hundred pages running on Brexit.

I’ve always been advised by people I respect not to get involved in debates about two subjects: politics or religion. It’s only going to end up in disagreement.

Many times throughout my life people have said to me ‘How can there be a God when so much s**t happens in this world and so many good people are killed by so many evil people?! Where’s God?!’

We can argue about this forever, but I suggest we go back to the very basics and look at the 10 Commandments.
If we all lived by those guidelines, we wouldn’t go far wrong.

In other words, we have the rules, we just can’t stick to them.



Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: Not Now Kato on November 02, 2018, 11:03:45 pm
Ah, but which God? And which commandments?
 
You do realise that it's all written by Man, not some sky fairy, dont you?
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 03, 2018, 12:14:34 am
Problem is.

In the book of the Bible directly after the 10 Commandments the concept of an eye for an eye is introduced.

But then in the New Testament, Jesus is quoted as telling us that we should turn the other cheek.

Which is kind of the point about religions.

People will bring their own problems and thoughts and pre-conceived ideas to a religion and find something in there that buttresses and comforts them. Whatever their thoughts are.

If you're a forgiving type, you're going to turn the other cheek.


If you are of an unforgiving mind, you'll be drawn to the "eye for and eye" idea. Possibly to the extent of picking up a gun and opening fire in a synagogue.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: Bentley Bullet on November 03, 2018, 08:05:09 am
Perhaps slightly deviating from the thread but an eye for an eye making the whole world blind is probably a more workable theory that no retaliation and only the victims going blind.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: Filo on November 03, 2018, 11:17:44 am
I’ve been Christened, I got married in a church, I attend weddings and funerals in a church, but I think religeon is b*llocks in any shape or form!
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: roversdude on November 03, 2018, 11:21:01 am
What always gets me is (especially in America) where there has been some catastrophe and a victim survives through gods will, surely on the flip side it was gods will that it happened in the first place then
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: NickDRFC on November 03, 2018, 11:54:56 am
I’ve been Christened, I got married in a church, I attend weddings and funerals in a church, but I think religeon is b*llocks in any shape or form!

Does that not just make you a massive hypocrite? Getting married in a church at least (attending weddings and funerals is obviously just going along with someone else’s views), and taking vows under God - if religion is all b*llocks why was one of the biggest days of your life purposely chosen as a religious ceremony?
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 03, 2018, 11:58:55 am
Always a chance that it's because of the other party's wishes.

My dad was a lifelong atheist but he got married in a church because my mother is a devout Catholic.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: Filo on November 03, 2018, 12:09:42 pm
I’ve been Christened, I got married in a church, I attend weddings and funerals in a church, but I think religeon is b*llocks in any shape or form!

Does that not just make you a massive hypocrite? Getting married in a church at least (attending weddings and funerals is obviously just going along with someone else’s views), and taking vows under God - if religion is all b*llocks why was one of the biggest days of your life purposely chosen as a religious ceremony?

Yes it does, I don’t mind admitting it, I don’t see it as a religiou ceremony, I see it as a place local to get married rather than go to the register office, a marraige certificate is a marraige certificate no matter where it comes from
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: idler on November 03, 2018, 01:04:29 pm
I’ve been Christened, I got married in a church, I attend weddings and funerals in a church, but I think religeon is b*llocks in any shape or form!
Did you believe in religion in your misspelt youth Filo? 😉
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: scawsby steve on November 04, 2018, 01:35:04 am
I’ve been Christened, I got married in a church, I attend weddings and funerals in a church, but I think religeon is b*llocks in any shape or form!

Does that not just make you a massive hypocrite? Getting married in a church at least (attending weddings and funerals is obviously just going along with someone else’s views), and taking vows under God - if religion is all b*llocks why was one of the biggest days of your life purposely chosen as a religious ceremony?

The most sensible post on here Nick.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: Herbert Anchovy on November 10, 2018, 04:19:41 am
Religion is a little like Brexit; 2 groups arguing over something that absolutely nobody knows the answer to!

Regarding religion, the choice is an individual one. You either believe or you don’t. We’ll all find out the truth one day.

For what it’s worth, I believe in God. Without trying to sound too freaky, I’ve had experiences in life where I’ve absolutely felt the influence (if that’s the right word) of God. No doubt about it. However, I don’t follow any particular religion. I have faith, but I’m not religious.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: RedJ on November 10, 2018, 01:05:51 pm
Religion is a little like Brexit; 2 groups arguing over something that absolutely nobody knows the answer to!

Except most if not all credible evidence points towards one side being an utter shit show coming at us.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 10, 2018, 01:10:35 pm
Or one side making decisions based on rational analysis and the other basing their approach on faith?
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: scawsby steve on November 10, 2018, 03:36:45 pm
Or one side making decisions based on rational analysis and the other basing their approach on faith?

Billy, genuine question; do you ever consider the slightest modicum of possibility that you might be wrong; on any subject?.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 10, 2018, 04:48:38 pm
Yeah. Frequently.

But it is an undeniable fact that religion is founded on faith rather than rational analysis.

And it is an undeniable fact that the main supporters of Brexit are asking people to ignore rational analysis of the consequences and instead to trust that things will turn out right.

Those are opinions of mine. They are established facts.

So it's strange of you to ask me that question on this topic.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: scawsby steve on November 10, 2018, 06:06:51 pm
Yeah. Frequently.

But it is an undeniable fact that religion is founded on faith rather than rational analysis.

And it is an undeniable fact that the main supporters of Brexit are asking people to ignore rational analysis of the consequences and instead to trust that things will turn out right.

Those are opinions of mine. They are established facts.

So it's strange of you to ask me that question on this topic.

It's also strange that of the 3 arguably greatest scientists that have ever lived, Newton, Darwin, and Einstein, one was a devout Christian, and the other 2 were agnostics.

Maybe you atheists are cleverer than them?.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 10, 2018, 06:39:29 pm
That's a very odd response to what I said.

I didn't make any value judgements. Or say anything about atheism.

I'm also well aware that many great scientists believe in God. But that doesn't change the fact that faith is a different mental process to rational analysis.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: scawsby steve on November 10, 2018, 07:34:04 pm
That's a very odd response to what I said.

I didn't make any value judgements. Or say anything about atheism.

I'm also well aware that many great scientists believe in God. But that doesn't change the fact that faith is a different mental process to rational analysis.

That's fair enough Billy, and maybe we should leave it there; it's all getting a bit too deep now.

You off to Chorley and Barnsley?.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 10, 2018, 07:49:15 pm
No worries SS.

For the record, I'm agnostic in that there is no way I can see that anyone can be certain of the existence or non-existence of a higher power. In day to day practice, I'm effective atheist in that I have no need to believe in a higher power who intervenes in our lives, or an afterlife.

That said, I've no problem with people having belief. I've seen very close at hand how it can help someone's life and that aspect is very positive and powerful.

I don't have much time for any organised religion, but if people want that, that's fine. So long as it doesn't negatively impact on others' lives.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on November 10, 2018, 08:16:30 pm
And no. Not going to Chorley but hopefully going to the Barnsley match. Which is a triumph of faith over rational analysis.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: scawsby steve on November 10, 2018, 09:27:14 pm
And no. Not going to Chorley but hopefully going to the Barnsley match. Which is a triumph of faith over rational analysis.

I'm the same; not going to Chorley but going to Barnsley, and expecting a tonking, but I'll try and keep the faith.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: SydneyRover on November 11, 2018, 01:11:22 am
I’ve been Christened, I got married in a church, I attend weddings and funerals in a church, but I think religeon is b*llocks in any shape or form!
Did you believe in religion in your misspelt youth Filo? 😉
That's quite funny Idler.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: idler on November 11, 2018, 12:22:04 pm
I do try.🙂
Always as a joke rather than a pedant though I hope and always ready to apologise if I cause an unintended offence.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: Donny Dub on November 14, 2018, 03:48:09 pm
To put this back on topic though it’s shameful that the UK will not offer refuge to this innocent, persecuted woman and yet feel unable to refuse to take in anyone who gets there illegally including home grown returning ISIS murderers.
Title: Re: How scary is religion?
Post by: Pancho Regan on November 16, 2018, 09:28:31 pm
We all mix with many different groups of people throughout our lives.
Mates at school, friends at work, parents of our children’s friends etc.

The best people I’ve mixed with in my whole life are the people who go to our church.
Without exception they are kind, compassionate, sympathetic, supportive, non-judgemental, positive, helpful.

Try something. Go to your local church on Sunday.

After of course going to the Rovers on Saturday.....