How scary is religion?

[bpoolrover]

http://news.sky.com/story/asia-bibi-protests-delay-release-of-christian-woman-accused-of-blasphemy-in-pakistan-11542356

[Not Now Kato]

Cause of more problems in the world than you could shake a stick at!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Aye. 11 folk shot dead last week in Pittsburgh just for being Jewish at a synagogue.

[bpoolrover]

Yes happens no matter what faith

[Pancho Regan]

Religion isn’t the problem, people are the problem.

[idler]

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.

[BillyStubbsTears]

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.

[Pancho Regan]

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.

[Not Now Kato]

Ah, but which God? And which commandments?
 
You do realise that it's all written by Man, not some sky fairy, dont you?

[BillyStubbsTears]

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.

[Bentley Bullet]

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.

[Filo]

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!

[roversdude]

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

[NickDRFC]

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?

[BillyStubbsTears]

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.

[Filo]

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

[idler]

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? 😉

[scawsby steve]

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.

[Herbert Anchovy]

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.

[RedJ]

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.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Or one side making decisions based on rational analysis and the other basing their approach on faith?

[scawsby steve]

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?.

[BillyStubbsTears]

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.

[scawsby steve]

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?.

[BillyStubbsTears]

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.

[scawsby steve]

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?.

[BillyStubbsTears]

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.

[BillyStubbsTears]

And no. Not going to Chorley but hopefully going to the Barnsley match. Which is a triumph of faith over rational analysis.

[scawsby steve]

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.

[SydneyRover]

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.