' "But the salesman said . . ." The salesman's an asshole!'
Mascan42
'You will always find some Eskimo ready to instruct the Congolese on how to cope with heat waves.'
Ibid
I'm just an ex-tech lurking around and spreading disinformation!
Accidents don't just happen. They must be carelessly planned.
Another quote comes to mind:
"When I was young, I asked God for a bike and didn't get one. It was then I realized God doesn't work that way, so I stole a bike and asked for his forgiveness instead".
LOL. Hopefully it wasn't from this person!!!
Colorado woman Kathryn Lucas spots her stolen bike on Craigslist and 'steals' it back | Mail Online
Accidents don't just happen. They must be carelessly planned.
[QUOTE=igi;257541]
All joking aside, organized religion is responsible for pretty much all the wars and most of the suffering on the planet. No human is more righteous than one killing in the name of God. No human can hate another as much as one who believes God is on his side.
Last edited by fixthecopier; 11-10-2011 at 11:10 PM.
The greatest enemy of knowledge isn't ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking
No one except for the most dedicated religious zealots go around their daily life - be it killing, working, driving, stealing, shopping, you name it - thinking about it. I believe even most of the people you see on TV screaming for or against whatever that is even vaguely related to religion are doing it just because the cameras are there pointed at them.
So, the question is: are the prisoners telling the truth when asked about their religious beliefs? They could be or could be not. But why would they lie? They're already in jail, and if their plead of innocence didn't bail them out, why would saying anything else do? Sure, some percentage could be lying, but I believe that percentage must be in the single-digit area...
' "But the salesman said . . ." The salesman's an asshole!'
Mascan42
'You will always find some Eskimo ready to instruct the Congolese on how to cope with heat waves.'
Ibid
I'm just an ex-tech lurking around and spreading disinformation!
Prisoners are probably praying they'll get out without getting killed or raped. As sailors pray for guidance in a storm and soldiers pray in foxholes (even if it's "just in case he's out there listening").
Without argument, I would like to say, from my experience:
1. Religion and the Bible are two entirely different things. And yes, more evil has been done in God's name than any other. Greed and lust for power has destroyed the world and adding those two things to religion has been the cause of most of the badness we see done in the name of religion. Stop paying clergy. Make them get jobs like the rest of us poor slobs would be one way to fix a lot of things. Don't give them special garb or titles would be another way to fix things. They should do it because they love God and people and do this voluntarily as Christ intended.
2. People believe or do not believe for different reasons. Some people choose go to a church because their boss goes to that one, their parents go to this one, because they don't want anything different than what they've heard all their life, because they want entertainment, or simply because they want to be considered a good person. I have had issues with many so-called "Christian" people because they believe they are better than everyone else, but cannot explain from the Bible what they believe, nor do they live in harmony with it and say that being forgiven makes them better than the rest of us. (There is a difference in making a mistake and doing the same thing wrong day after day with the belief that confession will put them right with God. Stop doing it and work hard not to repeat it is the way to go. Just repenting and believing is not enough to be "saved", it takes continuous effort, humbling oneself, and actions that show you've repented to put yourself right with God. If you don't believe that, no offence, but you haven't read the Bible.) Some people choose not believe not because they're evil, but because they don't like the hypocrisy they see in the churches, have suffered from someone who claimed to be Christian, have questions no one has answered, don't understand why, if there is a God, he has not done something about suffering in the world, do not want anyone to have a say in what they do in their life, good or bad, or who believe that if certain scientists (there are many who do believe in God, but they're not the ones that get on TV) say God does not exist he must not exist. I like most atheists I've met simply because most are thinking people and I enjoy talking with them.
3. People who really want to know the answer to something will question and search until they find the answer, no matter what and no matter how long you talk to someone who doesn't want to know, you will never change their mind. Searching people will listen to you and make up their own mind, those who aren't won't.
4. IF you really believe God exists, you should make sure your so-called church teaches the truth. If you want to know truth, read your Bible with the viewpoint that everything you have been told to believe is suspect. Don't try to make the Bible fit what you believe, make what you believe fit what the Bible says. Then, compare that with what you've been taught in church and reject anything that does not agree with your new found beliefs even if it means losing friends and family. Be prepared to leave your church.
5. If you do not believe, at least please don't judge those who do with the actions of those who have done horrible things in God's name. There are those of us out here who are not crazy or evil. We are usually a bit quieter than the crazy ones and we are waiting on God to make the changes in the world, while working hard to improve ourselves. It will not be a human that does it, anyway. I don't judge you, since I don't know your heart or the things that have brought you to this thinking and because I have seen people you would never believe change their minds and the way they live their life upon finally finding God. If you are happy, fine, but don't judge me for what I believe. No one is better than anyone else. All I can say to you is, I'm happier now than I was before I found God and there is something to be said for that.
6. If you are searching or unsure, ponder this: if you had infinity in your view (as God is infinite), what are a few thousand years? If you were omnipotent, (as God is omnipotent), could you not undo all suffering that has ever been done since the beginning of time including the very memory of it? If there is a God and he is love (not that he has it but is the personification of it), do you not believe that he wants to do it and will in his own time? If he does not do it now, there is a good reason. Keep reading, keep praying, and keep searching, you will find it.
Last edited by prntrfxr; 11-11-2011 at 03:00 PM.
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Coke in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO, what a ride!".
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