Thread: A really serious question

Its too late and that is way too deep.

Just try and think about mudkips.

Originally Posted by Splash Log

Just try and think about mudkips.

I dont have to try.

I loev mudkipz

I have no religion yet I still strive to be a decent person, I may do some things that others may find deplorable but in the end I am not hurting anyone directly, of course we never really know how our actions can indirectly effect the world. You know the butterfly effect, some kid is chasing a butterfly when he runs into the road causing a buddist on a bicycle to swerve into traffic and a baptist redneck has to slam on his brakes. This causes the Amish guy to pull his horses up short and one of them shits in the road. A Jewish girl traveling the opposite direction sees this and pukes out of her window and it flies back smothering the windshield of a Muslim church van. The van launches over a curb hitting a junction box and down goes my elect

I think religion is a tool to be used or abused like anything else in the world.

Some people swear by a few glasses of wine a night to help them relax and de-stress, otherwise they would break down. There are other people who drink too much, go home, and beat their wife and kids.

Some people do the same with physical training. Whether it be the results you gain giving you a confidence boost or sense of acheivement, or the body's reponse to intense exercise, or just the fact that you have a regular hobby that you find fun and interesting. Others however, get obsessed and ruin their bodies through the misuse of performance enhancing drugs or inject sythol, and im sure there are people out there who only train for the purpose of making it easier to bully people.

Religion is the same. Sure there are people who take it too far like that one "Christian Church" where they preach "God Hates Fags" or "Thank God For Dead Soldiers", and there are Muslim extremists who blow themselves up to further their "religious" cause, but most people agree neither instances are following the religion at all and are denounced by their faiths entirely.

There are, however, millions of good loving people who draw strength and solace from their faith. It drives them to do good things, or go out of their way to help others when they really neednt. Perhaps they like the whole Church experience, and being part of something like that gives them a sense of identity and belonging that they havent found anywhere else in their lives.

At the end of the day, who really cares WHY or WHAT they believe? I personally dont think it matters one bit. Good people are good people whatever life choices they have made.

Originally Posted by Gazhole

At the end of the day, who really cares WHY or WHAT they believe? I personally dont think it matters one bit. Good people are good people whatever life choices they have made.

And those who would be hypocrites, will be intolerant haters and bigots.
No matter how many boy scout dens they lead, or neighbors they smile at.

Its a thin line...

Embrace the ideas, not the beliefs

Sounds like a good supplement to me if it works for you, as long as you realize what the nature of relgion is and that is unprovable because if it was provable it would not be religion so by that logic if god is proven you can no longer believe in god and be religious, therefore you will turn atheist if you are ever right

It is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies.
-- Mark Twain, Letters From the Earth (1909?; published in 1962)

The best minds will tell you that when a man has begotten a child he is morally bound to tenderly care for it, protect it from hurt, shield it from disease, clothe it, feed it, bear with its waywardness, lay no hand upon it save in kindness and for its own good, and never in any case inflict upon it a wanton cruelty. God's treatment of his earthly children, every day and every night, is the exact opposite of all that, yet those best minds warmly justify these crimes, condone them, excuse them, and indignantly refuse to regard them as crimes at all, when he commits them. Your country and mine is an interesting one, but there is nothing there that is half so interesting as the human mind.
-- Mark Twain, Letters from the Earth

... the swindle of life and the treachery of a God that can create disease and misery and crime -- create things that men would be condemned for creating-- that men would be ashamed to create.
-- Mark Twain, quoted in Isabel Lyon's Journal (February 2, 1906), quoted from Barbara Schmidt, ed., "Mark Twain Quotations, Newspaper Collections, & Related Resources"

I am happy you have faith, Fish. Faith is good. Belief in a higher power is good. Trying to live a better life is good. You set a great example, much like my new roommate who is a Christian. He is cool as hell, and we get along great. He doesn't force his religion down my throat, and I do not disrespect his.


Gazole pretty much nailed it. Religion is a tool to be used and misused. It all depends on the motives of the person using the religion. Why is relegion screwed up? Because, people are screwed up.

Now, faith on the other hand is always good. Faith doesn't make people hurt other people. Religion does, but faith is innocent. I lost my faith in Christianity during my early teens, now in my mid 20s, I am building a new faith, but not in religion, but faith in myself. I like that faith a lot more, because when I ask myself for something, I can actually deliver.

i think having faith is a really positive thing but i also believe in tempering religion with intelligence. a lot of the bible is pretty charles manson by any standards. i do believe there is something more than just this life and i think a lot of faiths have good things to offer man whether they are true or not. i also believe a lot of religions have been used to do horrendous things and to control people beyond all reason. the most important faith you can have is in yourself. strive to be a good person and to do the right thing no matter that it is often the harder path. in the end that is all that matters god or no god.

Thank you guys, I guess some people just cant handle faith, or belief in a higher power and do whatever they can to talk you out of it.

My life, my business, etc.


Thanks guys

Quote: There is only one religion, though there are a hundred versions of it.
Author: George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950, Irish-born British Dramatist

I, for one, believe in a higher power, born from an experience during a car crash when i was younger. Does that give me faith? It does.

Blame the jews

Originally Posted by soxmuscle

Blame the jews

Down with the zionist pigs ...

Originally Posted by cjm

Quote: There is only one religion, though there are a hundred versions of it.
Author: George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950, Irish-born British Dramatist

I, for one, believe in a higher power, born from an experience during a car crash when i was younger. Does that give me faith? It does.

I too believe in inertia... I also have a lot of faith in gravity...

My faith is second to nothing in my life. People twist it & use it for political reasons, but it's true intent is good, despite what anyone says.

Do I think the religious institutions have it right? Absolutely not.. Jesus Himself was killed for disagreeing with the Jewish leaders.

To me, the church is a guide. I live my life as a Catholic, and I do follow it's laws.. but they are not God.

As far as the Bible being outdated or too tough, I really don't think it is at all. Today's morals may be mainstream, but that doesn't make them right. In fact, I think today's society sucks, and in many cases Charles Manson-esque.

As far as your question, I like to think my faith guides everyone of my decisions. My family is Catholic, but I didn't come into my faith until after college... my sisters aren't really that religious at all. I do intend to follow my parents example with my children in that I will provide a Catholic education & upbringing, but not stand in their way to make their own decision.

A true religious upbringing.. not one just for "show" is essential for my children, in my personal opinion. I won't marry a non-Christian.

Faith is nothing to me in my life. People twist it & use it for political reasons.

Do I think the religious institutions have it right? Absolutely not.. Jesus Himself was killed for disagreeing with the Jewish leaders.

To me, the church is a power source and nothing more. I live my life as an atheist, and I follow ethical laws based on right and wrong ... not laws based on pleasing someone's idea of God.

As far as the work of fiction known as the Bible being outdated or too tough goes, I really don't think it has any relevance to me at all. The morals of today are mainstream, but that doesn't make them right. In fact, I think today's society sucks, and in many cases Charles Manson-esque.

As far as your question, I like to think every one of my decisions should be made outside of any faith ... but instead based on ethical and moral fortitude. My family is religious, but I didn't come into their faith at all.

A true religious upbringing whether for "show" or otherwise is not essential for children, in my personal opinion. There is too much fanaticism and blind discrimination as a result of organized religion that erodes good and fair judgment on complicated contemporary issues. Raising a child with a solid moral foundation based on right and wrong instead religious conviction will raise up a person capable of free thinking and is essential to our society's future.

I would marry Christian or a non-Christian as long as her beliefs didn't cause us issues in our lives together.

Hello Busy.

Originally Posted by BoneCrusher

Faith is nothing to me in my life. People twist it & use it for political reasons.

Do I think the religious institutions have it right? Absolutely not.. Jesus Himself was killed for disagreeing with the Jewish leaders.

To me, the church is a power source and nothing more. I live my life as an atheist, and I follow ethical laws based on right and wrong ... not laws based on pleasing someone's idea of God.

As far as the work of fiction known as the Bible being outdated or too tough goes, I really don't think it has any relevance to me at all. The morals of today are mainstream, but that doesn't make them right. In fact, I think today's society sucks, and in many cases Charles Manson-esque.

As far as your question, I like to think every one of my decisions should be made outside of any faith ... but instead based on ethical and moral fortitude. My family is religious, but I didn't come into their faith at all.

A true religious upbringing whether for "show" or otherwise is not essential for children, in my personal opinion. There is too much fanaticism and blind discrimination as a result of organized religion that erodes good and fair judgment on complicated contemporary issues. Raising a child with a solid moral foundation based on right and wrong instead religious conviction will raise up a person capable of free thinking and is essential to our society's future.

I would marry Christian or a non-Christian as long as her beliefs didn't cause us issues in our lives together.

well piss on you!

Originally Posted by busyLivin

well piss on you!

Is that your way of saying it's raining again?

Originally Posted by BoneCrusher

Hello Busy.

Originally Posted by busyLivin

Just like all proper members of any religion. When words fail you pull out the weapons.

Originally Posted by BoneCrusher

Raising a child with a solid moral foundation based on right and wrong instead religious conviction will raise up a person capable of free thinking and is essential to our society's future.

See this I really disagree with. Religion is being pushed out of everything while society's values have gone down the drain. Nobody can honestly deny the correlation.

Originally Posted by BoneCrusher

Just like all proper members of any religion. When words fail you pull out the weapons.

ill beat that atheism out of you yet...

Originally Posted by busyLivin

See this I really disagree with. Religion is being pushed out of everything while society's values have gone down the drain. Nobody can honestly deny the correlation.

Not so my friend. Way back in the day you supported Bush as a moral and religious person. Do you still see him that way?

My reason for asking is that he is a role model for your kids if that's that case.

Originally Posted by BoneCrusher

Not so my friend. Way back in the day you supported Bush as a moral and religious person. Do you still see him that way?

Absolutely. I always liked him, just didn't think he made a good president. But honestly, I've come home to the idea that history will prove that was he has done is right, and the Democrats are undeniably treasonous. I'm not aligning in his corner 100%, but I do fully support his actions in Iraq.

Lincoln was incredibly unpopular in his time, too.

Originally Posted by BoneCrusher

My reason for asking is that he is a role model for your kids if that's that case.

not at all. the role model is Jesus. Bush is a man.

funny thing is, the democrats & moveon.org tried so hard to convince Republicans how bad GWB & the GOP is that they've done the opposite to me: I actually call myself a Republican now & support them even more than before.

Way to Go moveon.org.. that 12 million was well spent!