Religion: What it means to you

Originally Posted by LordsSword

Biblical correction is attached to following biblical teaching. Until you can obey the book dont pretend to teach from it.

Then why dd you even ask for correction if you weren't going to accept it? How many more insane rules are you going to invent? From now on you will not respond to anyone who uses the letter 'e'?

Sassafrass has the right idea, every time you quote the bible I will quote a better book that reveals a greater truth. This time it's Snow Crash.

Until a man is twenty-five, he still thinks, every so often, that under the right circumstances he could be the baddest motherfucker in the world. If I moved to a martial-arts monastery in China and studied real hard for ten years. If my family was wiped out by Colombian drug dealers and I swore myself to revenge. If I got a fatal disease, had one year to live, and devoted it to wiping out street crime. If I just dropped out and devoted my life to being bad.

Chapter 36.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Quote:

Biblical correction is attached to following biblical teaching. Until you can obey the book dont pretend to teach from it.

Last I heard this is a message board for discussing things. Saying lack of belief in the book's lessons makes it impossible to understand what they truly convey is an exercise in ignorance. It's possible to be literate and have common sense and not believe in things, and still yet understand them! We call this "intelligence".

Also, obeying a book? Really? I mean, I understand the euphemism, but the way you keep wording things makes them seem so debasing.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by LordsSword

Biblical correction is attached to following biblical teaching. Until you can obey the book dont pretend to teach from it.

If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. Leviticus 20;9.

If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death. Leviticus 20:13

If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl’s virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father’s house. Deuteronomy 22:20-21

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. -Numbers 23:19



Knowledge, not belief, is the basis of understanding, son. Until you learn the difference, you seriously need to shut the fuck up and quit acting like you get to make arbitrary rules just because you're losing the argument.

You quote scripture to prove your point, we quote scripture to point out holes in the book you take as law. We quote from books we find life changing and important. We don't need your permission to prove you wrong.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Denicalis

Knowledge, not belief, is the basis of understanding, son. Until you learn the difference, you seriously need to shut the fuck up and quit acting like you get to make arbitrary rules just because you're losing the argument.

You quote scripture to prove your point, we quote scripture to point out holes in the book you take as law. We quote from books we find life changing and important. We don't need your permission to prove you wrong.

Deni wins. QED.

(I think I'm falling in love.)

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

And why do you keep quoting scripture? We know you <3 the bible.

Maybe I should start quoting random books, too.

I quote scripture for a reason. Everything I do is for a reason that is easily found in the bible.
Go ahead a quote the books you want. You are free to do that.

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

You think only of serving your god. I think only of serving humanity. (And heaven knows it could use some help.)

"Heaven knows" is right. By serving my God I serve my community. I'm not hurting anybody by advertising for Jesus. If you are "fine" lets just leave it at that, why do you have to try to stop the message of Jesus from getting to people who may need it?

I was a dope head who got off drugs thanks to the bible. If you dont like the biblical message why dont you take my place and show people how to be "fine" like you?

Originally Posted by kinkymagic

Then why dd you even ask for correction if you weren't going to accept it?

Originally Posted by Benjamin

Saying lack of belief in the book's lessons makes it impossible to understand what they truly convey is an exercise in ignorance. It's possible to be literate and have common sense and not believe in things, and still yet understand them! We call this "intelligence".

Originally Posted by Denicalis

Knowledge, not belief, is the basis of understanding, son. Until you learn the difference, you seriously need to shut the fuck up and quit acting like you get to make arbitrary rules just because you're losing the argument.

You quote scripture to prove your point, we quote scripture to point out holes in the book you take as law. We quote from books we find life changing and important.

So the unreligious can say to the religious person:
"Hey you're practicing your religion in the wrong way! We dont believe your book but do as we say anyway!!"
C'mon folks, who is being unreasonable now?

Originally Posted by Denicalis

We don't need your permission to prove you wrong.

No you don't and whatever proof you have I hope it works for you. I just make my case its my job. People tell me to shut up but look, i'm still here thanks to the freedom some people believe in.
From what I can see the unreligious folks are into censorship and taking freedom away from others.
My God is into freedom & equality for everybody. My religion means freedom for all people no matter what their position.

I was speaking idiomatically.

So... What if there really is no such thing as a God? Will any of those scripture quotes mean anything if the truth about the nonexistence of God is actually true?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Lizardcommando

So... What if there really is no such thing as a God? Will any of those scripture quotes mean anything if the truth about the nonexistence of God is actually true?

That's a silly question to ask, really, but many scriptures contain philosophical reflections and "truths" that can be appreciated even from a non religious point of view, yes.

How ya doing, buddy?

Oh. Ok. I think I get what you're saying.

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Originally Posted by LordsSword

I was a dope head who got off drugs thanks to the bible. If you dont like the biblical message why dont you take my place and show people how to be "fine" like you?

Sounds like you've replaced one crutch with another.

Originally Posted by LordsSword

So the unreligious can say to the religious person:
"Hey you're practicing your religion in the wrong way! We dont believe your book but do as we say anyway!!"
C'mon folks, who is being unreasonable now?

Still you. You asked for biblical correction and then refused to acknowledge it.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by LordsSword

"Heaven knows" is right. By serving my God I serve my community. I'm not hurting anybody by advertising for Jesus. If you are "fine" lets just leave it at that, why do you have to try to stop the message of Jesus from getting to people who may need it?

Hey, the only advertisers on this site pay the fees to keep it going. I think Miles should start charging you if you're openly advertising.

Originally Posted by LordsSword

I was a dope head who got off drugs thanks to the bible. If you dont like the biblical message why dont you take my place and show people how to be "fine" like you?

Was?

Originally Posted by LordsSword

So the unreligious can say to the religious person:
"Hey you're practicing your religion in the wrong way! We dont believe your book but do as we say anyway!!"
C'mon folks, who is being unreasonable now?

Who said you were practicing it in the wrong way? We just don't want you preaching to us. Everyone else has their personal beliefs, and perhaps if you want to talk about those beliefs you should hang out with more people who believe those beliefs instead of cramming them down the throats of the VAST MAJORITY, and by that I mean damn near everyone else, that don't want to hear it.

As far as the book goes, there are people who don't believe in Christianity BECAUSE of the Bible.

Originally Posted by LordsSword

No you don't and whatever proof you have I hope it works for you. I just make my case its my job. People tell me to shut up but look, i'm still here thanks to the freedom some people believe in.
From what I can see the unreligious folks are into censorship and taking freedom away from others.
My God is into freedom & equality for everybody. My religion means freedom for all people no matter what their position.

Yet thanks to Christian Fundies, I can't watch the fucking Teletubbies without someone telling me that I'm watching homosexuality at work. That last quote is the most ironic, and yet down right most idiotic statement you have made thus far. Don't fucking sit there and say "freedom of speech" when it's your fucking right wing organizations that want to control what we say and do the most. You can go right to hell.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by LordsSword

I quote scripture for a reason. Everything I do is for a reason that is easily found in the bible.
Go ahead a quote the books you want. You are free to do that.

So go join a forum that WANTS your scripture. Here, on this forum, scripture is not evidence of jack shit.

Quote:

"Heaven knows" is right. By serving my God I serve my community. I'm not hurting anybody by advertising for Jesus. If you are "fine" lets just leave it at that, why do you have to try to stop the message of Jesus from getting to people who may need it?

Because you're imposing your belief on people who don't want it in most cases.

Quote:

I was a dope head who got off drugs thanks to the bible. If you dont like the biblical message why dont you take my place and show people how to be "fine" like you?

I'm glad your religion straightened you out.

I don't need religion to straighten out. I did it on my own. It's called using your head.

Quote:

So the unreligious can say to the religious person:
"Hey you're practicing your religion in the wrong way! We dont believe your book but do as we say anyway!!"
C'mon folks, who is being unreasonable now?

I don't think that's what he said at all.

With the way you interpret text, I worry about how you're interpreting the bible.

Quote:

No you don't and whatever proof you have I hope it works for you. I just make my case its my job. People tell me to shut up but look, i'm still here thanks to the freedom some people believe in.
From what I can see the unreligious folks are into censorship and taking freedom away from others.

At which point did anyone even attempt to take away your freedom?

You can, legally, preach as much as you want to whomever will listen.

But if you preach on my property, you're getting a police escort out.

No one is taking away your freedom. If anyone is doing that to anyone else, it's the church meddling in my business and teaching my kids that evolution isn't real.

Quote:

My God is into freedom & equality for everybody. My religion means freedom for all people no matter what their position.

You better start respecting the rights of other people, then.

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Originally Posted by LordsSword

My God is into freedom & equality for everybody. My religion means freedom for all people no matter what their position.

Let's open another can of worms!
How do you feel about gay marriage, and/or homosexuality as a whole?



I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

He calls himself a Christian so his view is very clear. Both are an abomination to God in which death is the only possible and suitable punishment. If he gives some bullshit response then he is clearly not a Christian and is instead (something I have long suspected) just some weak sauce vague person of faith who takes his theology a la carte. Why do so many Americans oppose same sex mariage and homosexuality? Because the book says homosexuality is a sin.

I was speaking idiomatically.

In either case, it should be a hilarious explanation.

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Originally Posted by LordsSword

My God is into freedom & equality for everybody. My religion means freedom for all people no matter what their position.

Ahahahahahaha.

How can you ever write that and keep a straight face? Your God is the basis for the Catholic religion, which was fine with Nazi Germany and the slave trade. Your god puts women behind men in terms of rights. Your god says you can't have sex with multiple people. You can't have sex before marriage. You can't eat this, you can't eat that, you can't work on Sundays, you can't worship other gods. So I guess what you mean is he's into freedom so long as it's freedom to follow HIS rules, and equality so long as you're not a woman, wherein you can be stoned for doing anything other than serving your husband faithfully. But hey, way to be so fucking pigheaded as to not be able to read the book you preach.

Freedom and equality? Then explain Sodom, you putz.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by LordsSword

Where is the basis for an atheist or agnostic to serve in their community?

How about the postconventional morality that some enlightened people come to develop, and can seemingly never be understood by idiots like you? Forgive us for our capacity of abstract reasoning, which frees us from needing a book to tell us what's right and wrong.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

WHO DARES TO SPEAK ON MY BEHALF?

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Nine Inch Black Dildo

Where is the basis for an atheist or agnostic to serve in their community?

Believe it or not, alot of people that go out and do something for their community aren't actually religious.

The whole point of serving one's community is to help people for the good of the world, not to run back to their imaginary parental figure and say "LOOK WHAT I DID" and grin, expecting some sort of reward like a demented manchild. And yes, the supposition of "eternal salvation" counts toward an expected reward. Nothing you say can deter from the actual selfishness involved.

And the real kicker is that there's no stipulations!
You can get ACTUAL help from atheists without becoming one!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

LORDSWORD I DEMAND YOU KILL YOUR MOTHER AS A TESTAMENT TO YOUR FAITH IN ME.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I guess I'm going to have to give a little backstory before I describe the role religion plays in my life.

I'm a practitioner of Santeria, a syncretic religion that combines Spiritism, the Yoruba religion from western Africa, and Roman Catholicism. The religion came about in its modern-day form after slaves were brought over to Cuba and forced to convert to Catholicism by the Europeans who held them. Instead of surrendering their belief system as a whole, they adopted the Catholic saint names to their own spiritual deities that guide various tenets of people's lives, and the world as a whole. For example, the deity Eleggua is represented by Saint Anthony, while Babalu Aye is associated with Saint Lazarus. By performing their ceremonies on the corresponding saint days of the calendar and disguising them as celebrations of these corresponding saints, the slaves were able to perform their religion without suffering persecution by the Spaniards that took hold of the island. A large part of this religion involves the Ifa divination system, a system that is remarkably similar to the Chinese I Ching. Ifa priests, called Babalawos, give readings to individuals, giving advice to them about how they should solve the problems in their life. There are also various other rituals, such as spiritual cleansing and sacrifices (which are typically fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Sometimes we also sacrifice animals, however, they are done so in a humane manner and are usually eaten afterward.) The religion spread to the US by many Cuban immigrants and possesses a fairly active base within most major US cities and parts of Europe. To this day, most people who practice the religion in secrecy, because of its history as an underground religion, as well as the fear people possess of things they are unfamiliar with. The media's negative portrayal of any African religion, doesn't seem to help with that either.

Now that the backstory is out of the way, religion is a very personal thing to me. I'll participate in rituals when they are called for, request to have a reading when I feel my life needs a check up, and I view prayer as a form of meditation, doing myself more good than anything else simply because it gives me some time to contemplate my actions in a day. Aside from that, to people I have never told of my religious leanings, it is assumed that I am a pretty strong agnostic.

I'm a skeptic at heart, and it has taken me a long time to really identify myself as anything. If I were not raised in the way I was and seen the things I have within my own family, I probably would not believe in what I do at all. This religion was never imposed on me by anyone in my family. Even my dad, who is a babalawo, has always told me that what I believe is my own business and he'll be with me 100% any path I choose. I do not impose my religion on anyone, it's just not the type of religion that calls for evangelism. I also refrain from such imposition because it is something I do not appreciate myself.

I honestly don't see the clash between science and religion that most people talk about. Despite the myths about the scientific community that are present, scientists are just as varied in religious beliefs as the general populace. I daresay, the motivation many scientists have to explore the world around them is to learn about the glory of the world around us, to those who possess faith in a creator, it wouldn't be too absurd to extend that to an appreciation of God's works.

As an aside, Theology is a very interesting subject. I absolutely love studying the history of religions. If I didn't take the route of studying Computer Science in college, I probably would have majored in Theology or Philosophy in some college that had a good program in it. I have a copy of the Bible, Bhagavad-Gita, and various texts on Buddhism lying around that I really enjoy perusing. Studying what people believe in their own lives really opens your eyes to the world around you.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Denicalis

Your God is the basis for the Catholic religion, which was fine with Nazi Germany and the slave trade.

Deni, for someone who condemn highschool philosophy, you should be more careful with what you say about such complex issues.

Slavery and the Catholic Church

http://www.traces-cl.com/apr2001/pio.htm

I was speaking idiomatically.

I just read Sass's post that started the thread and then skipped ahead to here. Looks like shit-flinging is inevitable for topics like these. Oh well.

Anyway, I'm agnostic. God might exist, might not. Yet while I'm not sure whether God exists, I'm pretty sure religion--be it Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc--at best scratches the surface of the truth, and at worst makes it harder to discover the truth.

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To sum it up in words, I base my beliefs upon own spiritual experiences through meditation, introspection, and other experiences through observation of daily life and various aspects of it. I don't follow a particular religion, but I'm very open minded to religion/philosophy and I like to try out different methods used to gain "spiritual peace"/spiritual experiences or whatever. My view on things are pretty different from what general people may think, but I like it this way. This is just summing it up briefly, I could go more into detail, but I won't take them with you guys at this time as it is late and I'm too tired for this. I might some other day.

FELIPE NO