I'm a Christian, You're not. So what?

[Apeman81]

I never suggested otherwise. I was explained under what conditions I act in regard to them.

Apologies for misunderstanding.

I believed the OP you were referring to was mine

[JimmyNic]

1- I feel that as intelligent and almost rational beings, humanity should value Truth above all else. Lying can get you sent to jail, break up a marriange, end friendships etc. White lies can be good sometimes sure, and I get the evolutionary purpose religion has had. That said, we now live in a scoiety where religion no longer serves a real purpose (in my view) and therefor the benefits of believing in the worlds biggest lie no longer out weights the harm it does

Religion still serves many purposes: comfort in times of trouble, the community built around many churches, the benefit of numinous feeling. For ideas and institutions to still be around they must be of some value to some people.

2-By saying that you are a "BLANK" you are stating your support for that religious institution and everything it does. Regardless of how you may live your life, by being a Catholic, you are supporting everything the Catholic church does. And no this is not the same as saying well you're a Canadian therefor you support everything your government does. You have a choice to be a believer or not. You actively choose to belong to a Religion, which to me means that you share in its blame when it commmits atrocities.

It depends on the person. It's possible to consider yourself a Catholic and not approve of everything the Church does, and I know people for whom this is the case. Perhaps you don't consider this to be the case, but then you are quibbling over semantics than any argument of substance.

[crimethinker]

No, it is not.

I, as a citizen, have my power to add my voice to the town square when discussing the standards and norms allowable in the civil society of which I am a part. That I use as part of my reasoning my Christian Faith is a complete non-sequitor. We all use our belief system when we seek to influence governance.

The people come together to pass laws concerning acceptable behavior. If the topic is driving while intoxicated, and a Christian seeks to make it illegal because his faith speaks against drunkenness, and he join other non Christians who oppose it for safety reasons, then what "religious standard" has been applied to government?

I don't see how you've contradicted me, except to say that what I consider theocracy (rule by religion, or rule by those using religious standards or reasoning as you might say) is not theocracy. I don't want to be ruled by your religion. I don't want you or anyone to limit my rights, or the rights of women, or to tell vulnerable children they're going to Hell, especially not on a religious basis. Yet it's done again and again. There's your answer as to why there is a contention.

I know oppressive social policies aren't necessary to "Christianity". But then, if you trim your beard, nothing is. This is just the state of modern Christianity in the US.

[crimethinker]

Religion still serves many purposes: comfort in times of trouble, the community built around many churches, the benefit of numinous feeling. For ideas and institutions to still be around they must be of some value to some people.

So if a phenomenon exists in the human realm, it therefore must be of value? Hahah.

The best societies in the world, measured by health and crime and whatnot, get along very well without religion. I've no doubt that religion can sometimes give or appear to give comfort, but this is incidental, and you can just as easily say lack of religion does the same thing. The point is, religion isn't necessary for happiness or community.

The best argument here is for religiosity in a heavily religious society. As the irreligious are ostracized in such places, leading to greater suicide rates, you can argue that religiosity keeps one a part of the whole. But then, you need someone to start the gradual move away from such nonsense.

[Thanatos]

You can add your opinion to public discourse and nothing bad happens. No one stops people from saying anything at all in the name of Christianity.

You can even believe it is all Biblically justified and contradiction-free. The wall between church and state is handy sometimes. I won't like you for it and you won't like me but we'll live with that.

[grandpa]

You can add your opinion to public discourse and nothing
bad happens.
No one stops people from saying anything at all in
the name of Christianity.

As far as I'm concerned, Christianity and state violence would go together like hand and glove:

Lev 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

Lev 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.

Lev 20:11 And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Grandpa h.

[BlackSheep]

Just as I, telling my child that I believe in god equates to my telling them there is a god, so does you telling them equate to there is no god.

I was raised as a Christian and Yahweh was always talked about as an absolute. No one spoke of believing, they just spoke of him as he was. I am not saying you the same, but in my experience and of those I spoke to he was spoken about as fact both at home and in church.

Do not take offense, as I intend none. Its just the dynamics of parent and child.

I took no offence, I just didn't like the assumption.

[Angry Citizen]

Feel free to insert the religion of choice, including Atheism. into the title in place of Christian.

The question holds. So what?

Why the contention? On a personal level, that is. Why does what somebody else believes get your goat?

I believe it has to do with the sheer absurdity of, for example, Christianity. Anyone who seriously believes the story of Jesus is missing a few screws in their toolbox.

[Senor Hoint]

I find that belief in God is almost always a result of a lack of intellectual honesty. When you get down to it most people who believe in God believe in God because they want to.

I think that believing something because you want it to be true is inexcusable, particularly when that weakness affects public policy in the most powerful nation in the world.

[grandpa]

I find that belief in God is almost always a
result of a lack of intellectual honesty.
When you get down to it most people who believe
in God believe in God because they want to.

I've pondered this for some period of time, too.

Most of it is hard to believe, if one is intellectually honest. And, if one is not intellectually honest, one is some kind of sorry son of a bitch.

Grandpa h.

[Senor Hoint]

Most of it is hard to believe, if one is intellectually honest. And, if one is not intellectually honest, one is some kind of sorry son of a bitch.

By this definition the vast majority of people in the world are sorry sons of bitches.

[chriswinsor]

TO JIMMY:

The positives that religion brings to the world no longer outweigh the negatives. The idea of willingly believing in falsehoods, gay rights, womens rights, suicide boming, honour killings, abortion, stem cell research, politics, AIDS in Africa, religious war. All of these things to me out weigh the community, sense of comfort and morals for the weak.

It doesn't matter that you don't support all the doctrines or actions taken by your BLANK, by saying you're a BLANK you're giving power to the people at the top of the pyramid.

What I truly don't understand is why all of these religious people don't see the idiocy that is to follow dogma, and leave their religious organizations and become spiritual people. Believe in God, believe in an afterlife, believe in doing good to others. Don't believe that people can come back to life, that there is a super power watching us, listening to our thoughts and judging us. You have no proof, and you will never get any proof.
People who claim to be a part of any religion are void of common sense and rational thought in this aspect of life, and its really quite sad.
This is how I feel about organized religion. Not at my 10 posts yet. youtube slash that
/watch?v=gdI10KViZcY