Religion.....I love this topic!!!

[Lew]

Really, all we are is dust in the wind...

[LanDroid]

"I feel sorry for people that don?t have faith."

No need to. Some do feel a loss of meaning, but not many, or not for long. Most feel a sense of relief and freedom from superstitious belief systems.

"I think it can all be pared down to one of 2 schools of thought basically. Either one has a belief in something beyond this life we know (under whatever form of "faith" it takes, Trav summed it up rather well I think) and Nihilism, wherein this life is all there is, do what you want and don't worry about future consequences. "

That's a false dichotomy. Those not depending on an afterlife frequently have a better attitude towards this life than those hanging around for something better.

"Atheists have no faith, but they do have religion, the religion of no god."

Wrong. Not having a belief in God (or the tooth fairy, etc.) does not make a religion.

[Dulcinea]

I have been promoting the faith of The Flying Spaghetti Monster.

<font color="#FFFFAA" size="1">[ December 06, 2005 01:43 PM: Message edited by: Dulcinea ]</font>

[travelinman]

I disagree with both statements.

I believe you have faith. It may not be faith in a ?god? but you have to believe in something, even if it?s just a human beings ability to do well. Otherwise you would be some drug addict on the corner or spending your time as a guest of the state.

Atheism is as much a religion as Catholicism. Let?s look at two of the things that make a religion.

1. There is a firmly held believe or dogma that is shared by all members.
a. Catholicism ? There is a god.
b. Atheism ? There is no god.

2. As a member you must convert other non-believers to your belief and if they refuse they will suffer the consequences.
a. Catholicism ? The Crusades and the Inquisition.
b. Atheism ? Stalin?s Pogrom and Mao?s Cultural Revolution.

See I have faith but I am not religious, Atheists may or may not have faith, but they have religion. While I believe a lot of the philosophy of the Judeo/Christian religions, I do not try to make an Atheist into a Jew or a Christian. I defend Christmas not because I believe the Christian story of the birth of Jesus, but because it is a tradition of my family, my society and my country. While I know that an atheist wants to turn Christmas into a ?winter holiday? to marginalize Christianity and impose their religion of no god on everyone, which I don?t care about one way or another, I resent them trying to take away my tradition. You don?t want to have Christmas? Fine, but stay the fuck away from mine.

[cincygreg]

So reason, are you going for a David Koresh thing or more of a Jim Jones type group [img]eek.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img] [img]confused.gif[/img]

[reason]

Originally posted by cincygreg:
So reason, are you going for a David Koresh thing or more of a Jim Jones type group [img]eek.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img] [img]confused.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Big Sexy was thinking more in terms of a mixture of Catholicism and Rastafarianism to create a bodacious mixture of drinking and smoking. The Big Sexy will have some awesome church festivals.

[cincygreg]

And then Haleys comet will fly by and pick us all up and carry us away [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] [img]eek.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img]

Note to self. Dont drink reason's kool-aid [img]eek.gif[/img]

I maintain my stance that religion is a personal choice and that it is each indivdual who must decide for themself what it is or means to them.
No-one should be forced into religion.

[reason]

Originally posted by cincygreg:
And then Haleys comet will fly by and pick us all up and carry us away [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] [img]eek.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/sure.gif[/img]

Note to self. Dont drink reason's kool-aid [img]eek.gif[/img]

I maintain my stance that religion is a personal choice and that it is each indivdual who must decide for themself what it is or means to them.
No-one should be forced into religion.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Big Sexy is glad greg reiterated his stance despite the brutal attacks on his position.

[reason]

See I have faith but I am not religious, Atheists may or may not have faith, but they have religion. While I believe a lot of the philosophy of the Judeo/Christian religions, I do not try to make an Atheist into a Jew or a Christian. I defend Christmas not because I believe the Christian story of the birth of Jesus, but because it is a tradition of my family, my society and my country. While I know that an atheist wants to turn Christmas into a ?winter holiday? to marginalize Christianity and impose their religion of no god on everyone, which I don?t care about one way or another, I resent them trying to take away my tradition. You don?t want to have Christmas? Fine, but stay the fuck away from mine.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hmmm...as if there is an atheist movement to turn Christmas into a winter holiday. Seems like Christians - being they are in large part of holiday sales - are the culpable ones here.

Let's face it, if there weren't pretty lights, lots of food and merriment, and gifts, no one would give a rats ass about Christmas. So it seems remarkably humorous to see the likes of the American Family Association get their undewear all bunched up because WalMart calls their beckon to excess a "Holiday Sale."

Never was too sure what shopping had to do with Christ's birth or why people the likes of trav think this growing problem of consumerism is directly linked to Christianity.

Personally, I think a "Holiday Sale" is the most appropriate means to describe what we see in the stores. Conservative "Christians" are doing what they can do to 1) force their views down our throats, and 2) interfere with a capitalistic society that seems to do just fine on its own.

[reason]

It has always perplexed me that Christmas is given so much attention when Easter is the most important Christian holiday. Afterall, it is the death and resurrection of Christ that defines Christianity.

Not to downplay the birth of Christ, but the relative attention given to the two holidays reinforces my point about how Christmas has become something other than a Christian holiday, driven primarily by a consumerist society that enjoys the spectacle of it all.

The same outcry over Halloween could be made, now the second biggest holiday in terms of consumer spending. Afterall, Halloween is the Eve of All Saints Day, but who in the hell celebrates All Saints Day? Why are the Baptists and other Protestants going door to door when most of them don't even believe in saints?