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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Politics, Religion (Tall Table) >> Poll,... on religion... /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1454833509 Message started by Serowbot on 02/07/16 at 00:25:09 |
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Title: Poll,... on religion... Post by Serowbot on 02/07/16 at 00:25:09 What is closest to your view on religion?... I would really like to know. Not for any future nefarious reason... (feel safe to answer)... Just, to know. ... and this will be completely anonymous... (unless you want to expand by commenting, which would be most welcome)... PS... I separate, Christian "literal",.. not to single it out, but because I expect a majority of Christian votes, and would like to know how many take these words to be written in stone,... or as metaphor, to guide us... No offense intended... Please do vote. And added comment is most welcome. I promise not to be,.. ...an arse :-[... about anything you might want to add... Really excited to see lots of votes. please do reply. ..and, Peace,... to all beliefs... ...(I honestly do respect what I believe to be the overt intention of religion, (which is to behave kindly, and compassionately, to others),... I just cannot believe in a non-corporeal being)... Thanks FWIW,... I am 100% atheist... (not in any hateful, or satanic way) ... I just don't believe in a god)... I still want to be and do good, and not harm anyone un-necessarily... Ancient Egyptian's believed that when you die,... ...the god, Maat,.. would balance your soul, against a feather... The good would lift you to heaven, and the bad would plunge you to hell... The best you can do as an atheist, is more good than bad... No eternal life, or heaven,... but remembered kindly... Now,... vote!... Dangit'!... Aren't we all a bit curious?... If I don't get at least a dozen votes... I'm gonna' hold my breathe, until you all turn blue... :-?... |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/07/16 at 06:51:49 I'm not a Christian because I was raised to be, tho they did drag me off to church sometimes. The first coupla times I was excited, five years old, going to the place where God goes, and expecting to see or feel SOMETHING other than what being alive felt like. Expecting to see people who were somehow tangibly different, but ,, phhhht, worse than disappointing. It was deathly boring, near funereal, I was almost starting to hunt for the coffin. Surely there had been a death. And the people who insisted I go? I saw no change in their lives. I saw no blessings. I saw no heartfelt joy. So, I rebelled against the ritual of getting up, getting dressed up and going to a place where everyone was pretending that by being there, they were somehow made better. God's name wasn't used in my family very much. When it was, it was followed by darn, and no, I didn't type darn.. I'm a Christian NOT because I was taught to be, actually, only one grandma was a good representative and I was only around her during Summer visits to the farm, and she had little direct contact and about zero influence. I was a hellian, hyperactive, imaginative and dangerous boy. Dangerous only to myself. So, WHY am I a Christian? Something happened to me when I was very young, and I had forgotten about it, but , after much soul searching, I remembered, and the event was not something that I would explain to anyone in such a formal as this. But, if there is anything I'm certain of, it's that Jesus hung on a cross. I can't say what parts of the Bible are literal, what is actually meant to be there, what's been omitted for political purposes, nothing. I can say some of it Really speaks to me. Some, I just don't get. But, here's the deal about the necessity of the Bible. You're shipwrecked. You are the only survivor. You get to an island and find sufficient food, water and shelter for survival. You're not a Christian. Now, alone, your mind starts to consider the possibility. Your heart starts to see. All of your past comes into view. You start to grasp a deeper understanding of WHY certain things are wrong, and you develop a relationship with God, in prayer. No Bible. Just a contrite heart. And understanding and salvation is free. Knowing every Bible verse will not save your soul. |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by Serowbot on 02/07/16 at 07:13:20 I've been in a church, 4 times that I remember. When I was about 6,... to see my cousin baptized (I went in the wrong room, and there was a dead guy, so I ran out of the building)... ;D When I was 9,... to a wedding with my parents (the groom fainted). When I was 20, I was best man at a Catholic wedding (the priest accused me of stealing his pen at the rehearsal,... in front of everybody)... :-/ When I was around 30 (to shoot/videotape the unveiling of a special "Jesus on the Cross" centerpiece doodad, a giant metal thing about 15ft tall... Believe it or not, it fell off the wall while I was shooting it... I did not touch it, I swear... it crushed the podium, and wrecked the first couple of rows of seating) :-X The priest there, ran out of the room like God was attacking him... ;D God,.. don't want me... :-? ...and now,... I'm an atheist... ;D |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/07/16 at 07:22:44 I don't go to church. I've been in a bunch of them. Not looking for one. I can say that I've had no truly traumatic experiences or seen the things you've seen in church. Those events don't make God a non entity. If you have decided based on those events, well, I'm surprised. |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by Serowbot on 02/07/16 at 07:24:04 Not based on those things at all... but, they sure didn't help... ;D At least I wasn't molested... :-/ |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by raydawg on 02/07/16 at 07:48:21 Interesting choice you offered for Christian. I find it telling you would separate it as such, I think you are selling your own awareness, of believing, or not, short. For faith to be real, it has to be absolute, not kinda pregnant. Man inherently is not capable of its requirements, as he is fallen. Yet, salvation is still possible. Faith is not having to jump through hoops, or having a government sanction it with a pledge, or scripting verse on its currency, yet, that is what many "want"........ Believing is an extremely personal relationship, and needs no further exterior, or ulterior support, for it to sustain. Maybe I am reading too much into your reason to separate the question, but from my POV, it shows to me you understand something about "believing" others, that profess to, don't. On a personal note, my relationship with God was superfluous, for what I was lacking, until I came to him honestly. How that translate in my own life was this..... I believed I had to pretend I was happy. I would praise him when I didn't feel it, or mean it. Not until I accepted my anger at him, and the unjust things that I saw and experienced in my life, and gave him both barrels of buckshot I had been harboring for ALL my life, did it change. I feel this was really all he was waiting for, me being honest in ALL things. I can not grasp repair, if I don't acknowledge what is broke. I kid you not, I had one of those awakenings that was instantaneous.... What use to baffle me, did no more. I had knowledge of things that I had no clue, I even knew about such things :o In short, his spirit filled me as promised, for I am way too stupid to acquire this understanding on my own ;D And this "knowledge" is why I think your reasoning to separate the question thus, suggest to me you have a deeper understanding of faith, than a lot of confessor portend. You may breath now :-* |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by raydawg on 02/07/16 at 07:57:24 Has anybody seen the movie, As Good As It Gets? Great movie.... I think one of Jack's best performances ever. It really shows deep personal relationships and conflict, but you have to watch closely for the subtle hints. One scene in the car where they are talking about anger, disappointments, life, etc, Jack nails it, as to what motivates people in their lives, yet they don't agree with him. Yep, he shoulda danced with her ;D |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/07/16 at 07:59:47 Yeah, the Name it and Claim It bunch. Proclaim that I am well, my health is restored. All day, until I believe it. Then I will have proven my faith. Phhhhht,,, My kid walks up to Me, hands me a toy busted into ten pieces and says My toy is whole. I'm gonna be a bit confused. If he wants me to fix it, he should tell me it's Busted. Whatever Enoch did, I wish I could do. |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by Serowbot on 02/07/16 at 08:27:40 So far, Atheism is winning.... Wasn't expecting that. :-? PS... I spelt "Atheism" wrong in the poll... ;D ;D ;D Snuck back in and corrected it. :P Ironic... |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by old.indian on 02/07/16 at 09:00:58 6274637E66737E65110 wrote:
Or is it the "Agnostic / Iffy" part that people are claiming ???? There is a difference. :-/ |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by Serowbot on 02/07/16 at 09:11:13 Some people say so,.. but I believe it's only in the degree resolve.. If you don't worship a god,.. you are not a theist... That makes you atheist... Without god... Buddhist's are technically atheist... they have deep spirituality without a god... I kinda' like that... I just can't be patient enough to meditate.. :-? |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by pg on 02/07/16 at 15:44:42 How many of you believe in some kind of after life? Best regards, |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by raydawg on 02/07/16 at 16:27:21 The thing I have never been able to understand about atheist is, how can you be against something you don't understand? I believe atheism is just as much as a belief, as believing in God.... I think it is akin in trying to prove a negative argument(s). Now I get agnostic, I think :-[ Also, when atheist want to restrict free expression of believers, that to me shows how their belief is based not on a self awareness, but upon forcing their will on others, which is the same rational that people war against other people, when they have the ability to do so.... |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by Serowbot on 02/07/16 at 17:41:46 4B58405D584E5E390 wrote:
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by raydawg on 02/07/16 at 17:52:48 I think you missed my point. Your example is lacking, and represents an apple, orange comparison. But anyway, it matters not, to me, or worth the energy to persue it. You all have fun jerking it around, been a steady argument for oh, I guess centuries ;D |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/07/16 at 18:57:25 The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting ... Note this phrase impeding the free exercise of religion, Does it even IMPLY that expression and free exercise of religion be relegated to the churches? |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by Serowbot on 02/07/16 at 20:59:07 The problem is,.. you see the "freedoms" only as they apply to you... If someone else's interpretation of their religion says... kill people that are Christian... ... or even just spit on them... Are you fine with being spit upon?... It's their 1st amendment right to express their beliefs?..., and your right to not be impacted?... We all have our rights... yours end, when they impact me.... Mine end, when they impact you... Where will you draw the line, between their right to practice, and your right not be impacted?... This does require some compromise... It is necessary to live together in peace... You don't want to live under Sharia Law... I don't either... I don't want to live under Christian Law either... This is why we separate religion from politics... No one's religion can dictate to everyone... it can only dictate it's own membership... Muslims can live by their beliefs... Christians by theirs... I will by mine,.. you by yours... Only the laws of the land,... separate from religion,... apply to all of us... Separation of church and state... I hear church bells every hour, on the hour at my home... Sundays, Holidays, baptisms, and weddings, they play religious tunes... I don't mind... I like them... What if that were Muslim prayer, blasted over a PA system?... I might find that pleasant also... ... I think many people wouldn't... Where is that line?... When does worship cross that line?... :-? When does someone else's religion, interfere with your right not believe what you want?... |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by Paraquat on 02/08/16 at 06:09:41 Agnostic. No after life. No divine influence, just a whole 'lotta luck. --Steve |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by Serowbot on 02/08/16 at 07:13:18 1120332030342035410 wrote:
...both good, and bad... |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/08/16 at 11:08:23 I live away from town. I don't like noise. I'm not much for music, either. Sometimes I will listen to a church service on the radio, but I'm Quick to grab the volume knob when they start singing. If someone starts preaching to me, even if I agree, but am not in the mood to listen, I'll tell them I am not interested. Touching me, spitting on me? I may engage in a self defense strategy that they will understand. The Constitution is well correlated to Biblical principles. |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by old_rider on 02/08/16 at 22:38:55 On that lonely island, staring at the stars on a moonlit night, and seeing the vast cosmos that is out there, I don' mean just a few stars, I mean so many that you tear up just looking at them. And then realizing the distances and vastness of billions of stars and trillions of worlds, and that you are a being on a planet in one simple solar system. It's not even comparable to one grain of sand in all the sand on this one planet.... there are so many worlds out there. And you would deem yourself worthy of naming something so unfathomable? And that some single omnipotent being could have just clicked a switch and said..."let there be light"... and it was all "just so"? Me... after I was taken from a single mother... at six years of age, and raised in THE last true orphanage in Illinois. I was taught the bible at the orphanage twice a week, and twice a week we went to church (The Calvary Baptist Church), I was simply put in a "brain washing" childrens home. And me being an intelligent type, seeing all the hypocrisy of the members and their children, I realized early to glean from the "book" what I deemed would be the "right" thing for me. I see the ridiculousness of religion in those that teach it, moral values are taught, and then broken, with the promise that if you recant your wrongs you can be forgiven, only to do wrongs again.... rinse and repeat. Someone else will take the blame for your wrong doings..... if only you believe with all your heart.... again... you can redo you wrongs... rinse and repeat. The realization of the true vastness of the cosmos did not really hit me, until one night I took my wife (then my girlfriend) out camping on my old 5 acres of property, 10 miles from town... I decided to do a romantic thing. About dusk, I told her I wanted to show her something, but we would have to go to bed early, even though it was only about 6pm. We hit the tent....did some bogeying ::) and fell asleep. About 2 am I woke her up, we got dressed (summer eve so it was about 70ish), and I asked her if she trusted me... she said yes....I then blindfolded her, and led her about 1/4 of a mile up onto a hilltop. (I was watching the ground and ahead to make sure she did not fall) I asked her to lay down on her back (I was laying on my side facing her), and to close her eyes tight, I then removed the blindfold, closed my eyes and laid back next to her. I then told her to open her eyes, and I did the same.... It was the clearest night I have ever seen..... no city lights, just stars..... billions of stars.... and the milky was a big cloud across the sky. Her sharp intake of breath matched mine..... it was then that I realized this world is just a neuron, in an atom, of a cell, in a body so vast it cannot be fathomed.... Yeah science says it will one day reach the edge,..... but we are just a miniscule speck in something so large, that we cannot have the audacity to think we are the only ones, and that in our limited existence can claim to know that there is only ONE omnipotent being..... So I guess I can say.... yeah.... I am an atheist....... |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by raydawg on 02/09/16 at 03:55:43 Beautiful story OR. I am fresh in at almost 4AM, having come from a 15 minute soak in my hot tub outside, under those very stars that haven't changed since your morning shared.... I do this almost every morning prior to starting my day, a real treat when the PacNorwest skies reveal its heavens. It is humbling and a great way for me to start my day, oh, and it feels good too ;D BTW..... You give great example as to why I believe in a strong seperation of religion and state. You appear to have made a belief based on the failings of others. This mindset of basing a belief on failure is what many do when making the argument against Bernie Sanders. Because socialism has failed in other countries it is a total waste to believe it can work. This rigid mindset does not allow for possibilities that their thinking is wrong, and no honest dialogue need apply. |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/09/16 at 04:53:08 Hey, Look! They're " Winning " at 666. |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/09/16 at 05:08:24 don't want to live under Christian Law either... This is why we separate religion from politics. You don't have a clue how much the Bible was used in setting up the three areas of government. What IS Christian LAW? I don't know of any other than Dont hate, dont hurt. The Constitution says that the state has no right to TELL you what to believe. Nor can they stop you from the free exercise of your beliefs. Now, you try worshipping God by barbecuing babies on Sunday, there might be some push back. We Do have laws, and, even you have demonstrated some common sense, This game of hostility towards anything religious being allowed on public property is a complete and intentional misreading of law. As long as it's NOT by order of the state or any authority , but is the desire OF THE PEOPLE, then it's okay. And that's true for other religions. Can atheists show up and wag signs? Yep. If its a Church of Satan having a Halloween meeting, can Christians show up and wag signs? Yep. Shut up about it, let people alone. That's what horrors await America should they ever elect a libertarian. |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by HovisPresley on 02/22/16 at 07:28:57 Pagan. No church. Anti organised religion. Use entheogens ritually. I was christened as a baby, had no 'religious' upbringing, been to church only for a family wedding and several funerals since. Love the architecture, despise the 'House of God' label. (However, I've been to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, to name a few). I consider Steinbeck's 'Preacher Casy' as a philosopher, Mahatma Gandhi as a role model, and Robert Hunter (lyricist) to be a prophet, as much as I would do Jesus or Gautama Buddha. |
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Title: Re: Poll,... on religion... Post by Serowbot on 02/22/16 at 07:58:14 Surprising results... :-? |
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