Whats your personal point of view on religions?

[Lead]

Would you be ready for a nihilistic epoch?

It may be egocentric to think but I think our lifespan is an epoch. Just the population boom and stablizing right in the pocket we were alive is pretty cool if you look at it historically.

Then again, I like that guy that's on JRE sometimes proposing humanity may have been destroyed multiple times and our civilization today may not be the best compared to previous and will be forgotten like the many before it.

But I think you were talking about butt stuff so no Senri

 

[senri]

It may be egocentric to think but I think our lifespan is an epoch. Just the population boom and stablizing right in the pocket we were alive is pretty cool if you look at it historically.

Then again, I like that guy that's on JRE sometimes proposing humanity may have been destroyed multiple times and our civilization today may not be the best compared to previous and will be forgotten like the many before it.

But I think you were talking about butt stuff so no Senri

Settle down now.....I am not boxing you in sort to speak just want to know where you stand with your own free thoughts on the ontology of theological ideas. What fascinates you about the stage in human history we are in now? Compounding that question with ontological thoughts you have about the state of affairs we are in now.

 

[GSP_37]

Biggest con artist job of all history. Modern science, modern worldwide web internet communication of news, ideas, etc. should lead to less religious nutjobs.

 

[badascan]

We are all atheist...

 

[Trotsky]

You're making a lot of claims here, but I'm not sure there is a lot of truth in here.

You claim religion once had utility and now it does not because Christians no longer gives to charities and are selfish. To start with, that's not true, because Christianity raises a lot of money for many causes. I would like to see some proof that Christianity is now a "selfish religion". This seems to be a subjective judgment call simply because you don't like Christianity.

Secondly, I happen to agree with you that the prosperity gospel is not in alignment with scripture, but how does this make religion useless? Just because people take advantage of it doesn't mean that there is no use for religion.

I am a Christian. Do you think that I do't care about charity, solidarity(?), and the poor?

Do you not believe that you are the exception to the rule, politically? I do not dislike Christianity: I do dislike the trajectory of American Christianity and its role in public policy. I myself am a loosely affiliated Christian: I still go the United Methodist church with my parents every now and again, but the social and political characteristics of Christians compared to secularists struggles to bear any redeeming qualities to me.

Regarding whether Christianity is a "selfish religion" in America, take a walk over to polling site and observe the disparity between Christians and non-Christians on issues like humane accommodation, due process, wealth redistribution, and assistance for the poor. It's striking. Such is not the case in South America, where liberation theology (and just non-selective New Testament reading) still has some footing.

Also, I worked for 3 years for a Children's Hospital and, while this is certainly just anecdotal, the amount of devout Christians who would rather cuss you out or send a printed-out scripture with their donation refusal was also striking. To American Christians, charity only exists alongside proselytizing and moral judgment. I also volunteered at a Catholic homeless shelter and quickly realized that the persons devoting their time to public service weren't really practicing Christians, but those raising shit storms on the local news about welfare moochers, racial minorities, and illegal immigrants on the local news sure as shit were.

 

[Deleted member 196663]

This is a difficult question because we are trapped in this small sliver of time. I can't say where civilization would be without these types of belief systems. The question to ask is if organized religion has now served its purpose and they are no longer of use. I can't answer that either. In a free society this question becomes moot, so I don't really care just as long as it stays out of government.

 

[dontsnitch]

Do you not believe that you are the exception to the rule, politically? I do not dislike Christianity: I do dislike the trajectory of American Christianity and its role in public policy. I myself am a loosely affiliated Christian: I still go the United Methodist church with my parents every now and again, but the social and political characteristics of Christians compared to secularists struggles to bear any redeeming qualities to me.

Honestly, I don't know if I am the exception or not, but I feel you made some pretty strong claims that are likely exaggerated, that is, there is a good side and a bad side. To claim that it's "all bad" doesn't strike me as accurate.

Would you feel confident telling the Methodists at your parent's church that religion is futile, disingenuous, and harmful?

Regarding whether Christianity is a "selfish religion" in America, take a walk over to polling site and observe the disparity between Christians and non-Christians on issues like humane accommodation, due process, wealth redistribution, and assistance for the poor. It's striking. Such is not the case in South America, where liberation theology (and just non-selective New Testament reading) still has some footing.

Doesn't this prove that religion is not the problem, but the people who follow it are?

If South America, which is predominantly Christian, is the exception to the US' selfishness, surely we can't blame religion.

Also, I worked for 3 years for a Children's Hospital and, while this is certainly just anecdotal, the amount of devout Christians who would rather cuss you out or send a printed-out scripture with their donation refusal was also striking. To American Christians, charity only exists alongside proselytizing and moral judgment. I also volunteered at a Catholic homeless shelter and quickly realized that the persons devoting their time to public service weren't really practicing Christians, but those raising shit storms on the local news about welfare moochers, racial minorities, and illegal immigrants on the local news sure as shit were.

I don't know, I have plenty of anecdotes myself, but I think they're somewhat irrelevant. If we want to make broad statements we would need to look at statistics.

 

[Phelly2]

My opinion on religions is that they're all false. They're just tall tales.

But they do one thing very well: they bring people together into likeminded communities. This is a huge benefit to society as a whole, but it also has the potential to be dangerous because the preacher can essentially program you to believing whatever it is he wants you believe(by telling you it's what GOD said). This is where shit like jihads come from.

 

[HunterAcosta]

Opiate of the masses ....or something like that .

 

[Devout Pessimist]

Richard Weaver explains the point of Religion well:

"When we ask modern man to accept the substance of nature and of history, we ask him, in a way, to harden himself. He must not, like the child, expect all delights freely; he must not, like the miseducated adult, expect all paradoxes to be resolved for him. He muse be ready to say at times with Thomas Hooker; "The point is difficult and the mystery great." And as he learns that he is a creature who does not fully comprehend his creation, it is to be hoped that he will exercise caution in the appropriation of efficient means. His picture of the world will be changed profoundly if he merely has to take cognizance of the fact that he is dependent on the universe, as it in turn seems dependent on something else."

"The point is difficult and the mystery great."
Thomas Hooker

Source: http://portalconservador.com/livros/Richard-Weaver-Ideas-Have-Consequences.pdf

 

[Rusk]

I disagree rusk, I believe Atheism gives people a different kind of faith. A faith in themselves. We are masters of our own destiny and fully wield our lives. When we die it's over so we have to make the most of our time here. My love won't be waiting for me on the other side so I have to prove my love to her every day.

I think atheism takes away other people and collectives control and manipulation on ones life and gives it back to you.

When I am in a difficult situation, I don't pray, I plan and actively try to better my position.

Nihilists suck though. F them.

Atheism often, and logically so leads to Materialism/Physicalism.

So there is no free will in Atheism. If anything Atheism takes away agency. So no, you are no master of your own destiny but rather just an object that reacts to other physical objects in environment. You feelings are just chemical processes in your brain, free will and consciousness are illusions after all...

 

[electricfuneral]

Atheism often, and logically so leads to Materialism/Physicalism.

So there is no free will in Atheism. If anything Atheism takes away agency. So no, you are no master of your own destiny but rather just an object that reacts to other physical objects in environment. You feelings are just chemical processes in your brain, free will and consciousness are illusions after all...

I think you are presuming a lot about me here. perhaps this is a topic you don't have a rounded perspective in? I know both sides of it, I was raised a Roman Catholic and now am an atheist. i guess we will agree to disagree since we can't even agree on what an atheist is.

 

[PrinceOfPain]

I think a lot of people completely miss the point when they focus on religion as much more than a moral framework that has to be allegorically illustrated through story, because story can be understood by anyone.

 

[Rusk]

I think you are presuming a lot about me here. perhaps this is a topic you don't have a rounded perspective in? I know both sides of it, I was raised a Roman Catholic and now am an atheist. i guess we will agree to disagree since we can't even agree on what an atheist is.

Yeah true, i made some bold assumptions, and i got to stop doing this, but i am rarely wrong when i make them. Dont you think we are all just our body, just matter? Because if yes then my assumption was correct.

Also i would say that i have pretty well rounded perspective, i grew up in a very atheistic family, for example my grandmother was Soviet Biology teacher, one does not get more atheistic than that. I also was religious for like 2 years in my teens. So my perspective is ok i would say.

 

[ripskater]

I do know this.

The left will fight the Christian white male, tooth and nail. And at the same time say that we should let Islamic immigrants into the USA.

 

[BearGrounds]

Atheism often, and logically so leads to Materialism/Physicalism.

So there is no free will in Atheism. If anything Atheism takes away agency. So no, you are no master of your own destiny but rather just an object that reacts to other physical objects in environment. You feelings are just chemical processes in your brain, free will and consciousness are illusions after all...

A true atheist should be a nihilist. If they are not, they're not fully committed to their belief in no afterlife and no creator/purpose.

Without a judgment, or an afterlife by which your earthly life bears meaning, there is no restrictions, morally speaking, on what one can do (as, inevitably, nothing matters). Humanity would need to literally exist forever in order for their to be a justification for working towards something larger than oneself, given such a belief system.

Rape, murder, etc. All transgressions are wiped clean upon death, if death brings only nothingness. Furthermore, all efforts made during life are for naught, as we would all share the exact same fate inevitably - which is everlasting nothingness.

 

[electricfuneral]

Yeah true, i made some bold assumptions, and i got to stop doing this, but i am rarely wrong when i make them. Dont you think we are all just our body, just matter? Because if yes then my assumption was correct.

Also i would say that i have pretty well rounded perspective, i grew up in a very atheistic family, for example my grandmother was Soviet Biology teacher, one does not get more atheistic than that. I also was religious for like 2 years in my teens. So my perspective is ok i would say.

I think my atheism is really defined by burden of proof. I am not stuck on the concept of there being no god. If I saw evidence, I would be convinced. I think there is a lot in life that science can not explain. I am not prepared to call that proof of god yet. I just do not believe that any religion I have been exposed to seem to have it wrong. Spiritual Atheism is something that exists too, some people are willing to believe, if they are confronted with overwhelming evidence. Atheism isn't just disbelief of god, it is also the lack of belief, which describes many atheists. Some are fundamentalists in there own right though.

 

[IDL]

I think my atheism is really defined by burden of proof. I am not stuck on the concept of there being no god. If I saw evidence, I would be convinced. I think there is a lot in life that science can not explain. I am not prepared to call that proof of god yet. I just do not believe that any religion I have been exposed to seem to have it wrong. Spiritual Atheism is something that exists too, some people are willing to believe, if they are confronted with overwhelming evidence. Atheism isn't just disbelief of god, it is also the lack of belief, which describes many atheists. Some are fundamentalists in there own right though.

Why would you identify as atheist as opposed to agnostic?

 

[Joe_Armstrong]

I think religion is good.
But it shouldn't be pushed to other people.
Too many bad acts are being committed in the name of religion.

 

[luckyshot]

I believe that religion is an important part of one's cultural heritage.

Hence I'm pagan.

Give me that old time religion: