Zone1 Share the word of God with atheists, but don't argue with them

[occupied]

Do you believe that the commandments of Jesus hurts people?

Religious people absolutely harm others in their narrow-minded zeal for righteousness. There are also some very self-interested people who hide behind a veneer of wholesome false faith. I'm not talking about faith or belief here. Religion is a human thing that takes advantage of fearful humans.

 

[K9Buck]

Religious people absolutely harm others in their narrow-minded zeal for righteousness. There are also some very self-interested people who hide behind a veneer of wholesome false faith. I'm not talking about faith or belief here. Religion is a human thing that takes advantage of fearful humans.

Ok so you utterly ignored my question. I'll stop engaging you.

 

[occupied]

You don't seem to have a balanced view. Even Darwinian principles would recognize that religion must have functional advantages or it wouldn't continue to exist throughout the history of mankind in overwhelming numbers.

Religion exists to help people deal with the certainty of their eventual death. It's not a big mystery.

 

[occupied]

Ok so you utterly ignored my question. I'll stop engaging you.

Your question was phrased in a way that would have me directly criticizing your religious beliefs. Not going to do that.

 

[Meriweather]

Religious people absolutely harm others in their narrow-minded zeal for righteousness.

Is it 'narrow-mindedness' or is it their high expectations?

 

[ding]

The things I blamed on God are well in the past. Religion is a real thing people do. It really is something you can blame when it hurts people.

You got to see the whole glass, not half of it. Or not. Objectivity is a choice.

 

[ding]

Religion exists to help people deal with the certainty of their eventual death. It's not a big mystery.

That's not how I see it. It's not about the destination. It's about the journey. How to live and how not to live. Living in peace is its own reward. So it's about living and not death.

 

[shockedcanadian]

Religion exists to help people deal with the certainty of their eventual death. It's not a big mystery.

You may say that of some but I don't believe I or many others fall into that category. I view myself as extremely curious about the world and the universe. I have pondered varioius questions 1000 times. Furthermore, as much as I am not a ghost believer per se, without question I experienced a paranormal event in my youth. I was warned about a fire that actually occured in our home two days later. The signs were so convincing that I asked my mother BEFORE the fire happened if she had smelled smoke the night before. I won't go into it here, but without questioin, that night and the signs I experienced altered my disbelief forever. Now, if there are spirits, what is the next logical step to consider?

 

[occupied]

Is it 'narrow-mindedness' or is it their high expectations?

"Because God said so" or a variation is perhaps the most narrow-minded thing people say. How many horrible things followed such a declaration? In my case it was often followed by a beating.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Share the word of God with atheists, but don't argue with them

An example of the arrogance of theists contributing to the warranted disdain for much of religion.

 

[ding]

Blaming God for acts of men is dumb.

 

[ding]

An example of the arrogance of theists contributing to the warranted disdain for much of religion.

How so?

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Once they make it clear that they do NOT believe then disengage and privately pray for God to open their eyes and ears and then move on. And, remember, they too are your brothers and sisters and they too will be with us in God's kingdom to come.

You’ll get no ‘argument’ – just facts.

Such as the fact that religion and ‘god’ are creations of man – the consequence of man’s ignorance, fear, arrogance, and stupidity; the inherent authoritarianism of man and the need to control others, to compel conformity and punish dissent.

Since the advent of civilization government and religion have been intertwined, the authority of the state and religion one-in-the-same; religion remains the bane of humankind.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

I have prayed for you

Another manifestation of the arrogance of theists and the appropriate contempt they’ve garnered.

 

[ding]

You’ll get no ‘argument’ – just facts.

Such as the fact that religion and ‘god’ are creations of man – the consequence of man’s ignorance, fear, arrogance, and stupidity; the inherent authoritarianism of man and the need to control others, to compel conformity and punish dissent.

Since the advent of civilization government and religion have been intertwined, the authority of the state and religion one-in-the-same; religion remains the bane of humankind.

The universe popping into existence in an unnatural way being implausibly hardwired to produce beings that know and create says otherwise.

Your problem is that you have an unrealistic perception of God and until that changes the best you can ever hope for is to suffer without complaint. But putting that aside even Darwinism would say that belief in God, religion, etc have functional advantages. Otherwise they would have died out long ago.

 

[Meriweather]

"Because God said so" or a variation is perhaps the most narrow-minded thing people say. How many horrible things followed such a declaration? In my case it was often followed by a beating.

"Because God said so" was never a ploy used on me, so I have no idea on how to get out of that maze. Later, as a young adult in journalism, and in another job as well, I did come across, "Because I said so" or a questionable quote. At that point I substituted "Donald Duck". If, because "Donald Duck said so" or, "According to Donald Duck..." sounded like great wisdom or a really smart duck, I would pay attention--but would dismiss out of hand anything that sounded like something a duck would say. Never had to use that ploy with God, though.

Anyway, your religious upbringing sounds more like a sinister costume party than anything seriously religious or of God, so us talking about religion would probably sound like you talking about a football game, while my response would sound like I was singing opera. (And I can't sing.)

 

[Meriweather]

An example of the arrogance of theists contributing to the warranted disdain for much of religion.

Living with atheists all my life, I tend to agree with what you said. Atheists have reasons for not pursuing God; theists have reasons for pursuing God. Equally valid by the way, and usually both are quite happy with the path they chose.

 

[Meriweather]

Such as the fact that religion and ‘god’ are creations of man – the consequence of man’s ignorance, fear, arrogance, and stupidity; the inherent authoritarianism of man and the need to control others, to compel conformity and punish dissent.

God is not a creation of man, but the observation of men. Naturally, the community gathering in the name of God to worship together, is designed by man. How could it be anything else. The problem with any formal groups is that it is prey for wolves who want to use the group for their own end(s).

Whether it is a large religious group, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Labour Party, etc. the people within the large, ready-made group can never seem to distinguish between the sheep and the wolves in sheep's clothing. Too often, the shepherds introduce the wolves.

When the focus is and remains on God (whether by individual or group) great things happen. The problem is the enemy within. There seems no way of avoiding that.

God used as bait...the millstone is too good for them.

 

[occupied]

"Because God said so" was never a ploy used on me, so I have no idea on how to get out of that maze. Later, as a young adult in journalism, and in another job as well, I did come across, "Because I said so" or a questionable quote. At that point I substituted "Donald Duck". If, because "Donald Duck said so" or, "According to Donald Duck..." sounded like great wisdom or a really smart duck, I would pay attention--but would dismiss out of hand anything that sounded like something a duck would say. Never had to use that ploy with God, though.

Anyway, your religious upbringing sounds more like a sinister costume party than anything seriously religious or of God, so us talking about religion would probably sound like you talking about a football game, while my response would sound like I was singing opera. (And I can't sing.)

I get it. It wasn't all bad but it's the bad things that form your most vivid memories. The religion thing is only part of the story. If the topic is poverty I might talk about growing up with a functionally illiterate father trying to make it in Appalachia. If the topic is racism I might talk about being moved to sundown towns and dragged to strange churches and backwoods schools full of racist fucks. I find little to be nostalgic about my childhood other than my incredible mother. Life is wonderful for me now but I have my dark moments.

 

[Meriweather]

Since the advent of civilization government and religion have been intertwined, the authority of the state and religion one-in-the-same; religion remains the bane of humankind.

Here we disagree. It is not religion that is the bane, but human government that is the bane of mankind. When religion and government tried to work together, it was government that was happy to let religion take the fall when it was actually secular policies that weren't working out. Religion definitely does not belong in government--and even more emphatically, government does not belong in religion.