Just realized how big this generation gap is..

[Joe Schmoe]

I completely understand and respect your position. But even atheists have a little faith. I'm sure you've done something in your life that wasn't logical. We're human...

I have done many illogical things in my life, but I don't see how that involves faith.

A christian friend of mine once told me that he thought it must take faith to be an atheist. His point was that I had to feel confident that I was not going to hell. I told him that that is really easy since I think the concept of hell (or heaven) is a steaming load of BS.

 

[Grimfate126]

Heres how i see it:

We all believe in the same thing. (to religious people, god is just god, with whatever name they have for him. for atheist's, god is energy.) To discriminate ourselves god just because we believe in different stories is stupid. EVERY SINGLE holy book tells you to basically be a good person. Does this mean we are? Obviously, not. I know im not going to heaven based on that link gene posted. However, i believe thats the point religions try to make. You must always strive to be a better person. We totally ignore this, and kill other just because someone else is not following "our way" of being a better person.

Religion helps in some ways, as it gives you a code of conduct to live by. However, anyone with an IQ above 50 should be able to figure these out.

If this is all it causes, there should be no religion, no atheism, just a code of conduct.

P.S. why the hell were we put on earth anyway? Wouldnt "god" have more fun not dealing with us?

 

[mazersteven]

My wife and I, and some good friends of ours took a trip to Italy a few years back. While in Rome we went to the Vatican City to St. Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro)

Between the History, Statues, Architecture, Tombs and Relics, Artworks, the Dome. I was overwhelmed by all this at once. The place is massive.

But above, and beyond all that there is something special about this place. It is very hard for me to explain, because to be honest I don't know myself what I experienced, or felt.

I only go to church twice a year on Easter, and Midnight Mass at Christmas. So I'm not the most religious person in the world. But it is always special, and nice to be in church at this time of year. I feel very good when I leave.

While inside St Peter's there was a section of the church that was curtained off for prayer. No talking, no pictures, just prayer. I walked inside, and took a knee at one of the pews. I began to say a few prayers, and to talk to Jesus, and God like I always do when in church. (This is the part I can't explain.) I can't explain the presence I felt around me, and inside me. I was inside this section of the church for about 5-10 minutes. When I walked out I was in tears. I don't know what it was about this section of the church, but I did not feel it in any other part of this church. In fact I have never felt what I did in any other church I have ever been in (St. Patrick's Cathedral-New York, Notre Dame-Paris, and many others)

My wife, and friends asked me what was wrong. I said "I don't know". But I was crying.

The experience hasn't changed me, or made me born again. Regardless of what you believe, or don't believe. I think everyone should, if they have the chance to visit this place to do so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter's_Basilica

 

[jonnythan]

We got this whole lecture about how Muslism forced Hindus to convert THOUSANDS of years ago,
[/rant]

I'm glad Christians never tried anything like that!

 

[pweller]

I have found that it is best to not discuss religion. It seems that nothing good ever comes of it. Everybody has their own ideas, and it seems that if you are a believer of some sort, you have primarily 'emotional' reasons to believe, and it you are a non-believer you have primarily 'logical' reasons to not-believe.

There's no way to resolve a conflict between emotion and logic, so at the end of a lengthy discussion no progress has been made. I think this is one situation where it is better to let the other person talk, and to say very little in response.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Alex2507]

I think this is one situation where it is better to let the other person talk, and to say very little in response.

You sure it wouldn't be better to blurt out that you think what they believe is a steaming load of BS?
... Hmmm... You know, in the spirit of diplomacy?

 

[Adam]

You sure it wouldn't be better to blurt out that you think what they believe is a steaming load of BS?

I think that discussions about religion are interesting and intellectually stimulating. I do, however, enjoy them much more when everyone involved shows respect for one another. For me, those discussions are about learning - either about myself, others, or the environment in which we live. If they become about insults or trying to prove that one view is more correct than another, then the value is lost to me.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

My wife and I, and some good friends of ours took a trip to Italy a few years back. While in Rome we went to the Vatican City to St. Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro)

Between the History, Statues, Architecture, Tombs and Relics, Artworks, the Dome. I was overwhelmed by all this at once. The place is massive.

But above, and beyond all that there is something special about this place. It is very hard for me to explain, because to be honest I don't know myself what I experienced, or felt.

I only go to church twice a year on Easter, and Midnight Mass at Christmas. So I'm not the most religious person in the world. But it is always special, and nice to be in church at this time of year. I feel very good when I leave.

While inside St Peter's there was a section of the church that was curtained off for prayer. No talking, no pictures, just prayer. I walked inside, and took a knee at one of the pews. I began to say a few prayers, and to talk to Jesus, and God like I always do when in church. (This is the part I can't explain.) I can't explain the presence I felt around me, and inside me. I was inside this section of the church for about 5-10 minutes. When I walked out I was in tears. I don't know what it was about this section of the church, but I did not feel it in any other part of this church. In fact I have never felt what I did in any other church I have ever been in (St. Patrick's Cathedral-New York, Notre Dame-Paris, and many others)

My wife, and friends asked me what was wrong. I said "I don't know". But I was crying.

The experience hasn't changed me, or made me born again. Regardless of what you believe, or don't believe. I think everyone should, if they have the chance to visit this place to do so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter's_Basilica

I think we need to set up some kind of double blind test to see if this perception is repetable...


Sorry, had to do it...
SBF1

 

[Alex2507]

I think that discussions about religion are interesting and intellectually stimulating. I do, however, enjoy them much more when everyone involved shows respect for one another. For me, those discussions are about learning - either about myself, others, or the environment in which we live. If they become about insults or trying to prove that one view is more correct than another, then the value is lost to me.

Wow, ... there's a steaming load if I ever saw one.
Everyone has a right to their opinion, so long as it's the same as mine.
Otherwise they're MORONS !!!

 

[Adam]

Everyone has a right to their opinion, so long as it's the same as mine.

.

 

[AdrianMills]

Many Religions, 1 god. Can't all be right.

SheepStar

Many religions, 0 god(s). None of them can be right.



Eventually the fundamentalists will die out and there will be only moderates left. It's happened with Christianity which also used to be a pretty brutal religion. It'll take some more time with Islam for various reasons but eventually it will go the same way.

I thought Hinduism was a relatively forgiving religion though being that it's a polytheist religion?

 

[mtrycrafts]

... and suddenly the topic of religion came up. ...I mean, isnt religion supposed to unite people?

[/rant]

Now you see the root cause of much of the evil in the lands out there

 

[mtrycrafts]

The generation gap is large. I come from an Italian family and if I had wanted to marry a Polish woman, all hell would break loose.

And, hopefully each generation becomes more tolerant and creates a better world. Same issues were in play with inter racial marriages. It gets better with each generation. If, we have enough generations left to survive all the strife in the meantime.

 

[MinusTheBear]

I find religion serves no purpose in my life. If you want to believe more power to you. I find religion is just another tool used by politicians to make excuses and irrational decisions.

What about the agnostic fundamentalist: They will kill you if you believe in god and will kill you if you do not believe in god

I like a lot of the quotes Dr. House makes about religion in House M.D.

 

[mtrycrafts]

... I'm sure you've done something in your life that wasn't logical. We're human...

More reason to strive to create Vulcan here

 

[mtrycrafts]

... or adultery ...

But that is only in the eye of the beholder

 

[mazersteven]

I find religion is just another tool used by politicians to make excuses and irrational decisions.

What politicians use religion as a tool?

 

[markw]

Combining politics with religion is where the problems arise.

What politicians use religion as a tool?

Religion in and of itself is not a bad thing. taken down to their essense, most prescribe a fairly straightforward code of ethics that can work if used properly. It's when the potential power of religion is channeled towards unethical pursuits and justification of exterminition of people with different beliefs (either political or religious) that problems can arise.

Not a comprehensive list by any means, but GWB used his ties with Conservative Christians to gain a support in his elections and terms as President of this country and as justification for his actions in invading Iraq, which was not exactly the wisest move, IMNSHO. This has put him and the Republicians reputation in jeporady with them.

OTOH, Bin Laden and other fanatical leaders have been using the basic beliefs of Islam to justify the hunting out and killings of "infidels" and also to get people to throw their lives away in doing so. The fact that most of their targets seem to be innocents is the most appaling thing and the lack of more Muslims coming out against this is what conerns me.

And, if one tries to use this is proof that religions are the cause of all evil in this world, be aware that more evil was perpetuated by atheistic societies that existed before the mainstream religions made their mark on the world. As for more modern countries, Rusia, China, Cambodia, Myanmar/Burma, Sub-Saharian Africa, and others come to mind.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

But that is only in the eye of the beholder

By definition, adultery can only be committed by someone who is married.

 

[majorloser]

What politicians use religion as a tool?