[urbandreamer]

That passage you linked to has problems PtS:

1)It's not the King James version, thus it's rubbish.

2)The passage is really wisdom to live by: those who you associate with are those who you become. You could easily substitute "evil" for "criminals" etc.

So, perhaps, just like those that take the Word of G-d seriously, you always interpret things literally?

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

That passage you linked to has problems PtS:

1)It's not the King James version, thus it's rubbish.

2)The passage is really wisdom to live by: those who you associate with are those who you become. You could easily substitute "evil" for "criminals" etc.

So, perhaps, just like those that take the Word of G-d seriously, you always interpret things literally?

ok, here's the king james version. it still means the same thing. just curious, what makes the king james version better than any other versions?

the passage tells you not to be friends with non-christians. this is just one sample of intolerance out of many. the problem is that the passages are taken literally by the wrong people. there is nothing ambiguous about them. there is no other way to interpret these passages.

 

[urbandreamer]

The KJV is much better to read--more poetic, to be precise. Plus, it's English.

That passage is used by every decent human being or organization to ensure success: From corporations to schools to government parties to various religious groups to armies, keeping everyone in the same boat is the best strategy. Of course you get religious idiots/zealots that will misinterpet anything for their own perceived gain.

Imho, "lord" is code for the boss, the leader, the person in power.

 

[Hydrogen]

^What if everyone was either Mennonite or Amish or Old German Baptist Brethern?

Then the world would be f*cking boring.

 

[isaidso]

Any group that is dominant tends to feel entitled. Attempts to alter that privileged position in society tend to be met with hostility.

 

[Mot]

I'll be off to Queen Video this week to rent Religulous.


I wonder if we will ever see an admitted atheist take public office in Canada or the United States? Clearly, atheists and agnostics tolerate the admittedly religious pretty well; I wonder if the reverse would be the same?

I've been waiting for the release on video. Blockbuster doesn't have it yet.
I don't think we will see an admitted atheist elected anytime soon.

 

[Mot]

I've actually been thinking about that exact thing lately. And I've decided to take it upon myself to change that status.

The thing is, we've been taught all our lives to "tolerate" and "respect" other people's beliefs, and it's hard to get over that.

What I've recently realized, is that I DON'T respect a lot of other people's beliefs. I think religion is stupid, plain and simple. And I think anyone overly religious is just a product of brainwashing and simple-mindedness. I actually freely tell people that now... religious or not. Problem is that some people get offended.... but I really don't care anymore.

Religion is fiction, plain and simple. Anyone who is religious or spends time 'praying' etc etc is really just wasting their time. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc etc... all stupid.

See... it's not above criticism!

I have my own personal issues with religion. I do also get what people get out of faith. When I was a believer I did get something out of prayer so I cannot knock people for doing it. For me coming to Atheism was like unravelling an onion's skin. Slow and in small steps over a period of time. The one thing I try to instill into my neices and nephews is to question what they are learning in the Catholic Church. If it sounds untrue or unrealistic, then it is.

On the other hand anyone who throws their religion around imposing it upon others is fair game. Especially politicians and church leadership like the Vatican. I still cannot for the life of me imagine what the cardinals were thinking putting a man like Ratzinger in the top spot.

I have to admit I felt sad last summer when I saw a Muslim woman at a water park covered head to toe on a 30 degree day just watching her kids from the side line instead of in the water playing with her family. Only oppression allows that to happen.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

guys, i've had a revelation and we need to stop criticizing religion. i have learned that i have been misinterpreting theology. there is absolutely nothing wrong with any religion, religious movement or their theologies. there is something wrong with me. i have been an intolerant closed minded bigot. i hope you can all forgive me, especially keithz.

 

[syn]

At this point, I don't see religion being above criticism at all.

 

[Mot]

guys, i've had a revelation and we need to stop criticizing religion. i have learned that i have been misinterpreting theology. there is absolutely nothing wrong with any religion, religious movement or their theologies. there is something wrong with me. i have been an intolerant closed minded bigot. i hope you can all forgive me, especially keithz.

That was very kind of you, but you certainly have not been misinterpreting theology nor have you been any kind of bigot, you've posted the exact words from the bible. I wouldn't worry about Keithz, he gives as good as he gets.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

That was very kind of you, but you certainly have not been misinterpreting theology nor have you been any kind of bigot, you've posted the exact words from the bible. I wouldn't worry about Keithz, he gives as good as he gets.

it doesn't matter if they're the exact words. there is clearly another message in relation to these words. it's just that since i'm so closed minded and ignorant, i can't see these meanings. i think my paralysis has spread to my neocortex. i must contact a neurologist as soon as possible.

i've also been wrong in criticizing groups such as the taliban. stupid me, i always bring up the wrong things some members of their group have done and the wrong things in their doctrine. i'm so intolerant that i never once though to mention the positive aspects of their doctrine. my views were unbalanced and unfair since i focused only on the negative aspects of their doctrine.

 

[Mot]

it doesn't matter if they're the exact words. there is clearly another message in relation to these words. it's just that since i'm so closed minded and ignorant, i can't see these meanings. i think my paralysis has spread to my neocortex. i must contact a neurologist as soon as possible.

i've also been wrong in criticizing groups such as the taliban. stupid me, i always bring up the wrong things some members of their group have done and the wrong things in their doctrine. i'm so intolerant that i never once though to mention the positive aspects of their doctrine. my views were unbalanced and unfair since i focused only on the negative aspects of their doctrine.

I guess I need to go with you to the doctor. I am usually told by religious people when fighting for glbt equality in the US that I should be thankful and take what I can get because I would be killed in Muslim nations for being gay. As if that's a valid argument or supposed to make a guy feel better.

I've also been called a bigot because I dared to tell people their anti gay biblical interpretations are incorrect because I took the time to research the historical context of some of the verses used to slam us. I suppose I am intolerant of intellectual laziness disguised as religious belief that has consequences to real live human targets of discrimination.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

mot, though the bible says a man shouldn't lay with another man, there is no prohibition against standing with another man. you see, god prefers men stand since it is good for posture. god doesn't want men to have slouched backs. the abomination they are talking about is bad backs.

 

[urbanboom]

I've actually been thinking about that exact thing lately. And I've decided to take it upon myself to change that status.

The thing is, we've been taught all our lives to "tolerate" and "respect" other people's beliefs, and it's hard to get over that.

What I've recently realized, is that I DON'T respect a lot of other people's beliefs. I think religion is stupid, plain and simple. And I think anyone overly religious is just a product of brainwashing and simple-mindedness. I actually freely tell people that now... religious or not. Problem is that some people get offended.... but I really don't care anymore.

Religion is fiction, plain and simple. Anyone who is religious or spends time 'praying' etc etc is really just wasting their time. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc etc... all stupid.

See... it's not above criticism!

Now imagine if I had said the exact opposite of what you said, but in the same way....

"Atheists are STUPID plain in simple!"

"Not finding God is just a product of being lazy or brainwashing from the left."

Had I said those things, people would've fell off of their rocker!

 

[Hydrogen]

I disagree with you on many aspects concerning religion and god, urbanboom, but you make a very good point here.

It's easy to show disrespect, but it's quite a different thing to show good reason why religions are questionable.