• Religion may become extinct in nine nations, study says
    714 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Treybuchet;28757087]basically, religion served as a replacement for your shitty parents who couldn't instill any morals nor anything worthwhile[/QUOTE] I think I'd know if I had shitty parents or not.
[QUOTE=rabid duck;28749117]Without religion the world would never be how it is now.[/QUOTE] True, instead we could be in Mars already and have cures for cancer and AIDS and other shit. No matter how you think about religion, religion did put a clamp on scientific progress for hundreds of years, there is no doubt about that. Many people don't like religion because of just that, it hindered scientific progress for years and still causes ignorance in mass today. The bad outweights the good when it comes to religion unfortunately.
TO be honest, there's no point to arguing when it comes to science and religion. An argument is meant to come to a conclusion, a mutual understanding, not constant repeating of points back and forth and the sides are far too large.
[QUOTE=Devfrost;28757058]4 years ago, my grades were largely failing, I stole and lied from and to my own friends. I constantly stole money from my mother and father. On top of that, I pretty much was addicted to WoW and Quake 3(still an awesome game though) in that i blocked away everything else. I was arrested for graffiti and assault on a police officer. I wasn't much of a Catholic. I had 2 months of juvenile detention. The day after I got out, my friend invited me to his church. A week later, he invited me to a retreat. Keep in mind, these retreats are full of praise music for God so that means we had that christian music, confessions, three preachers, and yes, we had praying lasting for 2 hours. Yes, I did feel very awkward in the midst of 50 or so people jumping around for the idea of a God. But I stuck with it, and I opened myself to it. After that retreat, I can say my life damn changed for the better. I'm captain of my highschool's track team, standing at top 10% of my graduating class when I was failing all my classes before, and I got one sweet girlfriend that I like very much. I know it wasn't luck that got me all of this. For myself to have no direction, God was just in the right moment to help me out and set me some good morals. The Bible is not supposed to be taken completely literal - it, for me, is not supposed to be a strict rulebook. I was a wild kid before and yes I had great parents. From March to April is the season of Lent - In Lent, we can choose to sacrifice a bad habit or, as Pope John Paul II added, we can choose to begin a good habit. I don't know much more about Lent but I do know that during this time, Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights in the desert, rejecting every temptation to him by the Devil during this time. Now I'm not going to say that the devil is tempting me but Lent is more like a representation of Jesus's time in the desert and we replicate 'the devil's temptations' with our bad habits in order to better ourselves. Who knows, my faith is not as strong as others, there might not even be a God but I'm damn well sure that I owe my damn life to Him in changing my life for the better. deadass[/QUOTE] This post is pretty much why religion will never go away, it would seem some people are just desperate for there to be some greater meaning to life. If you look desperately for connections you will find them, imaginary though they may be. Dev here seems to actually think god has helped him out, when really it was just him making some changes to his life based on the belief in a fantasy being. Your life got better because you changed it, not because of a mythical man in the sky, hate to break it to you.
[QUOTE=Stronts;28757451]This post is pretty much why religion will never go away, it would seem some people are just desperate for there to be some greater meaning to life. If you look desperately for connections you will find them, imaginary though they may be. Dev here seems to actually think god has helped him out, when really it was just him making some changes to his life based on the belief in a fantasy being. Your life got better because you changed it, not because of a mythical man in the sky, hate to break it to you.[/QUOTE] Yeah, have a little more faith in [I]yourselves[/I] guys, fuck. that's about it really, you don't need a magic man in the sky to help you be a better person, you should just be a better person and stop doing stupid things.
You both are talking about 'manning the fuck up'. Oddly enough, there are some people like myself who need some motivation to do so, unfortunately. In the same way that your teachers change your life with giving you knowledge, God has done the same for me. Plus, I'd like to state that I was never looking for a reason for a greater meaning to life. I went to this retreat purely because the friend who had invited me was my best friend.
[QUOTE=goon165;28754507]Thanks for that well thought out input, it really adds to our argument and shows that we have and are openly discussing the logical and rational issues we have with credibility of Religion's teachings and are in no way mindlessly bashing it. Thank You.[/QUOTE] excuse me let me expand, religion was made by people who didnt know why things happened (rain,plants grew, ect.) or where we came from so they used the only knowledge they had to say there must be a god/gods this thought was popular it was foolproof (in their time) other people came with other thoughts of who this god/gods was and what he/they wanted jump to now most people have given up some of their religion and taken it science (moderates) but some claim their holy book in infallible when they dont have much proof to support it these people are stupid if we can educate the next generation and not indoctrinate them then yes religion could end better?
Religion is just all around bull shit. It's just something to follow for no reason.
My god has a bigger dick than your god!
[QUOTE=ColdWave;28757644]Religion is just all around bull shit. It's just something to follow for no reason.[/QUOTE] people are scared that they get 75 year then times up then nothing so they say "well my god will reward me for being faithful to him" when the chip are down i believe none of them believe any of it
Yay.
[QUOTE=Devfrost;28757615]You both are talking about 'manning the fuck up'. Oddly enough, there are some people like myself who need some motivation to do so, unfortunately. In the same way that your teachers change your life with giving you knowledge, God has done the same for me.[/QUOTE] Except God didn't do or teach you anything, you did it yourself. you're trying to rationalize incorrectly a fairly dramatic change in yourself as divine intervention, sure you learned something along the way but "God" had nothing to do with it and saying otherwise is belittling your own accomplishments and the capabilities of the entire human race. [QUOTE=SeverePapercut;28757622]excuse me let me expand, religion was made by people who didnt know why things happened (rain,plants grew, ect.) or where we came from so they used the only knowledge they had to say there must be a god/gods this thought was popular it was foolproof (in their time) other people came with other thoughts of who this god/gods was and what he/they wanted jump to now most people have given up some of their religion and taken it science (moderates) but some claim their holy book in infallible when they dont have much proof to support it these people are stupid if we can educate the next generation and not indoctrinate them then yes religion could end better?[/QUOTE] Much.
[QUOTE=Devfrost;28757615]You both are talking about 'manning the fuck up'. Oddly enough, there are some people like myself who need some motivation to do so, unfortunately. In the same way that your teachers change your life with giving you knowledge, God has done the same for me.[/QUOTE] Here's the main thing that really kills me: the teacher is, you know, a physical being and thus can actually teach you. Then we have the "almighty omnipotent omniscient God" that supposedly takes the time to change the lives of a few random people while thousands upon thousands of children die every day due to starvation, murders, what have you. So tell me, do you REALLY think this benevolent God took the time to change you, a single life who has had it far better than any poor African child, or did you do it yourself and you just attributed it to him because everyone else was?
[QUOTE=Devfrost;28757615]You both are talking about 'manning the fuck up'. Oddly enough, there are some people like myself who need some motivation to do so, unfortunately. In the same way that your teachers change your life with giving you knowledge, God has done the same for me. Plus, I'd like to state that I was never looking for a reason for a greater meaning to life. I went to this retreat purely because the friend who had invited me was my best friend.[/QUOTE] But you were. You didn't know it, but on the inside, you were to a degree looking for a meaning and a change in life, but chose not to do it yourself. That wasn't your reason for going, but without wanting and needing a change, it wouldn't have happened.
how about we all just agree to disagree and go back to talking about stuff that's actually interesting
[img]http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/290/wfjnoij.png[/img] number of religious people in New Zealand: 1 [img]http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/3623/srthaerh5t.png[/img] number of religious people in New Zealand: 0
[QUOTE=Devfrost;28757615]You both are talking about 'manning the fuck up'. Oddly enough, there are some people like myself who need some motivation to do so, unfortunately. In the same way that your teachers change your life with giving you knowledge, God has done the same for me. Plus, I'd like to state that I was never looking for a reason for a greater meaning to life. I went to this retreat purely because the friend who had invited me was my best friend.[/QUOTE] i could put you back into reality but you will not care what i say you will only blindly believe your holy book [editline]22nd March 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=GreenLeaf;28758105][img_thumb]http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/290/wfjnoij.png[/img_thumb] number of religious people in New Zealand: 1 [img_thumb]http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/3623/srthaerh5t.png[/img_thumb] number of religious people in New Zealand: 0[/QUOTE] i kick ass for the lord
[QUOTE=Treybuchet;28757878]But you were. You didn't know it, but on the inside, you were to a degree looking for a meaning and a change in life, but chose not to do it yourself. That wasn't your reason for going, but without wanting and needing a change, it wouldn't have happened.[/QUOTE] That's completely ridiculous, how are you going to tell me what i'm looking for, and what i choose to do? I held no expectations of this retreat, I had no idea what the hell was going to happen. My best friend told me that it's fun, and that he was going too, so I decided to jump along for the ride. [QUOTE=waxrock;28757864]Here's the main thing that really kills me: the teacher is, you know, a physical being and thus can actually teach you. Then we have the "almighty omnipotent omniscient God" that supposedly takes the time to change the lives of a few random people while thousands upon thousands of children die every day due to starvation, murders, what have you. So tell me, do you REALLY think this benevolent God took the time to change you, a single life who has had it far better than any poor African child, or did you do it yourself and you just attributed it to him because everyone else was?[/QUOTE] I think you have a misconception that - this is kinda hard for me to explain - God PERSONALLY came down to me and helped me out. But that's just it, you just described Him - an omnipotent being. So yes, he did personally come to me and help me out. On top of that, do remember that God has other followers too that he works through. I know it kinda sounds like I'm one of those crazy, "fundamental" Christians but i'm trying not to sound like it. About your allusion to the thousands of deaths in Africa - Well, that's why my faith isn't as strong as the others I know. I really don't know the answer to this one, honestly. My religion is purely personal while I try to help out others in their life in the same way God has affected mine. For example, I have friends in my church that want to eventually become volunteers to help others in poor countries such as, like you said, Africa. You're right, I did change my life myself but with the help of God. Think of it in this vein - let's go back to when I was pretty much down and out of life having just gotten released from juvy. Now let's believe in this situation that, instead of my friend inviting me to a retreat, a really good friend decided to help me back up on my own feet by motivation and his presence. Through his motivation and presence, I eventually get to the position i'm in now. Can you kinda understand what i'm getting at?
Oh well. I'm not super religious, but I respect their opinion on religion.
I don't wan't religion to completely be eradicated, but I do want it to be removed enough that it doesn't stop scientific progress and removes the chance for any of these 'religious' wars.
God is a racist homophobic ignorant fuck, why would someone want to worship him? I'd rather worship Hitler then, atleast he was real.
quality poster
[QUOTE=Hobo4President;28758188]I don't wan't religion to completely be eradicated, but I do want it to be removed enough that it doesn't stop scientific progress and removes the chance for any of these 'religious' wars.[/QUOTE] religion will cause war because some will take it to the extreme no matter what
The main concept of religiousness, the forgiving and having faith and keeping up hope, it's all good and helpful but that's as far as it should go. But maybe people will lose interest, like in all things eventually
We have plenty of religious institutions here. They wouldn't disappear instantly, there would be other initiatives to take their place, but it still would be odd to have such a transition. I don't really care if it goes away aside from the fact that we'll probably have missionaries come over to try and convert this godless land. There's already Mormons running around, we don't need everyone acting like we need god.
Big surprise, religion debate.
[QUOTE=Devfrost;28758159]... Can you kinda understand what i'm getting at?[/QUOTE] I do. But like I said before, too many people die in a world run by a supposedly omnipotent omniscient benevolent god. It's probably my main reason why I would never follow God again, even if somehow His existence is proven. He's just a dick. Not sure if you're familiar with TheAmazingAtheist from youtube, but his 'The Universe Next Door' video pretty much summarizes my ideas of God, or vice versa (I can't tell). In my eyes, God does jack shit. The video: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFLFEtUunqg[/media]
Just something like this: [url]http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/03/japan_hopes_fade_for_finding_m.html[/url] is enough evidence for me that God either can't do jack shit and and cant influence this world, is a massive asshole or just doesn't exist.
[QUOTE=petieng;28758852]Just something like this: [url]http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/03/japan_hopes_fade_for_finding_m.html[/url] is enough evidence for me that God either can't do jack shit and and cant influence this world, is a massive asshole or just doesn't exist.[/QUOTE] It makes me think though. About all those times I would destroy cites in Sim City 4 and laugh as the town went to chaos.:ohdear:
my religion is nature :allears:
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.