RE: Extremism- my own!
December 7, 2011 at 10:42 pm
(This post was last modified: December 7, 2011 at 10:57 pm by happyinfidel.)
(December 7, 2011 at 1:37 pm)thesummerqueen Wrote: [quote='happyinfidel' pid='213267' dateline='1323241025']
I like the red wine suggestion; not so much therapy- you need that more than I; Humanistic Jew seems an oxymoron, please enlighten me- no insult intended.
How do you deal with the bible's contradictions, cruelty, misogyny, paternalism, absurdities, etc, etc? Or should that be the Torah? (excuse my ignorance, raised a protestant). One of my favourite stories is the Gadarene swine; as Dawkins said, why did this loving god deprive an innocent Jewish farmer of his livelihood? Hilarious, isn't it?
It has been estimated (from bible study) that this same god murdered, or ordered murdered, some 2.4 million of his people.
Nice one, god! How sad that well educated people insist this drivel is factual.
I don't "deal" with them.
It's only as oxymoronic as having been raised in a religion/people with a long history and cultural heritage, but not believing any of it came about because of God.
The Torah, and the New Testament of course, is a collection of Aesop fables. Opening my Tanakh is like opening Bullfinch's mythology (though a good deal more boring in a lot of cases).
Also, I was being sarcastic about the therapy. I need a warning label.
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So you are Jewish in the non-religious sense (Israeli heritage)? I don't understand these distinctions and besides, don't single out any particular religion (except Islam!) for criticism.
Actually, you were correct but my therapist
agrees that my attitude is normal and healthy! Maybe he also has anger issues!! Good to know you have rejected what must have been a very intense set of beliefs entwined with strong cultural values- must have been tricky to separate them...
(December 7, 2011 at 5:48 pm)Rhizomorph13 Wrote: [quote='happyinfidel' pid='213267' dateline='1323241025']
What is sky cake?
It is a humorous way to refer to religion.
(December 7, 2011 at 2:57 am)happyinfidel Wrote: Look, 'hate', 'poison', 'cancer' are your misunderstanding of my position. Religion is contemptible to educated people, I stand by that for the reasons stated;...
Sorry, I misstated your position, but only because extreme positions are more fun. Also, the title of the post says your extremism so I read your post as if you were raging and hating on religion.
(December 7, 2011 at 2:57 am)happyinfidel Wrote: ...no way (in these enlightened times) is it a genuine attempt to understand anything;...
This is not true; most religious people are sincere and their adherance to religion is their best effort to make sense of this world we live in. What you are saying is atheist equivalent of when someone says to me, "You can't REALLY be an atheist! There MUST be a God."
(December 7, 2011 at 2:57 am)happyinfidel Wrote: ...rather it is brainwashing & mass mind control for power and profit.
This is also false. You see, most of the clergy really believe they are doing a good thing.
(December 7, 2011 at 2:57 am)happyinfidel Wrote: Where there is EVIDENCE to support peoples' views I have no problem; show me that evidence!
I don't hate people for believing absurdities, just baffled as to HOW they convince themselves and WHY they have the need; the only answer I can find is they allow others to manipulate them through fear and superstition, usually implanted in childhood.
Sadly I admit it is utterly pointless debating religious freaks since they must refute science, evidence and logic in order to cling to their 'beliefs'.
Nice to talk, have a good day
Most of what you say here is great. I think there is a point to debating even the "freaks" of religion. Maybe YOU are the only one that will take the time to explain your ideas to them. I would say that it is certainly pointless to have those discussions unless you can keep your cool during them.
Exactly right, most R people and clergy DO believe in their actions and indeed much good is done by the church. However they interpret this as motivated by their religion but I contend that they would be motivated to goodness without religion, that being their nature.
'Making sense of the world'? As I said, understandable in primitive society but not where it is easy to inform oneself about the scientific method and particularly advances in evolutionary knowledge and genetics.
As for the brainwashing comment, look at the TV footage of poor kids in madrassas chanting verses of the koran while rocking like mental inmates- surely there is no other word for it??? (Gotta 'fes up here- islam I find especially repugnant.)
I was not able to open your Sky Cake video at first but did so later; highly amusing snd to the point- thanks!
