I used to be religious and I always considered it very logical -- until I got involved with Mormons in Utah.. I found that I could not really reason with religious people -- too much of their arguments seemed to center around things going only within their heads.
They "knew" things... They were being led by a voice in their heads... They trusted their "feelings", and the "feelings" of other important people within their group... They justified certain "sins" (Breaking promises, commitments, marriages) on the basis of thoughts and feelings.
The Catholics (I was raised Catholic) argue that divorce is wrong because Jesus preached that divorce and remarriage is adultery (Mark Chap. 10). But they also argue that Jesus was only referring to a "valid" Catholic marriage. And they argue that a marriage is not "valid" if the person taking the vows had doubts in their head when they were taking the vows. Or actually was lying when they took the vow -- "Till death does us part". So they argue that based upon what was actually going on within the head of the people taking the vows -- a marriage either existed, or NEVER existed. Therefore if you were never married than you could have never been divorced -- so you did not break any commitment and you did not "sin"... regardless of how many kids you had or how long the "marriage" lasted.
The Christians that I was involved with in College argued that the "Holy Spirit" psychically guides the life of Christians. Therefore they live "Spirit led" lives. Their feelings are actually directions that they are getting from God! They pray -- and then God "answers" their prayers! With feelings and hunches..
When I was in Utah I got into an argument with a guy at work about the Mormon religion (The Mormons liked to talk religion at work..). He argued that if the Mormon religion was not "true" then "...I might as well kill my wife, and kill my kids, and burn down my house!!!!!" It took me a while to figure out what he was trying to argue. He was trying to argue that his wife, his kids, his house -- were all things that he had gotten BECAUSE of his Mormon religion. And if he were to throw away the religion then he might as well just throw away all of the good things that he had gotten because of it. It was like his magic bracelet. Since buying the magic bracelet all sorts of good things had happened in his life. And if he were to stop wearing that bracelet than he would risk losing the good things that he had gotten because of it. And he would risk not getting good things in the future. The Mormons "defend" their religion as being "true" with monthly "Testimonies" given at church.
They "knew" things... They were being led by a voice in their heads... They trusted their "feelings", and the "feelings" of other important people within their group... They justified certain "sins" (Breaking promises, commitments, marriages) on the basis of thoughts and feelings.
The Catholics (I was raised Catholic) argue that divorce is wrong because Jesus preached that divorce and remarriage is adultery (Mark Chap. 10). But they also argue that Jesus was only referring to a "valid" Catholic marriage. And they argue that a marriage is not "valid" if the person taking the vows had doubts in their head when they were taking the vows. Or actually was lying when they took the vow -- "Till death does us part". So they argue that based upon what was actually going on within the head of the people taking the vows -- a marriage either existed, or NEVER existed. Therefore if you were never married than you could have never been divorced -- so you did not break any commitment and you did not "sin"... regardless of how many kids you had or how long the "marriage" lasted.
The Christians that I was involved with in College argued that the "Holy Spirit" psychically guides the life of Christians. Therefore they live "Spirit led" lives. Their feelings are actually directions that they are getting from God! They pray -- and then God "answers" their prayers! With feelings and hunches..
When I was in Utah I got into an argument with a guy at work about the Mormon religion (The Mormons liked to talk religion at work..). He argued that if the Mormon religion was not "true" then "...I might as well kill my wife, and kill my kids, and burn down my house!!!!!" It took me a while to figure out what he was trying to argue. He was trying to argue that his wife, his kids, his house -- were all things that he had gotten BECAUSE of his Mormon religion. And if he were to throw away the religion then he might as well just throw away all of the good things that he had gotten because of it. It was like his magic bracelet. Since buying the magic bracelet all sorts of good things had happened in his life. And if he were to stop wearing that bracelet than he would risk losing the good things that he had gotten because of it. And he would risk not getting good things in the future. The Mormons "defend" their religion as being "true" with monthly "Testimonies" given at church.
