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All Religions Are DIY
June 1, 2013 at 10:37 am
“To terrify children with the image of hell, to consider women an inferior creation—is that good for the world?”
― Christopher Hitchens
"That fear first created the gods is perhaps as true as anything so brief could be on so great a subject". - George Santayana
"If this is the best God can do, I'm not impressed". - George Carlin
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RE: All Religions Are DIY
June 1, 2013 at 9:54 pm
(This post was last modified: June 1, 2013 at 9:54 pm by Angrboda.)
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RE: All Religions Are DIY
June 2, 2013 at 9:19 am
tl;dr.
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RE: All Religions Are DIY
June 2, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Well, even the Scriptures themselves are DIY. With various missionaries preaching divergent messages in Christianity's early days, the Council of Nicea was formed in the early 4th Century to standardize the Bible once and for all. Any books that didn't fit their agenda were omitted. So is it that different that individuals will in turn pick and choose from the Bible that which only concurs with their own secular morality?
I've confronted my family with the various negative Jesus quotes, such as his commandments to hate your family and to kill all those who don't want to worship him, and of course "I bring not peace, but the sword". Their response is simply to assert that Jesus didn't really say any of that and only said the good stuff...which to me is further evidence that faith is nothing more than arbitrarily deciding that whatever you want to be true, is. So good people will only see the things like love thy neighbor and help the poor (heck, my sister donated to food banks and other charities even when she was herself unemployed, and not out of a desire for Divine brownie points), and bigots will only see the endorsement of slavery and condemnation of homosexuals and various other justifications for their hatred.
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RE: All Religions Are DIY
June 2, 2013 at 9:50 pm
(June 2, 2013 at 5:53 pm)NomenMihiNon Wrote: Well, even the Scriptures themselves are DIY. With various missionaries preaching divergent messages in Christianity's early days, the Council of Nicea was formed in the early 4th Century to standardize the Bible once and for all. Any books that didn't fit their agenda were omitted. So is it that different that individuals will in turn pick and choose from the Bible that which only concurs with their own secular morality?
I've confronted my family with the various negative Jesus quotes, such as his commandments to hate your family and to kill all those who don't want to worship him, and of course "I bring not peace, but the sword". Their response is simply to assert that Jesus didn't really say any of that and only said the good stuff...which to me is further evidence that faith is nothing more than arbitrarily deciding that whatever you want to be true, is. So good people will only see the things like love thy neighbor and help the poor (heck, my sister donated to food banks and other charities even when she was herself unemployed, and not out of a desire for Divine brownie points), and bigots will only see the endorsement of slavery and condemnation of homosexuals and various other justifications for their hatred. You're right. All the writers of both the canonical and non-canonical texts were possessed of an agenda when they wrote the scriptures. It's only human nature. And people just gloss over what isn't agreeable to them just the way you mentioned. Again, human nature. For whatever it may be worth, I've come to the conclusion that for many people the idea of a supreme being watching over us is just too comforting to them in a cold and crazy world and that they will perform whatever mental gymnastics they must in order to keep the faith. Personally I find that sad. But I also believe (maybe because it's something I need ) that humankind will evolve past such a need. Who knows? 
“To terrify children with the image of hell, to consider women an inferior creation—is that good for the world?”
― Christopher Hitchens
"That fear first created the gods is perhaps as true as anything so brief could be on so great a subject". - George Santayana
"If this is the best God can do, I'm not impressed". - George Carlin
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RE: All Religions Are DIY
June 3, 2013 at 9:55 pm
(This post was last modified: June 3, 2013 at 10:03 pm by Terr.)
"Well I take what I want and leave the rest" as an ex once said to me. DIY is mild, religion is personal.
(June 2, 2013 at 9:50 pm)Raven Wrote: I've come to the conclusion that for many people the idea of a supreme being watching over us is just too comforting to them in a cold and crazy world and that they will perform whatever mental gymnastics they must in order to keep the faith. Personally I find that sad.
Hell I did that for years myself. after religion (all of them) I clung to a deist supreme being type belief because, I wanted to believe in some form of life after death, but more than anything I wanted to blieve there was a responsible adult at the wheel.
Upon realisation of this I concluded that FAITH is nothing more than selfish greed with a cloak of mythology.
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RE: All Religions Are DIY
June 4, 2013 at 12:36 am
Hold on, you mean to tell me someone made this shit up?!
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RE: All Religions Are DIY
June 4, 2013 at 12:43 am
(June 3, 2013 at 9:55 pm)Terr Wrote: Upon realisation of this I concluded that FAITH is nothing more than selfish greed with a cloak of mythology.
Ah but what a fine cloak it is, see the manner in which the rain wicks away and the wind whips past?
lol.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: All Religions Are DIY
June 5, 2013 at 9:24 pm
(June 4, 2013 at 12:43 am)Rhythm Wrote: (June 3, 2013 at 9:55 pm)Terr Wrote: Upon realisation of this I concluded that FAITH is nothing more than selfish greed with a cloak of mythology.
Ah but what a fine cloak it is, see the manner in which the rain wicks away and the wind whips past?
lol.
Works well alright, gives one a sense of righteousness.. I just drank too much Guiness and outgrew it.
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RE: All Religions Are DIY
June 6, 2013 at 5:01 am
(June 4, 2013 at 12:43 am)Rhythm Wrote: (June 3, 2013 at 9:55 pm)Terr Wrote: Upon realisation of this I concluded that FAITH is nothing more than selfish greed with a cloak of mythology.
Ah but what a fine cloak it is, see the manner in which the rain wicks away and the wind whips past?
lol.
Except that in reality, you're still freezing cold and soaking wet while desperately trying to convince yourself that you're not...
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