My honest review of Christianity

[genkaus]

I find it particularly amusing that the caste system boils down to priests at the top, military directly beneath, tradesmen beneath that, and unskilled labor at the bottom. How very spiritual and enlightened. Couldn't imagine, other than a dispatch from the cosmos itself, how such a system might have originated.....

To be more accurate, its brains at the top (i.e. all pursuits of knowledge), warriors below them (those who protect), traders after that and unskilled labor at the bottom. You see similar themes in division of labor in Plato's philosophy as well.

That's being abandoned by hindus of late in any case. Amusingly, christians (in India) seemed to stick with the caste system (or conversely abandon it) at approximately the same rate as hindus. Talk about a crossover act.

Really? I thought missionaries in India targeted the lower castes because conversion rates were higher among them.

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Sati- burning of widows alive when the husband is to be cremated. This is because women were made only to serve the husband. And with him dead, she had no purpose anymore. OF COURSE the husband is going to die before the girl if he's 30 years older than her. Thankfully this was banned during British rule and only one case pops up every decade or so now.

I've always found the idea of blaming Hinduism for the practice of Sati to be confusing. It is a practice that grew more from financial considerations than any actual religious strictures. Sure, the religion was modified to support the practice because, as we know, people often do use religion to justify their actions - like the imperialists justifying colonialism through Christianity. That doesn't mean Christianity is to blame for colonial practices.

2) the caste system was just a "divinely ordered" way of life to keep society moving forward. Thereby keeping the ugly and poor at the bottom and the rich and white skinned people at the top.

Ugly? White-skinned? I think you are confusing the Hindu caste system with Christian slavery.

[Vivalarevolution]

I am not sure how to react to that decision, but I hope you do find a good psychiatrist soon.

Well I'm really happy with my decision and I have made new friends in church who share my beliefs. My life has been more joyful and I try to be more kind, loving, gentle, patient, self controlling, good, faithful. ( yeah fruits of the spirit. ) are you saying that all Christians are dumb, misguided, retards who have no foundation in science or logical reasoning?
Well I don't care. I know what real Christians are like and all of them are happy with their lives and feel fulfilled and wouldn't give a damn if you told them to get a psychiatrist because they clearly don't have any problem.
But me and my friends wouldn't tell anyone they have a psychological problem just for stating their views. Now if you can relate to that while telling your parents you're atheists I'm really sorry.
But real christians would never judge like that. In the few hours since I joined the forums I've been called pathetic, a looney, and now this, while I tried my best to keep it as respectful as possible

[JesusHChrist]

More importantly, why do you think hinduism is wrong?

I'll get back to you on that in a few hours

Looking forward to it.

Also if you could elaborate on why you believe the claims of Christianity are true and how you came to that conclusion would be interesting.

[Brian37]

Perhaps of Hinduism it is more appopriate to say the consequence lies in the next life rather than the afterlife. As I understand it, one does not progress up in caste in the next life without first excelling or some such thing within the caste they currently find themselves.

I particularly dislike the Hindu system because it allows believers to blame people in unfortunate circumstances for having been substandard in their last life. It's prosperity theology on steroids.

How is that any different than the God of the Abraham books?

Even though those books don't have a concept of prior lives all three of those God claims still have a character that blames your conditions on you when they set the conditions up in the first place.

The evolutionary reason these horrible concepts exist is it allows humans to be judgmental of others and give them a sense of superiority.

[genkaus]

But to give a short and concise answer, it's not that I thought hinduism was wrong. It's that I found Christianity to be more true. (My opinion)

Do you use some rational metric to determine which idea is more true or is it simply based on a gut feeling? To put it another way - if I present you with ideologies regarding different forms of government, say monarchy, oligarchy, democracy etc., how would you determined which of them is more correct and do you use the same standards when deciding between religions?

Again Genkaus, I never forced you to believe in anything. Hell I wasn't even talking with you.
You don't want to be god like- fine. When did I force you to do anything?
You will be proud to stand against god. I don't care.
My original answer was in context for orthodox Christians

That doesn't answer my question - even IF your beliefs were true, what reason would I have to live by them?

[Aoi Magi]

I am not sure how to react to that decision, but I hope you do find a good psychiatrist soon.

Well I'm really happy with my decision and I have made new friends in church who share my beliefs. My life has been more joyful and I try to be more kind, loving, gentle, patient, self controlling, good, faithful. ( yeah fruits of the spirit. ) are you saying that all Christians are dumb, misguided, retards who have no foundation in science or logical reasoning?
Well I don't care. I know what real Christians are like and all of them are happy with their lives and feel fulfilled and wouldn't give a damn if you told them to get a psychiatrist because they clearly don't have any problem.
But me and my friends wouldn't tell anyone they have a psychological problem just for stating their views. Now if you can relate to that while telling your parents you're atheists I'm really sorry.
But real christians would never judge like that. In the few hours since I joined the forums I've been called pathetic, a looney, and now this, while I tried my best to keep it as respectful as possible

lol, it is the same thing when you christians or other religious people "pray" for those who don't share your faith.

Anyway I didn't suggest the psychiatrist because you chose to follow christianity or whatever, rather because you chose to jump religion ships in the way that you did, based on such little understanding of them.




Also a small question: Did you ever think of comparing religion(any) and science and see which one is more true?

[Vivalarevolution]

I'll get back to you on that in a few hours

Looking forward to it.

Also if you could elaborate on why you believe the claims of Christianity are true and how you came to that conclusion would be interesting.

I don't really remember. First I saw the movie "prince of Egypt" and I wondered why god would kill firstborns. I searched around for answers.

Then after a few months I heard about the 10 commandments. Then I said cool! I should follow them.

Then I saw the "passion of the christ" wondered why he went through what he had to. I searched online for answers. The answers I got showed that god loved us so much that he incarnated himself as human to bear the punishment of sin for all mankind. (Hence Genkaus . . . there isn't fire and brimstone in orthodox hell)

Then after that in the past year I just read more about it, read the bible, joined religious forums, shared ideas

That's about it. It took around 2 years from start to beginning. There wasn't any turning point in my case. And I was never a serious hindu ever, so I didn't really exclaim that hinduism was wrong. I couldn't have cared less

[Aoi Magi]

Looking forward to it.

Also if you could elaborate on why you believe the claims of Christianity are true and how you came to that conclusion would be interesting.

I don't really remember. First I saw the movie "prince of Egypt" and I wondered why god would kill firstborns. I searched around for answers.

Then after a few months I heard about the 10 commandments. Then I said cool! I should follow them.

Then I saw the "passion of the christ" wondered why he went through what he had to. I searched online for answers. The answers I got showed that god loved us so much that he incarnated himself as human to bear the punishment of sin for all mankind. (Hence Genkaus . . . there isn't fire and brimstone in orthodox hell)

Then after that in the past year I just read more about it, read the bible, joined religious forums, shared ideas

That's about it. It took around 2 years from start to beginning. There wasn't any turning point in my case. And I was never a serious hindu ever, so I didn't really exclaim that hinduism was wrong. I couldn't have cared less

I see, yes agree there is a lack of hindu movies in hollywood, I wonder why?

By the way:
- Did you somehow fall asleep during the "Prince of egypt"? or else how did it take you a few months to find out about the commandments?
- Did you ever find out about the original commandments, that ones on the tablet that moses broke?
- I would also like to know why the all knowing omnipresent being would need sheep-blood markers or otherwise lovingly mass-murder innocent babies. care to enlighten me on your findings?
- Why would you agree to have a scapegoat pay for your crimes? How is that moral?

PS: Did you ever compare science and religion to check which is more true?

[Vivalarevolution]

Well I'm really happy with my decision and I have made new friends in church who share my beliefs. My life has been more joyful and I try to be more kind, loving, gentle, patient, self controlling, good, faithful. ( yeah fruits of the spirit. ) are you saying that all Christians are dumb, misguided, retards who have no foundation in science or logical reasoning?
Well I don't care. I know what real Christians are like and all of them are happy with their lives and feel fulfilled and wouldn't give a damn if you told them to get a psychiatrist because they clearly don't have any problem.
But me and my friends wouldn't tell anyone they have a psychological problem just for stating their views. Now if you can relate to that while telling your parents you're atheists I'm really sorry.
But real christians would never judge like that. In the few hours since I joined the forums I've been called pathetic, a looney, and now this, while I tried my best to keep it as respectful as possible

lol, it is the same thing when you christians or other religious people "pray" for those who don't share your faith.

Anyway I didn't suggest the psychiatrist because you chose to follow christianity or whatever, rather because you chose to jump religion ships in the way that you did, based on such little understanding of them.




Also a small question: Did you ever think of comparing religion(any) and science and see which one is more true?

I have full understanding of Christian doctrines. I appreciate your "concern" but no thanks.
Also I never prayed for you nor any atheist.

I also don't think only religion and science are incompatible . I always believed in a god. I was intrigued by why the world came to be the way it was.
1)At enough distance from the sun to be a good temperature,
2) full of molecules made up of exactly 2 oxygen and 1 hydrogen atom which housed the first organisms and continues to be a vital part of our lives,
3)a perfect composition of nitrogen, oxygen and CO2 to be breathable and sustaining of plant and animal ecosystems,
4) carbon forming in different structures to form different materials and also the human body.

These factors originally gave birth to life. The big bang theory needed to have a cause. The formation of life on earth ( and possibly other planets) seems too complex and magnificent to be an accident. I believe it took a mighty lot of planning

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And yeah. As far as I remember, at the end of prince of Egypt, he just holds the 2 tablets up. He doesn't explain them.

Also, if you call jesus' sacrifice scapegoating
; nothing I say is going to matter. The argument ends right there

[Aoi Magi]

I also don't think only religion and science are incompatible . I always believed in a god. I was intrigued by why the world came to be the way it was.
1)At enough distance from the sun to be a good temperature,
2) full of molecules made up of exactly 2 oxygen and 1 hydrogen atom which housed the first organisms and continues to be a vital part of our lives,
3)a perfect composition of nitrogen, oxygen and CO2 to be breathable and sustaining of plant and animal ecosystems,
4) carbon forming in different structures to form different materials and also the human body.

These factors originally gave birth to life. The big bang theory needed to have a cause. The formation of life on earth ( and possibly other planets) seems too complex and magnificent to be an accident. I believe it took a mighty lot of planning

Your deciding factor is which is MORE TRUE, right? how many facts did the bible get right compared to science?

Also a puddle fits the hole perfectly right? so someone must have planned the puddle in advance, right?

For all your questions, did you ever bother to check for any alternative explanations or questions?
Like why there are billions of other planets in the universe which are also at a perfect distance from the sun?
Why is water molecules not at all uncommon in other planets?
Why didn't the earth start off with that breathable environment rather it got to this stage, capable of sustaining life, after a long period of climatic changes?
Why does the human body comprise of carbon, iron and other stuff found on this planet as well as nearby planets and space?