False equivalency

[Joods]

I'm a "religion person", does that mean yall think I'm a con man?

I think, from what I know of you strictly on these boards, that you are a very nice lady who has a right to her beliefs. You have never knowingly pushed your beliefs onto me personally. I think you have a passionate love for the one you consider your creator. 

Do I think you are a con man? No, I do not.

[Ivershu]

I think that part of the problem is that the way religion is sold to us is often the sameway that conmen sell things to us.

"Are you lacking X in your life? Do you have a problem Z? Do you wish you had something to fix that, and give you the easy of mind you have always wanted? Well this is Y, and it will solve all your problems of X and Z."

In the eyes of a non believer, X and Z could be the ability to clean timely and a problem with doing it effectively as well, and Y some easy clean product, just as easily as they could be filled with purpose in life, feeling like you don't belong, and whatever religion is being pushed. It's often how door to door salesmen of both products and religions frame their respective thing so it becomes easy to equate the two even if there is some nuances in the connotations of the words being used.

[Natachan]

I think of it more like a pyramid scheme. The guy at the top might know it's crap, but those lower down honestly think they have something worthwhile.

[Minimalist]

So what distinguishes a preacher from a conman is that a conman isn't dumb enough to fall for his own trick.

Precisely.  The conman knows he's a fraud, the preacher has to have it pointed out to him.

Boru

Deep within the heart of every evangelist lies the wreck of a car salesman.
— H L Mencken

[Catholic_Lady]

Thank you for the kind words, Judi.

So see? There is no equivalence.

[Minimalist]

Do you really think a talking snake got a woman to bite the wrong apple and that's what fucked up the world, C/L?

[Joods]

@ CL: Not in all instances, but if you look at the example I gave a few posts up, you'll see that there are always exceptions to that rule. For the most part, many religious folks live within their means, are kind and do what they can. Then you have those who are extravagant - think televangelists like Joel Osteen. Living in a mega-mansion while touting you are a child of god is a contradiction of terms. If one wishes to abide by the bible they choose to follow, they have to follow ALL of its teachings, not just the ones they like.

[Catholic_Lady]

Do you really think a talking snake got a woman to bite the wrong apple and that's what fucked up the world, C/L?

Nope. Many of us don't.

[Minimalist]

Do you really think a talking snake got a woman to bite the wrong apple and that's what fucked up the world, C/L?

Nope. Many of us don't.

Then, you aren't a very good catholic.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/ar...s2c1p7.htm

With the progress of Revelation, the reality of sin is also illuminated. Although to some extent the People of God in the Old Testament had tried to understand the pathos of the human condition in the light of the history of the fall narrated in Genesis, they could not grasp this story's ultimate meaning, which is revealed only in the light of the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.261 We must know Christ as the source of grace in order to know Adam as the source of sin. The Spirit-Paraclete, sent by the risen Christ, came to "convict the world concerning sin",262 by revealing him who is its Redeemer.

389 The doctrine of original sin is, so to speak, the "reverse side" of the Good News that Jesus is the Savior of all men, that all need salvation and that salvation is offered to all through Christ. The Church, which has the mind of Christ,263 knows very well that we cannot tamper with the revelation of original sin without undermining the mystery of Christ.

How to read the account of the fall

390 The account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language, but affirms a primeval event, a deed that took place at the beginning of the history of man.264 Revelation gives us the certainty of faith that the whole of human history is marked by the original fault freely committed by our first parents.265

Don't worry, though.  They won't throw you out.  They need the money.

[Catholic_Lady]

Nope. Many of us don't.

Then, you aren't a very good catholic.

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/ar...s2c1p7.htm

With the progress of Revelation, the reality of sin is also illuminated. Although to some extent the People of God in the Old Testament had tried to understand the pathos of the human condition in the light of the history of the fall narrated in Genesis, they could not grasp this story's ultimate meaning, which is revealed only in the light of the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.261 We must know Christ as the source of grace in order to know Adam as the source of sin. The Spirit-Paraclete, sent by the risen Christ, came to "convict the world concerning sin",262 by revealing him who is its Redeemer.

389 The doctrine of original sin is, so to speak, the "reverse side" of the Good News that Jesus is the Savior of all men, that all need salvation and that salvation is offered to all through Christ. The Church, which has the mind of Christ,263 knows very well that we cannot tamper with the revelation of original sin without undermining the mystery of Christ.

How to read the account of the fall

390 The account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language, but affirms a primeval event, a deed that took place at the beginning of the history of man.264 Revelation gives us the certainty of faith that the whole of human history is marked by the original fault freely committed by our first parents.265

Don't worry, though.  They won't throw you out.  They need the money.

The very thing you highlighted says it is figurative language, Min.