after eons of being rather lonely in the vast, cold, emptyness of space, god (dont ask where he came from) suddenly decided to get creative. out of sheer boredom he created the universe out of nothing as if by magic, but still bored he thought he would create man to keep him company. :lol:

 

so he created adam and eve, but naughty eve broke 1 tiny rule and let the evil one (who was actually a fallen angel ) in so god being god acted nice and fair and punished everyone of her/their offspring for ever.. <_< yeah right.

 

god was so pissed off that in 'old testiment days' he didnt think twice about smiting down hundereds of people, sending plagues and pestilance and ultimately letting billions of people spend eternity in hell... a place which HE must have created, cos he created EVERYTHING.

 

i find this 'worship me or burn in hell for all eternity' not really the actions of a loving 'father', asfter all, if my kids did wrong they would be put right, not banished forever in to the fires of hell! AND i wouldnt carry the blame on to successive generations!

 

so he sent his only son .... now why he only had 1 is a mystery, after all, he is god! he came to earth to die for our sins, you see, hes paid the price for us, even though if life is pre-destined... god the father allowed to sin in us to happen. .... now lets make this quite clear.... god, the creator of everything, including hell and including the allowance of 'evil' because in the begining there was (only) god.. sent his only son to pay for the crimes we mere mortals are allowed to make (or are pre-destined to make) in a world god himself organised !!!!!!!! BONKERS! :rofl:

 

now the advent of gods only son, was such big news, that no one started to write about it for c40 years after the events! and the salient , the most important news ever for mankind can only be found on 1 line... (john 3:16) ... if mankind was to be salvaged from oblivion, wouldnt it be headline news in ALL the writings? and can you really trust the accuracy of the bible? with all its contradictions, half truths and stories? there were millions of letters, prophecies, stories, books etc but only a selected few made it into the bible...

 

now look at creation... gods work, the more we discover about the natural world, the more amazing it becomes. its so intricate, accurate, beautiful, pristine, nature is fantastic. now look at the bible.... clearly the bible and nature do NOT have the same author. the word of god, or a collection of writings by supersticious people selected from millions of such writings in order to 'prove' a point. flimsy though it is, the bible has been used to subjegate people, to control and rule ... not really what god had in mind....assuming it IS his word, and why let it get so abused?

 

i cannot understand why so many seemingly intelligent people accept this nonsense as the basis for their lives, why wars were and still are being fought over it. is mankind in general so insecure that they need the promise of 'something better' in another life? or why cant they simply accept that this is it... and one day we WILL be dead.

 

man in general has far too higher opinion of himself... as if we are really that important, we cant die can we?.... but who are 'we'?... just who are YOU?

 

you found yourself born, you were given a nationality, a sex, an identity, an education, a carnal vehicle (your body) that will not last forever ... your opinions are second hand as every thought you have has been thought before ... everything about US in totally un-unique, ephemeral, useless in the grander scheme of things. so we as individuals are just a collection of things given to us over our lives, take away everything given to us and we are.... nothing. now what use is THAT to the universe? to god? to anything?.... we are very, very insignificant.

 

depressing?.... not really, just get on and enjoy your life in a clean and decent manner, you dont need the threat of eternal damnation to keep you in line, you need a brain and the ability to chose what values are constructive and which are destructive. enjoying life isnt the property of those who think theres a god to look after them, its time mankind ditched ALL religions as they are holding back human development, keeping us in the dark ages.

Someone maybe has too much time on his hands!! :lol:

Someone maybe has too much time on his hands!! :lol:

 

for once, you are right! :lol:

 

in truth, this topic has been bubbling under for some time and as i finished my rounds early and its not pleasant outside...today was the day.

Dawkins :wub:

Religion = primitive control

 

Religion fulfils two primitive needs: the need for reassurance and an explanation for why we are here; the need for control, people were generally more receptive to rules if they thought a powerful force would strike them down for eternity.

 

Funny the bible doesn’t mention bacteria in oceanic hydrothermal vents, nor does it insinuate people are merely a transient part of the carbon cycle. 4.6 billion years divides into some well epic days and didn’t the poor trilobites and dinosaurs pray enough? :lol:

Religion = primitive control

 

Religion fulfils two primitive needs: the need for reassurance and an explanation for why we are here; the need for control, people were generally more receptive to rules if they thought a powerful force would strike them down for eternity.

 

Funny the bible doesn’t mention bacteria in oceanic hydrothermal vents, nor does it insinuate people are merely a transient part of the carbon cycle. 4.6 billion years divides into some well epic days and didn’t the poor trilobites and dinosaurs pray enough? :lol:

 

I can imagine how many people would have left drugs in case they knew there were trilobites billions of years ago. How many people would have given up on suicide in case they knew about the bacteria and dinosaur stuff... Families would have been reconstructed, people would be given new hope.

 

How could the Bible ever omit something as relevant as the trilobites?

 

Surely, one can never fill its existential whole knowing about the life in the paleozoic oceans.

 

We have been conned.

 

I bet if Mother Theresa had known about the trilobites, she wouldn´t have consider becoming a nun at first place.

I can imagine how many people would have left drugs in case they knew there were trilobites billions of years ago. How many people would have given up on suicide in case they knew about the bacteria and dinosaur stuff... Families would have been reconstructed, people would be given new hope.

 

How could the Bible ever omit something as relevant as the trilobites?

 

Surely, one can never fill its existential whole knowing about the life in the paleozoic oceans.

 

We have been conned.

 

I bet if Mother Theresa had known about the trilobites, she wouldn´t have consider becoming a nun at first place.

 

Clever, but get a bunch of vulnerable people together and convince them that trilobites created the Earth and wait for humans in the afterlife... your comment doesn't sound so crazy...

after eons of being rather lonely in the vast, cold, emptyness of space, god (dont ask where he came from) suddenly decided to get creative. out of sheer boredom he created the universe out of nothing as if by magic, but still bored he thought he would create man to keep him company. :lol:. . .

 

Great post, sarcastically but effectively narrates the history of Christianity.

 

What's remarkable to me is how Christians are able to break all the rules of science and reason simply by shrugging off all the unanswered questions as "the Mystery." Where else in life can you get away with that?

 

I think Overstaged has a valid point, though, that religion doesn't strictly lead to war and conflict... certainly is has inspired many people to do positive things. So I would be a "live and let live" except that religious people keep trying to tell me how to live MY life, that MY life is sinful and MY relationship is invalid and vulgar. That's why I deserve to have an opinion about other peoples' religions, because they INSIST on forcing me how to live my life.

I can imagine how many people would have left drugs in case they knew there were trilobites billions of years ago. How many people would have given up on suicide in case they knew about the bacteria and dinosaur stuff... Families would have been reconstructed, people would be given new hope.

 

How could the Bible ever omit something as relevant as the trilobites?

 

Surely, one can never fill its existential whole knowing about the life in the paleozoic oceans.

 

We have been conned.

 

I bet if Mother Theresa had known about the trilobites, she wouldn´t have consider becoming a nun at first place.

 

here we go again..... and what does THIS prove?.... absolutely NOTHING.

 

so people are conned into a belief system that gives them comfort... it doesnt make it real!

 

your post is nonsene.

I can imagine how many people would have left drugs in case they knew there were trilobites billions of years ago. How many people would have given up on suicide in case they knew about the bacteria and dinosaur stuff... Families would have been reconstructed, people would be given new hope.

 

How could the Bible ever omit something as relevant as the trilobites?

 

Surely, one can never fill its existential whole knowing about the life in the paleozoic oceans.

 

We have been conned.

 

I bet if Mother Theresa had known about the trilobites, she wouldn´t have consider becoming a nun at first place.

 

see what really gets me, and where you are so totally blinkered, is that you attribute ALL good acts down to religion... i bet theres more people kicking drugs through non religious reasons then for religious reasons... same with suicide cases.

 

the bible is FULL of totally irrelevant nonsense, ever read genesis? :lol:

 

.... if theresa wasnt a nun, she could have enjoyed her life to the full instead of sacrificing it... but in saying that, i do have huge respect for her devotion to the poor and needy... but then again theres hundereds of other 'good' people working to help the less fortunate who have NO religious convictions...

 

but even so.... so what if people like mother theresa gave her life to helping others from a religious conviction? so what if she used religion as a tool to endorse her actions?... IT DOESNT MAKE RELIGION FACT, it isnt proof positive of god, jesus or whoever.

I'd like to interject something here, then shut my pie hole.....it is an historical fact, that, there was someone called Jesus, who was crucified by the Romans,....whether or not you believe he was the son of God, or not, is besided the point, but, it is recorded history that such an event did take place....

 

I do follow a religion, but, I also am of the opinion that the world is 4.6 billion years old, and, things did progress from a primordial soup....with the aid of a 'higher power'.....to think that the Earth, and universe, for that fact, are only about 6.000 years old, id bollocks, in my opinion.....if one is to accept anything from a religion, one should consider also that there's no way to know what they length of a 'day' is, in the story of creation.....a 'day', for all we know, could be 2.5 billion years.....there's just no way to know in religion, the length of a day....which is what causes a lot of the contention, I think, with those who insist the Bible is literal....as far as I'm concerned, the Bible is mainly allegorical, to be taken for what it says at face value, not literal.....

 

I know I'm going to ruffle a few feathers for what I'm about to say next, but, so what....there is no such thing as 'the rapture'....it's a man-made contrivance, dating back to the 1830's....look at all the dates predicted to be 'the end', and, nothing.....to me, this blather of a 'rapture' it total bollocks.....

 

Here endeth my rant.....

I'd like to interject something here, then shut my pie hole.....it is an historical fact, that, there was someone called Jesus, who was crucified by the Romans,....whether or not you believe he was the son of God, or not, is besided the point, but, it is recorded history that such an event did take place....

 

that is not an historical fact... there is NO evidence that there was a bloke called jesus who was crucified.. although so many criminals were killed , another fact the bible omits, suggesting strongly that jesus's crucifiction was the only one.

 

please supply scources for this 'evidence'

 

im not saying there is no god.... because we exist in a beautifully created universe, so intricate, exact, pristine... whatever natural force allowed life to exist is what id call 'god'... but religion, all religion, tries to claim their version as 'the one true one'.. this of course is utter bollox, and i concentrate on the christian god because its the one i iknow about.

I know I'm going to ruffle a few feathers for what I'm about to say next, but, so what....there is no such thing as 'the rapture'....it's a man-made contrivance, dating back to the 1830's....look at all the dates predicted to be 'the end', and, nothing.....to me, this blather of a 'rapture' it total bollocks.....

 

Here endeth my rant.....

 

...lol.. yep a total load of rubbish. but then again those who believe in christianity nonsense will believe owt...

Great read! :D

 

I for one do not believe in a 'creator'. I also don't believe that man was created by another man, because who created him in the first place? :lol: As depressing as it is, we are nothing but an accident of an advanced specie of an ape.

You might have read this before, but I still find it quite good:

 

Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:

 

Dear Dr. Laura:

 

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

 

1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

 

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

 

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

 

4. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

 

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath.. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

 

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

 

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

 

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

 

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

 

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

 

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

 

Your devoted fan, Jim.

You know, God, Lucifer the Fallen Angel, the war in heaven, the Messiah, Revelations and all that, it all makes for an absolutely RIPPING yarn, but that's all it is, a STORY, and you certainly shouldn't base an actual society on it... And not even a particularly well structured one at that... Sorry, but I found The Preacher series of graphic novels and the current series of Supernatural VASTLY more entertaining than I ever found the sodding Bible...... :lol: :lol: And at least the creators of those stories were never so arrogant as to base a bloody religion around it..... :rolleyes:

You might have read this before, but I still find it quite good:

 

Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:

 

Dear Dr. Laura:

 

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

 

1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

 

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

 

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

 

4. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

 

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath.. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

 

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

 

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

 

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

 

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

 

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

 

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

 

Your devoted fan, Jim.

 

Absolutely brilliant RFC, :lol: :lol: and this really just goes to show the absolute stupidity of those who go around justifying their homophobia on "religious" grounds..... This is exactly the reason why I'm 100% against religious schools.... No way in HELL should the education of our children be based around such fatally flawed texts.... In University a student criticises texts, and a text as flawed as this would simply not stand up to any kind of Academic scrutiny....

that is not an historical fact... there is NO evidence that there was a bloke called jesus who was crucified.. although so many criminals were killed , another fact the bible omits, suggesting strongly that jesus's crucifiction was the only one.

 

There are Roman documents that record the crucifixion of a man called Jesus - this is actually true. I'm not presenting this as proof that he was the Son of God or whatever, but there was a guy with that name who was crucified.

 

And I do believe in "God" - I believe in a higher entity, whatever name you want to give it. But that's about as far as my beliefs go - I do believe in evolution, and not in the story of Adam and Eve, I don't know whether I believe that Jesus was the Son of God and I don't pretend to know what happens to us after we die...but I can live in hope.

 

I don't have that much of a problem with religious people telling me my life is sinful, or that my relationships are wrong - after all, it's what they believe and they're trying to help me, I see it as them wanting to help me. As long as they're willing to listen to what I have to say then I'll listen to their point of view too. But I'm not going to live my life by anyone else's rules and dictates. As long as what I'm doing doesn't hurt anyone, then if it makes me happy I don't see a problem with it.

 

The majority of Christians (I was brought up a Catholic) are now actually taught that evolution did happen - the story of creation is just that - a story. It was written to symbolise that God created us and all things, whether or not you choose to believe that is another matter :)

Edited June 11, 200916 yr by RockChick

I really can't see why people can't live and let live when it comes to personal beliefs. It's totally arrogant for any human-being to claim they KNOW for sure that there is a God, or that there isn't a God. From my personal experiences, I personally believe that there is a God, but I'm not going to insist that I'm definitely right on that, and I also know that life's too short to worry about whether God, if there is one, will approve of every single thing I do in my life.

 

A lot of what some organised religions teach does p*** me off, and so, I'm not part of any religion. I've got no problem with religious people following their own moral codes - as long as they don't try to force their morals onto everyone else. But I also don't see why many Atheists feel the need to insist they are right. Hopefully, we will one day get to the stage where everyone can respect everyone's personal beliefs.

There are Roman documents that record the crucifixion of a man called Jesus - this is actually true. I'm not presenting this as proof that he was the Son of God or whatever, but there was a guy with that name who was crucified.

 

And I do believe in "God" - I believe in a higher entity, whatever name you want to give it. But that's about as far as my beliefs go - I do believe in evolution, and not in the story of Adam and Eve, I don't know whether I believe that Jesus was the Son of God and I don't pretend to know what happens to us after we die...but I can live in hope.

 

I don't have that much of a problem with religious people telling me my life is sinful, or that my relationships are wrong - after all, it's what they believe and they're trying to help me, I see it as them wanting to help me. As long as they're willing to listen to what I have to say then I'll listen to their point of view too. But I'm not going to live my life by anyone else's rules and dictates. As long as what I'm doing doesn't hurt anyone, then if it makes me happy I don't see a problem with it.

 

The majority of Christians (I was brought up a Catholic) are now actually taught that evolution did happen - the story of creation is just that - a story. It was written to symbolise that God created us and all things, whether or not you choose to believe that is another matter :)

 

I was raised a Catholic too, I went to a Catholic primary school, and trust me, they're not trying to "help" you at all, they're trying to control you...... I'm assuming from the overall tone of that point that you're maybe a lesbian or bi....? Well, let me tell you, they have no right whasoever to even assume you somehow 'need help'.... And even if you did, what training and qualifications or even LIFE experience do they actually have that makes them even think that they can help you... If you have trouble with your relationships, dont seek out a bloody PRIEST, I mean, just what the hell would they know about relationships anyway, these buggers have taken a vow of CELIBACY ffs..... :rolleyes: There are professional relationship counsellors out there who are qualified and more often than not actually are married or in a relationship and are certainly better qualified to talk to you than some prat in a dog-collar whose not even taking part in real life.... And, the added bonus of a professional counsellor is, they wont judge you or tell you you're a naughty, sinful, bad girl and tell you to say a hundred Hail Marys and "repent your sins"....

 

Catholicism = Mind Control..... I should know....