RELIGION IS STUPID, STUPID, STUPID...

Religion is like everything in life, there's good stuff and bad stuff about it.

On the positive side, it gives people hope that there's a better world than this one, one in which everyone is equal.

On the negative side, it convinces some people that in order to get there, they need to blow themselves up and take a few thousand with them.

I look at it this way: Jesus was a good guy in the history of the world, it's his disciples that have mucked up everything. Wars have been fought over what Christ said and how he said it and what he meant, and the same can be said of each prophet at the head of a major religion.

But the bunny-thrashing is hilarious. I happened to be flipping by the religious channel last night, and the screwball lady on there was blaming the whole "Christmas not about Christ" on....Satan. Yes, Satan is responsible for leading the world away from the real meaning of Christmas. The Church Lady on SNL was right all along.

I hate religion. Some people are weak and need it, but they really could get support from other things that don't involve mysticism. If there was one thing I could destroy in the world, it would be all religion. No more of this foreign policy based on "My invisible friend can beat up your invisible friend."

I hate religion as well, that is until I start a cult with people worshipping me. Anyone want to become a Tristanite? The only requirement to becoming a Tristanite is that you mail me a tithe, in cash please.

penguin bashing, fair enough, but BUNNY bashing ?!?

I was raised a catholic, and rejected religion some time ago. As a middle class reader, and generally a “follower”(were you to put it in those terms) of Chomsky, Debord, et al, (basically a libertarian) my analysis of religion is pretty straightforward. I went to a religious school, and didn’t really “get” the ethos of the priests. The reasoning is long, but I found them all really good people although I don’t agree, or believe in what they believe in.

It’s a really tricky one, religion. To say that anyone religious is a moron or “weak” is totally wrong in my opinion. The institutions of church, etc (especially here in holy catholic Ireland) are at best a pain in the ass, at worst utterly despicable. You must also be aware that religion rares its head all over the place. People talk these days of “believing” a lot. Tony Blair must “believe” in at least 20 new things a day. Lots of people believe in things other than a vengeful supernatural entity. I am friendly with lots of Trotskyites , and am appalled at how they will wilfully throw away any semblance of rationality when approaching a social issue, just to follow a doctrine.

There’s only one thing worse than old religion, and that’s new religion. On a sliding scale from scented candles, to people like us “following” a band (sometimes it seems regardless of current output!) company policy statements (Jerry Maguire), to neo boho Buddhists, this shit really seems to be taking over. Apparently, new “trendy” priests and parishes are springing up all over Britain (I guess this is mainly the south). Same old religion, just dressed up in new cloths. My favourite bit of 24hpp “don’t talk to me about bad energy, that is 21st century hokum masquerading as spirituality ”

It’s the belief that I don’t get. I need rationality, but don’t we all want to believe there is something out there? I sure as fuck do. Especially some “what is all this” sleepless nights. Anyone who denies that is talking shite!

The churches, the priests and clerics have always thrived amongst the most ignorant sections of society, and least educated sections of the world (clerics in Iraq, Missionaries in africa). That is a fact that every religious person must acknowledge , and all religious persons must question, why?

As for the social impact of religion, well im not going to copy and paste a Marxist analysis, but it is something me and old Karl agree on. Sugar Candy Mountain.

Each to their own, and if it doesn’t result in you making some draconian law or blowing me up on a bus, or justifying your job in the army, then OK.

I belive in god,went to a catholic school,yet i dont go to church & i dont pray. I think everyone has religion in their own way. I just dont like it when people knock on my door and try to convert me. Each to their own i say.

Not a fan of the old worshipping myself either. I think Barney sums it up quite well in Sunrise

I was brought up a catholic, although not a hardcore one. When i got to university the family over there tried to brainwash me effectively and i just rejected it.

Is it just me or is organised religion one great big scam? No offence to anyone, but who is a priest, vicar, mullah (?) etc etc to get up on stage every sunday and tell me how to live my life. To say what i am doing is wrong and this is what i should be doing? Seems a bit ridiculous to me. Especially when you consider he is probably as corrupt as you or me.

Strange to hear clockwork describe himself as a libertarian

amen to that

Originally posted by The Ghost of Julio Moura > Originally posted by His Holiness, The Pope> I hate religion. Some people are weak and need it, but they really could get support from other things that don't involve mysticism. If there was one thing I could destroy in the world, it would be all religion. No more of this foreign policy based on "My invisible friend can beat up your invisible friend."

I couldn't agree more.

And I think it's funny coming from someone named "Church".

Though the avatar and nick couldn't lead to that!

In many ways, I'm still stuck in the mindset of Southern Baptism. I worry sometimes that maybe, just maybe, no matter what amount of good I do in the world will lead me to the pearly gates so long as I never proceeded to get dunked underwater for a few seconds. One time during Easter festivities, I surreptitiously took one of the "bread" crumbs and some grape juice and ate it, and I had an upset stomach the rest of the day. Granted, the bread stuff could've been tainted or something, but that's just something I remember

I look at it this way: there are some genuinely decent people who happen to believe some of the claptrap that passes for any religious doctrine, it's just that when they get together all in a group (which crushes individual interpretations for a more cohesive but less diverse dogma) anyone who doesn't agree with the way they believe, in the exact measure, is somehow "doomed" to Purgatory.

I do believe there is a God, that there is a Heaven, basically because of people like my great-grandmother who had so much faith. It would be cruel if a woman so committed to her beliefs didn't get the reward that belief promises on the other side.

Now whether or not my belief that there is a God is supposed to lead me to "witness" or what not, I chose not to. Why? Because so much pain has been wrought in the world over differing beliefs and inability to come to an understanding, I just don't think I need to have to tell anyone what I believe.

Whether or not you believe in a god of some sort, you have every right to believe or not. It's called free will. As for evil, there obviously is something of an evil presence in the world, but it's not sex on TV or Howard Stern or anti-Bush ranters and ravers. It's simple cruelty to our fellow man. And it's not a certainty, it's more of a choice. Either you can seek to do good, or you can seek to pull a Hitler. There's nothing "satanic" about that.

After Sept. 11, I am wary of any form of religious fundamentalism. Be it Christian or Muslim, all extremists are dangerous to the safety of the world. The only thing that seperates Pat Robertson from Osama Bin Laden is that Robertson wishes he'd thought of it first.

Anyway, that's just what I believe, I could be wrong...

I couldn't have put that any better if I'd sat here typing for a week.

I do believe there is a God, that there is a Heaven, basically because of people like my great-grandmother who had so much faith. It would be cruel if a woman so committed to her beliefs didn't get the reward that belief promises on the other side.

The above quote really struck a chord, because of my great-grandmother also, and because of my grandfather. 2 more people devoted to their religion you'd be hard pushed to find, not to mention 2 more gentle and kind people. While I was brought up a Catholic and taught in a Catholic school, practising the faith in the "normal" way is not my thing. But I like to believe that these people have gone to a better life and that they're still there for me as they were when they were alive.

Originally posted by Taboo # 7 After Sept. 11, I am wary of any form of religious fundamentalism. Be it Christian or Muslim, all extremists are dangerous to the safety of the world. The only thing that seperates Pat Robertson from Osama Bin Laden is that Robertson wishes he'd thought of it first.

Anyway, that's just what I believe, I could be wrong...

That's just preposterous! Really, Taboo....

He'd much rather crash a plane into San Francisco.

Originally posted by Uncle Liam Strange to hear clockwork describe himself as a libertarian

why?

Originally posted by bLuE oRdEr > Originally posted by Taboo # 7> > > After Sept. 11, I am wary of any form of religious fundamentalism. Be it Christian or Muslim, all extremists are dangerous to the safety of the world. The only thing that seperates Pat Robertson from Osama Bin Laden is that Robertson wishes he'd thought of it first.

Anyway, that's just what I believe, I could be wrong...

That's just preposterous! Really, Taboo....

He'd much rather crash a plane into San Francisco.

How true, how true!

Makes you wonder, all these "Christians" (I put in quotes just because they aren't very Christ-like) worrying about gay marriage...maybe they harbor fantasies of being assaulted by the Village People or something :sex: