What all religion are really saying is..

[ProScribe]

We believe in nothing.

Not quite.

Religion (your beliefs) gives meaning and purpose in life.

 

[xDenax]

Anyone who does not agree with you is irritating, a bore is someone who does not share your point of view.

No, not at all. But it seems to me you are being contrary and starting juvenile threads just to get attention. This is not a topic. This does not warrant an entire thread. It's not even logical.

 

[nicknack28]

I'm still not sure what the thread's objective is. All I know is that I almost feel like I need to apologize for something, as if I'm guilty by association or something along those lines...

Disagree with religion all you want but let the religious say what they believe.

 

[dingdong]

Not quite.

Religion (your beliefs) gives meaning and purpose in life.

Let us all be honest for once, your religion is NOT your religion it was passed on to you by someone else and it could have been any religion, your religion, as do all religions consists of nothing but words, at least with an idol you had something to focus your mind on, silly me I'm forgetting the idol you do have, Jesus on the cross, could that be classed as an idol?
Hundreds of years ago they painted the walls of churches with the good and the bad things about the Bible to show the people what they should fear or love, but mainly it was the 'wages of sin' they liked to push, they knew that fear concentrates the mind, as a lot of Christians already know.

 

[dingdong]

I'm still not sure what the thread's objective is. All I know is that I almost feel like I need to apologize for something, as if I'm guilty by association or something along those lines...

The threads objective is to try and get religious people to see that there is nothing in their religion, nothing but words.
They already know this I just thought I would remind them.

Disagree with religion all you want but let the religious say what they believe.

Some Christians push their religion as if it were a fact not a belief some even say that if a person has another belief they are doomed because they have been given (notice I didn't write 'chosen') the wrong religion.

 

[Gardenia]

No, not at all. But it seems to me you are being contrary and starting juvenile threads just to get attention. This is not a topic. This does not warrant an entire thread. It's not even logical.

Oh you with your ~logic~ that doesn't belong here.

 

[nicknack28]

The threads objective is to try and get religious people to see that there is nothing in their religion, nothing but words.
They already know this I just thought I would remind them.


Some Christians push their religion as if it were a fact not a belief some even say that if a person has another belief they are doomed because they have been given (notice I didn't write 'chosen') the wrong religion.

The second part is true. I would take issue with them entirely in such a situation, only I'd only do so in response to such a statement, I suppose, instead of doing so preemptively. After all, it always looks better to be the one perpetually on the defense. I would take no issue with an extremely articulate and aggressive defense, however.

Those that actually consider religious beliefs to be fact and that all non-believers are going to a literal Hell for not believing exactly what they do are really only the fundamentalists, and we don't seem to get many of those on here. That doesn't mean I think resident believers are any more correct, though, I just think they're more liberal.

 

[Eudaimonist]

The point I am trying to make is that there is nothing there so religious people believe in nothing,
please feel free to prove me wrong at any time.

That's just a word game. There is a big difference between saying something untrue of reality and saying nothing at all. Theistic belief has content. It might not have a referent in reality, but it is certainly a form of information.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[dingdong]

That's just a word game. There is a big difference between saying something untrue of reality and saying nothing at all. Theistic belief has content. It might not have a referent in reality, but it is certainly a form of information.

Do you mean a form of information you could get from 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Star Wars'?

As you say religions are stories that have no referent in reality, they all tell a story the contents of which could be made to mean whatever a person would like them to mean, the word ambiguous springs to mind.

However I don't think people are really concerned about the validity or truthfulness of their religion because there is only one thing that concerns a believer (of any religion) and that is, can it deliver what it promises?
if they believe in the religion will they get the reward of everlasting life? some Muslims are so sure that they will they are happy to kill themselves for their belief, that is what true indoctrination can achieve and religion is all about,
total unwavering dedication, and all for nothing, anything else is just wishful thinking.

 

[Eudaimonist]

Do you mean a form of information you could get from 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Star Wars'?

Yes.

As you say religions are stories that have no referent in reality, they all tell a story the contents of which could be made to mean whatever a person would like them to mean, the word ambiguous springs to mind.

Ambiguous? Did you mean arbitrary?

There's nothing necessarily arbitrary about it. Perhaps religions have sprung, at least in part, from mystical experiences. There is nothing arbitrary about the experiences themselves, even if they are misinterpreted to indicate the existence of divine beings.

However I don't think people are really concerned about the validity or truthfulness of their religion because there is only one thing that concerns a believer (of any religion) and that is, can it deliver what it promises?

This has never been my impression of theists. While theists may value the results of religious devotion, I think they are (usually) very interested in knowing reality for what it is. Some are absolutely convinced that God exists in reality.

religion is all about, total unwavering dedication, and all for nothing.

All for nothing? No... not necessarily. You might be right regarding afterlives, but theists often credit their religion with improving their current lives. For example, some believe that God has helped them to kick an addiction to drugs or alcohol, or to become kinder and more loving people than they were before. That's certainly not "nothing".


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[dingdong]

Ambiguous? Did you mean arbitrary?

Perhaps I should have written Ambiguity.

All for nothing? No... not necessarily. You might be right regarding afterlives, but theists often credit their religion with improving their current lives. For example, some believe that God has helped them to kick an addiction to drugs or alcohol, or to become kinder and more loving people than they were before. That's certainly not "nothing".

Are you not talking about a 'need' to believe rather than a belief because they do believe? could they not use Origami or drugs to help them kick a habit? why turn to a mythical supernatural source? for those people their problem is all in the mind anyway if they can change because of what they believe is true rather than what is in fact true.

Religion I suppose is only a mental exercise.

 

[Wicked Willow]

We believe in nothing.

How did you jump to that ridiculous conclusion, dingdong?

 

[dingdong]

How did you jump to that ridiculous conclusion, dingdong?

It's just a feeling I have.

 

[Wicked Willow]

It's just a feeling I have.

A... feeling.

So, do you usually base broadbrushing and rather condemnatory statements on your... feelings?

 

[dingdong]

A... feeling.

So, do you usually base broadbrushing and rather condemnatory statements on your... feelings?

No more than religious people.

 

[Eudaimonist]

Are you not talking about a 'need' to believe rather than a belief because they do believe?

No, I mean that they attribute the change in their lives to divine powers. I'm not suggesting that they insincerely "believe" in divine powers just to break some bad habit.

could they not use Origami or drugs to help them kick a habit?

Could they not use religion to do so? Why not?

why turn to a mythical supernatural source?

You are the one who sees God as mythical. They don't.

for those people their problem is all in the mind anyway if they can change because of what they believe is true rather than what is in fact true.

Bad habits are of course "in the mind". Where else would they be?

Religion I suppose is only a mental exercise.

What in our lives isn't? However, religion can be a sincere mental exercise.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Wicked Willow]

No more than religious people.

And what exactly do you try to achieve with your run-of-the-mill, apropos of nothing rants, condemning "religion"? It's not as if your... feelings seem to invite an awful lot of sensible debate.

 

[Eudaimonist]

No more than religious people.

Shouldn't you be setting a higher standard?


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[sidhe]

Perhaps I should have written Ambiguity.

Are you not talking about a 'need' to believe rather than a belief because they do believe? could they not use Origami or drugs to help them kick a habit? why turn to a mythical supernatural source? for those people their problem is all in the mind anyway if they can change because of what they believe is true rather than what is in fact true.

Religion I suppose is only a mental exercise.

I'm wondering what you understand "religion" to be. Could you clarify your definition?

 

[dingdong]

And what exactly do you try to achieve with your run-of-the-mill, apropos of nothing rants, condemning "religion"? It's not as if your... feelings seem to invite an awful lot of sensible debate.

Sensible debate?? there is a God, where? all around us God is everywhere, how do you know? I can feel my God is with me I talk to my God and my God listens and my God answers my prayers.
Thank you for the sensible debate we just had (I'm glad you didn't rant) it was most revealing.