Which religious group?

[jamespowers]

Now, J, BDSM really is off topic . . . You've been warned before

bk

BDSM?! Never heard of it but by the context----I don't want to know. :eusa_doh:

Regards,

J

 

[jamespowers]

Yeah, but the topic was kinda boring. Liven it up a little!

Like: The atheist/agnostic/none crowd are in the lead. Go team! I don't know if anyone else is as shocked as i am.

bk

I am not sure how you judge who is in the lead or if it even matters but in that vein, a 70% / 30% split doesn't look like the lead you are talking about.

Regards,

J

 

[TaxMan1]

Shocked, saddened, not surprised........

 

[Baron Kurtz]

BDSM?! Never heard of it but by the context----I don't want to know. :eusa_doh:

Regards,

J

Well, close your eyes: Bondage Domination Sado-Masochism

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I am not sure how you judge who is in the lead or if it even matters but in that vein, a 70% / 30% split doesn't look like the lead you are talking about.

Regards,

J

Good point. But the largest contiguous group is non(or not-sure-)-believers. I'm surprised.

bk

 

[jamespowers]

Good point. But the largest contiguous group is non(or not-sure-)-believers. I'm surprised.

bk

I see three groups in one there though.

Regards,

J

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Yeah there's the *real* problem with this poll: A bunch of the different protestant denominations given their own nice little category, and i get lumped in with the d*mn agnostics. :rage:

bk

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Geez...it was just someone's attempt at getting an idea...

people will argue over anything lately...lol

 

[JazzBaby]

Yeah there's the *real* problem with this poll: A bunch of the different protestant denominations given their own nice little category, and i get lumped in with the d*mn agnostics. :rage:

bk

Hear hear! :cheers1: Since when are athiesm and agnosticism the same?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Geez...it was just someone's attempt at getting an idea...

all of the previous is in jest. I hope the smilies convey this.

bk

 

[Orgetorix]

people will argue over anything lately...lol

No, we won't!

 

[Etienne]

A very good word picture, BennyHoliday. The poll results, while sad to me, are the very reason He gave His life. Thanks for posting.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

As I said earlier, I did not particularly like the idea of being lumped in with atheists, as I assume that atheists have faith -- faith that nothing is there. Agnostic that I am, I don't have that faith.

If you'd combined all Christians, they would lead the poll.

I assume I lack the God gene people have written about, i.e., that having faith in a supernatural being is genetic and there are some folks that lack the gene that makes it possible to believe. Even within families -- my mother has always had faith, has never doubted there is a god, my Aunt Vera, her closest sister, never believed in anything.

We are curious creatures.

karol

 

[Weston]

Well, just to throw my two cents in, there's usually several responses to this that I see, in this thread even.

1. Joking/Mockery: I make a joke to hide my discomfort, or I don't care, so I'll be funny.

2. Devout Belief: I believe what I believe, and I'll try to offer you something from it to add to the conversation.

3. State of Confusion: I'm still deciding what I believe/I have my own system.

I'll say this for all of you out there, who have a combined system of your own, or your opinions about something:

Having your own opinion about something is well and good, but it does not make it factual. Why is it in science, no one thinks personally that "such and such" is true, does nothing to verify the fact, and then takes it for granted that that is the way things are? Because it takes work to establish these facts.

My opinion is, no more than you can guess at the way science works and have your guess "perhaps" be accurate to the way things are, the same cannot be done of religion.

Here's my point, and no, I'm not selling anything: If you want to believe something is truly real, you have to learn about it from an authority or discover it yourself.

If you feel you can guess as to the metaphysical beginnings of the world and the way things operate after this life here, you're taking a bigger chance than pushing the buttons wrong on the flight computer of an Apollo moon shot.

But please don't stop reading there. Here's my point: why do people want to just "make something up" or trust their own opinions about a matter which must have some sort of answer (no matter the level it can be verified at). Because it's a MASSIVE amount of work.

Yes! You heard me. Determining what you REALLY believe is a lot harder than looking through a catalog and choosing "Catholicism Package A with Matching Towels". I've been through "Philosophy of Religion", and three seperate levels of Systematic Theology. I'm spending three years and thousands of dollars to find out and explore exactly WHY I believe what I do, and how the conclusions were arrived at that I embrace. And I can tell you, it was a lot easier sitting on a pew just digesting it and trusting my teachers. Because once you get into it, YOU have to know why YOU believe.

Lastly, for the "neo-pagans" and what not, show me your books. Show me your treatises, your philosophers who have determined your world view. The persuasive arguments that convinced you. Much as you would not just accept MY word for it that my religion is best, neither can I. The difference here is that I am trying (for the benefit of those I teach and encounter in the future) to understand my system for the aid of others. Is there anyone who has provided YOU the proof, or motivations?

This is not meant in jest or meanness. I am legitimately curious to know what convincing factors are moving you to your chosen faith.

 

[Benny Holiday]

A very good word picture, BennyHoliday. The poll results, while sad to me, are the very reason He gave His life. Thanks for posting.

Thank you, Etienne. A poor allegory compared to the reality of the situation, but I find that a lot of people have misconceptions about Christianity that lead them to false views of it, and I try to give such folk a clearer understanding where possible. It's sad when someone thinks of God as some powerful, vengeful character just waiting for us to do something wrong to exact punishment on us. That's just how the devil wants us to think of God. Sadly, that's also the teaching a lot of religious authorities have pushed over the centuries, especially in the Middle Ages. That's not the view the Bible gives us, though!

It's sad that such a view persists even today, especially amongst people who haven't read the Book or investigated its teachings for themselves.

 

[deanglen]

Well, just to throw my two cents in, there's usually several responses to this that I see, in this thread even.

1. Joking/Mockery: I make a joke to hide my discomfort, or I don't care, so I'll be funny.

2. Devout Belief: I believe what I believe, and I'll try to offer you something from it to add to the conversation.

3. State of Confusion: I'm still deciding what I believe/I have my own system.

I'll say this for all of you out there, who have a combined system of your own, or your opinions about something:

Having your own opinion about something is well and good, but it does not make it factual. Why is it in science, no one thinks personally that "such and such" is true, does nothing to verify the fact, and then takes it for granted that that is the way things are? Because it takes work to establish these facts.

My opinion is, no more than you can guess at the way science works and have your guess "perhaps" be accurate to the way things are, the same cannot be done of religion.

Here's my point, and no, I'm not selling anything: If you want to believe something is truly real, you have to learn about it from an authority or discover it yourself.

If you feel you can guess as to the metaphysical beginnings of the world and the way things operate after this life here, you're taking a bigger chance than pushing the buttons wrong on the flight computer of an Apollo moon shot.

But please don't stop reading there. Here's my point: why do people want to just "make something up" or trust their own opinions about a matter which must have some sort of answer (no matter the level it can be verified at). Because it's a MASSIVE amount of work.

Yes! You heard me. Determining what you REALLY believe is a lot harder than looking through a catalog and choosing "Catholicism Package A with Matching Towels". I've been through "Philosophy of Religion", and three seperate levels of Systematic Theology. I'm spending three years and thousands of dollars to find out and explore exactly WHY I believe what I do, and how the conclusions were arrived at that I embrace. And I can tell you, it was a lot easier sitting on a pew just digesting it and trusting my teachers. Because once you get into it, YOU have to know why YOU believe.

Lastly, for the "neo-pagans" and what not, show me your books. Show me your treatises, your philosophers who have determined your world view. The persuasive arguments that convinced you. Much as you would not just accept MY word for it that my religion is best, neither can I. The difference here is that I am trying (for the benefit of those I teach and encounter in the future) to understand my system for the aid of others. Is there anyone who has provided YOU the proof, or motivations?

This is not meant in jest or meanness. I am legitimately curious to know what convincing factors are moving you to your chosen faith.

Weston, your statement is absolutely refreshing this morning. Thank you for your words.

dean

 

[jamespowers]

Allowing a little levity to this thread:

An atheist was walking through the woods.

"What majestic trees"!

"What powerful rivers"!

"What beautiful animals"!

He said to himself.

As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder & saw that the bear was closing
In on him.

He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw & raising his right paw to strike him. At that instant the Atheist cried out, "Oh my God!"

Time Stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. "You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit creation to cosmic accident." "Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer"?

The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps You could make the BEAR a Christian"?

"Very Well," said the voice.

The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed. And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke:

"Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen."

And the bear ate his lunch

 

[Samsa]

Like I've always said, atheists make for good eatin'.


(Just kidding of course. I used to be one, and I was not tasty.)

 

[JazzBaby]

Like I've always said, atheists make for good eatin'.

So the Ancient Romans had it all wrong...lol

 

[jamespowers]

So the Ancient Romans had it all wrong...lol

Very wrong.

Regards,

J