Faith

[StoneByStone]

A lot of people use the bible or the Koran as cover -- a fig leaf -- for their strictly political and utilitarian goals

That's not religion. That is a naked political or nationalistic agenda hiding behind a religious fig leaf

Sure, but religion makes it easier to normalize and promote these goals. Religion is a powerful propaganda tool that conditions people to not think for themselves.

[Jack]

I do not think bible thumpers should berate atheists, and it is incomprehensible to me why some atheists get totally stressed out - even angry - on message boards about Christian spirituality.

Not everyone thinks all knowlege and truth are available to us through reason and direct observation.

Its fine if anyone wants to assume assume metaphysical questions are meaningless and the only ontological reality is accessed through direct observation. That kind of logical positivist approach is fine for those who are drawn to it

On the flip side, a lot of people feel there is a transcendent reality beyond the realm of experimentation and induction, and the metaphysical and existential questions of this life can be accessed through Christian theology, Confucian philosophy, Hindu Brahminism, native American religious traditions, Daoism, et al.

Outside of offensive proselytizing, I do not know why anyone gets stressed about any of it

Can you say "Spanish Inquisition' ?

"One of the darker periods of Spanish history is the Spanish Inquisition, which shrouded Spain for over 350 years. This era of severe censorship, paranoia, torture, autos-da-fé, death, and the general persecution of heretics, or in other words pretty much anybody who deliberately disagreed with the principles of the Catholic church, began in 1478 and lasted until 1834. In both scope and intensity, the Spanish Inquisition far surpassed the Medieval Inquisition, from which the Catholic monarchs took the original idea."
https://www.enforex.com/culture/span...quisition.html

Cypress. Did you know God would get a Boner watching Humans torture other Humans. A lot of people don't know this, but it's true.

[Cypress]

Can you say "Spanish Inquisition' ?

"One of the darker periods of Spanish history is the Spanish Inquisition, which shrouded Spain for over 350 years. This era of severe censorship, paranoia, torture, autos-da-fé, death, and the general persecution of heretics, or in other words pretty much anybody who deliberately disagreed with the principles of the Catholic church, began in 1478 and lasted until 1834. In both scope and intensity, the Spanish Inquisition far surpassed the Medieval Inquisition, from which the Catholic monarchs took the original idea."
https://www.enforex.com/culture/span...quisition.html

Cypress. Did you know God would get a Boner watching Humans torture other Humans. A lot of people don't know this, but it's true.

Human cruelty knows no bounds, and crimes done in the name of religion deserve to be on any list of infamy.

But let's get the facts straight - the Spanish inquisition pales in comparison to the crimes, genocide, and ethic cleansing conducted under the purely secular agendas of nationalism, communism, fascism, totalitarianism, rightwing authoritarianism -- some of whom were proudly atheist. The contest isn't even remotely close.

[Controlled Opposition]

Attachment 15437Straight

This is what Faith is all about

If god knows what you are thinking, he is embarrassed for you.

[MAGA MAN]

One of the questions I asked when I was a child was why god would need me to tell him what I needed when he is supposed to know everything, see everything, and be all powerful?

Another I asked is why would this god want us to worship them, my mother doesn't want me to worship her, why would this person that I am supposed to see as a dad want my worship?

You're trying to equate God with human qualities. In comparison to Him, we humans are mere insects. Would you expect an insect to have the qualities of a human?

[Jack]

Human cruelty knows no bounds, and crimes done in the name of religion deserve to be on any list of infamy.

But let's get the facts straight - the Spanish inquisition pales in comparison to the crimes, genocide, and ethic cleansing conducted under the purely secular agendas of nationalism, communism, fascism, totalitarianism, rightwing authoritarianism -- some of whom were proudly atheist. The contest isn't even remotely close.

"Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was a war fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648. It resulted in the deaths of over 8 million people, including 20 percent of the German population, making it one of the most destructive conflicts in human history, Initially a war between various Protestant and Catholic states in the fragmented Holy Roman Empire, it gradually developed into a more general conflict involving most of the European great powers.Wikipedia"

I don't know Cypress. You might be selling these religious assholes a little short. Let's give credit where credit is due.

[Controlled Opposition]

One of the questions I asked when I was a child was why god would need me to tell him what I needed when he is supposed to know everything, see everything, and be all powerful?

Another I asked is why would this god want us to worship them, my mother doesn't want me to worship her, why would this person that I am supposed to see as a dad want my worship?

I was raised Presbyterian/mildly Calvinist. We had the same question; why would an all-knowing god need to keep records of our decisions?

[Jack]

If god knows what you are thinking, he is embarrassed for you.

Thanks C.O.
A little levity was needed here.

[Cypress]

Sure, but religion makes it easier to normalize and promote these goals. Religion is a powerful propaganda tool that conditions people to not think for themselves.

Religious fundamentalists and secular totalitarianism ever seek to undermine human freedom.

The proudly atheist and secular communists are the 20th century's most notorious example of a system which sought to control human thought and vigorously exterminate religious spirituality

[StoneByStone]

Religious fundamentalists and secular totalitarianism ever seek to undermine human freedom.

The proudly atheist and secular communists are the 20th century's most notorious example of a system which sought to control human thought and vigorously exterminate religious spirituality

Don't get me wrong, Atheists can do bad things too. But Atheism doesn't help people to do bad things. It's not a propaganda tool like Communism or religions.

Some of the top Nazis pretended to be Christian because they knew they could use Christianity to manipulate people. The Bolsheviks couldn't really do that with Atheism, because it's not a philosophy. They had to use Communism to manipulate people.

[Mason Melchizedek]

People confuse Faith in God,in a one on one relationship.
With organized religion ,which has little to do with God.

[Mason Melchizedek]

If god knows what you are thinking, he is embarrassed for you.

"Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone"

[Controlled Opposition]

"Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone"

Such irony. I am a Taoist.

[Cypress]

Don't get me wrong, Atheists can do bad things too. But Atheism doesn't help people to do bad things. It's not a propaganda tool like Communism or religions.

Some of the top Nazis pretended to be Christian because they knew they could use Christianity to manipulate people. The Bolsheviks couldn't really do that with Atheism, because it's not a philosophy. They had to use Communism to manipulate people.

The militant atheists of communist and left wing totalitarian movements made non-belief a foundation of their agenda, and went to extraordinary measures to exterminate religion, to oppress people of faith, imprison them, and even murder them.

I think its always worth remembering that, in the face of caricatures that atheism is morally superior to religion

The opponents of human freedom runs the range of Christian and Muslim fundamentalists, authoritarians, the militant atheists of leftist totalitarianism. I pledge eternal hostility to all of them.. I do not see any reason only pointing out the history of crimes committed in the name of religion.

[StoneByStone]

The militant atheists of communist and left wing totalitarian movements made non-belief a foundation of their agenda, and went to extraordinary measures to exterminate religion, to oppress people of faith, imprison them, and even murder them.

I think its always worth remembering that, in the face of caricatures that atheism is morally superior to religion

But the reason they did that is because they saw religion as a threat to Communism. Communism was the tool that they used to manipulate the masses, not Atheism. In fact, when WWII started, and the Bolsheviks needed to amp the Russians up for war, they eased up on the Eastern Orthodox Church so they can use it in pro-war propaganda.