Does Religion Have a Place in the Future of Humankind?

inner-peace wrote


Yes, Unfortunately just like disease and war and injustice.

BBB
I'm trying to shake off the convergence of the Easter weekend and the Terri Schiavo case excess of religion broadcasting. As an atheist, I feel really threatened by the Media's excessive indulgence of the Faith Industry and wonder if it will continue after Terri's death. There was little fair balance in the news coverage. Michael Schiavo is being unfairly demonized with little coverage of the true facts regarding him. Most coverage was focused on the Schindler family's quest and the blatant lies that are being touted to support their cause without challenge by the Media.

Shame!

BBB

BBB, Irregardless of what the true facts of this case, the "right-to-lifers" wish to impose their thinking on everybody irregardless of what the doctors or the judges have concluded. They are a dangerous bunch who do not understand that we are a country of laws. What galls me the most is that all the polls show Congress should not intrude in our lives, but they are again reviewing the Schiavo case and right to life issues while our country fights a war in Iraq and Afghanistan where our troops are getting killed almost every day, and thousands if not millions of Americans go without health care. Their priorities are so screwed up, it's a wonder our country is surviving their mismanagement!

BBB: I agree; Religion has gained far too much power in recent years, and is using that power to twist Congress to its values, blind to other circumstances.
I think the allure of religion is someone else telling you what's right or wrong, in a clear-cut, black and white style. Unfortunately, they don't realize the futility of this. There will always be mitigating circumstances that blur lines.

Totally off topic but related to media bias....Over the weekend I saw a report about Michael Jackson's "barely legal" porn magazine.

I can only hope that when he was buying it, the vendor informed him that he was dangerously close to nearly commiting an almost offence.

god can be separate from religion!
I was raised by my parents within a set of strict religious shackles. Religion to me has always been used as a source of control.

The bible itself does hold within it a good overall moral guideline, but it is so contradictory that it makes me sick. For instance, throughout the bible it is said over and over again that the definition of god is "love". Yet it also gets the point across many a time that if you do not do God's will, you will burn in hell for all eternity. Is that love?

Let me get this straight then.... God is (according to a religious point of view) supposed to be our heavenly Father, but if we don't do exactly as he says, we get the eternal friggin spanking!

That just makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

I think where some of humanity has gone wrong when it comes to "God" is that they are following a man made rule book that is old, outdated, and was obviously written to control people with "fear".

One of the biggest flaws within the bible that I see is that throughout it, it show God to be an individual how is in desperate need of human worship.

His people should pray to him or they go to hell.
His people better not worship false Gods or they go to hell.
Do his will, or you go to hell.

This "god" supposedly created the universe and all life in it, which would be an unfathomable power to posess, but some how "god" is obsessed with whether or not humans kiss his ass.

Please.

If you want to believe that God exists, then read a real book (one out of eastern philosophy), not the bible.

banks, First of all, welcome to a2k. I think you missed that part of the message that says we have "free will." That "free will" comes with a shackle, but it's still free will. If you don't do as I say, you'll burn in hell for eternity. Nice balance, don't you think?

Oh, it says Free Will ?? I always thought it was "Free Willy".

Well that explains a lot about where I've been going wrong !!

Next you'll be telling me The Force is just make-believe too!

EorI, I like your interpretation much better than mine. From now on, it's Free Willy for me too! LOL

free will
I am not against God, just man's interpretation of God within the bible.

I do not feel that God is some parental figure waiting to slap our wrists for using our "free will" in a misguided fashion.

The idea to me is laughable, but to each his or her own.

hey banks, welcome.

You think there is a god then?

?
Thanks for the welcome.

I really don't have a solid belief about the existence of "god", but I do feel that spirit exists.

For example, have you ever been thinking about an old friend that you haven't talked to in a while, and that day they call you.

What is it that makes these type of coincidences occur...mental telepathy or a spiritual connection that exists between people. I don't know if I'd call it God , but I don't belief that things like that happen by chance.

That's cool.

It's ok to think there are unexplained things...and just accept that you don't know what the cause is without having to have a god to fill in the gaps

Why is that such a hard concept for some people to grasp, getting punished for doing wrong? For every action, there is a reaction...what about a God who sent his son to die for our sins, is that not a loving God? He forgives us again and again and again.



Point out one line of scripture that says he needs us.



You don't think the bible is real?

Quote, "Why is that such a hard concept for some people to grasp, getting punished for doing wrong?" If god can forgive that thief on the cross at the end of his life, surely a loving god can forgive all sinners in this world. Or is that concept too hard to grasp? A loving god doesn't threaten hell and damnation for people who sin; we are ALL sinners. Some people's ability to know what is right or wrong does not exist; why must they be doomed to hell? They have done brain scans on many criminals, and found that their brains makeup was different.

He does, ever heard of Jesus? All one needs to do is accept him as their saviour, that's all there is to forgiveness. We are all sinners, the whole idea is that we must realize that we cannot be perfect nor save ourselves.

Among the many ideas theists have that I consider bizarre...this is one that stands out as especially so.

You conceive of a god who is offended by goddam near everything humans do...and then suppose that god would be willing to "forgive" you these "offenses" if we accept Jesus.

Why that step?

Why the need to "save" ourselves?

What about this silly myth actually brings comfort to anyone with a brain?

Honestly...I'm not trying to be rude for rudeness' sake...but the myth is absolutely absurd.

Because we must realize that we can't save ourselves, we must ask God to take us into his hands. The choice is ours. He has set a standard for us to live, we cannot reach this by our imperfect selves.

The crux, "we can't save ourselves" is BS. Who do you think does the "saving?" The majority of humans on this planet live with some form of cultural morals, and know what is good or bad. It's not some "outside" force that makes us good or bad people; we do that all by our lonesome. We make choices, and "that" is not dependent on any god(s). If that were so, we would all be "saints."

On second thought; all of us are "saints." Values are human descriptions, and we live within this universe's nature.