One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

[Baloo]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

Religion is the cause of most wars and atrocities around the world.

OK, but my post was specifically about The Quakers who are pacifists and have a long tradition of resistance to military action.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

You can't make an assumption and try and back it up with a generalisation. Think about what you've just written.

You (we) don't know any of these things. The brain is a system that is continually trying to prove its own existence. We think we are in control of our brains but it's completely the other way around.

Ask yourself this question. Are human beings getting closer and closer to developing conscious and independent AI? If the answer is yes, then ask yourself if it's possible that another life form could have already made simulations populated by conscious beings? If the answer is yes, then where does our existence fit it?

Is the concept of a creator then a delusion?

I'd also recommend reading Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder.

I go with science

We know mental illness exists

We are about as certain as we can be that once you die , that's it , no afterlife

If that's a generalisation , I am guilty

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

Fair enough, that's how you see it. I don't agree. I'll leave it now, because these threads just repeat themselves and nobody really listens to anyone elses point of view or even tries to see both sides of the discussion.

One thing i will say, you have no business saying that i may have some secret religious leaning, like you're attempting to out me, or like it's some kind of sordid belief. If i was religious, i'd say so, why wouldn't i?

I have no idea but you defend the right of people to believe in things that evidently don't exist so I have the right to suggest you may have a vested interest in doing that .

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

Problem is our life experience is in reality very limited Sludge. It's worth finding-out what those at the more liberal end of the religious spectrum believe as it's certainly not the above. I say that as a card-carrying Humanist.

I listen to science and evidence

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

Back in the days of uneducated people, and before science, Man needed religion to make some sense of the world, to explain where we all came from, what we were doing here, and what happens when we die. Now, science has explained everything (okay, most things), and we no longer need religion. But we do need a sense of belonging, and that's why people join clubs, go to football, etc. We don't need God, but we do need the companionship of like-minded people.

But religion is still there, and it still has a lot of wealth and authority, although in reality, it doesn't deserve either.

But as regards child abuse, I guess that if that is your 'thing', then you'd hang out where there were plenty of kids, where you'd have a bit of respectability, and where you might come across like-minded people. Hence teachers, priests, sports coaches, tend to throw up a high percentage of these perverts.

We have , mostly , moved on from the dark ages of drowning witches and potions and the belief that there is a god who is all powerful ......able to stop wars , heal the sick .....and omniprescent ......in everybody's lives , all the time , continually

It's silly

If someone goes to church then I don't block the gates stopping them going in

But religious people picket abortion clinics and until very recently a lot of faiths condemn homosexuality as a sin .......and some still do

As soon as someone says to me hi this is me and my wife and we are Christians I wish them the very best but as soon as any conversation around God comes up I am off shopping . I don't like to waste my time .

[Baloo]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

I have no idea but you defend the right of people to believe in things that evidently don't exist so I have the right to suggest you may have a vested interest in doing that .

A lot of non-religious people might still consider freedom of belief a human right. I don’t see a contradiction there providing it doesn’t interfere with the rights of others.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

A lot of non-religious people might still consider freedom of belief a human right. I don’t see a contradiction there providing it doesn’t interfere with the rights of others.

Propping up the churches and other places of worship could be argued to interfere with the lives of other people

Homosexuality , women priests, gay marriage

Do you think it was the power of the congregation that made the church more Liberal?

I think it was the pressure from non religious society

The Anglican Church now has women priests ........that was down to society . If the church had its way it would have kept the status quo and no progress would have been made .

[Baloo]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

Propping up the churches and other places of worship could be argued to interfere with the lives of other people

Homosexuality , women priests, gay marriage

Do you think it was the power of the congregation that made the church more Liberal?

I think it was the pressure from non religious society

The Anglican Church now has women priests ........that was down to society . If the church had its way it would have kept the status quo and no progress would have been made .

We’re talking at odds here. Some religious groups don’t even have churches. My point was merely that there are a spectrum of beliefs, whilst your descriptions mostly apply to a specific type of religious believer, of which there of course many. The evidence is out there.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

OK, but my post was specifically about The Quakers who are pacifists and have a long tradition of resistance to military action.

The Quakers are indeed interesting. A retired doctor in my evening class is one and told me a little of what they do in their meetings.

[Dorcus]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

The Quakers are indeed interesting. A retired doctor in my evening class is one and told me a little of what they do in their meetings.

They make lovely porridge

[Sloop_Jon_Bee]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

Back in the days of uneducated people, and before science, Man needed religion to make some sense of the world, to explain where we all came from, what we were doing here, and what happens when we die. Now, science has explained everything (okay, most things), and we no longer need religion. But we do need a sense of belonging, and that's why people join clubs, go to football, etc. We don't need God, but we do need the companionship of like-minded people.

But religion is still there, and it still has a lot of wealth and authority, although in reality, it doesn't deserve either.

But as regards child abuse, I guess that if that is your 'thing', then you'd hang out where there were plenty of kids, where you'd have a bit of respectability, and where you might come across like-minded people. Hence teachers, priests, sports coaches, tend to throw up a high percentage of these perverts.

Good post.
Spedger

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

The Anglican Church now has women priests ........that was down to society . If the church had its way it would have kept the status quo and no progress would have been made .

Issues like women priests, even women bishops now, marrying divorced people, acceptance of homosexuality and so on has come from society and from within the church, as the church looks to reflect society. People within church have fought for things like this, after all it's your average members of society that go to church.

[ToTaL ITK]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

My favourite is the catholic stance on abortion in secular countries like the good ol' US of A.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Re: One reason why religion is a load of bollox.

My favourite is the catholic stance on abortion in secular countries like the good ol' US of A.

There is a group called Christian mothers against masturbation.