That I can't say. I know what I believe is right and wrong, but that doesn't mean others should live my way. However, I can say that living the right way is not to live by some set of standards written down in some book by some people a long time ago, which no longer holds much relevance to the modern world and is too cryptic and metaphorical for even those who have a phd in its field of study to be able to interpret it and agree upon its meaning. Thus dividing an entire planet and creating conflict in its wake.
The fact that countless wars have been started and fought in its name, caused people to murder countless lives in its name, corrupts our politics and schools, and then they turn around and point fingers at those who don't believe (not all of course but some), tells me that it isn't the right way for very many. Except for those who choose to believe and ignore or turn a blind eye to these facts. Peace and love for thy fellow man is not attained with weapons and bombs.
Isn't that oppressing people's right to believe in something and live the way they want? Yes religion itself has done a lot of bad things - but not faith. Like you said earlier people should be able to live how they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, so they want to believe in a God, and live a kind and peaceful life - so be it.
No. I'm not saying people can't believe in this. I'm just stating that it doesn't seem right when taken to this extent by people who are extreme about it. Of course. Live and let live. Again, I was just saying that when certain religions dictate the way others live, in schools and politics, that isn't right. As long as they hurt no one, who cares what they believe. It's when they kill in the name of that it becomes a problem. A while ago I was reading about Jeffery Dahmer. When he was in prison his dad had sent him a copy of the bible. He told the news that if he had found god earlier he would never have killed, raped and eaten all those young boys and young men. I read further and found out that he died in prison. Turns out a man beat him to death one day with a weight lifting bar. When they asked the other convict why he did it he told them, "I heard god's voice and he told me to kill him."
I'm just like kinda book marking this thread. I'm just saying this thread is interesting. Man, I won't bother next time.
Ha! Relax chum. The only real reason I even commented on what you said is so I could raise my own post count. I always post in games or Rt's so when I'm in a forum that isn't either, I take advantage of it.
(sorry to stray back to the original topic, but I've just found this thread, and need to put in my 3 cents) If that were true.. It seems pretty sadistic of G-d (why do people censor the word "god", you're aware that's not actually God's name, right?) to not let everyone know the true path to him, and just let them fight amongst themselves, only to die, and be told. "I'm sorry, you guessed the wrong religion, (insert your religion here, you're obviously the right one) was the correct answer... Sorry" (also, am I allowed to post here? I vaugly remember it saying believers only somewhere.. This is a cool thread, but I don't want to get stoned or anything. ) edit: oh... I see it now.
I don't know yet. It's a little too early. I'll see if I can add something that is not just repeating what has already been said. I'm not sure I can. I'm sure that has not stopped me before. *cough*
It always amuses/irritates me when people attribute things to god after hearing them through the grapevine. "So god doesn't want gay people in heaven" "Jesus lied about the nature of..." So many people criticize and question the nature of god without actually bothering to discover what exactly god is and the nature in which it works. People atrribute and have atrributed their own wants and qualities to the name of god for thousands of years. Take for example catholics. They do their hail marys and forgivness prayers after one has confessed, they can be pretty strict in other regards. But those are traits and superstitions that they have imposed upon themselves. As I was going on about earlier in the thread, killing in the name of. People kill in the name of their gods, but god does not murder innocent people. A separation must take place and be understood here. People should learn to separate the nature of god from the qualities that its followers have attributed to its name. The op was something about, "Did Jesus lie about his body being the flesh of his word?" The qualities that were attributed to Jesus after he died were those of his disciples and believers. Jesus didn't lie about anything. He came, he saw, he loved, he preached love, he died for love. After his death a separation must take place between what he did and said, and what was said about him and attributed to him. If you want to know what Jesus said and embodied, most decent bibles now have his own words printed in red, so you can read for yourself what he said.
I think that just it. It is man who decides how most religions should be followed these days. I was talking to a very strict Catholic and she was asked about whether condoms would be permitted within a marriage if one partner had HIV. The answer she gave us what the Pope has said no to condoms, and if people were good Catholics they would listen to him
