Low Quality LSD - Loss of Self. (Son of a psychotically bi-polar mother)

Thanks for the advice. From everyone. I really appreciate it. =) I was so hopeless for this past year, reading these posts has really helped.

 

Christianity was the root for many of us. It is the authoritative paradigm from which our reality was first centered: that there is a personified God(...?). To me and many others that is a severe instance of hoodwinkery.

Purge yourself of everything and then start over with the purging

 

Or maybe people should let him just be a fucking christian if that's what makes him happy.

 

Whoa now, lets not go throwing insults around. I suppose I forgot to mention that the Christian aspect of the trip was short-lived, if that. I'm agnostic; I have been since I was fourteen.

Hmm, I should have mentioned that as well. Although detailing the 6-10 months I was in the midst of the psychosis might take a good while.

In my perspective there is no way to prove or disprove the existence of a omnipotent being, God or otherwise. The bible is flawed and contradictory.

I see it as two thousand years of the telephone game. You know, the one where a bunch of people sit in a circle; one person tells one person a phrase which is then whispered to the next person. Then the next person and so on.

I'm ranting. >>

 

i agree.. dont forget about the old testament tho,, 4000+ years of the telephone game... then the pope was the operator of the whole game for a good bit

 

Christianity at it's most basic is about devotion to three tenets - love, forgiveness, and salvation.
Righteous devotion requires strength of mind and heart, not lack thereof.
What could possibly be wrong with a person who aspires to live a life dedicated to such pure principles is beyond me.

 

who taught you church?
I grew up in the catholic church.. those tenets: "love, forgiveness, and salvation", were obvious covers for a myriad of things... worst in my mind, to preserve the manifested [meaning] that the priest [the indoctrinated child, and the committed adult] had created in there lives- to feel confident in knowing they are right.

The moral fortitude of the human being is only detrimented by these folk-tales that claim to have a special claim to it.

 

I'm not talking about church I'm talking about Christianity.

 

Yes, well lets not forget vengeance and control. I believe it would be a better, more sophisticated world if half of the world didn't live their life by blind faith.

I believe blind faith is worse than no faith. I don't know about all Christians, but most I've run into seem to have a holier than thou attitude. Others just want to convert you to save your soul which isn't really THAT annoying.

Eugenics really makes the case. If everyone was religious, Christian, we'd have a tougher time with science that's for sure. Every time somebody made a breakthrough you'd have three hundred people rushing him screaming, "An anti gravity machine! That's the devils work!" Not the best analogy I've ever come up with, but the basic principal stays the same..

I'm fairly certain you can't summarize the bible and all Christian teachings in three words. Not to mention different perspectives on the bible. What part of blowing up an abortion clinic is loving and forgiving? Though you could say that those weren't, "real" Christians. My brother uses that line all the time.

 

There isn't a single religion in the world that is built upon "vengeance and control".
People use religions (and whatever else they can) for their own personal vendetta all the time. Your attitude exemplifies a hate for the used and not the user. If someone shoots someone else, who is guilty, the person or the gun?
I know it's extremely popular to hate Christianity in this day and age as a reactionary backlash towards the mainstream, but at it's most basic, and what it is intended for, is love, forgiveness, and salvation, that much is apparent to anyone who has read the 4 gospels.

And the entire world is living by blind faith champ, whether it be faith in a book thousands of years old or faith in their perceptions. The fact is no one has any clue what is going on here, no one understands why we are here or what it all means, and being at peace with not knowing is simply the best we can do.

 

I suppose I let my anger towards religion cloud my judgment a bit. As well as a little bit of marijuana. Heh.

People hate religion for different reasons. This hate isn't simply a "reactionary backlash towards the mainstream." That statement is a ridiculous generalization that cannot logically be applied to all region-haters. Religious faith, by definition is a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny - "champ." I was obviously referring to the religious definition. Faith means several things, so yes, you're right. I agree with your statement, no one understands why we are here or what it all means, and being at peace with not knowing is simply the best we can do. True. This is exactly the opposite of religion.

You're correct, I blame organized religion (specifically Christianity)for my parents misdoings. Which I really shouldn't. But I still dislike organized religion because they attempt to create their own meaning for life and convince others that their way is the only way. That seems rather close-minded to me. Therefore - hate.

The absence of reality, reason and logic prove failure of faith. Excuse me religious faith.

 

Neodude seems to be the only one making a distinction between the TEACHINGS and SPIRITUALITY of Christianity and the RELIGION and PRACTITIONERS of it.
I tend to agree, the core teachings are vastly different than the religiosity that it has developed into.

I just love those who bash Christianity;
Q: have you read much of the bible?
A: well no, not really, but I went to church as a kid and have seen preachers on TV.
Q: so that makes you enough of an authority on the subject to deem it all bullshit and a con? very interesting.

There are just as many charlatans, cons, and assholes in every single organized religion as there is in Christianity.
Don't make the mistake of evaluating the validity and worth of any religious teachings based solely on the behavior of it's practitioners, it will only disappoint .

 

I like that in your analogy Christianity is equivalent to a weapon.

It seems you are looking at Christianity in a vacuum, only choosing to observe the core tenets and disregarding the littany of contradictions in the mythology and shadyness of its creation.

Christianity is not just the 4 gospels you mention, it is the entirety of Jewish history/ethics, it is the hearsay of supposed existants; the new testament itself is a result of many church counsels deciding which books were and were not acceptable to the agenda of those in power. not credible by my standards. so naturally, i am sympathetic for those i feel are being duped.

Love and forgiveness are great and all, but Judeo-Christian ethics dont have a monopoly on them. Who hasnt lived and observed that forgiveness is the most harmonious virtue. I dont need a fable to teach me that, i have experience.

Salvation.. what does that mean to you? It means forgiveness of sins and thus ever lasting life to most, but i can't live after i die so that is more or less irrelevant to my experience.

I dont hate the essence of Christianity, however i do see that the mythology distracts people from living in the here and now. I see that it usurps natural concepts like mutual altruism. I see that the "practictioners" have no problem legislating their religion into our government..

just that its done more harm than good.

 

This is just me, but the problem I have with complicating things is that generally the core qualities of the "thing" gets lost in the process.
I'm well aware that Christianity has thousands of years of history, mythology, and a background that extends beyond the 4 gospels. However, when someone says "Christianity", I like to think they are referring to it's name-sake - the teachings of Jesus Christ, which are actually very condensed, and simple.
A church deciding what books will and won't be in the bible isn't of importance to me, I don't consider the Bible to be the word of God, I just recognize the 4 gospels for what they offer - extremely simple, practical truths that convey a spirit of love, forgiveness, and salvation.

I've never said that Christian ethics have a monopoly on anything, they are simply a taught path, a way of life. Of course, you would think love and forgiveness were common sense, but when was the last time you went outside? They aren't so common, at all really.

Salvation to me has nothing to do with the afterlife or lack thereof. For me salvation is quite simply being rescued from myself, learning how to let go, finding a way to be at peace with what I am and what everything else is.

*refer to PB_Smith*'s post.

 

Fair points.

Tho i will note that your idea of salvation sounds a lot more like self-actualization than the Christian notion of salvation.

Also, while im not a scholar or serious student of either religions, i would argue that Christian ethics and Jewish ethics are very similar. In fact I think Jesus was only trying to reiterate the moral teachings of the Torah through his reported actions and parables. Which is one component of why the two religions are closely linked.

It seems once you habitually submit yourself, there is nothing else that jives but love and forgiveness. People just need time.

and basically what I'm getting at.. Jesus' parables are effective in communicating a moral message, but with a lot of unnecessary baggage. Humanism and Taoism are far more cogent philosophies imo.

 

I suppose I sound like an idiot who thinks he knows what he's talking about. Though I do believe I brought up a few valid points. Jesus... Where the fuck has my brain gone...

Anyhow, I'll dodge the semantics and end my part in this conversation with this piece of my neurotic heart.

I love my parents, I really do... Regardless of their religion. The things that happened to me when I was a child and subsequently the way I turned out is on them. I no doubt hold many resentments because of my childhood. I'm inclined to automatically turn to hate when I hear about religion. Most likely because of the less than sub-par job my parents did showing me what being a Christian is about. I'm on the brink of an anxiety attack from just fucking thinking about all the FUCJKING shit they put me through as a small fucking child.

Anyhow, my emotions are overcoming me agian.... nvrmnd, I have trouble writing my thoughts when I'm thinking clearly... Fuck.

"For me salvation is quite simply being rescued from myself, learning how to let go, finding a way to be at peace with what I am and what everything else is."

I have to agree. Regardless of how bad my parents fucked me up, I suppose it's up to me to find my own salvation...

So many interesting perspectives, I appreciate them all.

 

don't spend too much time thinking about yourself -- you're just wasting your real time.

 

christianity has its good points and bad points, i believe organized religion is fake made up by the people who have been controlling populations for centuries as a way of control. realizing some spiritual concepts of life over the centuries and personifying them into simple, human comprehensable stories when its not that simple.

you cant have someone explain to you why you are here and what you need to be doing, you need to EXPERIENCE it on your own

christianity has good values and its not to be taken as a joke, but in reality it was just made up to keep people in line. and i dont have to read an entire bible (although i have) to have a say in this.

im not saying theres not a god, i know theres a god, or at least WAY more to this life than we know. christianity just doesnt have it right. does anyone?