What religion are you?

[Magnar of Skagos]

I was technically catholic for 18 years, then left because i wasn't going to pay freaking taxes to these fuckers.

Not that it changes anything, the local pastor still performs his pagan ritual "blessing" of the house i live in every year, so i've become a spiritual moocher, i guess.

Although i do wonder if masturbation and fornication are worse sins in a blessed house or if the spell grants me a discount in purgatory.

Hmmm... does circumcision fall into this category too? Like "lol ya my priests mutilated ur dick but ur still not gettin into heaven lolololol"

[The Anti-Targ]

Baha'i

[Lady Isis]

I am an Christian Orthodox, a Serbian Orthodox to be precise...

On that note, I have to say several things:

1. I believe I am scientist. I find Darwin's theory of evolution practically irrefutable. I don't believe my religious beliefs and my scientific work and in any sort of collision.

2. My religious beliefs don't make me a misogynist, traditionalist or homophobic and I believe I am neither. I roll my eyes whenever I hear priests discussing about some of those.

3. I hate discussing religion. It is something private and overall I find myself annoyed when people do that. Not speaking about this thread, just that I hate when someone tries to tell me what I should feel or don't feel.

Overall, I am huge believer in "live and let other people live" :)

Finally.... Another Serb Orthodox on this board! AND who shares the same views :)

[baxus]

Finally.... Another Serb Orthodox on this board! AND who shares the same views :)

Officially, I'm Serb Orthodox Christian as well.

I have been baptized when I was 8 or so but it wasn't my decision and things have changed quite a bit since then.

Other than that, rolling ones eyes when priests discuss misogyny, homophobia etc. is not enough.

That kind of thing needs to be challenged every step of the way.

[Disturber of Peace]

If any of you are ever worthy of resurrection you will know of Eru.

[Bluetiger]

If any of you are ever worthy of resurrection you will know of Eru.

Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo ;)

[Reginald blackfield]

I am pretty much the same as GRRM, I was baptised a Roman Catholic and still view myself as one culturally but since joining secondary school I have been Agnostic, occasionally being Atheist and Deist. I think science provides a much better explanation for the origin of life than religion does, and although I think a god could exist alongside Evolution and the Big Bang, whether one does we cannot know. Whilst I am very fond of religious freedom (with the exception of fundamentalist Christianity and any faith which preaches hate and discrimination) I personally reject th idea of organised religion myself.

[Mladen]

Other than that, rolling ones eyes when priests discuss misogyny, homophobia etc. is not enough.

That kind of thing needs to be challenged every step of the way.

Baxus, please, don't think I just roll my eyes. That wasn't the point. I fight very fiercely for what I believe (anyone who has read my discussions about Sansa can verify that). All I wanted to say is that my religious belief doesn't make me homophobe, traditionalist etc.

[Malik Ambar]

Baxus, please, don't think I just roll my eyes. That wasn't the point. I fight very fiercely for what I believe (anyone who has read my discussions about Sansa can verify that). All I wanted to say is that my religious belief doesn't make me homophobe, traditionalist etc.

Having seen you go Terminator on the most obvious sockpuppet/troll on this site, I attest to that

[baxus]

Baxus, please, don't think I just roll my eyes. That wasn't the point. I fight very fiercely for what I believe (anyone who has read my discussions about Sansa can verify that). All I wanted to say is that my religious belief doesn't make me homophobe, traditionalist etc.

Of course, religious belief doesn't make one into a homophobe, traditionalist (whatever that means exactly) etc.

Educated people do have a tendency to think for themselves and find holes in scripture which cause them to not take scripture literally but metaphorically.

It's the less educated and/or malicious people that cause all religion-related problems.

[TerraPrime]

Of course, religious belief doesn't make one into a homophobe, traditionalist (whatever that means exactly) etc.

Are we so sure?

Let me pose this question then:

If bigotry and intolerance of religious people done out of the name of their religion are signs that religion can make people bigoted and intolerant, then will it also be fair to say that kindness and compassion exhibited by religious people in the name of their religion are also NOT signs that religion can make people kind and compassionate?

In other words, if people don't want secularists using the horrific actions exhibiting bigotry to condemn religion, let's also throw out the soup kitchens and homeless shelters and not use them to glorify religion. Deal?

[Egalitarianism Always]

Of course, religious belief doesn't make one into a homophobe, traditionalist (whatever that means exactly) etc.

Educated people do have a tendency to think for themselves and find holes in scripture which cause them to not take scripture literally but metaphorically.

It's the less educated and/or malicious people that cause all religion-related problems.

Is there a link between higher education and tolerance? A link between lower education and intolerance?

The Tory party invalidates that assumption.

The link is humans across all education levels have the same percentage of intolerant people and the same percentage of enlightened people.

The assumption that the poor are more intolerant probably keeps the Tory party afloat, people preferring the frying pan over the fire, when they're in the fire now.

[The King in Black]

I see a problem here. If kind old lady decides that her religion teaches her to help the down trodden , and if a gang of young men decide that the same religion teaches them to kill the down trodden, what to do then ? That's why I don't think the approach should be 'Fuck you Religion, see what you did there ?' But instead 'Look otherwise normal folks who have decided to follow your religion and that has lead to some good , bad shit is happening in the name of your very own religion, won't you do something about it? '

So I won't go after the good work done in the name of religion to strike down the evil done in its name. Neither will I simply dismiss religion as an institution.

That's my biggest problem with the 'be rational and logical religious folks' argument : there are plenty of rational religious folks and it is them who must be targeted to be pluralists, open minded and most importantly reformists resisting the orthodox elements and their influence.

[rocksniffer]

It wasn't the mistake I took issue with, it was the denial that one was made. I just asked about Athena claiming having problem with religious people is a requirement for being an atheist, to which she replied

Which is a untrue, she was saying it is a requirement, I was just pointing out the dishonesty of this statement. And unlike Athena, I actually don't want to be rude, so I'm going to leave it at that.

too late dude your rudeness has blossomed whether you wanted it to or not...

BUKKAKED

EDIT: BAKKAKED

i first read this as "bucknekked" or "bucknaked" which is the best religion i have ever heard of and would happily join...and religiously follow...

...buck naked, now and forever

:smoking:

I was responding to something another poster actually wrote, while you're responding to something that nobody here, certainly not me, has said or endorsed.

I didn't group all atheists together. I said "too many," which I'll elaborate was implied in the context of this forum's religious discussions as observed by me; and too many could be as few as one in my opinion, because holy shit do we need to mention baby rape when answering the question "What religion are you?" [No, is the answer.] I've gotten over it, but I think my use of "for fuck's sake" was a bit more appropriate than yours.

if you really cared about fucking you would not drag such a glorious experience into the depths of a religious debate...for shit's sake might do better...in my non-religious opinion

[baxus]

Are we so sure?

Let me pose this question then:

If bigotry and intolerance of religious people done out of the name of their religion are signs that religion can make people bigoted and intolerant, then will it also be fair to say that kindness and compassion exhibited by religious people in the name of their religion are also NOT signs that religion can make people kind and compassionate?

In other words, if people don't want secularists using the horrific actions exhibiting bigotry to condemn religion, let's also throw out the soup kitchens and homeless shelters and not use them to glorify religion. Deal?

I haven't said that religion is the reason one would turn into homophobe and biggot.

Jerks who happen to be religious are homophobes and biggots.

Compassionate people who happen to be religious are kind and compassionate.

There are plenty of non-religious assholes as well as kind people.

Religion is NOT the determining factor in determining that.

Is there a link between higher education and tolerance? A link between lower education and intolerance?

The Tory party invalidates that assumption.

The link is humans across all education levels have the same percentage of intolerant people and the same percentage of enlightened people.

The assumption that the poor are more intolerant probably keeps the Tory party afloat, people preferring the frying pan over the fire, when they're in the fire now.

I never said "poor", I said "less educated".

And sure, there are assholes across all education levels, but it's the less educated that are more prone to manipulation.

[Wicked Woodpecker of West]

Catholicism (especially V to XV century one).

[Wise Fool]

if you really cared about fucking you would not drag such a glorious experience into the depths of a religious debate...for shit's sake might do better...in my non-religious opinion

I really don't care about fuck. Shit, however, is something I do.... religiously.

:cool4:

[rocksniffer]

I really don't care about fuck. Shit, however, is something I do.... religiously.

:cool4:

...got me

:smoking:

[DireWolfSpirit]

Baha'i

The Baha'i faith is quite interesting.

I've always considered their temples extraordinary-http://youtu.be/BMqV_k_sdOY

Rainn Wilson discussing Baha'i faith with Oprah-http://youtu.be/J8ufwUb7RF4

[Sci-2]

Fundamentalist Agnostic.

(Yes I'm being serious.)