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Iyasenu wrote on 2010-11-28 19:45
My views are completely mirrored by what Phunkie said.
Religion is certainly a personal thing for me, and as such, I don't feel comfortable talking about, since I don't like talking about personal things.
It always makes me uncomfortable to see people do things that harm others under a religious pretense.
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mocharate wrote on 2010-11-28 23:55
Like a lot of other things, I take an "ends justify the means" approach to religion. I consider it a man-made institution to spread knowledge, ideas, and behaviors among a population. If it makes people treat each other well (the base of most, if not all religions is pretty much the 'golden rule' to treat others with respect) then I won't concern myself with the details.
Buuut, as always the devil (pun intended) is in the details, and it seems the more complex a religion becomes, the more people are gonna get pissed off or dead. In my opinion, "flavor text" isn't necessary.
I was raised Catholic, but I find that in comparing different religions "twitterisms" as I call them or, more descriptively; the smallest nuggets of rhetoric that a given religions ideology can be broken down into, certain religions get to the point better than others. The office of the Dalai Lama is on twitter, you know. And their "nuggets of rhetoric" get to the point far better than many other religions; for example "A sense of concern for others' well-being brings inner strength and self confidence." Hard to get the importance of compassion across any simpler than that.
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Kansi wrote on 2010-11-29 01:32
Well, I don't mind my religion since it's not something that hinders me, and I get to play with fire.
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Serathx wrote on 2010-11-29 01:38
I personally don't like religion, but it's their decision to believe in anything they want.
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tman555 wrote on 2010-11-29 01:53
Religion's a personal choice. Like every personal choice, you have a right to it, as long as it doesn't infringe upon another person's personal choice.
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Adelynn wrote on 2010-11-29 02:25
If only I could remember all the things I said today? XD I'm curious as to what other thing(s) I've said that you agree with, is all.
I made a typo in that sentence. Gah!.
For me, the world exists in a lot of gray area, not in black or white. Separating ourselves because of differences is not going to get us anywhere. I'm an atheist, yes, but I'm not going to shun every religious person that comes my way just because of that difference of ours. Anyone can believe what they want, as long as they are tolerant of others and their beliefs. I have the right to not believe, and they have the right to believe, otherwise, I'd be a hypocrite.
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abc33kr wrote on 2010-11-29 02:27
Regardless of whether there is a religion or not, there always will be people hating others.
Religion is there to reduce or maybe even stop that, but there are people who uses religion as a guise to hate others.
So it really is a paradox. No one is right by taking a stance on whether world would be a better place with/out religion.
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Zid wrote on 2010-11-29 22:31
To myself, and only to myself, I need a reason to do good to others and to keep going. People can ridicule me and the flaws of my religion, but it is in the strength and compassion of my religion that I shall look to, not the negatives the others point at in which some will say my religion is a curse, or that a religion-less world is needed.
I cannot change the fact there are people who did wrong in the name of their religions. I cannot change the fact there are people today who are against my religion or others. I can only keep it to myself and let others do what they want, and wish the same for others. If some invisible divine being in the sky who never talked to me says I should help the dying man on the street get to a hospital when everybody else around me doesn't, I find that reasoning to be positive and logical enough to do it.
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Kazuni wrote on 2010-11-30 00:35
Quote from Zid;232363:
To myself, and only to myself, I need a reason to do good to others and to keep going. People can ridicule me and the flaws of my religion, but it is in the strength and compassion of my religion that I shall look to, not the negatives the others point at in which some will say my religion is a curse, or that a religion-less world is needed.
I cannot change the fact there are people who did wrong in the name of their religions. I cannot change the fact there are people today who are against my religion or others. I can only keep it to myself and let others do what they want, and wish the same for others. If some invisible divine being in the sky who never talked to me says I should help the dying man on the street get to a hospital when everybody else around me doesn't, I find that reasoning to be positive and logical enough to do it.
But isn't the point of religion (Christian and Catholic, anyway) to (and I quote), "spread the word of God"?
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abc33kr wrote on 2010-11-30 01:09
Quote from Kazuni;232540:
But isn't the point of religion (Christian and Catholic, anyway) to (and I quote), "spread the word of God"?
Forcing it down someone's throat isn't exactly spreading the word of God. Sometimes, just giving people the opportunity to convert is enough since God can lead people to convert.
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Kazuni wrote on 2010-11-30 01:10
Quote from abc33kr;232588:
Forcing it down someone's throat isn't exactly spreading the word of God. Sometimes, just giving people the opportunity to convert is enough since God can lead people to convert.
Forcing down throat: too much.
Telling them once: not enough.
So much is up to interpretation.
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Intex wrote on 2010-11-30 01:29
Giving the opportunity to convert is how people indoctrinate their kids.
Start bringing them to church with you and they end up following that religion.
Boys who grow up in places under Sharia law end up following those principles.
Boys growing up in America become Christians.
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Adelynn wrote on 2010-11-30 02:48
Something that DOES bother me is that I "became" a Catholic even before I was aware of myself. Now that I think about it, it wasn't something I actually did by choice. It reminds me of what someone tells me. That "it's about choice". Well, it certainly wasn't for me. :/
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Zid wrote on 2010-11-30 03:57
Quote from Kazuni;232540:
But isn't the point of religion (Christian and Catholic, anyway) to (and I quote), "spread the word of God"?
I follow the "Spread the love" concept instead.
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Moppy wrote on 2010-11-30 04:03
The only thing I like about religion are the values it teaches. Some people may not like a religion because of what it believes in, but most religions base a lot of their teaching on being nice to one another. I think religion has caused a lot of bad things and confusion in the world but to deny the positive things it teaches would be inappropriate.