On religion

[BrilloPad]

I have never seen anyone on the forum start a thread on their religion, I do see, on occasion, threads started against religion.

Chico started quite a few. But no-one else would have the bottle.

[mudskipper]

mmm, they are both the same.

different motives, but they behave the same and have the same outcomes.

They only have the same outcome if there isn't a God. If there is, the believer goes to heaven, and the non-believer goes to hell. Or is that an over simplification?

[BrilloPad]

They only have the same outcome if there isn't a God. If there is, the believer goes to heaven, and the non-believer goes to hell. Or is that an over simplification?

That is correct. BUT it does say, Revelation 20:13 that "each person was judged according to what he had done."

So there must be some sort of levels in heaven and hell.

I find it very freaky that, according to the bible, Hitler might be in heaven!

[EternalOptimist]

They only have the same outcome if there isn't a God. If there is, the believer goes to heaven, and the non-believer goes to hell. Or is that an over simplification?

you asked which was better.

now are changing the rules, introducing a God on top of a belief in a God.


If there is a God, there is no better. just do what he says, no question
if he says kill 10 billion people, just do it.

[minestrone]

Americans will never forget the first time human beings set foot on the moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin touched down on July 20, 1969.

Armstrong took the first step and said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” An entire planet probably trembled with a new awareness of God and His vast creation.

But more was happening during this amazing time. Shortly after the men landed, Aldrin radioed NASA and asked for a moment of silence so that “each person listening in (could) contemplate the events of the last few hours.” During this quiet period, Aldrin opened little plastic packages containing bread and wine, silently read a few verses of Scripture and received communion. “It was interesting to think that the first liquid ever poured on the moon and the first food eaten there were the Christian communion,” Aldrin said later.

Only the pastor at Aldrin’s Houston Presbyterian church—and a few NASA personnel—knew that communion was happening on the moon. Why? Because the famous atheist, Madelyn Murray O’Hare, was involved in a legal fight protesting the reading of Scripture by the Apollo 8 crew. To broadcast a private communion in a very public arena might create even more challenges, and dull the luster of this accomplishment. So Aldrin was asked to “keep it quiet,” which he did.

Science does not take people to do great things, faith has a lot to do with pushing boundries.

[Spacecadet]

We keep on being told that religion, whatever its imperfections, at least instills morality. On every side, there is conclusive evidence that the contrary is the case and that faith causes people to be more mean, more selfish, and perhaps above all, more stupid.

Christopher Hitchens.

Just about any conflict you can mention will have religion as the basis.

What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.

Come back when you have something original to say on the issue

[NotAllThere]

Just about any conflict you can mention will have religion as the basis.

Vietnam vs China
Vietnam vs Cambodia
Rewandan genocide
World wars 1 and 2.

Historically, a minority of wars have been fought with religion as the basis. The basis of most wars is a desire for power and wealth.

... faith causes people to be more mean, more selfish, and perhaps above all, more stupid.

On the other hand, atheism, on the above evidence, causes people, blinded by their irrational hatred of religion, to be extraordinarily ignorant about history and sociology. And, indeed, religion.

Which person is 'better'?

The person who goes through life being good and nice to get a ticket to heaven
The person who goes through life being good and nice for no expected reward

With Christianity, the desire to be good is driven out of love for God - not expected reward.
With Islam, similarly.

With Christianity you get a ticket to heaven by faith in Jesus - not by being good. Though being bad is usually cited as evidence of not really having faith.

With Islam there is no ticket to heaven, it's entirely down to Allah's mercy - at least in the majority theological intepretation.

Oh look. More ignorance about religion.

[mudskipper]

Vietnam vs China
Vietnam vs Cambodia
Rewandan genocide
World wars 1 and 2.

Historically, a minority of wars have been fought with religion as the basis. The basis of most wars is a desire for power and wealth.

On the other hand, atheism, on the above evidence, causes people, blinded by their irrational hatred of religion, to be extraordinarily ignorant about history and sociology. And, indeed, religion.

With Christianity, the desire to be good is driven out of love for God - not expected reward.
With Islam, similarly.

With Christianity you get a ticket to heaven by faith in Jesus - not by being good. Though being bad is usually cited as evidence of not really having faith.

With Islam there is no ticket to heaven, it's entirely down to Allah's mercy - at least in the majority theological intepretation.

Oh look. More ignorance about religion.

It seems odd to me that God would turn away a good person who didn't believe in Jesus. Allah sounds a bit more rational in this regard.

[mudskipper]

With Christianity, the desire to be good is driven out of love for God - not expected reward.

So why is there so much in the bible devoted to describing the torments of Hell, if not fear of punishment?

[escapeUK]

It seems odd to me that God would turn away a good person who didn't believe in Jesus. Allah sounds a bit more rational in this regard.

Of course, because then you havent believed and therefore obeyed his representatives on earth. Which of course is the whole and only point of religion, control. Amazes me that there are still people who havent understood and still believe.