I never really got the concept of religion. The whole concept of a god that solely is concerned with the upkeep of the human race? And why would god have to be a person?

My family is so un-religious it's crazy. We kinda pretend we like Jesus but that's about it.

I think I've been to church 3 times in my life, 2 of them on Christmas.

I was in religion for a brief period of time when I was 6...my parents felt like hyprocrites for putting me in it, they explained later, as they didn't really learn any of this stuff and did nothing to further my religion. I didn't understand what was going on in there either.

My parents are Catholic too, and they are having trouble grasping the concept that I want nothing at all to do with the religion, or any religion at all. However, they aren't really angered about it, I just don't think they understand, really. The other day I explained to them that I don't believe in an afterlife, and that if there is a creater, I don't believe that he judges each and every person through there actions on earth. I didn't get a reply. Fu[size=2]ck[/size] religion. I'll develope my own opinions, views and philosophies on life, thanks.

I think I was christened a Catholic, but I've never been to Church more than two or three times.

[QUOTE=RiceMonster]I'll develope my own opinions, views and philosophies on life, thanks.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that's how I approach it. It's not like my idea of Heaven and Hell iswritten explicitly in The Bible in that you can look it up and find it, but it certainly helps me try to be as good of a person as possible.

I'm mostly Christian but I have some agnostism tied into what I believe. I believe that what the Bible says is true, but it isn't the only truth out there. Also...

Myth: Bible is homophobic
Fact: Bible isn't homophobic

Another thing is that people really skew what the Bible says. As having read the Bible, I can tell you that there's not much that is unreasonable in there. It doesn't say that you have to follow the book like it's the only way to live, but it does say to take it into consideration. People that force things on other people piss me off. They take their greed and corruption and screw up somthing that was originally built on the principles of love and life.

One more thing, how do atheists explain things like love, happiness and emotion if there all there is is the mundane world? I've always wondered that.

[QUOTE=Apocalyptic Raids]I think I was christened a Catholic, but I've never been to Church more than two or three times.[/QUOTE]

Same, cept I've never been to church (well, I was baptised on a church but that's aboot it).

[QUOTE=CocaineAndCrucifixes] (well, I was baptised on a church but that's aboot it).[/QUOTE]
hahah same.

I think I had to go one time with a friend, because they are religous. :(

[QUOTE=Moses]I'm mostly Christian but I have some agnostism tied into what I believe. I believe that what the Bible says is true, but it isn't the only truth out there. Also...

Myth: Bible is homophobic
Fact: Bible isn't homophobic

Another thing is that people really skew what the Bible says. As having read the Bible, I can tell you that there's not much that is unreasonable in there. It doesn't say that you have to follow the book like it's the only way to live, but it does say to take it into consideration. People that force things on other people piss me off. They take their greed and corruption and screw up somthing that was originally built on the principles of love and life.

One more thing, how do atheists explain things like love, happiness and emotion if there all there is is the mundane world? I've always wondered that.[/QUOTE]

Are you saying you need religion to explain emotion? I can feel emotion, I cannot feel God, a heaven or a hell.

[QUOTE=toaster135]Are you saying you need religion to explain emotion? I can feel emotion, I cannot feel God, a heaven or a hell.[/QUOTE]
I'm saying if you can feel emotion or any kind of extra-mundane thing how is it explained? I'm saying that you don't need religion but you have to believe in somthing other than evolution to explain things like desire or hate. Whether you'd like to explain it or not is up to you. I'm just curious not offensive.

[QUOTE=toaster135]Are you saying you need religion to explain emotion? I can feel emotion, I cannot feel God, a heaven or a hell.[/QUOTE]

o noes angry athiest lmao

I think the Bible is mostly a good thing (uh ohs) but more as a set of lessons and morals to live by than as a historical document

[QUOTE=Moses]I'm saying if you can feel emotion or any kind of extra-mundane thing how is it explained? I'm saying that you don't need religion but you have to believe in somthing other than evolution to explain things like desire or hate. Whether you'd like to explain it or not is up to you. I'm just curious not offensive.[/QUOTE]

I wasn't offended. I was just asking, and I misunderstood what you said. I'm not an athiest, for the record. That's a good question though, I guess you could say that those feelings stem from a need in your body like the need to reproduce, or the need to kill an enemy or competitor.

[QUOTE=toaster135]I wasn't offended. I was just asking, and I misunderstood what you said. I'm not an athiest, for the record. That's a good question though, I guess you could say that those feelings stem from a need in your body like the need to reproduce, or the need to kill an enemy or competitor.[/QUOTE]
You can love someone, even if you know you can't reproduce with them. What makes a painting so special? What's the difference between a song and organized noise? What triggers someone to like a certain song and a different person to hate that same song? Why the **** do we cry?

I just can't go on living believing that there isn't some kind of mysticism in this crazy world.

[QUOTE=Moses]You can love someone, even if you know you can't reproduce with them. What makes a painting so special? What's the difference between a song and noise? What triggers someone to like a certain song and a different person to hate that same song.[/QUOTE]

You love your mother because you need her protection and caregiving when you're young. Love of a painting is merely wonder at the skill of the painter, amazement that a man could make something so precise with his hands. One could argue that we've been conditioned since birth to enjoy certain noises and not others, but prolongued exposure can allow us to enjoy other forms of sound.

I see what you mean. :p

[QUOTE=toaster135]You love your mother because you need her protection and caregiving when you're young. Love of a painting is merely wonder at the skill of the painter, amazement that a man could make something so precise with his hands. One could argue that we've been conditioned since birth to enjoy certain noises and not others, but prolongued exposure can allow us to enjoy other forms of sound.

I see what you mean. :p[/QUOTE]
Define enjoyment.

I mean't even if your life partner is barren you can still love them. Also if you've ever had a very serious relationship, you start having spiritual or special expiriences with them in a specific moment and mood.

[QUOTE=Moses]Another thing is that people really skew what the Bible says. As having read the Bible, I can tell you that there's not much that is unreasonable in there. It doesn't say that you have to follow the book like it's the only way to live, but it does say to take it into consideration. People that force things on other people piss me off. They take their greed and corruption and screw up somthing that was originally built on the principles of love and life.[/QUOTE]
If there's one aspect of Catholics that I like, especially more then other Christians, it's about the bible. Catholics believe that the bible is a major source for the religion, but it is not a literal guide, and it can be translated in many ways. I dislike it when generic Christian religions try to say that the bible is an impenatrable source of religious fact and that your entire "salvation" lies in one single book.

[QUOTE=Moses]Define enjoyment.

I mean't even if your life partner is barren you can still love them. Also if you've ever had a very serious relationship, you start having spiritual or special expiriences with them in a specific moment and mood.[/QUOTE]

Enjoyment, I suppose something you are conditioned to be accustomed to. People who grow up on farms will derive some enjoyment from the smell of manure, simply because it reminds them of good times.

You should probably take up this discussion with an actual athiest, because I really don't know any great answers to your questions.

Bolded the ones I feel I can explain.
[QUOTE=Moses][b]You can love someone,[/b] even if you know you can't reproduce with them. What makes a painting so special? What's the difference between a song and organized noise? What triggers someone to like a certain song and a different person to hate that same song? [b]Why the **** do we cry?[/b]

I just can't go on living believing that there isn't some kind of mysticism in this crazy world.[/QUOTE]
Love is a [i]desire[/i] to reproduce with someone, it doesn't mean that they will want the same from you. But still, love is undeniably what makes us reproduce.

Why do we cry? You mean, why do we feel sadness and pain? Wouldn't we have to be extremely unintelligent to know that something harmed us? Think about nerves, they are what identifies pain. What purpose would they serve if our brain could not tell that what just harmed us was not good?

Ps: I don't deny the existance of a God, I just dont that if there is a God, there isn't a Religion who has got it right yet.

Edit: I'd like to comment on how you said the Bible does not say you must live by it's ways. Sure it is our choice, but why is it then a sin to not go to Church every Sunday? Why does one go to hell if they donnot confess after breaking one of the commandments? And why does God want us to act by the ways of the Bible then? This seems to condemn all other lifestyles IMO.

This reminds me of that [i]Calvin and Hobbes[/i] comic where the two protagonists are talking about God. When Hobbes asks him if there is a God, Calvin goes, "Well, [i]someone[/i]'s out to get me."

For the record, I'm a HUGE [i]Calvin and Hobbes[/i] fan.

NP: Dave Matthews Band - "The Last Stop"

I've been listening to a lot of older DMB lately for some reason. The problem I have with this album ([i]Before These Crowded Streets[/i]) is that the songs take way too long to get over and done with.

[QUOTE=RiceMonster]Bolded the ones I feel I can explain.

Love is a [i]desire[/i] to reproduce with someone, it doesn't mean that they will want the same from you. But still, love is undeniably what makes us reproduce.[/QUOTE]
That's infact very false. Love is just somthing that happens. It doesn't mean you have the desire to reproduce, even thought they do go hand in hand. I have the desire to make love to my fiance but her sexual attractiveness has no part in why I love her.
[QUOTE=RiceMonster]
Why do we cry? You mean, why do we feel sadness and pain? Wouldn't we have to be extremely unintelligent to know that something harmed us? Think about nerves, they are what identifies pain. What purpose would they serve if our brain could not tell that what just harmed us was not good?[/QUOTE]
Not why do we feel sadness and pain. I mean why do we shed tears? It's completely irrational seeing as humans are pretty much the only species to actually cry.

[QUOTE=RiceMonster]
Edit: I'd like to comment on how you said the Bible does not say you must live by it's ways. Sure it is our choice, but why is it then a sin to not go to Church every Sunday? Why does one go to hell if they donnot confess after breaking one of the commandments? And why does God want us to act by the ways of the Bible then? This seems to condemn all other lifestyles IMO.[/QUOTE]
Is this what you've heard or actually read?

[QUOTE=toaster135]You should probably take up this discussion with an actual athiest, because I really don't know any great answers to your questions.[/QUOTE]
I've tried because I go to an arts school and there are TONS of angry atheists. Whenever I give them these questions it just draws blank faces.

[QUOTE=ShadowsFallen]If there's one aspect of Catholics that I like, especially more then other Christians, it's about the bible. Catholics believe that the bible is a major source for the religion, but it is not a literal guide, and it can be translated in many ways. I dislike it when generic Christian religions try to say that the bible is an impenatrable source of religious fact and that your entire "salvation" lies in one single book.[/QUOTE]
I do like that aspect also but the only reasons they didn't use it as a literal guide were all negative ones such as greed and power. I hate that about religion. People always gotta **** it up.

[QUOTE=Moses]Is this what you've heard or actually read?[/QUOTE]
I've been raised Catholic. My parents made me go to a Catholic school. This is taken from Priests, and Religion techers at my school. People who are actually experienced in the Religion. I've never heard any Priest deny any of that.

I'd like to discuss this more, but I have to do to bed. School tommorow.

[QUOTE=RiceMonster]I've been raised Catholic. My parents made me go to a Catholic school. This is taken from Priests, and Religion techers at my school. People who are actually experienced in the Religion. I've never heard any Priest deny any of that.

I'd like to discuss this more, but I have to do to bed. School tommorow.[/QUOTE]
So it's what you've heard then.

Yeah, but I'd rather take the theological teachings of a priest or minister over some idiot televangelist. At least the former can interpret the Bible reasonably instead of some tard with a microphone.

"Are you lonely?"

[i]Ehn.[/i]

"Are you sitting in a beanbag naked eating Cheetos?"

:eek: [i]This guy's good.[/i]

"Do you want to send me ten thousand dollars in cash?"

[i]Close! I thought you were talking about me for a second there.[/i]

That reminds me. comedy Central has been showing The Blue Collar Comedy Tour and things related to it lately. That thing is quite funny.

Wheee, we learned a lot about Jom tonight.

[QUOTE=Moses]So it's what you've heard then.[/QUOTE]
Yes. And they argue the commandment "Keep the Sabbath day Holy", as well as Jesus saying "Do this in memory of me" is saying we must regularly attend church. Be sure to keep in mind that the bible is not to be taken litteraly as well ;).

As for the other things, I honestly don't remember the reasoning behind it.

[QUOTE=RiceMonster] Be sure to keep in mind that the bible is not to be taken literaly as well
it.[/QUOTE]

This is all that needs to be said. Much of the bible was written the day before the writers were set to be executed, and therefore it must be read with understanding of the context it was written in.

They have their own interperetation of the Bible. I think that "remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy" just means that you should rest from work and focus on your spirituality from time to time.

[QUOTE=Jom]Yeah, but I'd rather take the theological teachings of a priest or minister over some idiot televangelist. At least the former can interpret the Bible reasonably instead of some tard with a microphone.

"Are you lonely?"

[i]Ehn.[/i]

"Are you sitting in a beanbag naked eating Cheetos?"

:eek: [i]This guy's good.[/i]

"Do you want to send me ten thousand dollars in cash?"

[i]Close! I thought you were talking about me for a second there.[/i][/QUOTE]
What I meant is that you should interpret the Bible for yourself.

Moses if the bible is not anti-gay how do you explain the storie of sodom and gamora and noahs ark?