Are you religious?

[wanderlust]

I was surprized by that number. From my persepective it shows the "church" is not only doing a poor job of getting the message out but is also sending the wrong message. You're right about more churches here in the states. I have a friend in England and she was shocked that there wasn't a church on every corner like there is in the bible belt. I like the motto our pastor uses "Preach the Word and Love the People." That'll just about always work. Thanks for the poll.

 

[Bryn]

 

[Tallgirl1974]

I was surprized by that number. From my persepective it shows the "church" is not only doing a poor job of getting the message out but is also sending the wrong message.

Why does it have to be that and not that people are starting to think for themselves and not buy into the church? And I do mean buy into the church.
Maybe the new message is God, or goodness, is everywhere, not just in buildings with big steeples.
{said with the utmost respect and lacking sarcasm, which is not my norm }

 

[Vapor Pete]

Smokin'Sandy ever hear of entropy, the second law of thermodynamics? From order to disorder. Think it could possibly be applied to the human condition? Just curious really?

I am just reading about entropy, and how some thiests use this in debating. I just got done with a few pages on this last night, so my memory and facts are not complete, but basically.... its a non-argument. Scientists have been able to replicate, in closed atmosphers, entropy. This is where you have molocules that are going fast and heating up, and others are going slow. Its kind of like the way a microwave works. But eventually, because of friction, they end up at the same speed, refered to as entopy.
My best,
-VP

 

[Vapor Pete]

Why does it have to be that and not that people are starting to think for themselves and not buy into the church? And I do mean BUY into the church.
Maybe the new message is God, or goodness, is everywhere, not just in buildings with big steeples.
{said with the utmost respect and lacking sarcasm, which is not my norm }

TG, remember... he did say "from his perspective"... which is the christian prospective. It is my perspective (and yours appearently) that what you said is the correct reason. And I do mean "reason".
My best,
-VP

 

[Kate]

I was surprized by that number. From my persepective it shows the "church" is not only doing a poor job of getting the message out but is also sending the wrong message. You're right about more churches here in the states. I have a friend in England and she was shocked that there wasn't a church on every corner like there is in the bible belt. I like the motto our pastor uses "Preach the Word and Love the People." That'll just about always work. Thanks for the poll.

I think evangelism kills itself in the long term. Evangelistic religions may become pop religions but they're just a fad and persuasion doesn't get the same level of commitment as genuinely attractive philosophies. If it's any good it wouldn't have to have the hard sell.

Brimstone and fire threats aren't as scary these days either.

 

[Vince1]

 

[Vapor Pete]

Is this really going to turn into showing your point by pictures??? That just takes waaaaaayyy too much time... But thats a cute one from the "christian science monitor" (contradiction in terms).
My best,
-VP

 

[gep]

I'm still waiting for an answer to my Planet X question and the recycling of civilization.....

 

[Kate]

I thought that cartoon was intended to expose the lazy thought taught by doctrine.


One of the reasons I really like Buddhist teachings is because it encourages you to find truth in a rational, humanist context rather than making us believe we are too stupid to work it out. Buddhism compliments real science and ethical philosophy.

 

[wanderlust]

I haven't read anything about it since my school days a long time ago but always thought it might apply to the human condition. Supposing the bible is correct, people seem to have lived longer until God appointed man a lifespan of (I think it was 70 or 75 years - I don't have a bible handy). It seemed to go progressively down once sin/death entered the world. As people age their telemeres become shorter and shorter until they are unable to replicate any more and people die. No one seems to know why the telemeres get shorter. I don't have any scientific data or anything like that I just always thought it was interesting and wondered if anyone could draw any conclusions.

 

[Tallgirl1974]

I think evangelism kills itself in the long term. Evangelistic religions may become pop religions but they're just a fad and persuasion doesn't get the same level of commitment as genuinely attractive philosophies. If it's any good it wouldn't have to have the hard sell.

Brimstone and fire threats aren't as scary these days either.

Are you afraid of what will happen when the masses stop being scared of it though? I think in general people are so blind that they need it to keep them in line. Not that ...... and murders don't come in religious packages...I guess I am also not suggesting that people in gereral are so dumb that they cant live good lives without it..heck I dunno I lost my thought...I think that if religion crumbles people have to replace their reasons to be good with new, tangible, reasons to be good-and they will need guidance from people who are good for goodness sake.
What the hell, just ignor me. I probably make no sense.

 

[Tallgirl1974]

I haven't read anything about it since my school days a long time ago but always thought it might apply to the human condition. Supposing the bible is correct, people seem to have lived longer until God appointed man a lifespan of (I think it was 70 or 75 years - I don't have a bible handy). It seemed to go progressively down once sin/death entered the world. As people age their telemeres become shorter and shorter until they are unable to replicate any more and people die. No one seems to know why the telemeres get shorter. I don't have any scientific data or anything like that I just always thought it was interesting and wondered if anyone could draw any conclusions.

I wonder how that applies to life spans increasing now? Its going back up but the bible didn't change...hmmm

 

[Vapor Pete]

people seem to have lived longer until God appointed man a lifespan of (I think it was 70 or 75 years - I don't have a bible handy).

Wait.... didnt noah and his family live to like 700 years old or something?

It seemed to go progressively down once sin/death entered the world.

My grandmother is going to turn 101 years old this year... thats a crap load longer than what you said god is allowing at 70 or 75 years.

their telemeres become shorter and shorter until they are unable to replicate any more and people die.

Their what? Are you talking about cells?

My best,
-VP

 

[Kate]

Tallgirl, I think that religion is not the reason societies work, in fact I think they might be the reasons for the fall of empires, lack of civilisation and massive loss of life.

A truly civilised society would pass ethics, morals and values through culture. We are born with the potential for all sorts of behaviour but what we end up doing is determined by genetics, environment and shared memory.

I don't worry about the decline of civilisation because of lack of interest in religion, I think we are more likely to become civilised without religion. Philosophy, independent thought, critical thought, ethics, citizenship and honesty are all endangered by religion.

We would be exploring the galaxy by now if we hadn't been held back by religion.

 

[gep]

Tallgirl, I think that religion is not the reason societies work, in fact I think they might be the reasons for the fall of empires, lack of civilisation and massive loss of life.

A truly civilised society would pass ethics, morals and values through culture. We are born with the potential for all sorts of behaviour but what we end up doing is determined by genetics, environment and shared memory.

I don't worry about the decline of civilisation because of lack of interest in religion, I think we are more likely to become civilised without religion. Philosophy, independent thought, critical thought, ethics, citizenship and honesty are all endangered by religion.

We would be exploring the galaxy by now if we hadn't been held back by religion.

In many ways you are right, Kate. Our fears and superstitions have held us back many times in our evolution.

But why do we do this to ourselves? (Civilization, that is.)

I've been trudging through this book for a bit now.....I hate philosophy...but I'm trying to understand all points of view. Check it out if you're interested but be warned it's very dry reading in my opinion.
Amazon.com: Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon: Daniel C. Dennett: Books

 

[wanderlust]

VP i'm not sure what the number is but it was an average that I believe is equivalent to today's maximum age. Yes, some live longer and more live less but an average. Yes you are right it was after Noah but you can see the progressive decrease until the "alloted"(not allowed)from the time of Adam. Yes, I know it's gone up in the recent decade to the 72.5 or something. My great grandmother lived to 104. Telemeres are cellular structures and I don't know much about them either. I just threw this out as food for thought.

 

[jim420]

I thought that cartoon was intended to expose the lazy thought taught by doctrine.


One of the reasons I really like Buddhist teachings is because it encourages you to find truth in a rational, humanist context rather than making us believe we are too stupid to work it out. Buddhism compliments real science and ethical philosophy.

If ther IS anything that I could possibly relate to as "religion" for me, it would be the teachings of the Gautama. They put all of the beliefs into the individual and the physical reality, not some grandfatherly figure in a place none of us have ever seen.
--Just one man's opinion.

 

[wanderlust]

gep, I believe civilizations fail because they fail to move up the pyramid of hierachy. Civilizations that fail to progress upward are overthrown.

 

[wanderlust]

Now see this is fun again. Discussing ideals. Every society has worshiped something and most likely will continue to.