Religion, going too far?
 

First off every one has a right to say what they wish. With that said I would like to share some thing with you.
My sister is a Catholic, one of her friends at work is a Christian. Seems ok, right? Well when my sister was asked what her Religion is by this person, her responce to my sisters answer was just "oh". Later that day she came back up to my sister and asked if she would like to go to her church. My sister said ok-wanting to see what her church was like-.
They just got back from the Christian church just a while ago. She said that all they do is talk about sprending Christianity, and not the God that they worship. They tried to get my sister to keep going, but after hearing what they did to a little ten year old she was freaked out. They had the little boy go to the mall and stand around looking at every one. They told him to imagine that every one has a "Going to hell" sticker on their head. The kid soon saw some people that he knew and started crying. Poor kid.
What are your thoughts on this?

Fire, brimstone, and scaremongering is not the way of Yeshua. Truth, compassion, and gentleness are his ways. To manipulate a child in such a way is not only evil, it is going to give this child a bad impression of religion and Christianity. While evangelism is a part of Christianity, you cannot make a whole with only one part. And evangelism should never, ever, be by coercion.

Statement: All religion is bad.

Counterpoint: No it's not and you're going to Hell.

Rebuttal: You're stupid and so is your "god."

...

Yep. I think we're done here.

On-topic: I work at a restaurant, and I really dislike serving church groups. They're always asking about my religious preferences, and I would totally tell them the truth... you know, if I didn't want a tip. I've actually made up a church that I "go to" so a group would stop inviting me to their church.

"Umm... Church of... Christ. Yep. In Knoxville. Church of Christ. It's non-denominational?"

Which was a total lie, but to be honest, I didn't feel all that guilty. Stop poking into my business, crazy baptists. Preach the gospel, run me to death, invite me to your church, and then leave me a $1 tip? Generousity, huh? Practice what you preach, bitches.

Amen!

*Sound of Cymbals*

Are you Jewish, Patty Vyk?

anywho. Not all religions are like that. Mine is far from that.

Hoo boy, religion...religion religion religion.

I was forced by my Athiest mum to attend a catholic school, which was fine, cause ot was one of those sensible ones. But there was this one kid.
His name was Declan, he had some aspergus syndrome or something, and he was a serious evangelical lutheran. Everyone just kinda felt sorry for him or was nice to him, because of said Aspergus. But that didn't stop him from being a total wanker towards my group of Athiests. He was mean, spiteful, and arrogant. I ended up being called into the pricipals office after we got into a fight because I was reading Origin Of Species. He claimed I was trying to subvert him, and the school, at the behest of his nutcase parents, gave me detention. Bastard. Anyway, here is his list of " devilish" things:

1. Tamagotchi. Its not alive, stop worshipping it!
2. Lord Of The Rings. Orcs and Trolls and evil Idolatry!
3. Harry Potter. Aaaah! Witches!
4. Science. When it came to Evo-theory in the science class, he broke down crying.
5. Trading Cards. Its evil cardboard! Aaaah!
6. Warhammer. Its disgusting to think humans will ever leave earth!
7. ETC.

Anyway, when religious kooks bug meh, I just say that Great Cthulhu will rise when the stars are right, and devour us all.

Is religion really pressed upon people so much in the US? I couldn't imagine that ever happening over here, we do get the annual Jehovah's Witnesses door knocking to convert, but that's a one off.

If anyone were to try to convert me I'd tell them to piss off. As I would expect just about everyone in Australia to do. Or perhaps it's because I live in Sydney, the most satanic city in Australia ;)

Alcar...

Where I lived, we never got any of this stuff. The people at the church were raely encountered, and never tried to convert you. They would sahre advice, but were never judgemental.

At school there were some devout Christians, but they were cool. They would sometimes discuss it, but only in terms of what it means to them, not anyone else. It often meant they had to speak in assembly, however.

Now I Southampton Uni, I might experience different. There are certainly religious unions, and I may encounter them on the way to the computer gaming society. Maybe if I start displaying the stigmata they'll leave me alone.

Notice hw in our (predominantly) Christian countries, only the Christians ever try converting you.

Though I suppose in my experience, the Hindus are quiet, the Muslims are private and I have never knowingly met a Jew.

I think by now it's pretty obvious that religion has gone way to far already...

Statement: All religion is bad.

Counterpoint: Come spend some time with a couple of my friends and I'll prove that some individuals and religions are okay.

Rebuttal: Err... Ummm... No thanks. I'd prefer to stay ignorant.


Let's try not to make any stupid generalisations here.

Stupid generalizations? That's how pretty much every religion thread we've ever had has ended up! How could you even say otherwise? What I said is not a generalization; it's a damn fact (albeit in a very simplified form).

I'm not criticizing Christianity. At all. I mean, I may not be what a lot of people would consider a "good Christian," but I do believe in a God and all that jazz. All I was saying was basically what every religion thread we've had has degenerated in to.

I come off as an atheist, don't I? :p

Concerning the restaurant I work at: this probably sounds to all of you non-Merkans like we have religion forced down our throats at every turn, which is not (necessarily) the case. You have to understand, the restaurant at which I work serves American-style food indigenous to region I live in, and this region is (in)famous for devout belief in religion, so we get a lot of preachers and church groups on Sundays. It's not really that typical for other restaurants, I imagine.

Just kinda, yeah

Alot of people generalize too much. They believe that if they have one religion down, they got them all down.
That's why many people don't see why we should attack the Terrorists over in the middle east. Believe me people, Judaism and Islam may basically follow the same God, but their views of that God are drastically different from the Jew's view of that God.

Over here in Idaho, weez full of Mormons. Don't get me started on Mormons.


...Wait, shout out if you've never heard of Mormons. Just wondering who hasn't. It's kinda an "All American Religion" so...yeah.

I agree. That's why I got in early to stomp on that flame before it got out of control. I tend to end up sounding whiny in those threads because people like that (ahem... you :D ) really piss me off.

People like what? When have I generalized anyone? I'm not trying to pigeon-hole anyone on either side; I'm just saying that's how the discussions in the other threads have played out. I'm not extrapolating on anything. Go back and look if you want, but you know that's how the shit went down. I was merely trying to poke fun at that and how the majority of religion threads become carbon copies of each other.

And OK, we're agreeing on how all of the other threads turned out. If that's what you mean you're saying "generalize," as in generalizing the argument instead of the people arguing, then yeah, I guess I am generalizing old arguments. Because that's how they happened. Pretty much all of them. But then again, if we're still agreeing here, then what the fuck are you so pissed off about? People that say true things in a humorous way?

If I were generalizing the people, I would have just cut out the middle man and said "All Christians on this forum are bible beaters," or "All atheists on this forum are self-righteous pricks," which we both know isn't true. It's always been the loud, overzealous voices of a select few that have defined the abominations of religious discussions in the past.

Um. Catholic's ARE christians.

By christian you mean anglican/protestant maybe?

I don't practise religion. And if people get pushy and try and shove their view about religion on me, i'll rip the piss and be a complete arse. But otherwise i'm good

I have a muslim mate who's fairly religious, but is willing to take the piss out of his own and all religions. Mainly other ones, but hey. I'm his 'satanist' friend. I think this is an approach that should be taken by more religionous people

ALSO: Why does The Church Of Satan present a more convincing argument about theology than Christianity. ANSWER ME THAT GOD!

Well, they do say the devils a very good persuador... he offers short term gain, God offers long term gain. Its sort of like comparing an Amway salesman with a doctor.

They did that to a ten year old kid? ouch... that'll leave a scar on him.
I personally think that religion is good depending on what you do with it. I agree that people shouldn't just say "go spred cristianity" because that is kinda dumb. You can't spread anything if you don't know anything about it. Also, people try to push their religions on others by cutting others down or nagging on someone constantly. that's not right. you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
I am a cristian, and I think that everyone should be able to have their own religion, (wether is be having a different one, the same one or not one at all.) We are givin free will, so we all should use it! Power to the people of the world! And in a lot of ways, religion is going to far, and in a lot of ways it isn't.
(I'm on the side that says certain people are being psycotic about religion and trying to push others in believing their religion in a stupid way...)

Yeah, I noticed. Satanism is a really good religion :p.

Really.

Okay. Sorry Searex.

I missed your irony first time round and you missed my irony second time round.

I get (now) that you were criticising the past discussions rather than the religious people. With my (ahem... you :D ) I was merely trying to poke fun at my previous mistake. I hoped that the smilie would alert you to the fact that I wasn't being serious.

Yeah. Sorry. Stress.

I know, no excuse for flying off the handle like that, but I've been really on edge lately. College stuff.

That's okay. *pats on head*

I have got a mathematical proof that all religions are wrong, but it might be a bit inflammatory. I am an agnostic ( = someone who literally does not know) and I believe it is the only sensible position as it is impossible to prove atheism and noone has yet given me a bucketload of noncoincidental evidence for their God. For people who desperately cling to their religion, stop reading now as the proof will shake your faith.

The number of possible religions = the number of possible arrangements of words = (some huge number)^infinity = aleph-1(is an infinity)

The number of possible religions that do not allow other religions (Judaism, Christianity etc.) is the same.

Take the selected religion and the total of all possible religions that forbid other religions. Only one of these can be right. The amount of scientifically acknowledged evidence for any of these is the same, so each has the same probability of being true = 1/infinity = 0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ha.

Ha. Most amusing. Only, there are not an infinite number of religions and many of them do not necessarily forbid other religions. Buddhism, I believe, says that you may take part in any religion you like. Certainly Judaism allows for non-jews to go to heaven.

Yes there are, there is an infinite number of variations on any theme, just as there are an infinite number of possible books. And just as there are an infinite number of possible books that begin with Once upon a time... there are an infinite number of "exclusive religions".

Im not religios in anyway really....i like the idea but it just doesn't seem right. When i think about it. I don't want to try and offend anyone who's going to read this but i think i'd rather stick to the idea than we all began from something small than suddenly bieng put here. I also don't see the piont in worshiping a god that probably doesn't even exist. When i think about the bible i kinda think of it as if it is just a big fictional book somone wrote..and people have takes to serious. Feel free to correct me if im wrong or anything...i don't fully understand all about religion.

Take a look at what you just wrote - there are an infinite number of possible books but only a finite number of actual books. Similarlym there may be an infinite number of possiblereligions (though I doubt that logic also) but only a finite number of real ones.

Yes, but the point is you only need there to be an infinite number of possible religions for my proof to work. However, if anyone finds incontrovertible evidence for any religion, this proof doesn't work.

Oh God, this ****er of a thread is back. Again.

What a very scientific way of going about things, Magic Mushie. I'm afraid you can't just prove away everything like that.

Believe in the word of God and you will see. ^^

Well, show me the evidence.

You're stoopid.

I win!