Organized Reglion

[GSTamral]

Macro-scale organized religion. With todays climate and society, is it good or bad? Discuss

Good as long as it does not preach hatred or harm to other people (read taken to the extreme).

- Arkans

[Parkbandit]

Bad.

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Arkans
Good as long as it does not preach hatred or harm to other people (read taken to the extreme).Jerry Falwell, way to be out-humaned by a self-proclaimed NAZI. Terrorist.

It is vital that people have more than one influence in their moral upbringing. Therefore, a uniform organized religion is good. However, some folks look to it for the totality of their moral upbringing, which is bad. Then you've got the people who use organized religion as a shuffle, a cloak, or a vessel for their own bigotry/hatred/etc. And that's bad too. But I have faith in people to discern the wheat and the chaff.

[Ravenstorm]

Originally posted by Parkbandit
Bad.

Who says PB is a dumb Republican?

Raven

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by Ravenstorm

Originally posted by Parkbandit
Bad.

Who says PB is a dumb Republican?

Raven

There's no such thing.

:P:P

[DeV]

Originally posted by Latrinsorm
But I have faith in people to discern the wheat and the chaff. I don't.

To answer the question... mass organized religion in this day in age does more harm than good.

[Sean]

Bad.

What is this religion you speak of?

[Nieninque]

Bad Bad Bad.

Religion is a tool of oppression designed to stifle imagination and has more to do with social control than spiritualism.
It is a real threat to civil liberties and freedom of expression.

There is a news story here of a play that was being shown in Birmingham about a sexual assault in a Sheikh (sp?) temple.

The Sheikh community weren't happy with the content of the play and protested outside the theatre asking for it to be changed or banned (apparently they didnt like it being set in a temple).

On saturday night, they kicked off and there was violence..police were called and all...today the people putting on the play cancelled it because of the violence.

Fucking crap.

[Tsa`ah]

Organized religion gets a bad rap sometimes for no reason. Guilt by association is never a good thing.

I can't condemn all organized religion for things done and taught by secular establishments.

I'll leave the poorly educated, conspiracy driven blanket statements to folks like Tamral and make poor attempts at hiding my amusement.

[Keller]

Originally posted by Tsa`ah
Organized religion gets a bad rap sometimes for no reason. Guilt by association is never a good thing.

I can't condemn all organized religion for things done and taught by secular establishments.

I'll leave the poorly educated, conspiracy driven blanket statements to folks like Tamral and make poor attempts at hiding my amusement.

But you will make vague baseless statements and hope no one noticed. Were you stoned when you posted this? I'm open to changing my mind, but currently this sounds like a string of words put together into non-sensical form. Just give a few examples of what you're talking about. It doesn't make sense by itself.

[4a6c1]

I heart all religions FOREVA. As long as they stay in my textbooks and out of my heart.

[Numbers]

Mal.

[Tsa`ah]

Wow, quite the stalker aren't you.

Did you wake up with a sore ass and decide to blame me for it?

The post makes all the sense in the world if you have an iota of intellect.

Here's a thought, kiss and make up with your sister ... it is the only apparent means of you releasing the pent up tension.

[Edited on 12-21-2004 by Tsa`ah]

[Keller]

Originally posted by Tsa`ah
Wow, quite the stalker aren't you.

Did you wake up with a sore ass and decided to blame me for it?

The post makes all the sense in the world if you have an iota of intellect.

Here's a thought, kiss and make up with your sister ... it the only apparent means of you releasing the pent up tension.

Good good. You're funny. Haha. Well done.

Now answer my questions.

[Tsa`ah]

Originally posted by Keller
Good good. You're funny. Haha. Well done.

Now answer my questions.


Originally posted by Tsa`ah
The post makes all the sense in the world if you have an iota of intellect.

Why bother? It is apparent you lack the required iota of intellect.

[Keller]

Originally posted by Tsa`ah

Originally posted by Keller
Good good. You're funny. Haha. Well done.

Now answer my questions.


Originally posted by Tsa`ah
The post makes all the sense in the world if you have an iota of intellect.

Why bother? It is apparent you lack the required iota of intellect.

That are they truly were vague and baseless sentences strung together with big words you thought you could use.

[4a6c1]

Dont we already have a I R TSA'AH HATOR thread??

;)

[Keller]

Originally posted by JihnasSpirit
Dont we already have a I R TSA'AH HATOR thread??

;)

I'm not a Tsa'ah Hater. I think he is a bad Mod and we also have very different opinions of Israel. I just don't have a clue what his previous comments meant. I got the Tamral bit, but the reflections on organized religion seemed contrived to sound like he had somekind of meaningful opinion. It very well might be, but he needs to provide examples. Saying, "Organized religion gets a bad wrap. It's the fault of secular establishments," does not contribute at all. It's just a contrived opinion at this point.

[Nakiro]

Generalizations are bad.

[Tsa`ah]

Originally posted by Keller
I'm not a Tsa'ah Hater. I think he is a bad Mod and we also have very different opinions of Israel.

And I think you spent far too much time as a child sampling various paint chips.


I just don't have a clue what his previous comments meant.

Doesn't surprise me, you're a moron.


I got the Tamral bit, but the reflections on organized religion seemed contrived to sound like he had somekind of meaningful opinion. It very well might be, but he needs to provide examples.

No examples are needed, even Nakiro got it. Generalizations are bad.


Saying, "Organized religion gets a bad wrap. It's the fault of secular establishments," does not contribute at all. It's just a contrived opinion at this point.

Selective reading and quoting out of context will always get you in trouble when you attempt to reply.

One can't condemn a group of Baptists that doesn't shove their views down the throats of others, are respectful of outside beliefs and thought, are open to new ideas and philosophy, and are accepting of all people no matter what race, religion, or sexual orientation ... just because another group of Baptists spew hate and intolerance.

You can't condemn Buddhists that live a secluded peaceful existence, because some extremist catholic fuck blew up a Planned Parenthood clinic.

You can't condemn Jews or Zionist Jews because the douche PM orders a strike on a group of other douches that set up shop at a medical clinic.

Organized religion, as a whole, has good and bad, just like every other organized whatever. We're not condemning Girl Scouts because the Boy Scouts don't allow gays do we?

If you would think about what you're responding to before you post your normal rancid bull shit, things like this wouldn't happen.

You have a fucking brain, use it .. I'm not your fucking mother and I'm not willing to wipe your ass and tell you to remember to flush. If you can't do it on your own, request a lobotomy and save society the hassle of dealing with your existence.

[GSTamral]

<<<
I'll leave the poorly educated, conspiracy driven blanket statements to folks like Tamral and make poor attempts at hiding my amusement.
>>>

You're the only person here trying to argue nonchalantly how everyone who differs in opinion from you is poorly educated. I have a much stronger educational background than you do, and I have friends from many faiths.

You're the only one here who recognizes anyone who says anything negative about Israel as anti-semitic.

Quite simply, Tsa'ah, you're a mindwashed zombie who has little to no idea of the concepts of cultural relativism, or in the notions of pragmatic philanthropy. You love to blatantly disregard the opinions of others who don't agree with you, because you love to watch yourself type these narcissistic statements as though your nature is purely altruistic, and the dogma by which you reside is the only way.

You are a one sided person. You are the one here guilty of poor education. There is a difference between stating something that other people don't want to hear, and imposing it upon them by telling them how smart you are and that they are poorly educated and stupid if they don't agree.

I will more than happily take any test of intelligence you like and kick the ever-loving crap out of you in it. In fact, mark that one down as a challenge to you, since you feel you're above it all. An IQ test if that's your cup of tea. A Mensa test if you believe that to be more appropriate. As a member, I am sure I can retake the test if I wish. Any cohesive test you wish.

Maybe if you can get off your high horse, you might still have a job.

[Tsa`ah]

Originally posted by GSTamral

You're the only person here trying to argue nonchalantly how everyone who differs in opinion from you is poorly educated. I have a much stronger educational background than you do, and I have friends from many faiths.

Tammy Tammy Tammy ... Where to begin, where to begin ...

I'm pretty open minded, I just call the bullshit as I see it and you happen to be full of it in most posts that don't deal with mathematics. Were I a farmer, I would park a spreader by you every time you decided post the drivel that you do ... the fertilizer would do wonders.

You may have more degrees, but then again ... I've met plenty of idiots with more degrees than I do. A degree denotes that you completed an educational regiment to satisfaction of the institute issuing it. Degrees do not denote either intellect or credibility. That is left up to the person holding said degree(s).

So pat yourself on the back, you have a degree or two more than Tsa`ah. That your education is more extensive? I may concede to that. That you facilitate the cognitive faculties in any given debate? Not often.

You make blanket statements, post statistics and "facts", yet when asked for references ... you conveniently disappear.

After all ... Lincoln was a conservative right? History apparently was never your strong suite.


You're the only one here who recognizes anyone who says anything negative about Israel as anti-semitic.

No Tams. I recognize blanket statements and bullshit, lacking credentials or valid sources, flung in such a way to paint Zionists and Semites in an untrue light as what it is ... anti-Semitism.

You choose to intellectualize your bullshit and claim it is not anti-Semitic .... yet it is what it is. A spade is a spade no matter how you describe it.


Quite simply, Tsa'ah, you're a mindwashed zombie who has little to no idea of the concepts of cultural relativism, or in the notions of pragmatic philanthropy. You love to blatantly disregard the opinions of others who don't agree with you, because you love to watch yourself type these narcissistic statements as though your nature is purely altruistic, and the dogma by which you reside is the only way.

I disregard the bull shit no one can back up. I choose to examine many sides of a view or thought, step back and look at it from a distance and work it backwards to a source before I make up my mind.

If I choose to chalk some one up as another anti-Semite, it is for reasons that they themselves have provided.

People like you have some serious memory problems, or choose to take what I say, cut some words here and there, paste the rest together and come up with something else all together.

I'm not a Zionist. I have stated that much before. I don't agree with the current Israeli administration. Yet I understand their need to be reactive.

I'm not the one that points to the conspiracy theorists as reliable sources, nor am I the one that takes what the conspiracy theorists say and use it as my own opinion ... yet out of shame, loathing, desperation, or whatever ... fail to denote that my sources are in fact from conspiracy theorists.


You are a one sided person. You are the one here guilty of poor education. There is a difference between stating something that other people don't want to hear, and imposing it upon them by telling them how smart you are and that they are poorly educated and stupid if they don't agree.

I don't bring up my education and wear it like a flag. Education is rather pointless unless it is utilized. Hmm ... wonder who does that?

When I site education, that is general. General in the sense that people that know how to read ... should. I don't spew uninformed garbage and I'm pretty damned quick to point out uninformed garbage.

Educate yourself Tamral. By that I mean pull your degrees out of your ass and educate yourself on an issue before you start posting yet more bull shit.


I will more than happily take any test of intelligence you like and kick the ever-loving crap out of you in it. In fact, mark that one down as a challenge to you, since you feel you're above it all. An IQ test if that's your cup of tea. A Mensa test if you believe that to be more appropriate. As a member, I am sure I can retake the test if I wish. Any cohesive test you wish.

Maybe if you can get off your high horse, you might still have a job.

Again, you fly the intellect flag yet are ignorant of how socially inept you are. Tell me, what are you compensating for? Intelligence means shit if you don't use it. Let me offer you this advice ... start using it.

When I call someone a moron, it's usually because said person has been begging for the remark for some time.

So now ... since you are so obviously begging for the insult ... Get that firebird off the blocks, mow your fucking lawn, get your finger out of your nose and blow it you slack jawed fuck.

[Hulkein]

<<I'm pretty open minded>>

No you're not.

If you disagree with someone you insult them. You call into question their brain power and dismiss any further legitimate question or debate with the 'you're too stupid to understand' line.

[Tsa`ah]

Really?

Hmm ...

There are plenty I disagree with in a variety of ways and I've not dismissed their intelligence.

Care to try again?

[Geoff]

I'll never understand basing your entire belief structure, who you like, who you hate, and possibly who you're willing to kill, on "that's what I was raised to think is true" yet that's what happens most of the time.
Think if Osama was born and raised in Arkansas he'd have a different world view?

People (for the most part) are sheep and organized religion takes advantage of that.

<---- 7 years of Catholic school.

Maybe if you can get off your high horse, you might still have a job.

Maybe if you got off your high horse you could get a women without the use of broadband services.

P.s. Organized religion sucks. I'm not counting the people who follow or even believe in one, but the organizations themselves.

[4a6c1]

Faith is the most powerful driving force in the world.

Its frightening to think that on opposite sides of the world, two very different people could be ready to commit murder for two very different ideals. They cant both be right. And I am being hopeful by limiting the number to two. They cant all be right. Are any of them right?

Well religion is the opiate of the masses.

It is in this respect that I am not condoning the warping of some ideals to get a wicked adrenaline rush before you self-explode in a disco club, but on a lighter notice, I guess that through prayer en masse and other lighter mind-snatchers, the trade-off of a few endorphins released into the system by believing in a higher power isn't that bad a thing.

[Tsa`ah]

The biggest problems that stem from the single deity faiths, those centered on one god, are gnostic interpretations, blind faith in the clergy, and an unwillingness to self-educate.

When you have a small group of people that make or accept a standing interpretation of scripture, a tendency to over analyze or skew the interpretation based on personal belief occurs.

An example of this would be for a minister of faith who is very anti-gay to dwell on passages concerning Sodom and Gomorra. What he/she reads and dwells on is the word "know". What they ignore, or are ignorant of, are the Hebrew laws and customs of the era. The lack of education combined with the personal distaste of homosexuality leads this person to interpret "know" as gay sex ... or rape.

To further the example the minister takes the interpretation, skewed by personal belief and lack of education or desire for education, and conducts a sermon about how god hates gays. Sodom and Gomorra are examples of this after all.

The congregation, who trust the minister, accept this without question. The minister knows what he/she is talking about after all don't they? Some, or most, of the congregation may have read the same passages and never came to the same conclusion, but in this new light it appears god hates gays.

No one in the congregation will bother to investigate on their own; they go to church every Sunday to be educated about the bible and to re-affirm their faith. The minister is doing the job they are tithing for ... why bother?

This is not to say every congregation and every minister of faith follow the scenario, but it is common. The problem occurs when the free thinking faithful are grouped in with all that is bad and damaging.

Organized religion has it's faults, and many of them. Anyone with a mind of their own can see this any time channel surf and catch a blurb or two from a number of televangelists.

I don't believe faith through religion was ever meant to be this large institution it is today. Religion, to me, is supposed to be an institution of education, faith, and humanitarianism. Religion ... faith is there for the people that want it and need it. It is supposed to be there to lend a helping hand and offer moral guidance.

Some may argue that it is exactly that today, but I disagree. Faith, help, moral guidance, and education should not come with strings. We shouldn't be handing out food to only the starving willing to listen to a sermon. Religious institutions should not be set up as money making endeavors to support the lavish life styles chosen by members of the cloth. The benefits of faith should be free to whoever wants and needs them, not just to those willing to convert or pad the attendance rolls.