Opinions about Church...

[MrBill]

My take/opinion
 As far as I know none of the messiahs "built" a church. They all preached that god is in the heart.  "Religion" started with pagan sects (pagan being defined as any belief opposed to your own) for the sole purpose of mass control of people.  The "great religions" refined this to a fine art based on the great, "thou shalt not's", and allowed people to atone for sin with payment.  The form of the payment is unimportant, it was the control that was achieved that was important.  
 I have bounced into a few of these discussions over the years and have found that some have branded me as a unbeliever. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have a deep and abiding belief in "GOD", (whatever anyone calls him), I just can not bring myself to the table of religion in any of its forms.

PS the Christian text reads "all men are created equal in the eyes of god".  This passage is misquoted as often as "Thou Shalt not commit murder" and "Let there be peace on earth amongst men of goodwill"

[bounder]

Originally posted by MrBill
My take/opinion

PS the Christian text reads "all men are created equal in the eyes of god".  This passage is misquoted as often as "Thou Shalt not commit murder" and "Let there be peace on earth amongst men of goodwill"

Hmm.
Exodus 20:13:
"Thou shall not kill. " (king James version)
"You shall not murder." NIV

The versions seem to be divided on whether they mean all killing or actual, legal murder
But not much room for interpretation either way.

[lord dolf vader]

you can honestly say you are a southern baptist ( affiliated with the southern baptist convention?) if you are a member of that club you must agree with their ideas?  your money goes to their causes right converting jews persecuting homosexuals . you are in bed with um . they are evil bastards you are iealogicly and politicaly tied to um or at least funding them.



alot of people will dislike you intently for this alone.

you believe dogs dont have souls. that is my personal reason.

[lazs2]

pretty simple really..   I fear any organization that feels that they know what is best for me and is large enough to have an influence in my life.

so long as they stay small and powerless they are a good thing for some people.

I belong to the NRA and the Austin Healey club..  The NRA is relatively small at about 2 million.   They have to do good.   If they were more powerful I wouold quit and join another pro gun group that was hungry.  The Healey club will never be large.
lazs

[Gunthr]

I need evidence. -St.Santa

God has some evidence waiting for you StSanta.

You will be sizzeling nicely in a giant red hot frying pan - like a fat Danish sausage - in the hottest corner of hell that God reserves for blasphemers...

[MrBill]

bounder,

Just for clarification, I was quoting what the "cannon" now generally agree is the correct translation from the best known original texts.  There have been many "versions" of the bible printed over the years, many people are taught from, and learn, improper/mistranslated passages.  I do not claim that this is sacrilege or any such tripe, I just point out that kill and murder have different connotations.
 As to the misquote "all men are created equal" just look around ... it is quite apparent that this is not true ... add the correct "in the eyes of god" and you have changed the intent/meaning of the passage/statement.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Gunthr
God has some evidence waiting for you StSanta.

You will be sizzeling nicely in a giant red hot frying pan - like a fat Danish sausage - in the hottest corner of hell that God reserves for blasphemers...

...but he still loves you. LOL...

[Puke]

We were just ordinary people with ordinary faults who were seeking spiritual comfort and attempting to spread a message to others that we felt would ease the burdens of their lives.  -shuckins

Why do you assume that not being spiritual means our lives are burdeoned?  The truth is that your organizations are seeking converts to increase their power through numbers.  If your god created all life and wants me to kiss his feet and worship him, I'm sure he can take the time out to appear before me and tell me so.  Until then, I take it he either does not exist or does not want me doing that.  I do not come to your door telling you that I think you are wrong and you should leave your religion.  And for your information, some nerd on a bicycle in black pants, white shirt and black tie is not going to do anything more than disturb my day when he comes to my door.  If the "big guy" wants me on hands and knee to worship him, then he'll tell me so.  And to threaten me with burning for an eternity in hell just sounds ridiculous and would make this "god" worse than the likes of Stalin and Hussein.  But really, that type of thing just makes it sound more as though it's a coersive tactic to get me to join some organization so that it can increase its power base.

Spirituality is personal. If there is a god or gods, no priest and no church can bring you closer to him/it/her. I think.  -StSanta

I think so too.

[Gunthr]

...but he still loves you. LOL... - Sandman

Repent, Sandman.

There is still time.

But, like the monkey said when he got his tail cut off:

"It won't be long now."

...And you will be standing tall before the MAN.

[-dead-]

Originally posted by Gunthr
But, like the monkey said when he got his tail cut off:
"It won't be long now."
...And you will be standing tall before the MAN.

Xians have been saying that for nearly 2000 years... which is stretching the whole "coming soon" thing rather far - heck even the folks at WW2OL would be embarrassed with this kinda production delay. Well probably.

[Gunthr]

Seriously, to answer Godwineson's question, I have gone the gamut in my life regarding my belief in God, and Church. I was raised strict Catholic, attended mass every single morning from first grade through 12th grade, and taught totally by nuns and priests.

For myself, today, I feel more spiritual out on the ocean than I do in church. The earth, the ocean, the sky are my cathedral.

But for my children, I go to a Baptist church. I would probably take the kids to mass if it was in Latin, but it isnt. I miss the latin mass, the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Agnus Dei.

However, the Baptist church has been more relevant overall.

I embrace science, but believe there is room for God in my philosophy.

My mom once told me that God is love.

[-tronski-]

I subscribe to:

Religion is the opiate of the people.

I have no problem with spiritualism, but I find no good in 'organised' religions.

 Tronsky

[culero]

Originally posted by TWOLF
The Southern (U.S.) Baptist philosophy of advocating slavery, and segregation should be a good place to start.

Agreed.

Why don't YOU start, by documenting that.

culero (I didn't think so)

[miko2d]

-tronski-: I subscribe to:
Religion is the opiate of the people.
 I have no problem with spiritualism, but I find no good in 'organised' religions.

 How about "Proletriat of all countries, unite?" by the same author?
 This vicious and ignorant phrase was coined by Marx and used by communists ever since.

 miko

[Frogm4n]

i think miko just likes to argue no matter what anyone posts.