The Religion Thread

[bannination]

There seems to be a common trait of the religions: Unlike Atheists, Christians haven't the slightest interest in Christianity's origins and history, or the Bible's origins and history, and how people have changed the message over the centuries.

I disagree, there are Christians that are interested in the origins and history. It's just that once they start investigating they don't remain Christians for very long.

[homerfobe]

Just like a goddam queer lover. It's OK to talk trash and filth about someones religion beliefs, but you speak out against some trashy ass faggot and the shit hits the fan.
Queer lovers get their ass all in a sling because someone would dare call a faggot the lowest goddam scum of the earth. Oh shit! I forgot! Scumbags have civil rights to be scumbags and spreaders of disease and debauchery. My bad.

[indago]

Journalist Adam Liptak wrote for The New York Times 5 May 2014:
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In a major decision on the role of religion in government, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the Constitution allows town boards to start their sessions with sectarian prayers. ...Justice Kennedy said the prayers in both settings were “meant to lend gravity to the occasion and reflect values long part of the nation’s heritage.”
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article

Those who disagree, and attend local town meetings, at the beginning of these invocations, should all rise and excuse themselves, and noisily exit the room, saying: "Excuse us, but we didn't realize this was going to be a prayer meeting."

[O Really]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2 ... picks=true

I'm not saying most US Christians would actually hang somebody for being Muslim, but they really ought to take a serious look at what can happen when religion takes over the government. Take one part excessive ideology, add one part control over government power, and this is what you get.

[rstrong]

I'm not saying most US Christians would actually hang somebody for being Muslim, but they really ought to take a serious look at what can happen when religion takes over the government. Take one part excessive ideology, add one part control over government power, and this is what you get.

The folks on the Mayflower were fleeing religious persecution. Not from atheists. Not from Muslims. They were fleeing Christians. A government that adopted a different sect of Christianity from their own.

[Mr.B]

"The folks on the Mayflower were fleeing religious persecution. Not from atheists. Not from Muslims. They were fleeing Christians. A government that adopted a different sect of Christianity from their own."

Correct.....The Church of England was a "law-making" entity who decided how and when to worship as well as passing judgment/punishment on those it believed were not in compliance with their rules.....not unlike the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus' time.

Because Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees, He was crucified, not unlike what "religion" is today. "Religion" is this world's worst enemy.

As far as the folks on the Mayflower fleeing religious persecution from "Christians"; like I always say..."What you are and what you say you are.....", well, you know.

The folks on the Mayflower were fleeing religious persecution; when arriving on the soil of the "new world", they thanked God that they were able to escape that religious persecution in England....however "religion" eventually was re-born......i.e., "people have changed the message over the centuries." It's no small wonder that "religion" has turned so many away from God; but God had nothing to do with it. Remember those old curses called sin? pride? desire?...etc.?

[O Really]

That sounds like a lot of smoke and mirrors and flim-flammery to me, Mr.B.

[rstrong]

That sounds like a lot of smoke and mirrors and flim-flammery to me, Mr.B.

See also: "It's the 98% of lawyers who give the rest a bad name."

[O Really]

That sounds like a lot of smoke and mirrors and flim-flammery to me, Mr.B.

See also: "It's the 98% of lawyers who give the rest a bad name."

So is there anyone else in this forum that would be more qualified to recognize smoke and mirrors and flim-flammery than I?

[bannination]

That sounds like a lot of smoke and mirrors and flim-flammery to me, Mr.B.

See also: "It's the 98% of lawyers who give the rest a bad name."

So is there anyone else in this forum that would be more qualified to recognize smoke and mirrors and flim-flammery than I?

[Bungalow Bill]

This means that Boko Haram is not an Islamic terrorist group, since
just because they call themselves Muslims does not mean they actually
are Muslims.

Didn't the folks on the Mayflower and/or their descendants persecute
people who did not follow their fundi ways.

[rstrong]

At least some Christian congregations are taking even the more inconvenient Old Testament decrees seriously:

In his March 23 sermon (according to Huffington Post), Phoenix, Arizona, pastor Steven Anderson of the Faithful World Baptist Church explained in detail why women in the congregation must refrain from speaking during services. Citing 1 Timothy 2:11 and 1 Corinthians 14, Anderson said the woman should learn only "in silence." "Now obviously, before the service begins," he conceded, "there's chatting and talking going on that's perfectly legitimate. (And when) we all sing praises to God, of course the ladies should also lift up their voices. But when it's learning time, it's silence time (for females)." (Also, he said, since the comment "Amen" means "That's true," it would be inappropriate for females to utter it.)
- Huffington Post, 3-26-2014, via News of the Weird

[Boatrocker]

Didn't the folks on the Mayflower and/or their descendants persecute
people who did not follow their fundi ways.

Indeed. As often happens, they fled "religious persecution" partly in order to set up their own version in the New World. The wingnuttery in Salem, for example.

[rstrong]

I learned something new today.

The Economist explains:
Why the Queen still reigns in Canada

When Canada took its first big step towards independence in 1867, uniting disparate provinces under the dominion of Canada, the chief architects of the plan were adamant that the British sovereign would head the government they had modeled on the Westminster system. Among other things, this was thought to mark them out from the "godless republicans" in the south.

[bannination]

[bannination]

Virginia county board says no followers of ‘pre-Christian deities’ allowed to deliver prayers

Fail.

[JTA]

Virginia county board says no followers of ‘pre-Christian deities’ allowed to deliver prayers

Fail.

Isnt the god of the old testament, the same one whose son is Jesus, a pre christian diety? Oops.

[rstrong]

Demand money with the threat of violence and you get arrested.
Do it with the threat of eternal damnation and it's tax deductible.

[rstrong]

Thank God it's Friday!!!
- Not Jesus

[Mr.B]

It's also illegal to hunt whales in Utah.
(Think maybe the Great Salt Lake has them fooled?)