The Religion Thread

[O Really]

I think I've got this religion thingy figured out:
Based on my own interpretation of what is written in the Bible, accepting some parts and rejecting others, I can, without further qualification or eligibility, declare myself a Christian.

I don't have to suffer guilt by association with others who call themselves Christian, because I am also entitled to declare them "not real Christians."

I can define "sin" and "not-sin" myself, whether or not such sin or not-sin is actually in the Bible. For example, I can define enjoyment of a glass of wine as "sin" even though it is written that Jesus turned water into wine, not iced tea, or I can define enjoyment of a glass of wine to be not-sin for the same reason.

I have no obligation to precedent, or the opinions, thoughts, studies, or discoveries of theologians and other followers from the past. If I believe a section of the Bible means "X" it doesn't matter how many others in history have found it be mean "Y" or "Z".

I can pray and define the result to be anything I want or simply write off everything as "God's will."

If I violate one of the rules of Christianity (whether actually in the Bible or not), a simple "opps" will get me back on track.

I don't have to find logic in my beliefs and find that it is helpful not to apply logic. For example, if I get run over and lose a leg, I can thank the people who prayed for me that God saved my other leg, without ever wondering where God was before the truck hit me. If I pray the Panthers win, I can believe they (and me by extension) are specially blessed because God made it happen, without wondering why the other team is being punished, or wondering why I think God would be interested in an NFL game.

What's more, I could start my own church, get a tax break, create rules that must be followed and require my employer to let me follow them at work, and the ACLU to protect me against governmental infringement.

What a life - amirite or what.

[bannination]

I think I've got this religion thingy figured out:
Based on my own interpretation of what is written in the Bible, accepting some parts and rejecting others, I can, without further qualification or eligibility, declare myself a Christian.

I don't have to suffer guilt by association with others who call themselves Christian, because I am also entitled to declare them "not real Christians."

I can define "sin" and "not-sin" myself, whether or not such sin or not-sin is actually in the Bible. For example, I can define enjoyment of a glass of wine as "sin" even though it is written that Jesus turned water into wine, not iced tea, or I can define enjoyment of a glass of wine to be not-sin for the same reason.

I have no obligation to precedent, or the opinions, thoughts, studies, or discoveries of theologians and other followers from the past. If I believe a section of the Bible means "X" it doesn't matter how many others in history have found it be mean "Y" or "Z".

I can pray and define the result to be anything I want or simply write off everything as "God's will."

If I violate one of the rules of Christianity (whether actually in the Bible or not), a simple "opps" will get me back on track.

I don't have to find logic in my beliefs and find that it is helpful not to apply logic. For example, if I get run over and lose a leg, I can thank the people who prayed for me that God saved my other leg, without ever wondering where God was before the truck hit me. If I pray the Panthers win, I can believe they (and me by extension) are specially blessed because God made it happen, without wondering why the other team is being punished, or wondering why I think God would be interested in an NFL game.

What's more, I could start my own church, get a tax break, create rules that must be followed and require my employer to let me follow them at work, and the ACLU to protect me against governmental infringement.

What a life - amirite or what.

Oh don't be silly, god doesn't give a damn if you lose a leg. When's the last time god healed an amputee?

[O Really]

Oh don't be silly, god doesn't give a damn if you lose a leg. When's the last time god healed an amputee?

Well, She heals salamander's lost body parts. Maybe it's the salamanders who are really the chosen ones.

[Mr.B]

"Oh don't be silly, God doesn't give a damn if you lose a leg. When's the last time God healed an amputee?"

He's done better than that....'actually'. :thumbsup:

[Mr.B]

"Well, She heals salamander's lost body parts. Maybe it's the salamanders who are really the chosen ones."

Now....if He would do something about those missing front teeth for those folks who shop at Ingles and Walmart........

[O Really]

The real God, creator of all Heaven and Earth, would have no need to be a human gender. The only reason God is referred to as "He" or "She" is due to the cultural influence of a patriarchal or matriarchal society. Back when the Bible (and most other Scriptures) was written, males ruled and females were cattle. So of course God would be portrayed as male. Same thing for portrayal as a "King" or "Lord." The real God doesn't need human societal titles. But that's what they had at the time. Doesn't make it an accurate portrayal.

[O Really]

Does that mean that a Ken doll is an image of God?

Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

Yes, but also Barbie.

If God created man (humans) in his own image and from that image he created male and female, then God was already both male and female.

So let's see:
Man is made in God's image.
Ken is made in man's image.
Therefore Ken is image of God.

Of course, then you've run into problems of "graven images" probably.

[rstrong]

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3ukdas

[neoplacebo]

I think I've got this religion thingy figured out:
Based on my own interpretation of what is written in the Bible, accepting some parts and rejecting others, I can, without further qualification or eligibility, declare myself a Christian.

I don't have to suffer guilt by association with others who call themselves Christian, because I am also entitled to declare them "not real Christians."

I can define "sin" and "not-sin" myself, whether or not such sin or not-sin is actually in the Bible. For example, I can define enjoyment of a glass of wine as "sin" even though it is written that Jesus turned water into wine, not iced tea, or I can define enjoyment of a glass of wine to be not-sin for the same reason.

I have no obligation to precedent, or the opinions, thoughts, studies, or discoveries of theologians and other followers from the past. If I believe a section of the Bible means "X" it doesn't matter how many others in history have found it be mean "Y" or "Z".

I can pray and define the result to be anything I want or simply write off everything as "God's will."

If I violate one of the rules of Christianity (whether actually in the Bible or not), a simple "opps" will get me back on track.

I don't have to find logic in my beliefs and find that it is helpful not to apply logic. For example, if I get run over and lose a leg, I can thank the people who prayed for me that God saved my other leg, without ever wondering where God was before the truck hit me. If I pray the Panthers win, I can believe they (and me by extension) are specially blessed because God made it happen, without wondering why the other team is being punished, or wondering why I think God would be interested in an NFL game.

What's more, I could start my own church, get a tax break, create rules that must be followed and require my employer to let me follow them at work, and the ACLU to protect me against governmental infringement.

What a life - amirite or what.

Hell, yes. I've always believed that everything that happens is either:
1. god's will, or
2. something else
The salamander example proves this beyond any doubt. I won't go into the intricacies of the Hellbender salamander at present......

[neoplacebo]

http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3ukdas

Very good. Thanks.

[rstrong]

[bannination]

[quote="rstrong"][/quote]

Even though there probably is no god, I guess it a good thing some people do believe in it, and it's enough to keep them from doing the horrible things they apparently want to do.

I doubt this is the case, those that want to do those horrible things do them regardless of their belief in god....... that's just my humble opinion with no evidence either way.

[neoplacebo]

Yeah, but a lot of those folks that do those things that god must have urged them not to do only realize that god was around until after they've been busted.I think it's disrespectful to expect a retroactive god; my opinion only.

[bannination]

Yeah, but a lot of those folks that do those things that god must have urged them not to do only realize that god was around until after they've been busted.I think it's disrespectful to expect a retroactive god; my opinion only.

Then again, the god they're talking about has historically asked people to do horrible horrible things..... ugh.... kill me daughter? Yes me lord.....

[neoplacebo]

Back to that salamander thing....I wonder why a severed leg from a salamander doesn't become two whole salamanders. I think that's how it should work.

[rstrong]

Back to that salamander thing....I wonder why a severed leg from a salamander doesn't become two whole salamanders. I think that's how it should work.

Maybe it starts to. But it doesn't have a heart etc. needed to keep it alive long enough to do so.

Humans are working on a substitute for the salamander's ability: Dean Kamen, the inventor of the SEGWAY, has helped create the first bionic arm that can be controlled by signals from the brain.

Scientists say the hardest part is not using the device, but instead not having the thought: "I wonder what her boobs feel like?"

[O Really]

So I tossed out the salamander comment without giving it a lot of thought. But upon further reflection, I think there's some serious theology there.The little critter's ability to regenerate lost body parts means that God (He or She) could do the same for humans, but chooses not to. God gave a survival tool to a salamander that would be very helpful to humans, yet if humans lose a leg or tailbone, it's gone forever. There are other critters, lower on the biological ladder than salamanders, that also can regenerate parts. Humans do get a bigger brain, many of whom don't bother to use it, but until relatively recently that brain couldn't overcome a loss of limbs for survival. Could this not be a real argument that all God's critters are important to Him/Her and that humans really aren't that special after all? We (humans) only have our own writings to claim dominance over all (other) animals. It looks like the evidence of God's work refutes that pretty clearly.

[JTA]

Even though there probably is no god, I guess it a good thing some people do believe in it, and it's enough to keep them from doing the horrible things they apparently want to do.

I doubt this is the case, those that want to do those horrible things do them regardless of their belief in god....... that's just my humble opinion with no evidence either way.

While we can and do list the horrible things done by religion my opinion is that the jury is still out on whether religion is on balance good or bad for humanity. There may be some evolutionary advantage for it to be so persistent and nearly universal, and we can't really know what the world would be like without religion - more Stalins or more Hawkings?

Conniving power hungry people will use whatever means they have to get more power. Maybe it's human nature for most people. Being a CEO of a large company = more money = power and influence. Being a dictator of a totalitarian state = power and influence. Leader of a large religious sect = power and influence. I think it all depends who takes the helm in many cases, and how willing the mob of followers are to submit. Sometimes you get someone good like Pope Francis, sometimes you don't. Me personally, I'm content with having control over myself and my own situation. I don't like being indebted to anyone. I'm content with this, but others want more. It all depends on how you project that power I guess.

[JTA]

Yeah, but a lot of those folks that do those things that god must have urged them not to do only realize that god was around until after they've been busted.I think it's disrespectful to expect a retroactive god; my opinion only.

Then again, the god they're talking about has historically asked people to do horrible horrible things..... ugh.... kill me daughter? Yes me lord.....

There's a hypothesis about gods/god talking to people way back when and telling them to do things called Bicameralism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicameralism_(psychology)

The gist of it is consciousness as we know it today is a fairly recent thing, springing up about 3-5000 years ago. Prior to that man operated in a sort of schizophrenic state. Whereas today we can consciously ponder things to ourselves, and play out scenarios or whatever in our own minds, in the past when consciousness wasn't so clear cut man would almost passively absorb these thoughts as if they were being spoken to by gods or spirits.

Right now I can consciously visualize myself walking through a path in the woods, or driving to work and think about different things I would encounter, I can think about conversations I can have with my co-workers and play them out in my head. Before the "break down" of the bicameral mind, the individual would experience introspective thoughts such as these ecstatically and attribute them to the gods.

It's pretty interesting. Good read so far if you're into that kind of stuff.

[neoplacebo]

Back to that salamander thing....I wonder why a severed leg from a salamander doesn't become two whole salamanders. I think that's how it should work.

Maybe it starts to. But it doesn't have a heart etc. needed to keep it alive long enough to do so.

Humans are working on a substitute for the salamander's ability: Dean Kamen, the inventor of the SEGWAY, has helped create the first bionic arm that can be controlled by signals from the brain.

Scientists say the hardest part is not using the device, but instead not having the thought: "I wonder what her boobs feel like?"

Yeah, those human stem cells can be used to generate processes that result in the regeneration of various body parts. I suppose this only goes to show our intimate relationship with the salamander and how long it took us to realize it. A mighty salamander is our lord.