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How Did You Decide Which Religion To Follow?
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Leading on from Goodlife’s ‘Atheists: When Will You Finally See The Light?’ thread, most atheists reach their conclusions through analysis and a process of elimination, so how thoroughly did you investigate all the other religions before finally deciding that one of them was right – and what convinced you?
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Naomi – I know what those verses mean. However you can take whatever meanings you may like as it would not make any difference to you anyway. I have three different Bibles on my shelf but do I need to prove to you whether or not I have read the Bible or have learnt from whatever Muslim teachers told me? No I don’t think that I need to.
Vulcan – I have read John 2: 7-9 and tell you what I have also read the context of the story but I will leave that aside at this moment and would ask you a common sense question. I know you are not a Christian anyway but what sort of Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was according to the John 2:7-9 who gave a “GIFT” to his believers that has destroyed billions. Just read NHS reports or just type “health disasters of Alcohol” or ask Police what they come across in the town centres at night. Christian world should really be very glad for the gift given to them by their Prophet.
Vulcan – I have read John 2: 7-9 and tell you what I have also read the context of the story but I will leave that aside at this moment and would ask you a common sense question. I know you are not a Christian anyway but what sort of Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was according to the John 2:7-9 who gave a “GIFT” to his believers that has destroyed billions. Just read NHS reports or just type “health disasters of Alcohol” or ask Police what they come across in the town centres at night. Christian world should really be very glad for the gift given to them by their Prophet.
@CannedGranny "LazyGun, maybe that was a bit defensive but it is rather irritating to virtually be told you are a fool for believing in God. And don't say that has not happened on here, because it has. Lets face it, you atheists strongly deny the existence of God. I, on the other hand believe there is a God, and because of that belief do not feel it is necessary to delve into what others believe"
People of faith who post on here have been called fools, that true. I have called a few fools myself, probably. But not just because they have faith, not just because they believe in a life after death or whatever. I would only do that if their beliefs cause them to reject evidence or twist teachings to conform with their interpretation of scripture. So, Young Earth Creationists, would be an example. Those schools, opened in this country, whose science teachings are tainted by the religious beliefs of their teachers. We have seen much evidence of this in some of the Muslim free schools, such as the one featured recently in Derby.
And I take great exception to those of religious belief who use that belief to assert some kind of moral superiority, who condemn others for their sexuality, or who wish to see the imposition of a hierarchy within society where women are seen as being submissive or unequal to men. And such views tend to go hand in glove with a fundamentalist view of religion.
And finally, I do get irritated by those whose minds become closed because of their belief - whose curiosity and spirit of inquiry becomes blinkered, because "god did it".There are also those who denigrate human achievement in fields of medicine, or technology, or engineering, or science, claiming that such advances are "gods will".
If your belief gives you a source of comfort and peace and well-being, that is fine. My problem is when such belief is imposed upon society by the well- meaning ( I assume) religious fundamentalists. Examples abound - Muslims wishing to impose Sharia Law in the UK.Muslim societies in Universities wishing to impose gender segregation for some lectures. Christians opposing gay marriage. Fervent believers of both Christianity and Islam rejecting science. I will call people like that fools, idiots or worse, in all probability :)
People of faith who post on here have been called fools, that true. I have called a few fools myself, probably. But not just because they have faith, not just because they believe in a life after death or whatever. I would only do that if their beliefs cause them to reject evidence or twist teachings to conform with their interpretation of scripture. So, Young Earth Creationists, would be an example. Those schools, opened in this country, whose science teachings are tainted by the religious beliefs of their teachers. We have seen much evidence of this in some of the Muslim free schools, such as the one featured recently in Derby.
And I take great exception to those of religious belief who use that belief to assert some kind of moral superiority, who condemn others for their sexuality, or who wish to see the imposition of a hierarchy within society where women are seen as being submissive or unequal to men. And such views tend to go hand in glove with a fundamentalist view of religion.
And finally, I do get irritated by those whose minds become closed because of their belief - whose curiosity and spirit of inquiry becomes blinkered, because "god did it".There are also those who denigrate human achievement in fields of medicine, or technology, or engineering, or science, claiming that such advances are "gods will".
If your belief gives you a source of comfort and peace and well-being, that is fine. My problem is when such belief is imposed upon society by the well- meaning ( I assume) religious fundamentalists. Examples abound - Muslims wishing to impose Sharia Law in the UK.Muslim societies in Universities wishing to impose gender segregation for some lectures. Christians opposing gay marriage. Fervent believers of both Christianity and Islam rejecting science. I will call people like that fools, idiots or worse, in all probability :)
@cannedgranny "LazyGun, I do not impose my beliefs on others and I don't practice Islamic law."
Well good for you.
I do not know whether you are a bigot or not. If your intolerance of homosexuality spills over into the public arena - if you oppose their right to a civil partnership or marriage, for instance, or the manner in which you talk/treat to any homosexuals you might encounter will define whether you could be considered a bigot or not. It is certainly not a badge of honour though, or something to be proud of.
How does your intolerance square with your religious belief? I thought religion was supposed to encourage feelings and expressions of love and tolerance for all.
Well good for you.
I do not know whether you are a bigot or not. If your intolerance of homosexuality spills over into the public arena - if you oppose their right to a civil partnership or marriage, for instance, or the manner in which you talk/treat to any homosexuals you might encounter will define whether you could be considered a bigot or not. It is certainly not a badge of honour though, or something to be proud of.
How does your intolerance square with your religious belief? I thought religion was supposed to encourage feelings and expressions of love and tolerance for all.
LazyGun, I have a lesbian niece whom I am fond of but that does not change my mind that women with women and men with men is unnatural. Somehow I can tolerate the idea of women more so then men. To put it bluntly, as I have already said, whether man comes from God or atoms, I do not believe the "back passage" was made for sexual intercourse.
I've heard rumours, cannedgranny, that such activities are hardly confined to homosexual men, and loving hetrosexual couples will sometimes play with the back nine, as it were. So, really, you're objecting to a particular type of sex. That's fine. Don't engage in it yourself. Let others do if they wish though, and don't think ill of them for having fun the way they want to.
Keyplus, if you understood what those verses mean, you wouldn't have such a problem with other people consuming alcohol. One glass of wine doesn't make a drunk.
You may have three different bibles but I'm willing to bet you haven't read any of them. You don’t seem to realise it but your chances of successfully researching Christianity through the bible are about as remote as your chances of successfully researching Islam through the Koran.
You may have three different bibles but I'm willing to bet you haven't read any of them. You don’t seem to realise it but your chances of successfully researching Christianity through the bible are about as remote as your chances of successfully researching Islam through the Koran.
Canned Granny //To put it bluntly, as I have already said, whether man comes from God or atoms, I do not believe the "back passage" was made for sexual intercourse.//
The concept that things were "made" for a particular purpose presupposes a reasoned design.
In fact we are what we are because our parents and their before them ad infinitum turned up winners in the lotto of life. The tickets in that lotto are awarded very strangely. A study in Italy showed that the the sisters of homosexual men tended to have more children. The genes he shares with his sisters does well but the brother himself is a dead branch.
There is no "purpose" to any part of the body. Life is just what it "is" and the consequences to the overall selection can be a real surprise, particularly in sexual reproduction where certain genes are linked the sex.
Once the veil of "nature" as a justification for sexual prejudice has been lifted, the whole issue can be reduced to ...
"What consenting adults choose to do in private is no business of mine or anyone else's".
The concept that things were "made" for a particular purpose presupposes a reasoned design.
In fact we are what we are because our parents and their before them ad infinitum turned up winners in the lotto of life. The tickets in that lotto are awarded very strangely. A study in Italy showed that the the sisters of homosexual men tended to have more children. The genes he shares with his sisters does well but the brother himself is a dead branch.
There is no "purpose" to any part of the body. Life is just what it "is" and the consequences to the overall selection can be a real surprise, particularly in sexual reproduction where certain genes are linked the sex.
Once the veil of "nature" as a justification for sexual prejudice has been lifted, the whole issue can be reduced to ...
"What consenting adults choose to do in private is no business of mine or anyone else's".
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