Religion is simply b****x

[Hyperlithe]

I may not agree with a person's belief, but I would still fight for their right to believe what they choose, as long as they aren't trying to force it on anyone else.
Who has the right to say that what someone else believes is wrong?

[GARRYOWEN]

For those who believe no explanation is necessary, for those who do not believe no explanation is enough.

[DelD]

There is no god, no afterlife and we have no souls, we are just clever monkeys with opposible thumbs. That my take on it.

My other point is that it is shocking how little some religious people actually know about their own religions. Ever get the feeling you are being lied to and manipulated?

[druadan]

Who has the right to say that what someone else believes is wrong?

The person who can prove that what someone else believes is wrong.

DeID, I think that's mainly a Christian phenomenon...people know no more than what they can vaguely remember from their school days, never go to church, most likely never pray unless they need something, and still call themselves devout Christians. What's the point? Is it some kind of status thing? Look at all these 'fashion' religions that celebrities are getting into...is there really any faith involved?

Personally I choose to be atheist, despite a fairly strong Christian upbringing. I just don't believe there is some supernatural will controlling the world. It's amazing to think that people generally need proof before they will believe anything pretty extraordinary, yet the majority of the world is willing to believe in something as amazing as a god without anything more than the word of a few old books.

[Redhand]

I'm personally a church going guy, and i will be till i die. As one person on this thread put it "it's all an accident"...really?

arrrrh. That would be me then. Well I never thought id be called a sociopath because I didn’t have faith, well you know I have been a little annoyed with the world lately, maybe I should repent before I go on a murderous rampage around my quiet little town.

Ok sunshine listen to this very carefully, you don’t have to be a religious person to be a good person, you don’t need faith to do what is right, moral responsibility comes from growing up from a stupid kid into a man and taking responsibility for your actions, not from something "god" put into your heart.

Cheers frank you beat me to his post, so I don’t have anymore to add.

lew

I never said you can't be a good person and not be religous...

I just said there is no 'ultimate' point in being good if it's based on your OWN beliefs...it's simply illogical...easy stuff...sunshine.

Your setting yourself up so easily there...I don't know why you can't see it. If your 'personal' set of rules is what you abide by, and yet they hold no allegiance to a higher authority, then creates quite the moral conudrum.

Example: If i chose my set of beliefs to be incest, rape, and pillage...u should have no problem with it...right?? Cause ultimately thats what I believe in...so if there is no higher authority...who's to say its wrong?? U??

[Hyperlithe]

Redhand, the concept of what's 'right' and 'wrong' is completely separate from the religion issue. That is a legal and moral choice, not a religious one.

Just because Lew doesn't believe in God doesn't mean that he gives himself license to ignore the moral codes of the society he lives in. Somebody that decided they were going to live their life going around committing incest, murder, rape etc. in our society is quite obviously sick in the head, and can not claim that it's their religious right to do so.

I would have thought that this would be one site where there would be some tolerance, open-mindedness etc. of the fact that not everyone has the same beliefs. Why should it matter what someone else believes in, when we all stand side by side?

[lew]

I never said you can't be a good person and not be religous...

I just said there is no 'ultimate' point in being good if it's based on your OWN beliefs...it's simply illogical...easy stuff...sunshine.

Wrong!!! There is always a point to being good, just because I don’t believe in god, Allah, Vishnu (sp) or what ever it is you believe in.

My own personal beliefs!? what do you think the bible is, it was someone’s (or a group rather) own personal beliefs, they were written down and hey presto 2000 years later it’s a religion. Do you not see, your god is, and will always be originally someone else’s belief that you have latched onto. This doesn’t make it any less a for filling way of life for people.

Doing the right thing doesn’t depend on an almighty or divine presence. It depends on social responsibility, this is something that most people have.

Your setting yourself up so easily there...I don't know why you can't see it. If your 'personal' set of rules is what you abide by, and yet they hold no allegiance to a higher authority, then creates quite the moral conudrum.

I’m not setting myself up for anything, and what am I meant to be seeing?

My personal set of rules I guess do hold a higher authority, to the law maybe? I don’t know, certainly not to a god, it does not create a moral conundrum (the correct spelling btw) all it creates is a society that is moving along with the times, if we lived in a place that was governed by your way of thinking religious people would be the “good” people as they had something to answer to; and the rest of us would be heathen scum who fought, raped and pillaged because we could.

I personally think you need to take a step back and really think about what you are saying.

Example: If i chose my set of beliefs to be incest, rape, and pillage...u should have no problem with it...right?? Cause ultimately thats what I believe in...so if there is no higher authority...who's to say its wrong?? U??

Ok, and now onto your example, as hyper so rightly put it is no ones right to commit crime, to hurt, rape torture murder anyone, or anything in the name of religion. You have some real growing up to do.

lew

[Redhand]

Look lew, I stopped reading your post when you claim The Bible was written by some guys with personal opinions.

I take great offense to that as it is the Inspired Word of God...it wasn't someones opinion.

I didn't come here to insult your beliefs, and i haven't, so give me the same respect.

It's useless for us to debate really, cause neither of us will convince the other. Sure, an open discussion on a forum is totally legit, but not when you start claiming everything i've staked my life on and the trials i've been through based on my beliefs is some old washed up Israeli's combined opinions.

Anyway for what it's worth...cheers m8!

[lew]

Redhand.

It wasnt my intention to offend, it was mearly to make my point, so sorry if i did.

I cant actually see this thread going anywhere, as you said neither of us are going to give any ground on this subject.

So heres to not trying to change peoples beliefs

lew

[Ploggers]

Look lew, I stopped reading your post when you claim The Bible was written by some guys with personal opinions.

Are you seriously suggesting that the Bible was written by people who did not have opinions?

[bigbart]

This thread is getting confusing... As I sadi earlier, I don't follow any religion, I don't pray, and so don't follow rules set out in any holy book. Anyone out there who does, that's your business. Really. I don't care what you do, anyone is free to believe what they want, as long as it doesn't harm anybody who wants nothing to do with it. To say that living your life while following your own morals instead of rules laid down by a holy deity that may or may not exist is wrong... Sorry, but that's bollox. I'm free to do what I want to do. I don't go by anybody's rules. If I break the law, I'll be punished, sure enough. But i think that as long as I'm not hurting anybody, that's my business. There are laws I don't agree with, and i will break them if i can get away with it. I am my own person, and I don't need a 2000 year old book to tell me how to live my life. If it works for you, fair enough...But it's not for me. So, I agree with lew.

[Tab]

Redhand, The bible was not written by God it was written by his followers many years later.

[bigbart]

Redhand, The bible was not written by God it was written by his followers many years later.

Tab, of course it was written by God! Why do you think churches are so flashy? He's loaded, still raking in the royalties for that book after all these hundreds of years!

[Redhand]

Redhand, The bible was not written by God it was written by his followers many years later.

Tab, I'm not stupid...i'm aware of that. But that does not stop it from being the Inspired Word of God (atleat how i interpret it). I'm afraid i don't get ya..??

[Redhand]

This thread is getting confusing... As I sadi earlier, I don't follow any religion, I don't pray, and so don't follow rules set out in any holy book. Anyone out there who does, that's your business. Really. I don't care what you do, anyone is free to believe what they want, as long as it doesn't harm anybody who wants nothing to do with it. To say that living your life while following your own morals instead of rules laid down by a holy deity that may or may not exist is wrong... Sorry, but that's bollox. I'm free to do what I want to do. I don't go by anybody's rules. If I break the law, I'll be punished, sure enough. But i think that as long as I'm not hurting anybody, that's my business. There are laws I don't agree with, and i will break them if i can get away with it. I am my own person, and I don't need a 2000 year old book to tell me how to live my life. If it works for you, fair enough...But it's not for me. So, I agree with lew.

Well hey...atleast your honest about it buddy!! In a weird way...nihilism (sp?) takes guts...