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I was actually in total agreement with you until you stated "suppression of science and reason." The educational system as well as the vast majority of advances in science all find their origin in Christian catechetical schools. The Reformation rescued the world from the suppression of all free thought.
I agree with you wholeheartedly that many historically documented atrocities have occurred in the name of Christ. It is my contention that such inexcusable bloodshed and the like are due to the obvious fallibility and depravity of men. It is our nature to take something good (even alleged Absolute Truth espoused by Christ) and distort it and make it something it is not.
For me to try and defend the Inquisition, Salem Witch Trials, etc. would be an exercise in folly. Christ came to give life and provide the ultimate and everlasting peace. Christians that have committed egregious acts in the name of their Master actually forfeit their right to speak on His behalf IMO.
I would assert that the explosion of Christianity around the world denotes that its doctrine is inherently superior. To argue otherwise is to maintain that a large portion of the world's population is not reasonable and simply following myth. To me that is a very arrogant claim....to discount the experience of such a vast amount of people that follow Christ across ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic lines.....dare I say, even folks with high intellectual capacities.
Sorry but it's not arrogance mocking religious beliefs or anything to do with smart people, its just the fact that argumentum ad populum is and has always been a fallacy.
Location: In the North Idaho woods, still surrounded by terriers
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soonerborn2008
I would assert that the explosion of Christianity around the world denotes that its doctrine is inherently superior. To argue otherwise is to maintain that a large portion of the world's population is not reasonable and simply following myth. To me that is a very arrogant claim....to discount the experience of such a vast amount of people that follow Christ across ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic lines.....dare I say, even folks with high intellectual capacities.
It would seem to me that the explosion of Christianity around the world, if that is actually true, has far more to do with Christians sending out armies of missionaries to force the Christian religion onto other cultures. There have been some very beautiful religions in the world...Polynesians, Native Americans, Agorigines, Africans, who have had their own person beliefs and religions mocked and erased by Christians who used fear of Hell and Punishment to sway their innocense. Even the ancient Celts bowed to the early "Christians" and accepted the cross in place of their sun god...however, they left the circle of the sungod in place as a bit of rebellion! That's why the Celtic Cross has a circle behind it.
This is from Wikipedia, it listed several religions claiming to be the fastest growing with Buddhism listed as first followed by christians, Falun Gong, Hinduism, Islam, and Wicca.
They feel it is imposible to get good data due to issues related to conversion rates. I think it was their tackfull way of saying the religions were not to be trusted.
They said “There are also many unreliable claims and rumours, especially for conversion rates, that often spread as urban legends. Hard data is difficult to come by.”
I found the last entry something we all might want to see also.
The American Religious Identification Survey gave Non-Religious groups the largest gain in terms of absolute numbers - 14,300,000 (8.4% of the population) to 29,400,000 (14.1% of the population) for the period 1990 to 2001 in the USA.[1][18]
In Australia, census data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics gives "no religion" the largest gains in absolute numbers over the 15 years from 1991 to 2006. from 2,948,888 (18.2% of the population that answered the question) to 3,706,555 (21.0% of the population that answered the question).
Who has made it?
Have you seen a design which hasn't a designer ?!
Have you seen a wonderful,delicate work without a worker ?!
It's you and the whole universe!..
Who has made them all ?!!
You presume that the planet and universe are a work or masterpiece. Have you seen a creator create a universe?
Quote:
How are you going to be after death ?!
Can you believe that this exact system of the universe and all of these great creation will end in nothing...just after death!
If I'm dead, I'm not going to care about anything - ever again. To think that the whole universe wouldn't end - just for us - is selfish, conceited, arrogant and frankly, ignorant.
Quote:
Have you thought, for a second, How to save your soul from Allah's punishment?!
Haven't you thought about what is the right religion?!
See, the funny thing about religion is that even in the same religion, there are always sects that have some kind of inherent disagreement, and they disagree to the point of being willing to kill each other over a few details. So why should I listen to any hawker of any religion, when the people in said religion can't even agree amongst themselves enough on issues of the same god? All that tells me is that religion panders to people, and they use, abuse and bend it to get what they want.
If you can refute that without quoting from a book, you'll be one step closer to convincing me.
Excuse me!!
Would you stop for a moment?!
Haven't you thought-one day- about yourself ?
Who has made it?
Have you seen a design which hasn't a designer ?!
Have you seen a wonderful,delicate work without a worker ?!
It's you and the whole universe!..
Who has made them all ?!!
You know who ?.. It's "ALLAH",prise be to him.
Just think for a moment.
How are you going to be after death ?!
Can you believe that this exact system of the universe and all of these great creation will end in nothing...just after death!
Have you thought, for a second, How to save your soul from Allah's punishment?!
Haven't you thought about what is the right religion?!
Here you will get the answer http://www.anashed.net/flash/lastb_reath.swf here here here
Your statement reflects a lack of intellectual ability or your fear to accept the responsibility man needs to accept on this planet. The posting of little verses and blips from books you think it will give insight, but in reality is points how sad religion is, continues to form a greater distance between the religious and non religious.
Are your religions searching for something to explain life and nature so you will not have to share the responsibility to protect it? I think your faith in your mythical god prevents you from stepping back and getting the real view of man and his place in nature. You live in a mythical reality with no foundation of truth, and one which has committed crimes against humanities from day one.
The real question here is why man allows it to continue.
Religion also came at a time when people didn't know just how big the universe was and how utterly unimportant the earth and it's inhabitants are and the idea that we are somehow above it all has become deeply ingrained on the minds of most.
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In times of great despair people will grasp to anything they believe will grant them hope (
no matter how implausible it seems).
