Religion will eventually become obsolete (Isaiah, atheism, Catholic, believer)

[Visvaldis]

Originally Posted by sophix

It's clearly a double standard.

I hope you don't mind that I shortened your quote. Your final sentence describes the cornerstone of religion. I started a different thread with that view in mind. (A Challenge to American Christian moralists).

[lionking]

Originally Posted by b. frank

Yep - this forum is more "dangerous territory" for Christians.
BEWARE: Open discussions about philosophical/religious concepts are happening here!
Don't look or the devil may get 'ya.

Seriously, though, I'll take this opportunity to thank all of the Christians that do post here despite the presence of heathens of like myself.

I'm not sure how to take this reply as whether it's good in your mind to talk about it,which I'm not saying it's not good to but can quickly lead down a path where peoples inner feelings cloud truth.For instance the people who in the name of God are protesting military funerals saying they "Americans" deserve to die because America "supports" homosexuality.I know most Christians don't support these funeral protesters but it's a example of people twisting the word for their purposes.

When people start pointing fingers at others saying you are evil,you are wrong,are they really speaking in the name of God or for their own thoughts?Yet a person who reads the bible and asks God to be in their life while not going around passing judgement on others will probably have a pure and positive relationship with God.And too often I see posters quick to pass judgement on others while using quotes.This is why this is a rare instance Im even in the relgion section only because this thread was moved here.

[lionking]

Originally Posted by sophix

No. And that's why I stated that religion will eventually become obsolete. However, given that majority of Americans, and the majority on this board are Christians, I specifically made this topic pertinent to them.

This really is a waste of time. Religion, which has no scientific backing and continues to spread misinformation, really isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Providing moutain upon mountain of scientific evidence is not going to change the minds of the dovoutly religious.

that's because it is about faith,and having faith in something you can't prove is hard,but fullfilling.Science to me is just a way of better understanding how God makes things work.Science in it's findings are not always unbias either though.

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by lionking

I'm not sure how to take this reply as whether it's good in your mind to talk about it,which I'm not saying it's not good to but can quickly lead down a path where peoples inner feelings cloud truth.For instance the people who in the name of God are protesting military funerals saying they "Americans" deserve to die because America "supports" homosexuality.I know most Christians don't support these funeral protesters but it's a example of people twisting the word for their purposes.

When people start pointing fingers at others saying you are evil,you are wrong,are they really speaking in the name of God or for their own thoughts?Yet a person who reads the bible and asks God to be in their life while not going around passing judgement on others will probably have a pure and positive relationship with God.And too often I see posters quick to pass judgement on others while using quotes.This is why this is a rare instance Im even in the relgion section only because this thread was moved here.

I probably misread your other post.
My head is probably too entrenched in this P&R fourum - but I thought you were arguing that examining the views of others is dangerous and can lead one away from the true path or something.
I am not a "believer" and I get really irked when people say that listening to outside ideas can harm you, open you to the devil, or things like that.
I believe that everything should be openly examined and discussed, and that fear of the devil is an excuse that people have for keeping their minds closed which, to me, is simply not acceptable.

I mostly agree with your above post but as a non-theist, I still see the biggest problem as being that religious people feel that they know the Truth.
I don't believe that there is any truth that can be "clouded" by other people's ideas.

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by lionking

For instance the people who in the name of God are protesting military funerals saying they "Americans" deserve to die because America "supports" homosexuality.

I absolutely agree with you that these people should be ignored completely by everybody, however. So, OK, not EVERYTHING deserves to be examined.

[nvxplorer]

Originally Posted by lionking

that's because it is about faith,and having faith in something you can't prove is hard,but fullfilling.

Having faith in the unseen is one thing. Denying that which can be demonstrated is something else.

Science to me is just a way of better understanding how God makes things work.

Most theists feel this way. It took many years and pain for (certain) believers to accept that the earth revolves around the sun. A hundred years from now, today's creationists will be seen as we see those who denied heliocentrism.

Science in it's findings are not always unbias either though.

Correct, which is why science employs the filter of peer review. If 100 scientists review a researcher's findings, and find no bias, it's reasonable to accept that the findings are indeed unbiased.

[lionking]

b.frank.I don't think everybody should keep their mouth shut or not exchange ideas but I do believe that God and Jesus is truth,but to remain a true message it should be a direct exchange from God and you.

One must be very careful when engaging in opinions and debate regarding this,the bible itself mentions that quoting in my own words ,what comes out of one's mouth is true poison.That means that if you are not getting the info direct it might be compromised.

Of course this is the way I see it,if I were to start spouting off "the truth" and "the bible says this" I may be the one in defiance when I should be the one listening.

There is alot of wisdom and good advice in the bible that helps lead a positive life but one can use a quote out of the bible in a wrong context to further agenda.It's ok to listen to others,but read it directly and take your own thoughts from it.The book of Matthew is very inspiring to me,yet hard to read in a way because it makes you look at yourself and you may not like what you see but inspires to become better and find peace.

[cleatis]

Originally Posted by Nothing12

the one good thing about the Bush Presidency is people are seeing Religion and Christianity for the fraud it is

i don't thing there is a possible way that i could agree more. Bravo!

[ParkTwain]

Originally Posted by sophix

No. And that's why I stated that religion will eventually become obsolete. However, given that majority of Americans, and the majority on this board are Christians, I specifically made this topic pertinent to them.

This really is a waste of time. Religion, which has no scientific backing and continues to spread misinformation, really isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Providing moutain upon mountain of scientific evidence is not going to change the minds of the dovoutly religious.

As long as humans have a sense of wonder about the universe, there will be at the least a basis for religion. Up to this point in human history, religion has mostly functioned as a way to tell ourselves stories about how to cope with what we as a species don't understand about our situation in the universe and how to usefully live with other in the meantime.

As a species, we don't understand our consciousness and creative nature. We don't understand death and whether this means the end of individual identities and consciousnesses. We don't understand why humans feel alienated from nature (we don't predominantly function by instinct, and therefore the key working hypothesis for many human beings today and in the past is that a moral orientation is fundamental to all decision-making). We don't understand how humans differ from other animals and from other living things. We're not sure whether the universe is fundamentally benevolent or malevolent toward our species. We only have faint clues about what is the nature of the reality that we can perceive.

Scientific knowledge about our physical environment may increase to a level that true (that is, indefinite) sustainability of our species is assured. Beyond that point in time, humans would still be faced with areas of knowledge in which there is a sense of mystery and wonder. At those frontiers of knowledge and experience a new kind/sense of religion would come about. It might likely serve to conserve humans' knowledge about remaining in harmony with nature and the importance of the role of humans as conservators of the equilibrium with nature that would have been reached.

[Lynka]

"From the weakness of our senses we are not able to judge the truth."

... just throwing that out there for fun...lol