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The only difference between a religion and a cult is that the cult pays taxes.
Orly? Well think about it. If religions "Got to" pay taxes, then they would own our government. Really ponder that with your rational mind for a while.
You seem to be anti-religion and especially anti-Christian. That's fine with me. But you come off as a radical atheist who is imo one of the most tightly screwed down cultists on the planet. You need validation and you get a rise out of our reactions.
Instead of seeing where religious folks are right... how said religion adds purpose and direction to billions, you like to disect and mock some of their tenants.
If that works for you, great. If it makes you a better person, have at it. To conclude that we humans have made a huge mess of this world via religion would be something I can agree with... yet we're still here despite ourselves.
That a religion's tenants are NOT logical are what have some of us questioning and digging deeper. I truly believe that there are higher states of consciousness which could better understand the nonlinear, the irrational, the nonsensical.
I believe that there are thriving community organizations among us which are religious and nonreligious ... doing altruistic things and not just trying to control and dominate other folks. But there's that out there too.
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Originally Posted by AStalkingButler
Yes ---- Alcoholics Anonymous.
Right! This is one of my favorite cults because I belong to this one. I just went and saw my buddy Roger collect his 10 year sober birthday cake. When he came in, he hated being sober, he hated God for putting him on this bleeping planet, he was suicidal, his job was up in the air, and he suffered from a string of bad relationships.
Now he's thriving in his job, engaged to a beautiful woman, in great physical shape, and an asset to his community.
It's just wonderful how folks can look down at A.A. and suck their thumb and say, "But I'm a victim! " and cast A.A. members as being in a cult. My favorite statement of hope in the whole A.A. book is this one, "So our troubles we think are of our own making."
Orly? Well think about it. If religions "Got to" pay taxes, then they would own our government. Really ponder that with your rational mind for a while.
What?
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You seem to be anti-religion
Indeed I am. I was wronged at a young age by religion, and many others are too. It's completely illogical to believe in things for which there is no proof. Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence.
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and especially anti-Christian. That's fine with me. But you come off as a radical atheist who is imo one of the most tightly screwed down cultists on the planet. You need validation and you get a rise out of our reactions.
I don't wake up in the morning and think "how can I be a better atheist today?" I don't need fear of a higher power for morality. It's really easy... Treat people how you want to be treated. I don't want anyone to fool me into believing nonsense, so yes, I find it offensive that others do this.
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Instead of seeing where religious folks are right... how said religion adds purpose and direction to billions, you like to disect and mock some of their tenants.
There are good deeds done by many organizations, and not all of them do it on a religious basis. How about helping people because it's the right thing to do? I know it can be done because I've done it, and didn't have to tack on some nonsensical stuff about an invisible man in the sky.
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If that works for you, great. If it makes you a better person, have at it. To conclude that we humans have made a huge mess of this world via religion would be something I can agree with... yet we're still here despite ourselves.
That a religion's tenants are NOT logical are what have some of us questioning and digging deeper. I truly believe that there are higher states of consciousnesses which could better understand the nonlinear, the irrational, the nonsensical.
I believe that there are thriving community organizations among us which are religious and nonreligious ... doing altruistic things and not just trying to control and dominate other folks. But there's that out there too.
Sounds like you were physically or perhaps mentally abused by a person in a position of trust. If so, that's awful and inexcusable.
Wars have been started due to such atrocities.
However you can come to follow the Golden Rule, have at it.
But I was not disturbed by my parents nor anyone of any religion. My older brothers were the closest thing I ever had to unprovoked evil.
But I built a bridge and got over it. I'm thinking of banning all sibling relations due to my past experiences. See what I'm saying? You were not the cause of the atrocity. But at the core of it was one sick human being preying on another person in the name of whatever.
Sounds like you were physically or perhaps mentally abused by a person in a position of trust. If so, that's awful and inexcusable.
Not really abused unless you count being lied to about such things as respectable, kind atheists going to hell for not believing. I often wonder why religious people usually assume some singular event is the reason for someone losing faith. Nothing really bad happened to me. I just put two and two together.
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Wars have been started due to such atrocities.
However you can come to follow the Golden Rule, have at it.
But I was not disturbed by my parents nor anyone of any religion. My older brothers were the closest thing I ever had to unprovoked evil.
But I built a bridge and got over it. I'm thinking of banning all sibling relations due to my past experiences. See what I'm saying? You were not the cause of the atrocity. But at the core of it was one sick human being preying on another person in the name of whatever.
If you don't mind, what disservice did the brothers commit?
You're assuming I'm religious. I'm not so sure that I am. I'm seeking the Power of God in my life.
One of my brothers used to get a kick hanging me on the hat rack by my collar because I was so skinny as a little kid. He also used to get a kick out of lowering me into a running disposal head-first until I screamed in horror. To this day, I'm not too keen on sticking my hand into one and my hands are almost too big anyway.
My other brother once saw I had a toy sheriff's outfit and this upset him because he'd been recently arrested so he used my handcuffs on me, gaged me with the bandana so I couldn't yell for help, and stuffed me into a closet for a time. To this day I'm very chlostrophobic.
Then my other brother did stuff like call me to him where he was waiting for me to come around the corner and he'd blow a big handful of pepper into my eyes and he'd laugh his slimy fat face off at me. But this was way back when I was four or so. He'd get me to say the nastiest word I could think of, extort all the money I had on me, and threaten to tell our parents. What I'd said.
He's a religious fanatic now and if anybody should understand atheism, it might be me.
Evil is the man who drives another away from God. He's very preachy and claims that he himself blesses people and seems to think he's God's right-hand man.
He tried making amends to me for things he put my wife and I through... so as to rub it further into my face and sort of just used it to validate how "Bad" he was and how "Saved" he is now.
I use seeking God to attain a sufficient substitute to booze and to attain a higher state of consciousness and it really seems to work for me. Wish I could bottle it up and give you some.
You're assuming I'm religious. I'm not so sure that I am. I'm seeking the Power of God in my life.
Ever try psychadelic mushrooms? It may help. Seriously.
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One of my brothers used to get a kick hanging me on the hat rack by my collar because I was so skinny as a little kid. He also used to get a kick out of lowering me into a running disposal head-first until I screamed in horror. To this day, I'm not too keen on sticking my hand into one and my hands are almost too big anyway.
My other brother once saw I had a toy sheriff's outfit and this upset him because he'd been recently arrested so he used my handcuffs on me, gaged me with the bandana so I couldn't yell for help, and stuffed me into a closet for a time. To this day I'm very chlostrophobic.
Then my other brother did stuff like call me to him where he was waiting for me to come around the corner and he'd blow a big handful of pepper into my eyes and he'd laugh his slimy fat face off at me. But this was way back when I was four or so. He'd get me to say the nastiest word I could think of, extort all the money I had on me, and threaten to tell our parents. What I'd said.
He's a religious fanatic now and if anybody should understand atheism, it might be me.
Evil is the man who drives another away from God. He's very preachy and claims that he himself blesses people and seems to think he's God's right-hand man.
He tried making amends to me for things he put my wife and I through... so as to rub it further into my face and sort of just used it to validate how "Bad" he was and how "Saved" he is now.
I use seeking God to attain a sufficient substitute to booze and to attain a higher state of consciousness and it really seems to work for me. Wish I could bottle it up and give you some.
I'm sorry your brothers were so nasty to you. I like to use reading books, exercise, traveling, pot, and psychadelics to attain higher states of consciousness. Whatever works. Good luck to you, but no bottling will be necessary.
I did enjoy shrooms and acid back in the day. I don't need drugs for a stolen/borrowed experience, besides they would eventually lead me back to booze.
Drugs and alcohol work a bit to raise my consciousness by deadening the lower states for a moment so I can briefly experience my true being.
That's very strange that you feel psychadelics would lead you back to alcohol, because acid in particular has proven, strong tendencies to kill desire for booze in alcoholics.
*Edit* Being of the scientific type, I've had the most connected feelings about the universe as a whole with psychadelics. I think about what the universe really is (on a physical level), how complex formation of matter is at the core of stars, how tiny and insignificant I am to the big picture, and yet totally awe-inspiringly complex my own body is on a biological level...
Understanding (at least a little) the universe around me while using psychadelics has been the closest to a religious experience I've ever had. One doesn't need the drugs to understand the connection of all matter in the universe, but they sure do accelerate the process.
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