leviathan13 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Better than me without it. I was especially careful wording this, (or at least I thought!) to word this so that people wouldn't immediately stereotypically attack the religious person for being "better than thou". I don't have a superiority complex. I don't think I'm any better than anyone else. I know inside though that I act more thoughtfully and loving and am less self-serving and more happy when I am more connected with my faith, than when I'm not. There is no way that I think those that call themselves christians, muslims, jews, etc are automatically better people than those that are not. I don't go around telling everyone I'm a christian, I keep it to myself, unless asked. Not because I'm embarrassed but because I remember once reading a poster as a child in church, referring to times when christians were persecuted by the romans, and it said, "If you were accused of being a christian, would there be enough evidence against you?" - I liked it because I have a pet hate myself and that is those that feel they have to tell everyone they are christians and go to church to please themselves, but often don't act in a very christian manner, in my opinion. I try to live in a way that is "evidence-based". On the subject of homosexuality, as you referred to it in your dialogue with Grahame, I have clashed with a local church leader on this issue. He believed homosexuality was at odds with the christian faith, I do not. I believe that God loves us all, and if he didn't love homosexuals, why would he make them in the first place? I find it impossible to accept that two homosexual people who love each other and show that and are not doing anyone else any harm, can be offensive to a loving God. To be honest, I'd have preferred it if you had said you were better than others - because you probably are, but then again not as good as some others. You will follow your religious laws more than some and less than other Christians. Does this make you a better person? Who knows? Does it make you a better Christian? Yes and no. In the real world, you will be a better person than a murderer, paedophile etc. but maybe not as someone who dedicates all of their time helping other people etc. That doesn't make you a bad person in any way, just your average human being who does what he can for himself and his own. But even the average human being is a better person than others. In the end - as human beings we have good and bad sides to us, which means that some will be better than others and not as good as some. Religion doesn't dictate this, you do - whether you choose to use religion as a reason or excuse is up to you, but I'd bet that I'm about as good or bad as you are without being religious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Vader Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 To be honest, I'd have preferred it if you had said you were better than others - because you probably are, but then again not as good as some others. You will follow your religious laws more than some and less than other Christians. Does this make you a better person? Who knows? Does it make you a better Christian? Yes and no. In the real world, you will be a better person than a murderer, paedophile etc. but maybe not as someone who dedicates all of their time helping other people etc. That doesn't make you a bad person in any way, just your average human being who does what he can for himself and his own. But even the average human being is a better person than others. In the end - as human beings we have good and bad sides to us, which means that some will be better than others and not as good as some. Religion doesn't dictate this, you do - whether you choose to use religion as a reason or excuse is up to you, but I'd bet that I'm about as good or bad as you are without being religious. I don't feel it's up to me to judge. I have a feeling that we're all the same underneath, with the same capacity for good and evil, and that spiritually, we are all connected, that's why people are so horrified and outraged when terrible acts are commited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CottonTop Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I think that some of the 10 Commandments are quite relevant but then, they are basically common sense: Don't steal. Don't lie. Don't murder. Don't sleep with someone else's spouse. Honor your father and mother (with the proviso that they deserve to be honored, many don't). I don't need a Bible, a Torah or a Koran to tell me this stuff (I capitalize the names of these books out of respect for others' beliefs). Celebrate Easter, if you like. Celebrate Passover if it applies to you. Celebrate Milad un Nabi if it means something to you. Just don't try to shove your beliefs down the necks of others. I like Easter, myself. I like to hide Easter Eggs for the kids and I like to see their faces when they see what the Easter Bunny left for them. The rest (baby Jesus, redemption, etc) doesn't apply to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I think that some of the 10 Commandments are quite relevant but then, they are basically common sense: Don't steal. Don't lie. Don't murder. Don't sleep with someone else's spouse. Honor your father and mother (with the proviso that they deserve to be honored, many don't). I don't need a Bible, a Torah or a Koran to tell me this stuff (I capitalize the names of these books out of respect for others' beliefs). Celebrate Easter, if you like. Celebrate Passover if it applies to you. Celebrate Milad un Nabi if it means something to you. Just don't try to shove your beliefs down the necks of others. I like Easter, myself. I like to hide Easter Eggs for the kids and I like to see their faces when they see what the Easter Bunny left for them. The rest (baby Jesus, redemption, etc) doesn't apply to me. most sensible post in this thread:clap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingjimmy Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Religion, like anything on this earth, can be used as a vehicle for evil. I shudder when I see what's happening in Gaza as we speak but I still have respect for both the Jewish and Muslim faiths, as I do others. It doesn't mean that I agree with all they stand for but I have more respect for people than to "rubbish" what they hold sacred. Firstly, hello, it's great to have a normal Christian getting stuck in and discussing things reasonably (Grahame gets a bit boring sometimes) I was kind of hoping we could get back to the point about respect for religions. I'm not expected to respect the idea that the Loch Ness monster exists or the idea that the abominable snowman exists but I am expected to respect the idea that god exists?! Because it's apparently 'sacred'? Imho that is not a good enough reason. Things that are sacred to you are meaningless to me and I'm sure things that are sacred to me have little meaning to you. For me, religion is a personal thing. It's not about being seen at church, or in the streets, tying my flag to a mast, it's a peaceful, spiritual state, based on love, not hate and I know that I am a better person with it than I am without it. I cannot see why anyone would have a problem with that.I don't have a problem with that, you are absolutely entitled to believe whatever you like. But I do have one more question, in what way do you think religion has made you a better person? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Vader Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 Firstly, hello, it's great to have a normal Christian getting stuck in and discussing things reasonably (Grahame gets a bit boring sometimes) I was kind of hoping we could get back to the point about respect for religions. I'm not expected to respect the idea that the Loch Ness monster exists or the idea that the abominable snowman exists but I am expected to respect the idea that god exists?! Because it's apparently 'sacred'? Imho that is not a good enough reason. Things that are sacred to you are meaningless to me and I'm sure things that are sacred to me have little meaning to you. I don't have a problem with that, you are absolutely entitled to believe whatever you like. But I do have one more question, in what way do you think religion has made you a better person? Hi, thanks for the welcome. No - I don't think you should automatically respect the idea that God exists, but, I think you should respect the fact that many people do. I can only liken it to, when you are close to someone, and don't want to hurt their feelings, and they're really into something that you don't like whatsoever - you might have a few little jibes in fun, but you'd know where to stop, there's a line, isn't there? I believe in everyone's right to criticise religions, but there are ways to go about it. To be honest, on most days, I'd not bat an eyelid, whatever anyone said about my beliefs but I respect that there are those that would feel deeply hurt by certain comments. I said I feel that I'm a better person when I'm more connected with my faith, I have periods when I feel less so too. When I'm not, I'm more deflated, feel out of sorts with the universe, and act in a more self-centred way. Things seem to get to me more and the way I perceive the actions of others is often distorted. I act more out of fear and less out of love. When I feel more connected with my faith the opposite is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 I'm currently Reading the god delusion, and I would recommend it to everyone who questions faith. I used to be religious. Went to church etc, even got confirmed. But now I feel I can say with a huge amount of certainty, that god does not exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saffy Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 The 'Thank Jesus for the Easter Holidays' thread seems to have been pulled. Anyway, I was reflecting on Jesus's 'selfless' act of letting himself be killed to save mankind. He was only actually dead for a couple of days, then he came back like a sort of zombie jesus and went up to heaven to be part of the holy trinity. I don't get how that was such a huge sacrifice? My point is, he was dead for a couple of days and many mere mortals have committed selfless, heroic acts that got them killed forever. They didn't get to come back and then ascend to heaven. Bloody hell ... he's John Locke ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloomdido Posted April 5, 2010 Author Share Posted April 5, 2010 Bloody hell ... he's John Locke ! I don't get the reference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingjimmy Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 I don't get the reference Different John Locke bro! She's talking about the character from the TV show 'lost'. He is named after the one you're thinking of though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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