"We are God's sheep." wow, great analogy...

[mburbank]

To play the devil's advocate, irony intended, what is up with all the religion supporting on this board?

Seriously, this is a rough and tumble discussion board, and there's mixed serious and childish discussion of all topics. Why would religion be exempt.

I've stated before that I think a blind unthinking rejection of God and Religion is pretty stupid, just as a blind and unthinking acceptance of God and Religion is pretty stupid. I'm not a big fan of blind and unthinking, which tends to be a blade that cuts very well in any direction.

[Supafly345]

Yes, the voice of common sense is shouted from the hills! This is probably the number one thing people should actually read and think about in these threads.

[FS]

True enough, but this post does distinctly reek of "hah! I scored another point for atheism guys!".

[Perndog]

You'd think from the attitude of most atheists that they'd want to just remove religion from their lives, but they don't. And I don't buy any of that bullshit about how the theists are all over and you can't help being exposed; I go to a Christian college, and my only daily dose of Christianity comes on this very board.

Bottom line is, the only thing atheists get from attacking any religion is a sense of self-satisfaction in their own supposed rightness. Which I think is fine, if only you admit that's what it is. The problem in my eyes comes when they won't admit that and start thinking they're accomplishing something.

[Vibecrewangel]

Bottom line is, the only thing atheists get from attacking any religion is a sense of self-satisfaction in their own supposed rightness.

The same can go for those on the other side of the fence........

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by El Blanco

Actually, it was quite the opposite. They were open to anyone willing to learn who could make the trip. That was the big divider. The ability to get to the universities.

Ummm ... no. Try again. Money was the divider. The aristocracy and clergy had it, peasants did not.

Originally Posted by El Blanco

Ya, the way guys like Aquinas and Augustine were persecuted for their work.

Rare exceptions. And notice how their work agreed with the view of the church at the time. Big difference.

Originally Posted by El Blanco

And look how the Church helped support many artisants during the Rennaisance.

And they were commisioned to do what? That's right! Religious art work which is ironic considering it was for a religion that was supposed to be opposed to idoltry, graven images, ect. One lil' bit of trivia that cracks me up was that Da Vinci, a non-Christian, was commisioned to do several religious works of art for the Catholic church and used to put little inside pagan symbols and references within the context of the painting which religious leaders didn't even understand. What a prankster!

Originally Posted by El Blanco

Yes, we invented that. And, we don't hold any women in high regard or anything.

'Cept for child bearin'! Be ironic as you like, it's true.

Originally Posted by El Blanco

What is that saying about glass houses?

I'm comfortable in my stone house, thank you very little. Back up the trash instead of just spouting off Vinth-style and I might concede that your arguments are valid because you've proved nothing beyond "I know you are but what am I." to me so far.

P.S. I'm not trying to be a "religion hater". I'm just trying to weed out the inconsistencies and contradictions to see if what is at it's core says anything to me that is worth adhering to spriritually. Sure, the Bible and Catholic religion has a lot of important things to add my spiritual life. I just wish they'd shed themselves of the hypocrisy and BS and get down to the kernel of what Christianity supposed to be. That's all I'm sayin'

[Brandon]

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[The One and Only...]

Buddha taught that to exist is to suffer. He wanted everyone to attain a state of nonexistance.

Jesus did not.

You people are spouting off claiming that this wasn't that, Christianity is killing western morals, etc. yet not one of you has mentioned the effect of Hammurabi's Code on the 10 commandments.

Tsk, tsk.

Anyway, the bible is certainly a good place for history. Much of the bible's historical accuracy has been proven already: it's just a question of where faith fits in.

[O71394658]

Brandon, I would appreciate if you would back up your statements with facts instead of spouting blanket statements that are way too typical of 14-year old boys who hate the world.

[Brandon]

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[Brandon]

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[El Blanco]

Ummm ... no. Try again. Money was the divider. The aristocracy and clergy had it, peasants did not.

And yo ucan prove this how? Oh, you can't. You are just making an assumption and trying to pass it off as fact.

Where do you think the traditon of European universities not charging tuition came from? It was from the universities not charging anyone to begin with way bag in the Middle Ages. Anyone who made the trip and did the work could learn. Of course, the aristocracy were usualy the only ones that could make such a trip, but don't just pull something out of your ass and scream," It's the Church! Its all their fault."

And they were commisioned to do what? That's right! Religious art work which is ironic considering it was for a religion that was supposed to be opposed to idoltry, graven images, ect.

And there were no advancements in architecture or engineering because of that or anything.

And notice how their work agreed with the view of the church at the time

Actually, there was no Church hierarchy when Augustine wrote City of God, so who was going to persecute him?

And Aquinas was delving into subjects nobody else, including the Church, was willing to touch.

One lil' bit of trivia that cracks me up was that Da Vinci, a non-Christian, was commisioned to do several religious works of art for the Catholic church and used to put little inside pagan symbols and references within the context of the painting which religious leaders didn't even understand. What a prankster!

Meh. I've heard that and seen a few examples. If the Church officials didn't know what it meant, how would anyone else besides Davinci and a select few? Its like hackers putting a bunch of 733T all over a board. It only makes them look like assholes.

Still, his genius still did the work for the Church.

'Cept for child bearin'! Be ironic as you like, it's true.

Ya, no woman ever did anything especially heroic or noteworthy in the bible.

I'm comfortable in my stone house

Uh, your "stone" house is see through and brittle. And shatters when you play music too high.

Back up the trash instead of just spouting off Vinth-style

Hey, watch those rocks. I'd have to say you and ArtificialBrandon are closer to a Vince than I ever will.

I just wish they'd shed themselves of the hypocrisy and BS and get down to the kernel of what Christianity supposed to be.

Ok, Jesus, what might that be?

[O71394658]

Whatever you want. Just not blanket statements.

07's example of blanket statement: "God sucks and I hate him and he sucks and he is the cause of the decay of civilization and he sucks and a lot of people die in holy wars...and he sucks".

Better statement: "1,000,000,000 people died in the Crusades."

See blanket statements as opposed to specific reasons?

Edit: Oh yeah. Copy/pastes don't count either.

[Brandon]

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[O71394658]

Since when was I attacking God? I thought it was only an assault on the Christian religions. You just made a blanket response by assuming it was an attack on theism in general.

Hence the key word "example".

The fact that I condensed the argument using broad statements doesn't make it any less valid.

I disagree.

Unless, of course, you need me to remind you that the Crusades claimed tremendous human life, the Catholic church was in the habit of selling indulgences, and the Puritans executed "witches."

Ist das alles? Are these the points that lead you to hate Christianity with every fiber of your being?

[Brandon]

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[O71394658]

You expect me to bow to your words. I'm merely asking you to back up what you say. I'm sorry if that's a problem for you.

[The One and Only...]

Jesus did not infer that one should sit back and wait for death. Nothing he has ever said even comes close to that sort of comment.

If that were the case, then why would he discourage suicide?

[Perndog]

Originally Posted by El Blanco

Where do you think the traditon of European universities not charging tuition came from? It was from the universities not charging anyone to begin with way bag in the Middle Ages. Anyone who made the trip and did the work could learn. Of course, the aristocracy were usualy the only ones that could make such a trip, but don't just pull something out of your ass and scream," It's the Church! Its all their fault."

Guess what, dude. Universities did begin as seminaries, because in western Europe after the fall of Rome, the church was just about the only body wealthy and powerful enough to establish them. No rich noble would have just said "Hey, I'll start a university!"

But no, it wasn't the church's fault that only the aristocrats got educated. While I have little doubt it would have tried if necessary, the church didn't need to bother keeping people dumb; feudalism did the job admirably, by keeping a large percentage of the population poor and bound to servitude.

Meh. I've heard that and seen a few examples. If the Church officials didn't know what it meant, how would anyone else besides Davinci and a select few? Its like hackers putting a bunch of 733T all over a board. It only makes them look like assholes.

Please. This is off-topic, but will you people quit misnaming all of those 14-year old wannabe losers as hackers? The real hackers pick on them even more than you do for typing like that.

[El Blanco]

Sorry, it was off the top of my head. How about "bot-babies"?

[Dole]

It staggers my mind to see how many of you in the states are fervently religious....I dont know anyone who practices religion....THANK FUCK.

[El Blanco]

I see you have also done away with such burdensome things such as tolerance, understanding and thinking before you join a conversation.

[kahljorn]

Who gives a fuck what jesus said, even if he was real and a fucking prophet and shit he was still a MAN, which indicates he was searching just like us. He's not around to discuss his ideals and shit, so fuck it.

[El Blanco]

Can people stop posting while high? I know it seems funny at first, but a lot of you come off as just plain retarded.

Anyway, to address the "point". Yes, Jesus was human............and divine. He is God, which is why we believe he is so important.

[kahljorn]

God of the questioned form is not a person. Sorry to burst everyone's bubbblies.