Please login or register. Welcome to the Studio, guest!


Quick Links:


newBookmarkLockedFalling

Chris

Chris Avatar

******
Head Coder

19,519


June 2005
Be aware, this article greatly stresses atheism.



What is religion? What makes this entity tick? As a child this was always a question of extensive debate. And after a while I began searching for others to aid me in my quest for understanding. One question in particular was to no end, burning in my mind. "Does god really exist?". And the answer? Just what I expected..."how else". I asked everyone I knew and it was the same; always the same...How else? I realized I was going to have to fly solo on this one...So I decided to gather the facts. And I started by defining "faith". I'm sure you've heard 0f "blind" faith before, right? Well, all faith is blind. Faith is nothing more than belief without evidence of truth. Let's say for example:

"I hope I get that job I signed up for at the local store"

Is this faith? No. This is hope. Hope is desiring an outcome. Faith is telling the mind "I am going to get that job". Let's take a look at another common example:

"God exists because he has too"

What is this? Well, it certainly isn't hope. This person has fooled their mind into thinking that an unproven and worse yet unprovable hope is true. Which brings me to my next point. If you are so dead-set on believing something without fact why aren't you the same with everything else?

Most religions use fear to congregate believers. In fact, i've debated with many theists. And whenever they couldn't prove mewrong they turned to threats. "If you do not believe you will go to hell", "god will deny you as you have denied him". The same stubbornness as i'd faced in my past questionings...No matter how much I persisted I was talking to a wall. To no end were the threats. And that's the worst of it all. They had nothing but threats.

It's fear, people. Fear is what makes them. And that's exactly why they aren't like this with everything else---that's exactly why they don't go around believing the unbelievable when religion isn't the tea in their cup---because there's no consequence fact or fiction to prevent them from thinking for themselves.

So...how did all this start? I firmly believe that religion was founded on that which man could not comprehend. The world around him so vast and complex an answer had to be somewhere. In this case Gods. "Fire? I can't explain that. It must be a greater being". And so became the story for everything beyond the work of man's hands. After quite a time of this comes science. People begin searching for answers. Fire, lightning, tornadoes, no longer a mystery and no longer the work of gods. And after extensive searching and endless study comes an even greater discovery. The fact that man was not birthed of nothingness into some "garden"...but rather evolved from a much more primitive species. And no matter how many discoveries are made, most of the world is still hanging on to the old ways. And again, out of nothing more than fear. All these years of practice create nothing more than doubt in their minds when they dare not believe in "the almighty". And as such they decide to "play it safe" and believe in their holy God(s).

If someone told you a six-foot tall ant was in your backyard would you believe them? Certainly not. And why? Because common sense (resulting from science) proves that it's impossible for an ant to grow to such proportions. But what if someone told you a greater being created the earth when that same logic used to defy the belief of the ant says otherwise? Would you use that logic? Religious people wouldn't. And it all comes back to fear.

What does religion bring us? A book and a few "answers" that have already been disproved? A few wars here or there? Which brings us right back to the question that brought us here: What is religion? The answer is quite simple...religion is believing in answers. And science?...science is knowing them.


Last Edit: Jul 11, 2006 2:06:02 GMT by Chris

Andrew McGivery

Andrew McGivery Avatar
Formerly Fredy

******
Legendary Studio Member

Male
5,742


September 2005
After reading this article, I have finally found an athiest who has at least a little common sence. I myself, am a believer in God. This article won't change that. But this article has brung me to a better understanding of why there are so many athiests.

As for this part:

And whenever they couldn't prove mewrong they turned to threats. "If you do not believe you will go to hell", "god will deny you as you have denied him". The same stubbornness as i'd faced in my past questionings...No matter how much I persisted I was talking to a wall. To no end were the threats. And that's the worst of it all. They had nothing but threats.


I know what you mean about that. I like to call that bible thumping(or whatever the religious book is called for that religion). Personally, i think thats the more stupid thing i've ever heard of my life. Even if they think they can convert you to their religion, they can't if they act like that. Alot of the times, it doesn't matter what they do, but that is the worst way to gain someones trust in what you believe.

If an athiest prooves me wrong, I respect him/her for that. It just means i need to study my religion harder to find out why I couldn't continue arguing. Also, I need to do research on their beliefs.

I suppose I could go on forever with this post, but I'm assuming that i'll probably get flammed as it is for what I've already written in this post. So flam away!

Btw, good article. Even if it does go against my beliefs. :P
k

Aaron

Aaron Avatar
Bad Wolf

****
Dedicated Studio Member

859


November 2006
Nah, you won't get flammed man. If anything I was the one expecting that. :P

I can respect your beliefs just as you can respect mine. ;)

Eric

Eric Avatar



1,442


November 2005
cddude229 said:
[r]Most
[/u][/b] religions use fear to congregate believers. In fact, i've debated with many theists. And whenever they couldn't prove mewrong they turned to threats. "If you do not believe you will go to hell", "god will deny you as you have denied him". The same stubbornness as i'd faced in my past questionings...No matter how much I persisted I was talking to a wall. To no end were the threats. And that's the worst of it all. They had nothing but threats.

It's fear, people. Fear is what makes them. And that's exactly why they aren't like this with everything else---that's exactly why they don't go around believing the unbelievable when religion isn't the tea in their cup---because there's no consequence fact or fiction to prevent them from thinking for themselves.[/quote]You are basing what you've said on a few popular western relgions, or those that have gotten a little media coverage (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). I'd be willing to bet you haven't investigated these in detail: Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Bayani, and Bahai Faith.

You are also mistaking clergy for religion, there is a very large difference. Over the years the Catholic church has made up things not found in the bible to explain things that they didn't have an answer to or would drive believers away. How can you define that as coming from the Christ? Jesus in no way mentioned any of the thigns that they have said and preached to teach the religion through love, not hate and fear.

You are also making the mistake of reading the entire bible literally. Some passages have deeper meanings and use symbolism to get points across. You often have to pay very close attention to how things are said, even the grammar and spelling.

You are also assuming that every theist has the same belief structure of the creation of the world, which is a very large flaw. You wonder why the lash out about you going to hell when you talk to them. The reason is that you are attacking their beliefs. When you punch someone do they sit there and take it? No. They either block or fight back. It's a natural instinct, all you've done is triggered it.

Aaron

Aaron Avatar
Bad Wolf

****
Dedicated Studio Member

859


November 2006
[r]Most
[/u] religions use fear to congregate believers. [/quote]

Point taken. But as for your speaking of "clergy", I don't recall ever singling out "Jesus".

And dude, you seem to be assuming all as much as you claim I am. I never attacked anyone's religion. I did however bring up several questions that required answering in order for myself to come to grips with the truth or fallacy of their belief structure. When I say they responded "believe or you will go to hell", it was never in so little words. This statement was stressed throughout the conversation and not directed so much at me but at all who did not believe. It seems my words are just as literal as your book?






Last Edit: Jul 11, 2006 23:45:29 GMT by Aaron

Eric

Eric Avatar



1,442


November 2005
derfleurer said:
Point taken. But as for your speaking of "clergy", I don't recall ever singling out "Jesus".

And dude, you seem to be assuming all as much as you claim I am. I never attacked anyone's religion. I did however bring up several questions that required answering in order for myself to come to grips with the truth or fallacy of their belief structure. When I say they responded "believe or you will go to hell", it was never in so little words. This statement was stressed throughout the conversation and not directed so much at me but at all who did not believe. It seems my words are just as literal as your book?
What you are talking about is religion. Religion is created by the founder of it, no one else. So when you are saying that religion uses fear to get followers, you are in fact talking of the founder. Now maybe you didn't think of it that way, but in reality that is how most people would perceive it.

By attack I'm not saying that you out-right said "You're wrong." However when people will not listen to what you say ("I'm talking to a wall") that generally means that you struck a nerve there, no matter how small. In all other cases people will listen to you, even if they disagree.

I'm not Christian either, though I do believe in Christ. So I believe that the bible does have some "factual" information as well as some symbolic information. It also has instructions (the things that our morals today are based upon). Your words are summarization, not symbolic ;).

I'm not meaning to attack you either, though I might have struct a nerve, however small.


Edit: I give you kudos for asking the question, but perhaps you're looking in the wrong places.


Last Edit: Jul 12, 2006 0:22:21 GMT by Eric

Andrew McGivery

Andrew McGivery Avatar
Formerly Fredy

******
Legendary Studio Member

Male
5,742


September 2005
Well, another thing i'd like to bring up, is the misuse of the word christian. What does it mean? how has it been misused?

The literal meaning of "christian" is God believer. Unfortuneatly, if you say you are a christian, people automatically think you are a religious bible thumping jerk. This isn't always the case. You just have to meet the right people.
k

Eric

Eric Avatar



1,442


November 2005
fredy said:
Well, another thing i'd like to bring up, is the misuse of the word christian. What does it mean? how has it been misused?

The literal meaning of "christian" is God believer. Unfortuneatly, if you say you are a christian, people automatically think you are a religious bible thumping jerk. This isn't always the case. You just have to meet the right people.
No, it isn't God believer. It is someone who primarily follows the religious teaching of the Christ. A theist is a God believer. It isn't really misuse, but rather the generalizations associated with it from people's interactions with them.

Lucifer

Lucifer Avatar

*******
Mythical Studio Member

Eunuch
5,665


August 2005
fredy said:
The literal meaning of "christian" is God believer. Unfortuneatly, if you say you are a christian, people automatically think you are a religious bible thumping jerk. This isn't always the case. You just have to meet the right people.


That's not totally true. It's not that people think that every Christian/Catholic is a bible thumper, but that the only ones who do go around preaching and trying to convert people are of the Christian/Catholic faith. There are Christians that have a ton of respect in my eyes because they don't do that. They believe in what they believe in, but they don't go forcing it on you. That's how all religion should be.

Andrew McGivery

Andrew McGivery Avatar
Formerly Fredy

******
Legendary Studio Member

Male
5,742


September 2005
lets look at this meaning from dictionary.com

Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
Relating to or derived from Jesus or Jesus's teachings.
Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike.
Relating to or characteristic of Christianity or its adherents.
Showing a loving concern for others; humane.

i've bolded a few things of importance >.> Read them.
k

Lucifer

Lucifer Avatar

*******
Mythical Studio Member

Eunuch
5,665


August 2005
What does that have to do with what I said?

Andrew McGivery

Andrew McGivery Avatar
Formerly Fredy

******
Legendary Studio Member

Male
5,742


September 2005
nothing. lol.... i had to do with that eric said :P
k

Eric

Eric Avatar



1,442


November 2005
fredy said:
nothing. lol.... i had to do with that eric said :P
Aye, the definitions match what I said, except for the last one...

Dn107xc

Dn107xc Avatar
Hm.. Yeah!

***
Dedicated Member

221


May 2006
Okay, sorry for skipping a few posts.

I believe in god, but Im more agnostic than a defined christian religion. I dont like some of their doctrine such as Protestant's "Pre-destination," where you are either to go to hell or heaven, without a choice. Catholic is more suitable because of "free-will."

For centuries, religion was a major contributor towards war, as chris has stated. Even more modernly the controversy of Creationist v Evolutionist.

Anyway, I think there is a god, its either god or the universe can make particles (violating the law of "Particles can not be created or destoryed). Theres a theory about how God made the big bang, kinda like touching a still puddle with his hand.

trackstar

trackstar Avatar

*
New Member

11


August 2006
wat is dis

newBookmarkLockedFalling