Religious stuff

[Barry Scott]

^^ http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_of_the_gaps

[Flashheart]

There's a difference between 'religion' and 'god'. While we can't completely dismiss the possibility of some sort of creator, we can still recognise that religion itself is ridiculous. At least the vast majority of them certainly are as they can't all be right (although they can all be wrong)

If there is such a thing as a god I reckon he'd be looking down upon the religious and shaking his head in dismay.

[Flashheart]

^^ http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_of_the_gaps

You know your logical fallacies then. 

[kerry red]

I just can't believe in a diety - mainly because if there is, why would 'it' bother creating us - what's the point.

I do, however, believe in some sort of heaven. I think everyone has their own individual heaven (or hell). I don't see us floating around bumping into George Washington or Deirdre from Corrie.

[Flashheart]

I just can't believe in a diety - mainly because if there is, why would 'it' bother creating us - what's the point.

I do, however, believe in some sort of heaven. I think everyone has their own individual heaven (or hell). I don't see us floating around bumping into George Washington or Deirdre from Corrie.

I think heaven/hell is purely fiction. That doesn't mean that there isn't some kind of afterlife though. 'The afterlife', if there is such a thing, could just be part of science and nature. No God needed.

[Peter Venkman]

I think heaven/hell is purely fiction. That doesn't mean that there isn't some kind of afterlife though. 'The afterlife', if there is such a thing, could just be part of science and nature. No God needed.

This is exactly how I feel about it all, although eternity is a long time to spend in the wrong place

[Flashheart]

This is exactly how I feel about it all, although eternity is a long time to spend in the wrong place

A hint of Pascal's wager there, JJ 

[jayohaitchenn]

There's no god, there's no afterlife; I am as certain about that as I am anything. You have one life, live it.

[Sir Pissalot]

There's no god, there's no afterlife; I am as certain about that as I am anything. You have one life, live it.

And there you have it.  You may well be (are most probably are) right about that but, until we exit this life, none of us will know for absolute certainty.  And that's what drives a lot of religions ie creating and building on the fear of the unknown and 'persuading' people to follow certain 'rules' in the belief that they MAY one day have to face the day of reckoning...

[Batch]

Maybe the extremists have it right - "god' is a cunt who doesn't give a fuck.

However to me, the powerful use the brainwashed and/or mentally retarded for various forms of personal profit.

That's the extremists, and the church in general until relatively recent times.
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Now lets take today's mainstream religions.

What kind of idiot prophet would be so powerful and wise that he thinks its OK for people to be killed for simply drawing an image of him.

What kind of idiot god would allow death, suffering and famine in this world.

Buddha seems OK though. Unless you live in a country that jails people for advertising a club by producing a poster of him wearing headphones.

[Ardiles]

There's a difference between 'religion' and 'god'. While we can't completely dismiss the possibility of some sort of creator, we can still recognise that religion itself is ridiculous. At least the vast majority of them certainly are as they can't all be right (although they can all be wrong)

If there is such a thing as a god I reckon he'd be looking down upon the religious and shaking his head in dismay.

Agree with a lot of that.  Except for the assertion that religion, per se, is ridiculous.  Personally, I think that dismissing it with certainty is ridiculous.  Belief in a higher being is, in my view, not remotely ridiculous...but the interpretation that a lot of religions/people have applied certainly is.  There's a lot about religion that I do not like - bigotry and intolerance being just two examples - but I see plenty of that from people with no faith as well.

[Flashheart]

Belief in a higher being is, in my view, not remotely ridiculous...but the interpretation that a lot of religions/people have applied certainly is. 

I think you're still not differentiating between 'religion' and 'god'  .

I think you're more defending deism..... The belief in a god, but not in religion. Einstein was a deist, and a pantheist (he believed that the universe is god).

[Ardiles]

Rightly or wrongly, I'm defining religion as the veneration of your creator.  If believing in the existence of a god is reasonable, it's not much of a leap to suppose that paying him/her a bit of respect (ie the religion bit) is also OK?

I'm labouring the point, I know.  Just rallying a little against a tendency of some to belittle and patronise the concept of religion and those who adhere to one, in the certainty of their own correctness...as backed up by a few GCSEs in Science.  Just trying to make the point that there is no certainty, and that basis for the condescending/patronising comments is not as rock solid as people might think.

[Arriba]

Thanks for the lecture ardiles 
Nowhere for me to go with this really as I've said my piece regarding religion umpteen times on here.
I find them all utterly ridiculous along with the afterlife etc. Not meant to belittle or offend, its just my take on it.

[Flashheart]

A lot of people believe in astrology. Is it wrong to say that that's ridiculous?