God is in your mind?

Salami · 03-05-2012, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

I disapprove of organized religion, because I think it's socially harmful and it justifies too many atrocities, but I think that faith in general can be a beautiful, creative, and healthy thing, even if it falls into the realm of placebo effects.

Please bear in mind my family is very strictly religious and I've been brought up in a pretty oppressive fashion when it comes to this area. It's really only when I started reading a lot about evolution that I started to disagree with what I'd been taught, because it just didn't make sense when the evidence was examined.
All I would say is that religion is blamed for a lot of the despicable acts committed in the world, but if you look at the messages they preach, all of them encourage peace towards each other, yet in the name of religion a lot of evil has been committed. I would be suspicious of saying that religion is necessarily the direct cause of the evil, though.

I really don't want to get into an argument about this, because I'll be rushed by the weight of numbers of people who disagree, and I won't have any chance of winning anyway.

Paedantic Basterd · 03-05-2012, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salami

I really don't want to get into an argument about this, because I'll be rushed by the weight of numbers of people who disagree, and I won't have any chance of winning anyway.

I think what you've brought up is a matter of the human condition, more than just religion.

blastingas10 · 03-05-2012, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salami

Please bear in mind my family is very strictly religious and I've been brought up in a pretty oppressive fashion when it comes to this area. It's really only when I started reading a lot about evolution that I started to disagree with what I'd been taught, because it just didn't make sense when the evidence was examined.
All I would say is that religion is blamed for a lot of the despicable acts committed in the world, but if you look at the messages they preach, all of them encourage peace towards each other, yet in the name of religion a lot of evil has been committed. I would be suspicious of saying that religion is necessarily the direct cause of the evil, though.

I really don't want to get into an argument about this, because I'll be rushed by the weight of numbers of people who disagree, and I won't have any chance of winning anyway.

I agree. People put too much blame on religion. It's not religion that is the problem, it's people that is the problem. It's not religions fault that some people go way overboard and get too extreme, not all religious people are like that. I have a problem with the movie "Religulous". It takes the stupidest, most extreme religious freaks as examples, and says: "Look at how stupid religion has made these people". Like I said, it's not religions fault. There are a lot of really good people out there that are religious.

Also, before you bash religion, you might want to think about the role it played in the evolution of civilization.

It's been theorized that farming led to the development of cities and religion, but since the discovery of Göbekli Tepe, that theory is beginning to change. Göbekli Tepe pre-dates any known human settlement, which brings about the theory that people first came together to worship, and then farming was developed. So, you can bash religion and say it does no good, but it had a lot to do with our development.

skaltezon · 03-05-2012, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salami

All I would say is that religion is blamed for a lot of the despicable acts committed in the world, but if you look at the messages they preach, all of them encourage peace towards each other, yet in the name of religion a lot of evil has been committed. I would be suspicious of saying that religion is necessarily the direct cause of the evil, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

People put too much blame on religion. It's not religion that is the problem, it's people that is the problem. It's not religions fault that some people go way overboard and get too extreme, not all religious people are like that. I have a problem with the movie "Religulous". It takes the stupidest, most extreme religious freaks as examples, and says: "Look at how stupid religion has made these people". Like I said, it's not religions fault. There are a lot of really good people out there that are religious.

Many people think that being non-religious gives them some special, super-logical insight, with the result that they're unable to question their own conclusions or to accept anyone else's to a greater degree than the people they're criticizing. It's like, we can discuss this, but you have to play by my rules. And so threads like this are usually pretty painful to follow unless you like bashing people who disagree with you and rewarding people who don't.

**Janszoon** · 03-05-2012, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skaltezon

Many people think that being non-religious gives them some special, super-logical insight, with the result that they're unable to question their own conclusions or to accept anyone else's to a greater degree than the people they're criticizing. It's like, we can discuss this, but you have to play by my rules. And so threads like this are usually pretty painful to follow unless you like bashing people who disagree with you and rewarding people who don't.

I would say you're just as likely to run into that attitude from the religious as the non-religious.

blastingas10 · 03-05-2012, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I would say you're just as likely to run into that attitude from the religious as the non-religious.

True. But I think some atheists fail to realize they have the same mentality as some religious people whom they despise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by seekn4

Evil isn't something in the world we have to fight, its a feeling inside that we have to make right---quote by me

True.

**Janszoon** · 03-05-2012, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

True. But I think some atheists fail to realize they have the same mentality as some religious people whom they despise.

Why did you jump from "non-religious" to "atheist"? And why do you assume atheists "despise" religious people?

blastingas10 · 03-06-2012, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Why did you jump from "non-religious" to "atheist"? And why do you assume atheists "despise" religious people?

Because I don't know many non-religious people. Anyone I know who is non-religious is an atheist. And it's not really an assumption. Based on my experience, atheists do despise religion and people who practice it. I'm sure that's not true for all atheists. I'm just speaking from personal experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrd00d

Spoiler for @Jans:

Alex Grey is a very spiritual person. I'd like to know more about his thoughts on spiritual matters. I read that he was an atheist, or non-believer, but then he had this experience on LSD that turned him into a spiritualist. Not so sure about the details, maybe you know more.

That reminds me. Ever heard of manifestation celebration? It's in Dallas this year, just about 20 minutes outside of where I live. I want to go. The main attraction is seeing Alex Grey do some Painting and listening to him speak. It's like this little seminar. I expect it to pretty fascinating.