Chemotropic Illusion

[norompanlasolas]

ive just read this thread.

i agree with spelca and neb. i know few really intense religious types (most of my friends, squatters and leftits dont make the best religious fanatics). some of the persons that would now pray that i find god in my life would have probably branded me a heretic and tried to burn me in the stake a few hundred years ago. now that is somewhat politically incorrect, so they just say that they hope we convert. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

the BIG problem with organised religions is that they somehow feel the need to bug and annoy everybody and try to convert them into their faiths. furthermore, ALL RELIGIONS ENCOURAGE THIS. even to the point of trying to steal adepts from each other, some with methods similar to those of forceful recruitment army tactics. i am perfectly happy as i am now, and i dont feel the need to preach my beliefs to anybody. maybe insecurity in their own beliefs makes them feel the need to share them, or the collective relief of big numbers comforts their minds, or whatever. as long as they keep it to them, and dont kill, torture, maim, threaten or bother people that think different, its ok. people should be free to believe whatever they want, and that is what any self respecting agnostic or atheist would tell you... insted of trying to make you share his belief, like most (not all!) believers of a determined faith.

...disclaimer... since i am going to burn in hell anyways, please dont take any offense by this.

[ 06-20-2002, 07:14 AM: Message edited by: norompanlasolas ]

[Epona]

Originally posted by norompanlasolas: the BIG problem with organised religions is that they somehow feel the need to bug and annoy everybody and try to convert them into their faiths. furthermore, ALL RELIGIONS ENCOURAGE THIS.

Actually that's not correct. Christianity was the first evangelical religion which sought to spread their message to non-believers - that's a heck of a lot of pre-Christian religions which didn't to that. Today, I believe out of the major organised religions it is only Christianity and Islam that do so, mmmmmm, other smaller groups such as Hare Krishna and some groups such as JWs and Seventh Day Adventists - that is not all organised religions. Judaeism doesn't, in fact that was a major bone of contention between Judaeism and Christianity during the Roman period. Most religions, although they accept converts, do not have a belief in spreading the word.

[norompanlasolas]

Originally posted by Epona: quote: Originally posted by norompanlasolas: the BIG problem with organised religions is that they somehow feel the need to bug and annoy everybody and try to convert them into their faiths. furthermore, ALL RELIGIONS ENCOURAGE THIS.

Actually that's not correct. Christianity was the first evangelical religion which sought to spread their message to non-believers - that's a heck of a lot of pre-Christian religions which didn't to that. Today, I believe out of the major organised religions it is only Christianity and Islam that do so, mmmmmm, other smaller groups such as Hare Krishna and some groups such as JWs and Seventh Day Adventists - that is not all organised religions. Judaeism doesn't, in fact that was a major bone of contention between Judaeism and Christianity during the Roman period. Most religions, although they accept converts, do not have a belief in spreading the word.[/QUOTE]i should have said most... thats the problem with generalisations. thanks for the correction. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Originally posted by Yorick: I'm defending her motivation Absynthe, not whether the said faith is perfect for everyone.[/QB]

Motivation is generally a good thing, however, even the purest motivations can lead to unintended consequences. If all good motivations led to good results, a significant portion of the pain and unpleasantness in the world would never have occured.
For an example, the ongoing diatribes between Dramnek and yourself: I'm sure you both had the best motivations to start with, but you're both becoming unpleasantly reactionary.

[caleb]

The road to hell is paved with good intentions MUHAHAHAHAHA!

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Absynthe: I'm sure you both had the best motivations to start with, but you're both becoming unpleasantly reactionary.

WHAT! I'm a reactionary! HOW DARE YOU!

Originally posted by Yorick: quote: Originally posted by Absynthe: I'm sure you both had the best motivations to start with, but you're both becoming unpleasantly reactionary.

WHAT! I'm a reactionary! HOW DARE YOU! [/QUOTE]I was afraid you'd react like that... ;p

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Absynthe: I was afraid you'd react like that... ;p

[Yorick]

Absynthe, do you know how much I've regretted writing off your belief system way back?

I apologised straight away, but I'll reiterate. Though I view theology and spirituality differently to you, I've always respected and liked you, and regret that I may have expressed intolerance towards your faith.

I do hope you're well. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by Cloudbringer in the locked "Religion type" thread: I am fully aware of God in my life, so whether or not YOU are, doesn't make a difference in my faith. I can only pray that one day you discover what a lot of us already have.

Originally posted by Neb: Sorry, I HAVE to comment on this. This is the sort of comment that makes me quite annoyed, as it suggests that those who do NOT believe in God have LESS nice lives than those who DO. Please, look at it this way: Life is a meal. Believing in God is a spice, let us say, cinnamon. We are all eating different meals. To you, belief in God might make the meal PERFECT. While to me it might make it unpleasant. See? So wishing that I add cinnamon to my life just because it makes your meal better might in fact be wishing that I worsen my life. Of course believing in God might make my life better. But please, don't assume that it's the best for everyone.

Neb, have you ever actually tried the cinammon?

Just Kidding! I understand what you are saying here. It's similar to the comments Aviendha made earlier about some people prefering to believe in God while others was better able to cope with the real world as it is. (sorry for the poor paraphrasing, Avi). I get upset at statements of this sort that suggest I "can't deal with the real world" or that "I prefer fantasy of hard cold facts". However, NO offense was meant nor intended by Avi. She didn't mean it the way I took it.

By the same token, Christians are not trying to be annoying or belligerent in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Nor do we mean to suggest that your life won't be complete without it. There have been several allegories made within the various threads, from your comparison of God as a spice to mine comparing the thrill of Salvation to a rollercoaster.

Why do Christians INSIST on telling everyone they meet about Jesus? Suppose I knew a website that would give you $100.00 JUST for visiting the site. No obligation or strings attached. You click the URL and you get $100.00 sent to you with no questions asked. Would you be interested in that? The gift of Salvation is just like that and Christians feel compelled to tell everyone they know about the free gift of eternal life that Jesus has to offer.

Now then, having said that, let's look at it from your point of view. You've made your decision and are happy with it. All you want is for the Christians to accept that and not suggest that your life really ISN'T complete. As I said before, I DO understand what you are saying.

I have a very good friend who is an atheist. I've told him several times that I accept his views, but that I do pray that God will reveal Himself to him someday. He tells me not to "waste my time or breath" because he is perfectly happy the way he is.

I couldn't fully understand that until recently. Another college friend of mine has entered the Lutheran seminary and has become nigh intolerable with his religious condemnations of even the other Christians in the group. He also highly criticized the organization of the FreeMasons (which I happen to belong to). When I told him I belonged to this organization and felt that his criticism was unfounded, he said he would "Pray that this apostacy be removed from me."

"Of all the self-righteous, un-mitigated gall", I thought. I started to tell him not to waste his time or breath because I didn't feel any need to have this "apostacy" removed.

Then it struck me, that is EXACTLY the way I sounded to my atheist friend. (Humble pie is a bitter dish, no matter how it is served).

So, in all due respect to you, Absynthe, Spelca, and norompanlasolas, I will continue to present my beliefs - but I will try to do so in a non-offensive manner.

I accept and respect your views, and I now have a better understanding of how it feels to be "preached" to, so I will endeavor to ensure that that respect is reflected in my posts.