The God Thread

[Canuck Surfer]

Society without God? Phil Zuckerman.                                                     

 

 

[erkayloomeh]

On 9/18/2023 at 8:39 AM, Bob Long said:

sounds like my grandparents, awesome people who also relied on an idea of faith. I'm not criticizing the use of it personally, I think whatever you do for your own personal journey that way is your business.

But unfortunately it gets applied at the institutional level too. Something like residential schools happen because no one wants to question the authority god "gives" the church. Even now you have deniers sitting in the Canadian senate who just can't handle the idea that the church is corrupt. 

Some people try to use "faith" like a burning sword. I mean look at the state of US politics and evangelicals, isn't that exactly the kind of thing Jesus warned everyone about? 

IMO as soon as faith moves outside your personal sphere it gets corrupted very easily. 

Unfortunately "the church being corrupt" is a statement that I don't blame people for using. Also unfortunately, it's a blanket statement that sounds inclusive of all churches which isn't really fair. 

For whatever reason alot of good things that some of the churches and Christian individuals do goes unnoticed while the corruption gets the front page.

My focus is Christ and the idea that the Bible says they will know us by our love. If you are operating outside of that then I question your statement of faith.

I personally hate being called religious.

Christ biggest issue was the religious people of the day. They are the ones who demanded his crucifixion aren't they?  

So I'm on board with anyone who doesn't like religion. But Christ is another thing. And if I were to be wrong about that, then my intention towards others has certainly been good during that process. 

[Ilunga]

Say it ain't so Sharpie 

 

" 'I'm a cultural Christian' says Richard Dawkins " 

 

https://anglican.ink/2024/04/03/im-a-cultural-christian-says-richard-dawkins/

 

" You know I love Hymns and Christmas Carols. I feel at home in the Christian ethos. I feel that we are a Christian country in that sense. " 

 

 

[Bob Long]

On 8/4/2024 at 7:15 PM, erkayloomeh said:

Unfortunately "the church being corrupt" is a statement that I don't blame people for using. Also unfortunately, it's a blanket statement that sounds inclusive of all churches which isn't really fair. 

For whatever reason alot of good things that some of the churches and Christian individuals do goes unnoticed while the corruption gets the front page.

 

Bad news always gets more attention.

 

On 8/4/2024 at 7:15 PM, erkayloomeh said:

My focus is Christ and the idea that the Bible says they will know us by our love. If you are operating outside of that then I question your statement of faith.

 

This is what I see as well. You can't hate gay people eg in the name of Jesus.

 

On 8/4/2024 at 7:15 PM, erkayloomeh said:

I personally hate being called religious.

Christ biggest issue was the religious people of the day. They are the ones who demanded his crucifixion aren't they?  

So I'm on board with anyone who doesn't like religion. But Christ is another thing. And if I were to be wrong about that, then my intention towards others has certainly been good during that process. 

 

I have no issues with personal spirituality or religious practices. I just don't want it forced on me or my family.

 

It's why things like the BC ndp allowing Providence health authority to try to restrict MAID is so infuriating. What right do they have to refuse someone's dying wish? 

[bishopshodan]

25 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

BC ndp allowing Providence health authority to try to restrict MAID

 

I know you have a bee in your bonnet about the NDP in general but you are bang on here.

 

F'ing seperation of Chruch and State people!

Drives me nuts..

[SilentSam]

 

[Bob Long]

13 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

 

I know you have a bee in your bonnet about the NDP in general but you are bang on here.

 

I just want to see more internal accountability. It's a hard convo to get going tho. 

 

13 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

F'ing seperation of Chruch and State people!

Drives me nuts..

 

providence getting public money and then refusing public care is so shitty. The god boys want to control you coming and going. 

[SilentSam]

Lots of talk about this today :

 

 

 

 

 

[bishopshodan]

@SilentSam

 

Trump thread is that way ------------------------->

[Elias Pettersson]

Trump is everywhere. I even dreamed about him last night….   

[erkayloomeh]

3 hours ago, Bob Long said:

 

Bad news always gets more attention.

 

 

This is what I see as well. You can't hate gay people eg in the name of Jesus.

 

 

I have no issues with personal spirituality or religious practices. I just don't want it forced on me or my family.

 

It's why things like the BC ndp allowing Providence health authority to try to restrict MAID is so infuriating. What right do they have to refuse someone's dying wish? 

Is that a uethenasia thing ?

[SilentSam]

2 hours ago, bishopshodan said:

@SilentSam

 

Trump thread is that way ------------------------->

 OMG.   Lol ..  my apologies folks 

[Bob Long]

28 minutes ago, erkayloomeh said:

Is that a uethenasia thing ?

 

It's your personal choice on how you want to die. Others don't make the choice for you.

[bishopshodan]

1 hour ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Trump is everywhere. I even dreamed about him last night….   

 

Change your sheets then. 

[RupertKBD]

24 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

Change your sheets then. 

 

Not as bad as the time he had a dream about JD Vance....

 

He had to get a new couch....

[The Lock]

On 8/4/2024 at 7:15 PM, erkayloomeh said:

Unfortunately "the church being corrupt" is a statement that I don't blame people for using. Also unfortunately, it's a blanket statement that sounds inclusive of all churches which isn't really fair. 

For whatever reason alot of good things that some of the churches and Christian individuals do goes unnoticed while the corruption gets the front page.

My focus is Christ and the idea that the Bible says they will know us by our love. If you are operating outside of that then I question your statement of faith.

I personally hate being called religious.

Christ biggest issue was the religious people of the day. They are the ones who demanded his crucifixion aren't they?  

So I'm on board with anyone who doesn't like religion. But Christ is another thing. And if I were to be wrong about that, then my intention towards others has certainly been good during that process. 

 

I think what really needs to happen (and I have a hard time seeing this ever happen) is the church needs to come up with anti-corruption policies. This is because, as you have stated, the notion of corruption is a blanket statement that isn't necessarily going to be the case for every church, but the ones that are corrupt are the ones that are going to stand out.

 

Unfortunately, I'd be surprised if this actually happened, despite them really needing this given that it IS a common perception of them outside of the church. If they truly want to attract followers instead of losing followers, they need to address corruption.

[Optimist Prime]

I highly recommend to everyone, athiest and religious person alike: The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. A prominent biologist and by coincidence the scientist who first coined the term "meme" that we all use so much in todays technical world.

 

If you are so inclined, I would follow that up with Hitch 22 by my favourite thinker and author: Chris Hitchens. author of "Nobody Left to Lie To" which could today be talking directly to MAGA, haha... Hitch was literally the last Devils Advocate at the Vatican in the hearings that led to the Beatification of Mother Theressa. he did such a great job in his role as advocating against her eventual sainthood that several Vatican priests/cardinals agreed with him at the end and the Pope of the day went on to cut the position in any future similar endeavours. (in short corruption in the highest christian seat)

and then ...

 

ANd lastly, slightly more dry but with dozens and dozens of histories best thinkers excerpts and short commentary by Hitchens this book:

[RupertKBD]

1 hour ago, Optimist Prime said:

I highly recommend to everyone, athiest and religious person alike: The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. A prominent biologist and by coincidence the scientist who first coined the term "meme" that we all use so much in todays technical world.

 

If you are so inclined, I would follow that up with Hitch 22 by my favourite thinker and author: Chris Hitchens. author of "Nobody Left to Lie To" which could today be talking directly to MAGA, haha... Hitch was literally the last Devils Advocate at the Vatican in the hearings that led to the Beatification of Mother Theressa. he did such a great job in his role as advocating against her eventual sainthood that several Vatican priests/cardinals agreed with him at the end and the Pope of the day went on to cut the position in any future similar endeavours. (in short corruption in the highest christian seat)

and then ...

 

ANd lastly, slightly more dry but with dozens and dozens of histories best thinkers excerpts and short commentary by Hitchens this book:

 

Thanks for the recommendations, OP....but I only read Science Fiction and Fantasy.....

 

....except for the bible. That's too "out there" for me....

[bishopshodan]

20 minutes ago, RupertKBD said:

 

Thanks for the recommendations, OP....but I only read Science Fiction and Fantasy.....

 

....except for the bible. That's too "out there" for me....

 

The old testament is a straight up D&D novel.

 

 

[Ilunga]

3 hours ago, Optimist Prime said:

I highly recommend to everyone, athiest and religious person alike: The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. A prominent biologist and by coincidence the scientist who first coined the term "meme" that we all use so much in todays technical world.

 

If you are so inclined, I would follow that up with Hitch 22 by my favourite thinker and author: Chris Hitchens. author of "Nobody Left to Lie To" which could today be talking directly to MAGA, haha... Hitch was literally the last Devils Advocate at the Vatican in the hearings that led to the Beatification of Mother Theressa. he did such a great job in his role as advocating against her eventual sainthood that several Vatican priests/cardinals agreed with him at the end and the Pope of the day went on to cut the position in any future similar endeavours. (in short corruption in the highest christian seat)

and then ...

 

ANd lastly, slightly more dry but with dozens and dozens of histories best thinkers excerpts and short commentary by Hitchens this book:

 

I have read the " bible " for athiests. 

For sure Dawkins is a clever person. 

 

What do you think about his " conversion" ?

 

I can already tell what several commentators, including a British Jew I was listening to yesterday on Radio National stated, he believes it is a reaction to all the Muslim immigrants to Britian.

 

The discussion was about anti semitism and Islamaphobia.

 

[Ilunga]

2 hours ago, RupertKBD said:

 

Thanks for the recommendations, OP....but I only read Science Fiction and Fantasy.....

 

....except for the bible. That's too "out there" for me....

 

Support your Canadian Authors.

 

Have you tried Steven Erikson's Malazan series ?

10 books, all over 1000 pages.

I really rate this series.

So many epic characters.

Not a simple, bad versus good plot line. 

 

I am actually going to buy, brand new, the offshoot series by Ian Esslemont. 

Can't wait to get my copy of 

Return of the Crimson Guard 

[RupertKBD]

1 hour ago, Ilunga said:

Support your Canadian Authors.

 

Have you tried Steven Erikson's Malazan series ?

10 books, all over 1000 pages.

I really rate this series.

So many epic characters.

Not a simple, bad versus good plot line. 

 

I am actually going to buy, brand new, the offshoot series by Ian Esslemont. 

Can't wait to get my copy of 

Return of the Crimson Guard 

 

I enjoy the occasional Whiskey....Jack....

[RupertKBD]

@Ilunga, speaking of Canadian authors, I can't recommend Guy Gavriel Kay enough. He's not easy to categorize, but it's a basically a combination of fantasy and historical fiction. (although his first trilogy, The Fionavar Tapestry, is straight up fantasy).

 

I've read everything he's done and loved all of it.

[Satchmo]

14 hours ago, Ilunga said:

 

I have read the " bible " for athiests. 

For sure Dawkins is a clever person. 

 

What do you think about his " conversion" ?

 

I can already tell what several commentators, including a British Jew I was listening to yesterday on Radio National stated, he believes it is a reaction to all the Muslim immigrants to Britian.

 

The discussion was about anti semitism and Islamaphobia.

 

I'm not going to defend or promote Dawkins.  I will say I agree he is very clever.  His 'conversion' - though he has not really converted - is mildly interesting.  

 

He seems to be saying that if he is to live in a religious country he'd rather it be the Christian religion because even though Christians do not have a stellar history of treating women fairly he thinks they do a better job at it than Muslims.  A look at the current practices of Afghanistan could prove his point.

 

He also, like me, can be moved by some hymns even though he is a non believer.  Certain renditions of Amazing Grace won't bring me to tears but they can come close.

 

His stance could be described as Islamophobic but I'm not sure that's the right fit. He's just saying that if there has to be religion he prefers Christianity.  Everybody has favourites.  If forced to pick one I might choose Buddhism though I doubt I would ever become a true believer.

 

[kilgore]

5 hours ago, Satchmo said:

I'm not going to defend or promote Dawkins.  I will say I agree he is very clever.  His 'conversion' - though he has not really converted - is mildly interesting.  

 

He seems to be saying that if he is to live in a religious country he'd rather it be the Christian religion because even though Christians do not have a stellar history of treating women fairly he thinks they do a better job at it than Muslims.  A look at the current practices of Afghanistan could prove his point.

 

He also, like me, can be moved by some hymns even though he is a non believer.  Certain renditions of Amazing Grace won't bring me to tears but they can come close.

 

His stance could be described as Islamophobic but I'm not sure that's the right fit. He's just saying that if there has to be religion he prefers Christianity.  Everybody has favourites.  If forced to pick one I might choose Buddhism though I doubt I would ever become a true believer.

 

 

Yes, I'd agree. But also just in the general sense of being comfortable with the culture you grew up in.  I as well would feel more comfortable living in a place that had Christian churches on the corner, or at least a few in the mix, rather than only an approved religion's mosque's, and punishment if you don't worship in it. 

 

And hearing Christmas carols leading up to Christmas. Even the corny commercial ones.  Christmas itself is important to me long after I left Christianity, where even grinches soften up, and people at least try to be friendlier, more empathetic to those less fortunate, and see their families, think about peace on Earth, even if seen through their own religious interpretation. And giving and receiving gifts to symbolize your love and appreciation of friends and family. The world, at least the part that celebrates Christmas, needs that annual reset.