Religion Discussion Thread

[robbiestoupe]

redwill, to quote an early post in this thread:

My conservative estimate is that the board is 97.7% white male, so I wouldn't expect a tremendous amount of religious diversity.

[faftorial]

I'm non religious so there's that. Interesting discussion nonetheless.

[RonnieFranchise]

Feel free to offer up a different direction.

[count2infinity]

Momma always said, if you ain't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

[redwill]

My momma always said "Eat your damn beans and shut up!"

Wise words.

[shafnutz05]

I don't think you will find many young Earth creationists here.

[faftorial]

I went to church weekly from birth to 15 when I became a member. Then I had the option to go or not and stopped.

I had good experiences there (was an acolyte and choir boy) but never bought into the belief in God. We never talked about church at home.

[Kaiser]

If I can let slip the sarcastic atheist shtick that I've cultivated here for a moment...I did have a stretch where I declared for internet history that god did not exist and anyone who believed in it was dumb. I sill think that about quite a few people, but not because of religion, because of people themselves. When christians tell me about sin and how man is imperfect, I find it hard to not rant about how they're telling a wrecking ball about their new tack hammer.

I find humans to be part of the Earth, part of the ecosystem and sharing ancestry with all animals, it's been explained why. We got "lucky" and currently dominate the planet, but there are many many many things wrong with us according to our own ideals. I think religion is the acknowledgement of that. Does it control people? Does it kill people? I guess it depends on where you want to place the blame. It's part of our evolution, and a vastly enlightening journey into what we call our souls. I can say soul right? I just find the conflict that I usually have very semantically tiring lately.

If there is a god, and that thing or person will bring me someplace when it's all over, I hope it's cool. I won't say I believe, because I couldn't explain exactly what I mean to anyone trying to wedge it into their dogma, but It's difficult to think anyone who would make something like us, and this universe, would have intentions on torturing us themselves. I saw Jesus of Nazareth last year, and it really got to me. I didn't want to read the bible again, unless it was something from JC, but I did have to admit that the dude was amazing. real or made up, definitely worthy of emulation. So that's what I do now, I just don't involve anyone else in my own thoughts unless they ask.

That's for coming to my ted talk

[CBear3]

Kaiser I think that’s where a lot of people are, tbh. Religion, much like philosophy, is really just trying to understand the inner workings of man and of nature.
JC as a teacher, has many great lessons. Even assuming some of the Gospels and miracles were embellished, the common thread through them is worthy of emulating.
My main issues with the New Testament is that much of the Church’s teachings are based on the writings of a previous skeptic who converted but never met the man who’s teachings he appears to be the final arbiter for.

[count2infinity]

Yeah, this whole talk about the christian church evolving (or more accurately: having trouble evolving) to the new times. Well... yeah. That's how these things go. How many belief systems have our species had and are now gone? Hint: a lot. Hell, just take an everyday christian from a 50, 100, 500, 1000 years ago and show them what "the church" is today. They likely would be shocked. In a good way? In a bad way? Don't know. And I use quotes there, because I'm not sure which church to show them. The catholic church? A mega church? Westboro baptist? Or just your typical Lutheran/Methodist style church?

Every religion has good parts and bad. Parts that I like and parts that I don't like. That's the humanity aspect of it. All religions are manmade so they'll be flawed. And I know, I know... "my religion is the true one and was spoken directly from God's mouth". Yeah, and how many other belief systems have our species had that claim the same thing? Hint: a lot.

I do agree with Kaiser though... if there is a god, I hope he's cool.

[CBear3]

Yeah, this whole talk about the christian church evolving (or more accurately: having trouble evolving) to the new times. Well... yeah. That's how these things go. How many belief systems have our species had and are now gone? Hint: a lot. Hell, just take an everyday christian from a 50, 100, 500, 1000 years ago and show them what "the church" is today. They likely would be shocked. In a good way? In a bad way? Don't know. And I use quotes there, because I'm not sure which church to show them. The catholic church? A mega church? Westboro baptist? Or just your typical Lutheran/Methodist style church?

Every religion has good parts and bad. Parts that I like and parts that I don't like. That's the humanity aspect of it. All religions are manmade so they'll be flawed. And I know, I know... "my religion is the true one and was spoken directly from God's mouth". Yeah, and how many other belief systems have our species had that claim the same thing? Hint: a lot.

I do agree with Kaiser though... if there is a god, I hope he's cool.

I've stood on the rooftop of a parking garage staring at a tornado and insisting to my friends that I'll be just fine, because God is having too much fun ****in' with me to kill me now.
So I'm sorry, and really hope they have a good sense of humor.

[Kaiser]

I was higher than Racchi's rug one day and "figured out" That we all have our own universe. If someone dies, that's just your version. In their universe, maybe you died instead, or someone else. The point was, everyone makes it to the end of the trial, and Jesus is just packing a bowl as I meet him.

[redwill]

I've stood on the rooftop of a parking garage staring at a tornado and insisting to my friends that I'll be just fine, because God is having too much fun ****in' with me to kill me now.
So I'm sorry, and really hope they have a good sense of humor.

Haha. I've sat on my front porch and watched a tornado go by a quarter-mile away. I smoked a cigarette and said to myself, "God wouldn't dare."

[crusherstasiak]

if there is a god, I hope he's cool.

in elemenatry school a nun beat the back of my hand with a heavy metal-edged wooden ruler for asking if 'he' peed at the urinal like the rest of us boys

[MR25]

This is pretty cool... Seems like it was spontaneous and driven by the students. Freddy Rumsen I'm sure you've heard news of this.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna70686

A Christian service at a college chapel in Kentucky has ballooned into a nonstop prayer and worship session that some are calling a "revival" — and people are traveling thousands of miles to take part in it after seeing viral videos on TikTok.

The growing event started as a routine chapel service at Asbury University, a small Christian college in Wilmore, Kentucky, according to university employees. At the tail-end of the meeting, a couple dozen lingering students assembled informally in a gathering that’s been going now for seven days straight, 24 hours a day.

Students and staff from 22 schools have visited so far, alongside groups from Hawaii to Massachusetts, university faculty said. Travelers from Singapore and Canada are expected to arrive soon, they added.

Although social media has served as a lightning rod for the event, Asbury faculty said they were cautious not to market or brand what was happening.

“The university made an intentional decision not to publicize this because we wanted to place an abundance of respect towards the experience of our students,” said Brown.

Apparently one of the attendees was in the contagious phase of the measles, and as many as 20,000 people might have been exposed:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/asbury-uni ... 00-people/

An estimated 20,000 people attended a large religious gathering in Kentucky on the same days as a resident who was infected with measles last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday, with potential contacts who may have been exposed to the highly transmissible virus now spanning multiple states and countries.

[CBear3]

I've stood on the rooftop of a parking garage staring at a tornado and insisting to my friends that I'll be just fine, because God is having too much fun ****in' with me to kill me now.
So I'm sorry, and really hope they have a good sense of humor.

Haha. I've sat on my front porch and watched a tornado go by a quarter-mile away. I smoked a cigarette and said to myself, "God wouldn't dare."

I feel like this is probably a common occurrence to many of us on the Plains, now that I think of it.

[shafnutz05]

Apparently one of the attendees was in the contagious phase of the measles, and as many as 20,000 people might have been exposed:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/asbury-uni ... 00-people/

An estimated 20,000 people attended a large religious gathering in Kentucky on the same days as a resident who was infected with measles last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday, with potential contacts who may have been exposed to the highly transmissible virus now spanning multiple states and countries.

That sucks, sounds like they weren't symptomatic. At least the students are required to have the MMR, can't say the same for any visitors.

[Freddy Rumsen]

I missed the church board discussion, but boy do I have stories.

I am actually in a fairly senior position in our denomination now and the sausage is gross, and people are people.

But, Jesus says something about "...they have their reward", which gives pause and peace.

[redwill]

I got a call today from a nice lady who had a dog she was looking to either give up to a rescue or find some help for. The dog has an incurable disease which is manageable with the right amount of money, which she does not have. I had to tell her that we could not help because 1) it's a large dog and we don't have space for such for the foreseeable future and 2) we don't have the money to help. We have been struggling financially to stay afloat with our dogs for years.

But she was a nice lady trying to help a dog she loved and I felt for her. I ended the call with "Good luck. And bless you."

I actually said "Bless you."

Now, here's why I'm making this post: I feel a bit dirty having said that. Hypocritical. I was just trying to comfort her. I knew ... I knew it was an empty, hollow platitude. I wish I could have come up with a secular humanist platitude. Equally useless, but more in keeping with myself.

I was talking with someone last week who said he thought I was a pastor. It has happened many times. Oh, the irony. But, believe it or not, I have that demeanor, that voice, and that look.

I think I could be a good pastor/priest. I know all the things to say (not that difficult, after all) and I know my Bible well.

I'm just not cynical enough to really sell it.

Anyway, my dirty feeling about my saying "bless you" doesn't help that lady any more than a sincere wish for a blessing.

F**k this world sometimes.

[Kaiser]

I know exactly what you mean, and maybe what you said didn't help. You threw down the coin and at worst, it was neutral. There were a lot of other things you could have said that would have made it worse for her, maybe disparaging her use of "bless you", or actively being awkward and uncomfortable about it. She may have gotten off the phone and cursed you to hell as a heathen, or prayed for you to repent, who knows.

By letting it happen and giving her something she probably wouldn't have noticed unless you didn't, you waved that potential negative energy away from that moment of her life. It is conflicting for you, but if the situation were reversed, would you want the person on the other line to start sermonizing at you? Or just wish you well without adding stress like you didn't?

[count2infinity]

I have no problem when it comes to going with the flow for religious people/religious environments. If it’s a dinner and someone wants to say a prayer, fill your boots. “I’ll pray for you” thanks. Appreciate it. But I’m not sure, as a non-religious person of I’ve ever initiated such things or said something like “bless you” to someone outside of them sneezing (or in the case of my wife and daughter: when they fart). I think I too would feel a little skeezy doing so when I meant zero of it.

As Kaiser points out: they likely thought absolutely nothing of it. It probably didn’t help nor hurt the situation.

Additionally, this world does indeed suck. But saying bless you to a person trying to do the best for a dog rates pretty low on the “you f*cking hypocrite!!!” Scale.

[shafnutz05]

Agreed, yinz are being too hard on yourselves.

And remember, 99% of the time when people say they will pray for you, it's coming from a place of love. A love that, quite frankly, this world could use a lot more of.

[faftorial]

Agreed, yinz are being too hard on yourselves.

And remember, 99% of the time when people say they will pray for you, it's coming from a place of love. A love that, quite frankly, this world could use a lot more of.

My dentist is hot and I enjoy her praying for me at the end of visits.

[shafnutz05]

Agreed, yinz are being too hard on yourselves.

And remember, 99% of the time when people say they will pray for you, it's coming from a place of love. A love that, quite frankly, this world could use a lot more of.

My dentist is hot and I enjoy her praying for me at the end of visits.

#lancastercountythings

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

for those that are religious…how do you rationalize the universe?


like, we’re all familiar with the concept of intelligent design. Do you subscribe to that? If so, why is Jupiter and other planets in our solar system a thing? why are galaxies that humans will never be able to reach a thing?