I'm thinking of giving up being religious

Originally posted by SwissGambit
You can't choose to believe, or not believe, in something. For example, you can't just decide to believe that the moon is made of green cheese. Sure, you could go around telling everyone that it is, but you would know that deep down you don't really believe it.

If we find evidence for something, then belief should logically follow. In this case belief follows in proportion to the available evidence.

Originally posted by rwingett
Every religion is full of empty promises and conjecture about this and that. They all claim to have knowledge of things about which we can have no knowledge. Your interpretation of "god" is no more valid than that of a Muslim, or a Hindu, or an animist living in the jungles of New Guinea. There is no way to verify any of this, so there is no reason to waste ...[text shortened]... easure its effects directly? Is the kingdom built upon pious words, or righteous deeds?

the Kingdom is built upon accurate knowledge of God, based on reason and also upon principles, which through their application in the adherent produce freedom from all sorts of social ills.

It is perfectly exemplified in the example of the Christ himself, for he was not known as a 'miracle worker', but as a teacher, for this was first and foremost in his mind, persons, through accurate knowledge of God could free themselves from ignorance and superstition, from the heavy burdens placed upon them from a religious system which cared not a jot about their personal welfare, however it was accompanied by humanitarian works which helped alleviate, at least for a temporary period, the suffering of persons born into a system of uncompromising injustice.

we cannot separate the two as you have tried to my friend, for they are handmaidens of each other.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
the Kingdom is built upon accurate knowledge of God, based on reason and also upon principles, which through their application in the adherent produce freedom from all sorts of social ills.

It is perfectly exemplified in the example of the Christ himself, for he was not known as a 'miracle worker', but as a teacher, for this was first and foremo ...[text shortened]... annot separate the two as you have tried to my friend, for they are handmaidens of each other.

So you're going to cling to your antiquated first century religion until the bitter end, eh?

Fewer and fewer people are able to take these preposterous fairy tales seriously. Religious attendance is dropping across the western world. I think we are on the threshold of a massive paradigm shift away from traditional Christianity. If you refuse to update Jesus for the 21st century, then the risk is that he will be forgotten completely. That would be a pity because if you strip away all the absurd Pauline mythology, there is a core of material there that is worth preserving.

Originally posted by rwingett
So you're going to cling to your antiquated first century religion until the bitter end, eh?

Fewer and fewer people are able to take these preposterous fairy tales seriously. Religious attendance is dropping across the western world. I think we are on the threshold of a massive paradigm shift away from traditional Christianity. If you refuse to update J ...[text shortened]... y all the absurd Pauline mythology, there is a core of material there that is worth preserving.

yes religious attendance is dropping throughout the world, it was prophesied that this would take place (see Babylon the great, in the book of revelation chapter seventeen, and the waters that feed her, drying up).

the fact of the matter remains, the application of biblical principles in the life of an individual is the only way, and i repeat it, the only way for us to solve our problems, for they are able to transcend every conceivable boundary, national, social, religious, economic, educational whatever. there have been a plethora of differing types of secular agencies which have done more harm to the human cause than can be imagined, every form of government has been tried and in each and every instance, they have failed, because man has dominated his fellow man to his injury. there is no doubt, in the face of such conflicting secular advise that living by biblical principles is not only the right thing to do, but affords an individual and society the surest way for happiness and success, in this life!

and just for the record, they are in no way to be considered antiquated, for they are more relevant now than ever before, for as the Sikhs of India are wont to say, truth is eternal!

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
yes religious attendance is dropping throughout the world, it was prophesied that this would take place (see Babylon the great, in the book of revelation chapter seventeen, and the waters that feed her, drying up).

the fact of the matter remains, the application of biblical principles in the life of an individual is the only way, and i repeat it ...[text shortened]... more relevant now than ever before, for as the Sikhs of India are wont to say, truth is eternal!

Interesting viewpoint, but in my personal opinion misguided. No one can deny the good that religion has done througout the centuries, but no one can deny the evil either. You say we should live by the bible. The Bible (and all other religious books), like war, like politics, like the boundries you so aptly stated, was created by humans. It did not rain bibles from the sky. Bibles are not the work of God. What I am trying to say is that we can not live our modern life by ancient rules set down by individuals with only one goal in mind: POWER. Personal power.
Ever since it has existed religion has fought against science, against development. It has been a rock set down in the path of true enlightenment. Horrific events such as the Crusades and the Holy Inquisition have taken place. Religious attendence has fallen because more and more people refuse to be blinded by the ridiculous lies of priests and bishops and oracles. The only way to solve our problems is to make logical and intelligent decisions regarding everything around us.

Originally posted by Ringwraith
Interesting viewpoint, but in my personal opinion misguided. No one can deny the good that religion has done througout the centuries, but no one can deny the evil either. You say we should live by the bible. The Bible (and all other religious books), like war, like politics, like the boundries you so aptly stated, was created by humans. It did not rain bi ...[text shortened]... solve our problems is to make logical and intelligent decisions regarding everything around us.

my friend, it is the folly of the rationalist, that is, as soon as you take the divine element out, this assumption clouds the viewpoint to the extent that you simply attribute human agencies to what is divine. why is this folly, for we are not divine, we are limited in our scope and prone to aberration. what is more , when one puts ones trust in secular wisdom, one is putting ones trust in human wisdom, which has led us to the brink of disaster (environmental, economic etc etc), and as you are aware, human wisdom is prone to fashion and fads, what is acceptable today, is gone tomorrow. there is a deceptively simple, yet profound test, laid down in a biblical principle, in that wisdom is proved righteous by its works. how do we define wisdom other than the application of knowledge for a certain purpose.

now we know that one side of the world is dying not because the world does not produce enough food, but because of government?, economics? who can tell. yes there are relief agencies, but when war strikes who can withstand it, thus the innocent suffer and people die. is this preventable, yes it most certainly is, but until these human agencies are overcome, this type of situation shall sadly prevail. if you have the solution then let it be heard.