If it's in a church, it can't be crazy

[Prof.Bruttenholm]

I don't hate religion, I just don't like religion that has had many people who stand against other peoples beliefs or actively goes out to "recruit" more followers.

The title reflects a thought; the acts done in a church are considered normal because they're a part of mainstream religion but lesser known religions or ones called Pagan are considered strange or occult.
The idea of singing, chanting or praying to an all powerful super being is fine, as long as it's within a church and you it's to God, Yaweh, not any Pagan gods.

Consider this, I will define the actions people take while following their faith:
1. Read from sacred text
2. Pray, meditate or sing
3. Burn incense, perform rituals or even ceremonies
4. Be told the way of the religion from an elder who studies and lives the religion

I have described Wiccan meetings, Christianity, Druidic practices, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and more than a thousand other religions.

 

[Lovecraft]

Indeed, you profligates leave my coven and I alone while we chant "Ph'nglui Mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh Wgah'nagl Fhtagn"!

 

[Prof.Bruttenholm]

Indeed, you profligates leave my coven and I alone while we chant "Ph'nglui Mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh Wgah'nagl Fhtagn"!

Even as a fictional character developed by H.P. Lovecraft can be a religious following.
It is the way of the intolerant to view one religion as Pagan because it is not your own.
The Romans said the Christians were barbarians because Christians preached eating their own God.

 

[Lovecraft]

That's actually why I find Catholicism a bit funny. Protestants say that transubstantiation is figurative; the communion is a symbolic act of accepting Jesus into your life. The Catholics think that the transubstantiation is literally real and the communion is a real part of Jesus.

If that's so the Catholics should try to transubstantiate a whole body one organ at a time and make Jesus again.

We can rebuild him.

 

[Prof.Bruttenholm]

That's actually why I find Catholicism a bit funny. Protestants say that transubstantiation is figurative; the communion is a symbolic act of accepting Jesus into your life. The Catholics think that the transubstantiation is literally real and the communion is a real part of Jesus.

If that's so the Catholics should try to transubstantiate a whole body one organ at a time and make Jesus again.

We can rebuild him.

We have the belief, we have the technology! Maybe we could clone Jesus from a piece of cheap bread and flat wine :P

My point was to raise that religions, especially ones like Christianity, often claim that what other religious practitioners are doing is evil or is a spell or ritual, but what are their actions but the same thing?

 

[Phteven]

That's actually why I find Catholicism a bit funny. Protestants say that transubstantiation is figurative; the communion is a symbolic act of accepting Jesus into your life. The Catholics think that the transubstantiation is literally real and the communion is a real part of Jesus.

If that's so the Catholics should try to transubstantiate a whole body one organ at a time and make Jesus again.

We can rebuild him.

I immediately thought of this lol ...we can rebuild him ...we have the technology
anyways speaking form a ex-catholic perspective the vast majority of catholics don't believe in transubstantiation or didn't even know it was part of catholic doctrine. In fact I was never taught about transubstantiation throughout my catholic schooling and only found out about it being official catholic doctrine, after I gave up christianity. I remember being quite shocked finding out about this and it really cemented my decision to leave religion. I couldn't see myself ever reconciling holding such a crazy believe and claiming to be sane, as it was clearly insane belief to hold in my opinion. Funny the more i find out about religion the more i reject it.

 

[Lovecraft]

If a catholic doesn't believe in transubstantiation they aren't catholic. They're either going to need to go join one of the protestant sects or ,as so many have done before, make their own.

 

[Prof.Bruttenholm]

If a catholic doesn't believe in transubstantiation they aren't catholic. They're either going to need to go join one of the protestant sects or ,as so many have done before, make their own.

This is a side note but I went to Vatican City, the people their live in a certain amount of comfort, protection and luxury, while immediately outside the high white walls, the aged, homeless and ill clamber around in horrid situations, it's sheer contrast and disgusting.

 

[johnnysays]

Christianity isn't a religion.

.... it's the truth.

J/k. (no offense christians)

I agree, but I think this world sucks so bad that religion actually helps.

We're irrational with or without religion. And I think life is harder without a god to seek counsel with.

It's hard to explain. But there's a lot of pain in the world if you look. And it's hard to accept it. When I was a christian I simply prayed or went to church and got a spiritual high and that fixed any issues I had. But without that I have to fix them on my own. It's harder. I'm not sure I'm better without it. Maybe some of us need religion and others are fine without it.

I'm agnostic now but if you asked me about the bible I'd say it's all BS. I grew up as a christian though. I asked jesus into my heart in 2nd grade. I didn't have much choice though because my parents dragged me to church. I grew up and out of it. I changed over the years and then totally abandoned any belief in god. Started to believe science was everything. I still believe science is more important than anything else, but lately I've been asking myself whether some people need religion while others don't. Besides, I think ti's true that we're irrational either way. Maybe religious people have a brain disorder or something. Maybe experience has made them that way.

It's a long story, but I mostly agree with you. I just don't attack religious people.

As for wars, I think they're caused by resources, lack of education, manipulation, nationalism, and so on. I think religion plays a role, but I see it more as the flag a person carries. The underlying cause is something else or just more complex than religion.

So I think if you get rid of religion you don't get rid of war. Religion as a cause is a scape goat or a straw man.

 

[Prof.Bruttenholm]

Christianity isn't a religion.

.... it's the truth.

J/k. (no offense christians)

I agree, but I think this world sucks so bad that religion actually helps.

We're irrational with or without religion. And I think life is harder without a god to seek counsel with.

It's hard to explain. But there's a lot of pain in the world if you look. And it's hard to accept it. When I was a christian I simply prayed or went to church and got a spiritual high and that fixed any issues I had. But without that I have to fix them on my own. It's harder. I'm not sure I'm better without it. Maybe some of us need religion and others are fine without it.

I'm agnostic now but if you asked me about the bible I'd say it's all BS. I grew up as a christian though. I asked jesus into my heart in 2nd grade. I didn't have much choice though because my parents dragged me to church. I grew up and out of it. I changed over the years and then totally abandoned any belief in god. Started to believe science was everything. I still believe science is more important than anything else, but lately I've been asking myself whether some people need religion while others don't. Besides, I think ti's true that we're irrational either way. Maybe religious people have a brain disorder or something. Maybe experience has made them that way.

It's a long story, but I mostly agree with you. I just don't attack religious people.

As for wars, I think they're caused by resources, lack of education, manipulation, nationalism, and so on. I think religion plays a role, but I see it more as the flag a person carries. The underlying cause is something else or just more complex than religion.

So I think if you get rid of religion you don't get rid of war. Religion as a cause is a scape goat or a straw man.

There is some truth in those words.
Though the original point of the post was to simply show that all religion is basically similar, the old, new and dead ones.

In some ways science is a religion also, many people believe it to be a way to solve all problems and follow those who are leaders in the scientific community almost blindly.

I don't want to get far off subject but I've noticed there is a gap growing wide between the educated and the uneducated ( or poorly educated).
I fear that this gap will grow to equal or even overshadow the difference in education like that of medieval times.

 

[Phteven]

If a catholic doesn't believe in transubstantiation they aren't catholic. They're either going to need to go join one of the protestant sects or ,as so many have done before, make their own.

exactly... a lot of people call themselves catholic but really dont know what it means or what it entails and even when they do know they dismiss the parts they find ridiculous and keep the stuff they like yet still call themselves catholic...i'm generalizing here as I'm drawing upon my limited experience from within the catholic faith. The way the catholic faith is practiced could very well be different from what I have been exposed too in my own experience. it would be interesting to find out how many so called catholics believe in transubstantiation.

 

[Prof.Bruttenholm]

exactly... a lot of people call themselves catholic but really dont know what it means or what it entails and even when they do know they dismiss the parts they find ridiculous and keep the stuff they like yet still call themselves catholic...i'm generalizing here as I'm drawing upon my limited experience from within the catholic faith. The way the catholic faith is practiced could very well be different from what I have been exposed too in my own experience. it would be interesting to find out how many so called catholics believe in transubstantiation.

That is what real Christianity is

 

[Phteven]

That is what real Christianity is

lol very true....and on a related note, from my limited experience I have noticed that this much more debate among believers about which brand of christianity is the right brand to follow, so you even get arguments from within christianity as to what set of beliefs is the right ones to follow. This is another reason why this whole religion shit makes no sense to me, which brand is the true brand? Thats another reason why I pass on any religion.

 

[Prof.Bruttenholm]

lol very true....and on a related note, from my limited experience I have noticed that this much more debate among believers about which brand of christianity is the right brand to follow, so you even get arguments from within christianity as to what set of beliefs is the right ones to follow. This is another reason why this whole religion shit makes no sense to me, which brand is the true brand? Thats another reason why I pass on any religion.

Christianity isn't the only religion that has that problem, Judaism and Islam also have that problem, everyone believes they've interpreted the word of the Lord correctly and how it should be followed and when someone believes the other is wrong..well...the last thousand years of human history occurs.