Posted on 11/01/2001 4:41:25 AM PST by Valin
Organized religion epitomizes the biggest crime against humanity. It has created divisiveness and killed countless beings. As we speak, another young generation is being indoctrinated everywhere, including at home.
Since the world was believed to be flat, we have accumulated enough evidence to show that supernatural scorekeepers like gods are extremely unlikely to exist. Yet, our nation is sadly the most religious of all industrialized countries.
We infest our children with propaganda inspired by Bibles and Korans. Because those texts are filled with contradictions, one's interpretation can justify any action.
Osama bin Laden was born knowing nothing about Allah. As he grew up in Saudi Arabia, he and his peers assimilated the Muslim faith. Fortunately, most remained moderate, but Bin Laden came to feel so strongly about his deity, he joyfully orchestrated faith-based attacks on the United States.
I say: Enough have innocently suffered or perished. The time has come to eradicate religion. Now isn't this worthy of a worldwide coalition? Let reason prevail.
Stop praying. Start thinking. Trust yourself. Kick the fairy tales out of your head. Imagine no religion.
Pierre Tardif
Much of the criticism of the religious, and Christians in particular, is caused by the frequency of their incorrect or poorly expressed arguments. In most cases, they probably should not argue, but if they must, they ought to be careful to make their arguments at least cogent.
I know that "God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the mighty," but it's probably not a good idea to keeping proving to their foolishness world. They'll be caught. "The children of darkness are wiser than the children of light."
Hank
I basically agree with your points, that it is not religion, in general, that causes genocidal regimes, although, I do believe there are some kinds of religions that predisposition their adherents to that kind of philosophy. I think recent events testify to that.
As for the sentence quoted above, are you sure that is what you meant? Do all human beings have value, simply because they exist? Are there no evil human beings?
Hank
The anti-religion position is well known and the premise that religion is the cause of all wars and world problems has as much validity as saying Jews or democracy or a fatty diet causes wars and all the worlds problems. As religious people blame Satan (evil personified) for the evil deeds of men, the non-religious often blame religion alone for the evil deeds of men. I believe the former makes more sense but those outside of Christ will not accept that so we get these anti-religion rants from the tiny minority who seek 'worldwide coalitions' to eliminate religion. How absurd.
Been there, done that. Didn't Robespierre, Stalin and Mao set out to accomplish exactly that?
The problem is not all religion, it is certain specific religion.
Yes, I meant exactly what I said. I wasn't saying that all people are good; I said that all humans have value. There's a difference. Because we are all born with that 'divine spark' (created in the image of God), we have value simply because we exist. God doesn't see people the same way we do. One of the objects of Christianity is for us to become more Christlike--to look at other people as God would see them. Mother Theresa had a good grasp on that, in my opinion.
I'm not very good at articulating what I mean, so see if you can get your hands on "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" by Pope John Paul II. He's very well-versed in philosophy and making philosophical arguments. I get the idea that you appreciate a cogent argument. The part of his book that I would recommend is where he talks about Descartian thinking ("I think therefore I am") being only a recent development in our experience, and that the idea is more true only if you reverse it: "I am, therefore I think" and he makes some good points to back up his assertion.
Of course, we have evidence Lenks don't exist.
Can you see Lenks handiwork?
Can you feel them?
Can you experience them?
Are there books written about Lenks?
Is there evidence in nature they exist?
Is there evidence in the laws of physics they exist?
Have they radically changed anyone lives?
Has anyone been willing to die for those Lenks?
Show me a Lenks or someone that has been affected by one. I will believe!
There is evidence of God in each one of these points.
There are million upon millions of intelligent sane rational people from all levels of income and cultures that can say with absolute certainty that God works in the lives of men.
Just because you think that reason trumps faith that makes us ignorant or foolish doesn't make it so.
"The fool has said in his heart there is no God"
BTW, the whole premise of the article is historically wrong.
Religion has played a mighty large role in developing western civilization. Good and bad, mostly good, if you are intelligently honest.
Any dummy know that.
This, I think, is the Christian view that is often misused. It is not the value of man, in the, "eyes of God," that we must use when judging our relationships to one another. When I must judge how to relate to a rapist or thug threatening my wife or daughter, it is not his value in the eyes of God I am or should be concerned with but his value (a very negative one) to me at the moment. Essentially, in human relationships, it is this visible practical value that should always determine our moral relationships. The higher value of man in the Christian view should be handled in a higher court.
Does that make my point clear?
Hank
Well, everyone has their own religion. As long as there are no Simic (or would that be simian) Jahads......
Hank
Given the history of the 20th century I really have a hard time with the religion kills some mant people argument. Hasbin Lada and his ilk on their best day can't match the evil and killing that has been done by communism and their 1st cousins the nazis when it comes to takeing human lives.
No, but it proves that the lack of religion doesn't help.
>>>You don't think totalitarianism had anything to do with it?<<<
They just seem to go hand in hand to a degree. Not all totalitarian regimes are atheistic but almost all atheistic (as differentiated from secular ones) regimes seem to be totalitarian. Coincidence?
>>>I assume, therefore, an Islamic totalitarian state would be benevolent, because it would not atheistic. Is that your view?<<<
Further proof that when you assume... ;-)
>>>Unfortunately, your kind of argument tends to prove the premise that the religious tend to miss the facts.<<<
Oh, what drivel! You statement tends to prove the premise that atheists just can't be polite. Disproving your own strawman arguments doesn't prove diddly, chum!
You do? but you asked:
Can you see Lenks handiwork? Can you feel them? Can you experience them? Are there books written about Lenks? Is there evidence in nature they exist? Is there evidence in the laws of physics they exist? Have they radically changed anyone lives? Has anyone been willing to die for those Lenks? Show me a Lenks or someone that has been affected by one. I will believe!
But, there is evidence of Lenks in each one of these points.
You see, there are three Lenks, but actually the three are one. The "supernatural computer" is their power to creaate. You believe in the Lenks, only you call Lenks, God, and when they are thought of as three, you call them the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
There are million upon millions of intelligent sane rational people from all levels of income and cultures that can say with absolute certainty that Lenks, (whom they call God), works in the lives of men.
By the way, reason is the basis of faith. Faith which is based on anything else is credulity, which can swallow any kind of superstitious nonsense. It is the "eyes of our understanding," God promises to open, not the throats of our credulity
The fool has said in his heart there is no God.
Be careful! Mat. 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Any dummy know that. Some dummies know it should be, "any dummy knows that."
Hank
>>>Unfortunately, your kind of argument tends to prove the premise that the religious tend to miss the facts.<<<
Oh, what drivel! You statement tends to prove the premise that atheists just can't be polite. Disproving your own strawman arguments doesn't prove diddly, chum!
I am not an athiest, and it saddens me that those who claim to believe in God do the most damage to the truth by their supposed defenses. I'm sorry you assumed otherwise. I'm sorry you were offended. One test of a person's character is what it takes to offend them.
Hank
Oh, I wasn't offended in the manner that you're suggesting. One doesn't become offended when one steps in dog poop inadvertantly, although one does become annoyed at the one who left it. That's a more accurate description of my "feelings" regarding your somewhat directionless post.
A superior test of a person's character is how they react to an opinion that they question? Do they become insulting, as you did? Low character, for sure.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.