[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Not all irrational belief systems are religious. Does it then follow that religious belief systems are not irrational? I don't think so, personally.

I certainly don't think that religion is the root of all of the world's problems or that there would never again be any senseless massacre without religion... but I think it would certainly be a start.

Some people are good, some people are bad. That's the bottom line. Most people are not extremists, most people don't want to kill other people because they don't share their beliefs. It's an infinitesimally small percentage, just like it's an infinitesimally small percentage of non-religious people who are violent psychopaths. For every act of violence carried out by religious people, there will be at least one and probably many more acts of kindness and compassion. So I don't agree that by having no religion the world would be a better place. All you'd be doing is taking away people's legitimate right to worship in their own way because you yourself have no faith.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

Some people are good, some people are bad. That's the bottom line. Most people are not extremists, most people don't want to kill other people because they don't share their beliefs. It's an infinitesimally small percentage, just like it's an infinitesimally small percentage of non-religious people who are violent psychopaths. For every act of violence carried out by religious people, there will be at least one and probably many more acts of kindness and compassion. So I don't agree that by having no religion the world would be a better place. All you'd be doing is taking away people's legitimate right to worship in their own way because you yourself have no faith.

I have said quite a few times that I wouldn't see anyone forcibly stopped from believing whatever they want to believe. You can't "force" people not to believe in something, anyway. I just keep hoping that one day everyone will wake up and say, "Why did we ever believe in something like that?? lol..."

I doubt that will actually happen. I think religion MIGHT eventually fade into relative obscurity... But it will sadly be a long after we're gone. So I won't even get to say "toljerso"

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I have said quite a few times that I wouldn't see anyone forcibly stopped from believing whatever they want to believe. You can't "force" people not to believe in something, anyway. I just keep hoping that one day everyone will wake up and say, "Why did we ever believe in something like that?? lol..."

I doubt that will actually happen. I think religion MIGHT eventually fade into relative obscurity... But it will sadly be a long after we're gone. So I won't even get to say "toljerso"

I keep hoping that one day people with no faith accept that because they don't understand something doesn't mean it's foolish or bad. I don't think religion will die out, my own faith has been around for five thousand years through some pretty turbulent times to say the least. I think people will finally wake up and get to a point where they accept each other and keep their trunk out of other people's beliefs.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

I keep hoping that one day people with no faith accept that because they don't understand something doesn't mean it's foolish or bad. I don't think religion will die out, my own faith has been around for five thousand years through some pretty turbulent times to say the least. I think people will finally wake up and get to a point where they accept each other and keep their trunk out of other people's beliefs.

I can't see that happening until people start keeping their beliefs out of other people's trunks. Including drumming it into their own children. In which case it will die out, because that's what's keeping it going.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I can't see that happening until people start keeping their beliefs out of other people's trunks. Including drumming it into their own children. In which case it will die out, because that's what's keeping it going.

You seem to tar all religions with the same brush. My religion doesn't recruit. I was never forced to do anything as a child instead I chose to got to school on Sundays to learn about my own religion and to study Hebrew. I am not alone. It seems hard for you to accept that people with religious beliefs aren't brainwashed just because you yourself don't understand it. I uphold your right to believe nothing and not be criticised. That surely should be a two-way street.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

You seem to tar all religions with the same brush. My religion doesn't recruit. I was never forced to do anything as a child instead I chose to got to school on Sundays to learn about my own religion and to study Hebrew. I am not alone. It seems hard for you to accept that people with religious beliefs aren't brainwashed just because you yourself don't understand it. I uphold your right to believe nothing and not be criticised. That surely should be a two-way street.

To me, though, it says a lot that you considered it "your own religion" before learning about it. It was still your cultural identity. Do you think you would have gone to Sunday school to learn about Judaism and learn Hebrew if your parents had been Christians? Or Hindu? Or non-religious? Maybe you would, I don't know.

Either way, you seem to be suggesting that your experiences are uniform for your entire religion, which is demonstrably not true. There is plenty of fundamentalism and enforced religious practice within the Jewish faith, and in all faiths, just as I'm sure there are people with experiences similar to yours in all faiths. So... Yes, I am comfortable considering all religions under one heading for most purposes. The specifics of the belief system are largely irrelevant, and can mainly be summed up as "miscellaneous supernatural stuff".

[the truth]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

To me, though, it says a lot that you considered it "your own religion" before learning about it. It was still your cultural identity. Do you think you would have gone to Sunday school to learn about Judaism and learn Hebrew if your parents had been Christians? Or Hindu? Or non-religious? Maybe you would, I don't know.

Either way, you seem to be suggesting that your experiences are uniform for your entire religion, which is demonstrably not true. There is plenty of fundamentalism and enforced religious practice within the Jewish faith, and in all faiths, just as I'm sure there are people with experiences similar to yours in all faiths. So... Yes, I am comfortable considering all religions under one heading for most purposes. The specifics of the belief system are largely irrelevant, and can mainly be summed up as "miscellaneous supernatural stuff".

the specifics are all that's relevant your post is anti logic exactly what you accuse all religions of

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

To me, though, it says a lot that you considered it "your own religion" before learning about it. It was still your cultural identity. Do you think you would have gone to Sunday school to learn about Judaism and learn Hebrew if your parents had been Christians? Or Hindu? Or non-religious? Maybe you would, I don't know.

Either way, you seem to be suggesting that your experiences are uniform for your entire religion, which is demonstrably not true. There is plenty of fundamentalism and enforced religious practice within the Jewish faith, and in all faiths, just as I'm sure there are people with experiences similar to yours in all faiths. So... Yes, I am comfortable considering all religions under one heading for most purposes. The specifics of the belief system are largely irrelevant, and can mainly be summed up as "miscellaneous supernatural stuff".

The highlighted bit is a bit of a wild, sweeping generalisation from someone who has no faith and doesn't understand what it means to have faith, so I understand that lumping all faiths together would make perfect sense to you.

Would I have gone to school to learn about Judaism if my parents weren't Jewish...? I take it your own parents weren't exactly church goers and that's where you've picked up your blinkered ideas about faith. For the record, I am culturally and ethnically Jewish.

[the truth]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I can't see that happening until people start keeping their beliefs out of other people's trunks. Including drumming it into their own children. In which case it will die out, because that's what's keeping it going.

atheists are far louder about screaming their beliefs in public places and in drumming it into their kids.........often the atheists we hear are aggressive and mocking. it makes one think if they had their way and destroyed Christs words would their words really lead us to a better place?