Poll: Religion and you

[ike_luv]

Now now kids calm down!! Before the fire from the seventh level of lucifer burns bright amongst the hate for christians, and the chances of reaching ramadan this year are cut short for the Muslims, I'd like to see the calm before the storm...not before the storm cos I'd prefer no storm, but you know what I mean!.

I am Christian, only in the sense that I believe in God, I accept that my uncle is Muslim, and my sister is an atheist. Is there ANYONE online that shares an acceptance and love for diversity, even in beliefs? If you disagree, I might suggest a carefully and ELOQUENTLY written argument!! If you cannot control silly retorts and uneducated comments, put them on YouTube where no one seems to mind.

 

[dukeh016]

Everything is belief. If it weren't for that damned Matrix movie, I would have a nice explanation for that point. However, because of that movie, any point founded on Hume's critisms of causation will only be met with "it was only a movie!" Damn you Keanu Reeves.

 

[Razzle Bathbone]

Alan Moore says it better than I ever could.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cam2kK7J_8k

Here's the money quote:

"I believe that every single individual human being should probably make their own peace with the universe. I mean we're all of us different emotionally, we're all different physically, intellectually... it would be really odd if we were all the same spiritually. So that's why I have a problem with religion per se. Because religion, the very word, it comes from the same root word as "ligature" and "ligament", and it means to be bound together in one belief, which I find a bit creepy and a bit unnatural."

 

[Strafe Mcgee]

Of course people should be allowed to believe what they want, but by no means should they be allowed to impose those views upon others. In my opinion, beliefs are something that should be kept to ones self and they should stay there, away from the people whom they may offend.

Jehova's Witnesses', Radical Islamists, the bloody Gouranga monks... I don't mind what you choose to believe in, but if you'll kindly go and believe in it personally without having to try and impose those views upon me then I'd be very thankful...

Can you tell I'm an atheist?

 

[000Ronald]

I'm a christian and I accept other people's belifs; in fact it insluts me as a chiristian that some people don't.

Apologies Abound.

 

[ike_luv]

Of course people should be allowed to believe what they want, but by no means should they be allowed to impose those views upon others. In my opinion, beliefs are something that should be kept to ones self and they should stay there, away from the people whom they may offend.

Can you tell I'm an atheist?

Haha! Honestly, I would not have guessed, but at least you're honest! I concur really. Even as a Christian I hate having OTHER christians trying to tell me what I should further believe! Like I'm not happy enough already...! Thankfully it is only certain types in certain religions that do that!!

 

[yourkie1921]

Organized religion should just crawl down and die. Expecially those jehova's witnesses.

 

[Easykill]

They can believe whatever they want as long as they don't try to impose that belief on others. I'm an Agnostic, but I don't believe in any organized religion at all any more.

 

[super_smash_jesus]

I am athiest, but was once a young anglican. I didn't like church, and never really shared the ideologies, so I quit, and did what I want. I don't care at any point what your beliefs are, that is until you strat preaching your faith to ears that don't want to hear it. I never try and persuade any religious people to stop believing, excpt the odd drunken religious argument/debate with some mates.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

This is all gonna end badly but...

I disgaree with "let them believe what they want", I find hard religion far to active to just let it be. My life is my own, their lives are their own, I refuse to simply allow the religious to dictate governmental policy that effects my life simply because they feel a misguided moral obligation from the sky bully. I'm not an atheist, but I am an active anti-theist for the reason I just listed. They're morals are not necessarily mine, I agree with some of the more concrete ones that make sense in a civil society(ex. thou shalt not kill), but when you start telling other people how to live (ex. gay marraige) you've crossed a line.

 

[BardSeed]

I'm surprises that this hasn't turned into a slagging match yet, there's still time though.

Of course people should be allowed to believe what they want, but by no means should they be allowed to impose those views upon others. In my opinion, beliefs are something that should be kept to ones self and they should stay there, away from the people whom they may offend.

Jehova's Witnesses', Radical Islamists, the bloody Gouranga monks... I don't mind what you choose to believe in, but if you'll kindly go and believe in it personally without having to try and impose those views upon me then I'd be very thankful...

Can you tell I'm an atheist?

I agree with this guy. Religions tend to tell you that you can only believe what they tell you or face the fiery flames of hell. Although I think religion holds humanity back and causes most of the worlds conflicts, I am a liberal person and think that if people want to believe it then they can.
I like science because it questions itself, even it's core ideas, although you do get some people who get too comfortable with ideas and take them as law. Religion doesn't question itself, it's ideas have stopped evolving. I'm not a fan of authority so I don't like being told what my morals are and how I should live my life.
Although I think they can believe what they like I am highly for the separation of church and state. In America it's a bit of a mix, as I understand, and I don't agree with how much the Americans rely on Christianity. I saw a recent survey where Americans would rather vote for a Jewish, female or homosexual than an atheist. They would rather somebody who has a religion, no matter whether he runs the country efficiently or not.

If anybody likes a bit of religious comedy try Pat Condell, youtube him. Ignore the comments, they're nothing but scripture and immature people saying "Lulz, 60d 1z s700p1d".

 

[Death Magnetic]

So long as it's whatever the believer wants to believe I'm happy for them regardless of how sceptical I may be of their religion. I'm an agnostic and haven't a clue what to believe.

 

[TommyGun465]

religion is a pillar of the comunity so yeah. im not religious, but if people want to be, let them.

 

[Solo508]

I've always been an agnostic, and I feel that religeon causes so many fights that its just not worth it. Thats just the main religions though, things like Buddhism and Jainism are a credit to the world and it would be ignorant to dismiss all religion because of childish fools that worship those other religions, but when people are putting explosive vests on and murdering hundrerds of people because its got something to do with their belief then its just stupidity.

I think Billy Connoly best sums it up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwooM4yhiiY

Religion as a whole? Sure, if its reasonable, let them! But if it makes people worse, get lost.

 

[ike_luv]

Ok I see there's a pattern arising. And I agree with it. Religious people are allowed to believe what they want, but if they try to impose their beliefs upon someone else, then it begins to become more of a burden than a blessing!

I think I have made this argument before but cannot remember where, so I apologise if you have already seen this point made!! It will sound like I'm just defending my own honour, but it's more WHAT religion is that I'm defending.

I don't know about religion causing wars, or starting wars is a fair argument. Because we're saying that if there was no religion we wouldn't have any wars. Like cultural differences, and politics alone haven't done enough. Religion would only play the part of catalyst, oil to the flame I guess. Any comments on that though...?

 

[LewsTherin]

As a Christian, it really pisses me off when people do absolutely ignorant and horrible things and then pull the "God told me to" card. Or say they're Christian yet do nothing that goes along with being one.

Really, if you actually took the time to read the bible instead of sniggering in the corner at the naive fools who listen to the silly voice in the sky, you'll find most people who claim/have claimed in the past to be Christian are doing it wrong. It's not about the rules, or forcing people to believe or killing those who don't. It's just about caring for other people and putting them before yourself, GENERALLY BEING A NICE PERSON. The Athieists that just take the action of the people who use religion as a scapegoat for their ambitions as what it's all about are being lied to, and those who use those actions as the basis of the religion instead of the religion itself are just asshats. If I made the argument that steel can be used to made weapons to kill people, and therefore we should not use it for anything, I would be laughed out.

Apologies to anyone insulted that wasn't meant to be.

 

[goldenbane]

I'm guessing that what I have to say will probably start the big fire, but I'll try to say this as nicely as possible.

Like everyone who has posted so far, I am more than happy to let people believe as they wish. I am Catholic Christian, but I hate going to church, and dislike the vast majority of stuff preached to me.

That said, I agree with many of you that I hate Christians, Muslems, and Jewish getting in my face and screaming their morals and religeon at me...and quite frankly (this is where I fear I'm going to piss people off) that goes for Athiests as well.

As annoying and miserable and stupid as televangelists and the "holier than thou" overly religeous people are, the overly militant athiest is just as bad. When you scream about someone saying "God" or crosses being shown on graves, or what have you, you're being just as bad and obnoxious and forcing your views on people, as those overly religeous people that do the same stupid thing to you.

Of course I know not all Athiests are this way, and are happy to allow me to live my life and worship as I see fit, but I guess what I'm trying to point out is that there are "obnoxious" people in every belief system. I always hear complaints about Christians and Muslems (very seldom Jews), but never any about Athiests...who have the same people that are pretty much exactly like the "overly religeous" people that they dislike so much, and these Athiests are never pointed out as people disliked, even though they are forcing their view points on other people.

That's all I have to say. I sincerly hope I myself, haven't come across as obnoxious or "overly religous." So far this thread seems to be extremely kind, and well thought out in it's responses. I hope that my post doesn't cause any giant ripples, but I do hope that what I'm trying to say is understood.