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aurigus · 12-02-2004, 08:42 AM

Halx, It sounds like your and my ideas about God and religion are about the same.

I used to spend a lot of time in the #atheism channel on irc (efnet). We had people come in all of the time to try to convert us, it was almost funny to see their logic. We could out-debate them any day, any time because the logic used to hold up religion and god just does not work. Usually it turned into a shouting match on the behalf of the converter and we would end up kicking them.

I firmly believe that religion was invented as a way to control humans. How do you control everyone? You can't watch over everything they do, so you invent a way that no matter where they are, what they are doing; they are being watched and judged. Their ultimate reward, or punishment, is heaven or hell, eternal bliss or suffering. I think when you die, you are turned into dirt. Which isn't all that bad in itself, if a letdown from what the major religions tell us what happens when you die. A lot of people refuse to believe that because they are afraid of what happens when you die. I am not afraid, I just accept it for what will happen and what has been happening for millions of years.

One of the big reasons why I disagree with organized religion is that it is totally dependent on what you are taught growing up. Each religion thinks it is right. No matter what happens "in the end" - over half the people in the world got it wrong.

Another reason I disagree with organized religion is that it is used time and time again to make good people do "bad" things in the name of God (or Allah, or whatever their god is). When we talk about "good" - someone has to define good. I use the Golden Rule. But, religions use their people for their own goals, some of which do not follow the golden rule which I consider the ultimate rule.

I also find a lot of Christians hypocrites. They only use the bible for when it suits their needs, but they will forget parts entirely when it doesn't. How many Christians work on Sundays? The bible obviously says this is the day of rest. How can you endorse only some parts of the bible?

ngdawg, I'm with you. My everyday actions and overall life goals are in many ways "good". I consider what others think of me and want to leave good legacy when I die; and you can die any day. I consider myself spiritual but not in a religious sort of way.

12-02-2004, 08:42 AM	#34 (permalink)
aurigus Insane	Halx, It sounds like your and my ideas about God and religion are about the same. I used to spend a lot of time in the #atheism channel on irc (efnet). We had people come in all of the time to try to convert us, it was almost funny to see their logic. We could out-debate them any day, any time because the logic used to hold up religion and god just does not work. Usually it turned into a shouting match on the behalf of the converter and we would end up kicking them. I firmly believe that religion was invented as a way to control humans. How do you control everyone? You can't watch over everything they do, so you invent a way that no matter where they are, what they are doing; they are being watched and judged. Their ultimate reward, or punishment, is heaven or hell, eternal bliss or suffering. I think when you die, you are turned into dirt. Which isn't all that bad in itself, if a letdown from what the major religions tell us what happens when you die. A lot of people refuse to believe that because they are afraid of what happens when you die. I am not afraid, I just accept it for what will happen and what has been happening for millions of years. One of the big reasons why I disagree with organized religion is that it is totally dependent on what you are taught growing up. Each religion thinks it is right. No matter what happens "in the end" - over half the people in the world got it wrong. Another reason I disagree with organized religion is that it is used time and time again to make good people do "bad" things in the name of God (or Allah, or whatever their god is). When we talk about "good" - someone has to define good. I use the Golden Rule. But, religions use their people for their own goals, some of which do not follow the golden rule which I consider the ultimate rule. I also find a lot of Christians hypocrites. They only use the bible for when it suits their needs, but they will forget parts entirely when it doesn't. How many Christians work on Sundays? The bible obviously says this is the day of rest. How can you endorse only some parts of the bible? ngdawg, I'm with you. My everyday actions and overall life goals are in many ways "good". I consider what others think of me and want to leave good legacy when I die; and you can die any day. I consider myself spiritual but not in a religious sort of way.