I'll put it this way. I have faith that humanity will finally wake up and see that we all breathe the same air, stand on the same ground and can love each other for who we are...humans.
Simple. Honest. Real. Humble. Ain't it? Wake me when it happens.
Artman, frankly I think this will only happen when we are threatened by aliens from outer space. Only *then*, imo, will humankind look to each other for the common bonds we share; only then will we look at each other and see what we have in common, instead of what we have that's different.
The cause of this problem is ignorance first and small-mindedness second. Throw in fear and insecurity, and you have a real quagmire.
I think religions generally do very little to remedy this problem. On the contrary, many faithful churchgoers seem to pride themselves in *NOT* knowing about other cultures and belief systems. After all, their religion is the only 'true' religion, so why should they know about others, they state smugly. It makes me ill.
I was raised Catholic. Every single time I had contact with that church, it did nothing but throw obstacles in my way. Every time! Their website should be called unnecessaryobstacles.org. Unbelievable. They must practice being obstructionist in seminaries. They must go by a book entitled How to Make Everything Ten Times More Difficult Than Necessary.
So now I have absolutely no interest in or need for religion of any kind. For me they have nothing to offer. I am a good person and I *never* knowingly hurt anyone. I try to help those I can. I think positively about people until they give me a reason not to do so.
I think most people generally want to be good human beings. Most people bumble through life trying to do what they think will make them happy. Some people have been ruined by their upbringing, and come quite close to the personification of evil. But I think this is a cause and effect situation, and not a result of "evil" taking up residence in someone.
People who are completely self-centered and never consider or love others will be miserable (and deserve to be), like that girl who tagged along on someone's prom date and ruined the whole night for him. What a selfish, self-absorbed bitch. She may 'grow up' some day; but she might not. She might be a selfish bitch her whole life.
I think I had nice parents who were good human beings. They imparted to me any goodness I learned as a child. Not the church.
There are good people in every part of the world, in every culture, and in every religion. I value those individuals for their goodness. Sometimes those people are good *in spite* of their cultures and/or religion.
I don't know if I believe in god. The more I learned about science, the more sure I was that there must be *something* there to account for all the amazing things in the natural world. But I don't worry about acting in a certain way 'in case there is a god'. I just act the way any good person would act, and that should do the trick, no matter what the situation is . Don't you think?
me, i'm wiccan, i used to be über christian, then über blah, then über christian, but i never felt any power in christianity, i mean, if it works for you, that's great, but it doesn't work for me.
me, i'm wiccan, i used to be über christian, then über blah, then über christian, but i never felt any power in christianity, i mean, if it works for you, that's great, but it doesn't work for me.
I was looking for power in christianity too, but the ministers wouldn't tell me how I could levitate things and make people's heads explode in a cloud of bloody mist. They just looked at me like I was retarded.
If aliens were attacking, don't you think humans would be happy to jump in a foxhole with someone they'd previously considered 'an enemy'?
An alien invasion would put things in perspective pretty quickly for us humans.
Just like in time of forest fire, a wolf might run alongside a deer as they flee from danger together.
I have, after all, always believed this. Its what I consider the star trek concept -- give the human race something beyond this planet to pursue and a peaceful coexistence will come about...
Catholic Christian here. Though I'm one of those weird "Liberal"-type Christians who think that gays, lesbians, and other various non-Christians are actually pretty cool.
I don't want to put myself in a box, I'm not dead yet.
OK...to answer the thread...Raised protestant, found it answered no questions. Now secular humanist veering to agnostic with a spash of assorted eastern philosophy. Who knows what tomorrow might bring...change is very likely.
Quote:
I do love Jesus and believe he is who he said he is.
I do also, but what he said he is (for me) is hard to reconcile with some mainstream traditional western interpretations. Whatever.
Comments
Originally posted by Artman @_@
I'll put it this way. I have faith that humanity will finally wake up and see that we all breathe the same air, stand on the same ground and can love each other for who we are...humans.
Simple. Honest. Real. Humble. Ain't it? Wake me when it happens.
Artman, frankly I think this will only happen when we are threatened by aliens from outer space. Only *then*, imo, will humankind look to each other for the common bonds we share; only then will we look at each other and see what we have in common, instead of what we have that's different.
The cause of this problem is ignorance first and small-mindedness second. Throw in fear and insecurity, and you have a real quagmire.
I think religions generally do very little to remedy this problem. On the contrary, many faithful churchgoers seem to pride themselves in *NOT* knowing about other cultures and belief systems. After all, their religion is the only 'true' religion, so why should they know about others, they state smugly. It makes me ill.
I was raised Catholic. Every single time I had contact with that church, it did nothing but throw obstacles in my way. Every time! Their website should be called unnecessaryobstacles.org. Unbelievable. They must practice being obstructionist in seminaries. They must go by a book entitled How to Make Everything Ten Times More Difficult Than Necessary.
So now I have absolutely no interest in or need for religion of any kind. For me they have nothing to offer. I am a good person and I *never* knowingly hurt anyone. I try to help those I can. I think positively about people until they give me a reason not to do so.
I think most people generally want to be good human beings. Most people bumble through life trying to do what they think will make them happy. Some people have been ruined by their upbringing, and come quite close to the personification of evil. But I think this is a cause and effect situation, and not a result of "evil" taking up residence in someone.
People who are completely self-centered and never consider or love others will be miserable (and deserve to be), like that girl who tagged along on someone's prom date and ruined the whole night for him. What a selfish, self-absorbed bitch. She may 'grow up' some day; but she might not. She might be a selfish bitch her whole life.
I think I had nice parents who were good human beings. They imparted to me any goodness I learned as a child. Not the church.
There are good people in every part of the world, in every culture, and in every religion. I value those individuals for their goodness. Sometimes those people are good *in spite* of their cultures and/or religion.
I don't know if I believe in god. The more I learned about science, the more sure I was that there must be *something* there to account for all the amazing things in the natural world. But I don't worry about acting in a certain way 'in case there is a god'. I just act the way any good person would act, and that should do the trick, no matter what the situation is . Don't you think?
I believe in LOVE.
Carol
i'm filled with foggy guilt
i'm too scared not to believe in god
i never touch myself under my quilt
Originally posted by progmac
i can't say what i believe in now
i'm filled with foggy guilt
i'm too scared not to believe in god
i never touch myself under my quilt
damn that was good...
Originally posted by mattjohndrow
me, i'm wiccan, i used to be über christian, then über blah, then über christian, but i never felt any power in christianity, i mean, if it works for you, that's great, but it doesn't work for me.
I was looking for power in christianity too, but the ministers wouldn't tell me how I could levitate things and make people's heads explode in a cloud of bloody mist. They just looked at me like I was retarded.
I WANT POWER!!!@# POWER!!!!!!!
Originally posted by billybobsky
i for one like the thought experiment of an alien invasion.
If aliens were attacking, don't you think humans would be happy to jump in a foxhole with someone they'd previously considered 'an enemy'?
An alien invasion would put things in perspective pretty quickly for us humans.
Just like in time of forest fire, a wolf might run alongside a deer as they flee from danger together.
Originally posted by Carol A
If aliens were attacking, don't you think humans would be happy to jump in a foxhole with someone they'd previously considered 'an enemy'?
An alien invasion would put things in perspective pretty quickly for us humans.
Just like in time of forest fire, a wolf might run alongside a deer as they flee from danger together.
I have, after all, always believed this. Its what I consider the star trek concept -- give the human race something beyond this planet to pursue and a peaceful coexistence will come about...
I'm a Christian, I don't really worry about the denomination.
I believe in one God who is all powerful, and that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save me from my sins.
Originally posted by 709
I'm not religous in the least, but I recently joined a group who will be known as the "Left Right Out" (the LRO). Be prepared for unbelievable evil.
I want in of the Left Right Out.
I do love Jesus and believe he is who he said he is.
Fellowship
OK...to answer the thread...Raised protestant, found it answered no questions. Now secular humanist veering to agnostic with a spash of assorted eastern philosophy. Who knows what tomorrow might bring...change is very likely.
I do love Jesus and believe he is who he said he is.
I do also, but what he said he is (for me) is hard to reconcile with some mainstream traditional western interpretations. Whatever.
Originally posted by billybobsky
And my magic ball says: it will rain in des moins tomorrow... sorry guys...
Only one is magic?
Originally posted by shetline
Only one is magic?
I lost my other one to a satanic demon cat...
be warned -- this is a serious site... it is however hilarious...
Originally posted by billybobsky
Time Cube
be warned -- this is a serious site... it is however hilarious...
You're sure this is real crackpot, not faux crackpot? If real... wow. Scary.