A Just Religion

In my foolish days I believed in one nation under god. But i'm smarter now and know this won't work. A nation cannot follow god, as a whole nation cannot agree on god.

However - religion must be under god and not man. This is where religion traditionaly goes astray - they follow a person and usually incorrectly.

Dogma = A belief that one holds the truth. Anyone who is truly wise knows this is Bull. One becomes a leader by memorizing this dogma forward, backward and sideways with full and complete confidence so that you can challange all. Thus a leader is born who will maintain their leadership by supressing any opposition. Growth stops, and the tree of knowledge dies, its leaves blow away and is never known again (extreme) dark ages. If we would follow God instead of this leader, we would grow. It does not matter that we do not know God, because we will.

In my lifetime I've experienced things, and seen things. All these things could be explained away or dispoven I'm sure, so for the most part, I keep these things to myself. We each have to discover on our own. I've seen an Aithiest pray and read the bible.

To me an Aithiest is just someone looking for proof and finding only dissapointment, because there is none, somone who is just not able to just believe until you look death into the eye, and then you wonder just maybe.

"A fool says I know and a wise man says I wonder."

Yeah, I guess when I'm on my death bed I'll be hoping to go to a 'better place'. An eternal DisneyWorld would be cool.

Actually, I've never "looked" for proof. I'm the observing type. When I volunteer at the soup kithchen (atheists care too ya know) and people say "God bless you", I see this as a goodwill gesture from man to man. I don't actually believe that God will bless me. Thats how I've always viewed religion. How man should treat his fellow man. I've always known this, even without religion.

"No one died when Clinton lied!"

some may see that as a spiritual awakening

"Terrorist or tyrant, few may come to the Truth that both are poor choice."

[some may see that as a spiritual awakening]

Which part, Disneyworld or the soup kitchen?
In either case, I don't see it that way. I see it as common sense. Man should care about their fellow man. Also in the face of death, it's only natural for man to believe in a form of continuation, i.e. after-life.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-religion. This is the way I feel, but I respect those who feel otherwise.

"No one died when Clinton lied!"

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Which part, Disneyworld or the soup kitchen?

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In either case, I don't see it that way. I see it as common sense. Man should care about their fellow man.

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"Terrorist or tyrant, few may come to the Truth that both are poor choice."

Religion was THE 'civilizing' factor and precursor to government. It is present in its myriad forms in all cultures. We are nothing if not consistant. Each religion was formed based on the needs of the people to be controlled and their mode of living/subsisting. All our governments sprang from those seeds. Unfortunately we can't be isolated from the influence of religion OR government. We are all affected/infected. Whatever our orientation, we all have heard of the need for 'humanitarian' actions. It is like insurance. Do a good deed today so when you die you will have hedged your bet, one way or the other. As far as a religious state, take a look at the nations that are religious states: Iran and Israel are good examples. Hateful places. Is any nation more isolated and hateful than that of God's 'chosen' people? Or, given God's nature in the old testament, is that how we are supposed to act?
Perhaps if we could just celebrate our differences rather than try to convert ourselves into cookie cutter images. I really don't care if someone is better than I am. I'm happy with who I am, why can't you be happy with who you are? Or is that doing it again, trying to remake someone in MY image. Twisted. Why can't I be happy that your drive is to convert while mine is to stay unique? One religion? Never!

"Popular dissidents are merely pacifiers given to us by the Government to keep us in line and thinking someone is making a ruckuss."

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Religion was THE 'civilizing' factor and precursor to government.

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Whatever our orientation, we all have heard of the need for 'humanitarian' actions. It is like insurance. Do a good deed today so when you die you will have hedged your bet, one way or the other.

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One religion? Never!

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"Terrorist or tyrant, few may come to the Truth that both are poor choice."

Religion is like a language or dress. We gravitate toward the practices in which we were raised. But in the end, we are all saying the same thing. That life has meaning. We are grateful to the power that created us.
In other words, whether your Christian or Muslim simply depends on where you are born. Just look at the diffusion around the world. Don't get me wrong though. Faith isn't random, but it's universal. Only it's the specific methods of worship that differ. Some people pray to Jesus; others go to Mecca.
God however, is a different story. Science tells me God must exist, my mind tells me I will never understand God, and my heart tells me that I am not meant to.

"Life is just one damned thing after another."

cturtle: Judaism, with its rules coming directly from the mouth of God, is the ultimate 'civilizing' religion when followed to the letter. The problem is that it is not practiced as God spoke/wrote (10 Commandments) it. Christianity just becomes more convoluted by adding another 'theorist' to the mix. If you believe in our 'Christian' God, then you have to concede that civilization was created for/by the Hebrews as God's chosen people. What we do/have done with His word is something else all together.

"Popular dissidents are merely pacifiers given to us by the Government to keep us in line and thinking someone is making a ruckuss."

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If you believe in our 'Christian' God, then you have to concede that civilization was created for/by the Hebrews as God's chosen people

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What we do/have done with His word is something else all together.

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"Terrorist or tyrant, few may come to the Truth that both are poor choice."

Did anyone even read what I wrote? Does it not speak the truth and include a respectful and sensical view of all religions? Why must it matter whether you are Christian or Jew

"Life is just one damned thing after another."
[  Edited by l2 () l3 at   ]

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Did anyone even read what I wrote? Does it not speak the truth and include a respectful and sensical view of all religions?

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"Terrorist or tyrant, few may come to the Truth that both are poor choice."

If pepper is bad and salt is good, all food is seasoned with it.

Within all religion you have thoughs who are and seek great goodness and you have those who use their religion to do wrong. We all enjoy the salt and pepper, without it, the food is rather bland. The flavor gives us reason and makes us feel satisfied and aids in growth.

"A fool says I know and a wise man says I wonder."

Good and Bad
this one is wise (or is he)

For with the good time you thank God
and in the bad times you remember God

and those who persecute, you forgive them
for you must love even when it hurts

"But I say unto you, love your enemies,bless them that curse you,do good to them that hate you,and pray for them that despitefully use you,and persecute you."[mathew5:44]
yes !

Remember God is mercyful
"So then it is not of him that willeth,nor of him that runneth,but of God that sheweth mercy"[romans 9:16]

"your only poor when you compare yourself with the man down the street."

Yes as u say, it is GOD who shows His Mercy for in deed do we show our unworthyness of His Grace.
He created the world & we think it belongs to us, we are give authority & abuse it to steal from GOd's Hand.
He gives us His Mercy & we make it into a Lie to promote our own way.
We murder our brother & say God told me too.
We make GOD into a Lie & the source of evil in the world which He Created >
the Wrath of GOD is truely just upon our heads!
Right?

"Terrorist or tyrant, few may come to the Truth that both are poor choice."
[  Edited by cturtle at   ]