Too much discussion on Religious issues

I do believe that there is something in religion that makes human beings function.   In the 20th century their were a number of atheist leaders that created the most oppressive regimes ever.   One only has to look at Stalin, Lenin, Zedong to realize how bad things were when tyrants like those get into control.

Hitler is always given out as the bad apple amongst that lot - but compared to Zedong (an estimated 72 000 000 killed) and Lenin and Stalin (an estimated 52 000 000 killed)  he was not an expert like the other 2.   There must be something people believe in to survive the horror they were subjected to.   

For many in Russia the people retain their religious beliefs as a beacon of hope for the future,   They were basically Christians - but in some republics forming the USSR there were large numbers of Muslims as well.   In such an environment of atheist terror what else could people do to retain a semblance of hope in life,  In desperation they turned to religion as a beacon of hope.   In China there are a variety of religions remaining - and despite the terribly cruel lunacies of the regime they survive.

My ow n problem is that one must wonder why we are on earth in the first instance - are we here  just as a means for the birth of the next generation.   If that be the case why were we given the brain capacity we are blessed with,  If we are here only to die and be cremated  or buried and that is the end of it?   Then we did not need the thinking ability we have developed.   That to my mind would mean that we are all fatalists if there is no hope for any of us after death.

Religion is the basis on which the modern world has been developed and religious laws the basis for the present legal system in developed countries - whether we like It or not the basis for our legal prescripts have been developed over many years,

I do not like to be prescriptive to others since I believe that people should be free to do as allowed for in democratic countries,  That is why I believe that the constant discussions on religious issues on this site is out of line, .          

If we are here only to die and be cremated  or buried and that is the end of it?   Then we did not need the thinking ability we have developed.   That to my mind would mean that we are all fatalists if there is no hope for any of us after death.

We are here to live. I don't understand why people so d esperately need something to happen AFTER death to give meaning to their lives. What do you want to do after you're dead? Sit around in "heaven" for eternity playing a harp? Holy shit, what a terrible thought and what a useless way to spend a "second life".

Do some good. Give a kid R20 so he can buy an ice cream. Save someone who's drowning. Give a good guy a job so he can make a new start. Throw a kind word the way of someone having a bad day. Help your neighbour fix his lawnmower. Sit on a rock and watch the sunset paint the clouds. Sit by the ocean for an hour with your feet in the sand until you feel the ancient rhythm of the waves relaxing that infernal modern day tightness in your chest. Fall asleep under a tree in the wilderness and wake up to the song of birds in the trees above you. There, you gave some meaning to your existence here. Experience. Contribute. Stop obsessing about what happens after death and instead focus on where you can make a difference while you're here, either to your own life or to someone else's.

Typical religious garbage, sure the main purpose of living is breeding but its not the only thing. You don't need a belief in gods and an after life to make this life mean anything. Living this life means plenty to me and trust me I am loving this life.

Have you ever considered we have developed this intelligence so we can enjoy this life. As to the claim mankind needs religion to function is complete BS. there are millions of Atheist that function perfectly well and amazingly enough the statistic show that that the more Atheistic a society the better it operates and the happier the people. If you statement was true  all the worn torn countries like Iraq and Pakistan would like living in the garden of eden but the complete opposite is true.

As soon as you shut down the ability for people to express their opinions is when you get exactly what you are arguing against ie power hungry people that can do what they want. And its not Atheism that drives these people but power. Something that many religions have done exactly the same as well.

So get of your high horse with your superior complex and face facts your talking bull shit again,

Just remember you are entitled to your own beliefs but your not entitled to your own facts

Sader, I get where you are coming from, but you are doing the same by saying: "...and amazingly enough the statistic show that that the more Atheistic a society the better it operates and the happier the people. "

Go tell that to the Chinese and the Nort Koreans...and the people who lived under Stalin and Lenin. 

Although people in modern secular countries are the more advanced and happy, I don't think it's an actual funct ion of their religion, I think it's coincidental and just the direction the modern world is moving. If what you say is true, China, Korea and Japan should be centuries ahead of the rest of the world. Religion has got nothing to do with intelligence or technological development. 

The3 fact is the above does not refer to any specific religion  - but the question remains that Christianity was in fact influenced by other religions.   Take for instance the concept of  Christmas.   That holiday was in place for thousands of years before Christianity and was called Yuletide.  In the north of Europe winter is extremely cold and the people cannot go out to get additional food.   So in the main in winter they had a feast celebrating the middle of winter.   

When they became Christians some of their believes became part of Christianity and Yuletide changed to Christmas.   There were other examples of the same influences from other religions as well.

What is funny is the fact that May Day is now called Labour Day - but has nothing to do with labour as we know it.   In ancient Europe the day was a fun and enjoyment  day before thy start plowing and planting for the nest farming harvest.   It was the same in Russia until 1917 when the Communist called it Labour Day,

I am not on a high horse a t all - I am actually pleading for people not to discuss religious issues on site - since it is just opening a Pandora's  box which deservedly should remain closed.            

@Pakie, most of it sounds very “Biblical” to me. Most of that is basically what the Gospel teaches us. This whole religion/Christian thing is not nearly as complicated and demanding as many would like to believe.

It's not Biblical Draad, it's human. The Bushmen who never heard of the Bible knew they had to look after each other, work together, be in harmony with nature. You find the same among the pagans, Buddhists, etc. (even animals, but let's stick to humans).

These are human values, community values, it's what allowed us to survive and grow and get by since time immemorial. A thousand+ years before the 10 Commandments or one single word of the Bible we find the Code of Hammurabi out of Babylon, rules and laws for a working society (primitive and rooted in Middle Eastern culture such as it is, just like the Bible). It is also to the best of our knowledge the origin of the "eye for an eye" business found in the Bible, for example.

Humans taking care of humans is not the property or brainchild of the God of Abraham or the Bible. It's the only way we, or pretty much any species, can survive.

Erm, Pakie, Cera and myself are 2 very different people, but we happen to broadly agee on this subject (from what I read here).

These are New testamental Biblical teachings which happen to also be found in other non biblical human civilizations...apposed to human sacrifice, cannibalism and other horrible practices...there are 2 sides always have been, since time started. Yin and Yang, Good vs Evil, Light vs Dark, God vs Satan....who knows? Religion atemts to answer these things. Some human traits are conducive to survival, others are hell bent on self destruction.

I don't claim to have the answer, but I can see order in chaos and a patern that should not be there if everything was just pure chance. I know enough to realize that claiming to have all the answers is arrogant to the extreme and just plain foolish.

Ag sorry Draad en Cera Can't even think of a good excuse for that blunder.

Tell me Shark, when last did you visit any of all these "other worlds"...please come and share photos after your next trip.

Oh dear the poor snowflakes are being forced to discuss religion. Sob Sob. And how horrid it is of Beeno to say we are are wrong about things Sob, Sob. The universe did create itself out of nothing right. Why does Beeno think he has a right to an opinion like we do. After all we know that DNA just sommer evolved even though its very hard to explain how. And who says to have information you have to have mind behind it. We know that cant be right because that would prove there is a GOd and we all know that cant be true. Okay not all but at least 300 million of us in the world. The other 6.3 billion people of course should be forced to stop sprouting their BS. Fire the lot of them and start with Folau and then onto that loser Beeno.Beeno and hvs religious nutjobs are not inclusive! These bigots say we could go to hell if we don't repent. well we don't believe in God or hell but couldnt get to sleep last night as i was so angry.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhaahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Look snowflakes the honest truth is if you don't want to discuss religion or anything else for that matter please feel free not to.

Again with the how did the universe come from nothing Beeno

Still waiting for your answer on who created god/ what was god created out of it there was nothing before god created it / and what did god create the universe out of if there was nothing to start with.

Care to explain how your version happened and supply some scientific facts to explain it Beeno

Very nicely put, Mike.

The Atheists have hated God and his followers since the beginning. For some reason they feel intimidated by us ... threatened. The need to wipe us out dominates their every thought. It provokes an emotion, a deep anger which they have no control over. Makes one wonder where all this is coming from?

Of course you'll find confused fools like Redneck claiming they don't believe in God and so cannot possibly hate Him ... but what betrays Redneck and his clan of god-haters is their passionate attempt to discredit Him at every turn ... to convince others He doesn’t exist ... to mock, to fabricate stories and to provoke heated debate.

You'll find these same confused fools, who claim not to care, contributing on every Christian thread ... mocking us ... calling us names ... referring to our God in whatever manner they see fit ... and then in the same breath they tell us that they really don’t hate Him ... or us.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahaaa!!!

Talk about not knowing your arse from your elbow.

I see Redneck has now attacked you.

Would he have done the same had you renounced God’s existence? Somehow I don’t think so. He would more than likely have welcomed you into the fold.

Clearly he was raised by his mommy and daddy without morals ... without any form of integrity ... without ethics of any sort. He is the product of a dysfunctional home and must have learnt from an early age as an infant to hate.

Boy ... thought I had a tough upbringing. Seems it pales in comparison to this poor man.

I hope he’s done a better job on his kids. Chances are they they’ll mirror his deluded hateful ways.  

Some interesting info there, Mike.  History was one of the subjects I had at school. I greatly enjoyed it but sadly never took it any further than that.

You should tell us more.

Yes, Ceradyne. Times have changed and man along with it ... but the basics of Christ's teaching are still in place. They will never change.

Many expect God and His ways to adapt accordingly with our modern age. They expect God and His church to suddenly embrace the perverted world we see around us. To accept same sex marriages and sodomy as a natural way of life.

Reading the Bible would clear that all up for them. God is the same today as He was yesterday as He will be in days to come ... and the sin of yesterday remains a sin today.

These poor fools are in for the shock of their lives.

Ephesians is an excellent book. I have read it many times and each time I come away with something new.