Re: Religion's influence in the UK : Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:34 pm  

Horatio Yed wrote:

When schizophrenics kill people and tell the Police God told me to do what's the difference to when a President/Prime Minister kills thousands and tells the world God told me to do it?

One's suffering from a severe form of mental illness, in many cases unable to recognise the consequences of their actions or disassociate fact from fantasy. The other is a schizophrenic.

Re: Religion's influence in the UK : Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:43 pm  

Rock God X wrote:

Pah! Zeus sh!ts on Thor!

I don't think Thor is even immortal, is he? I can't check, because Wikipedia is down today.

Loki did it ...

Re: Religion's influence in the UK : Wed Jan 18, 2012 2:50 pm  

Rock God X wrote: I don't think Thor is even immortal, is he? I can't check, because Wikipedia is down today. Open the page you want. CTRL+SHIFT+K (Firefox) or CTRL+SHIFT+J (Chrome). Paste this in the window: Code: Select all $("#content, #mw-page-base, #mw-head-base, #mw-head, #mw-panel, #footer").show(); $("#mw-sopaOverlay").hide(); Disco.

Rock God X wrote: I don't think Thor is even immortal, is he? I can't check, because Wikipedia is down today. Open the page you want. CTRL+SHIFT+K (Firefox) or CTRL+SHIFT+J (Chrome). Paste this in the window: Code: Select all $("#content, #mw-page-base, #mw-head-base, #mw-head, #mw-panel, #footer").show(); $("#mw-sopaOverlay").hide(); Disco.

Re: Religion's influence in the UK : Wed Jan 18, 2012 2:58 pm  

Rock God X wrote:

Then maybe your...............rant rant rant.

You seem to have missed this bit,

peggy wrote:

Gods work?
I don’t really think so but when people are in times of desperation, confusion and fear is it any wonder they put their faith in “The Almighty” their intangible last hope?

the bit where I say that I don’t think it is Gods work but I do understand when people have reached a point of desperation with little or no hope. Some people believe they will solve all their problems when they win the lottery on a Saturday some put their faith in a God. Everybody has a choice. (some better odds than others)
I am certainly not arrogant thinking I am special, I am walking through self determination and the care of my wife. I have not said that “God” saved me, perhaps if you read my post correctly instead of building yourself up for a misguided rant you would have understood what had been written.
I have asked many religious people the very same questions you state in your rant. Nobody can provide the answers.
I was removed from Religious Education classes at school because I was a constant disruption in class asking similar questions as yourself.

[DaveO]

Re: Religion's influence in the UK : Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:06 pm  

Dally wrote:

Maybe it's BECAUSE she's intelligent? Strikes me that most people who VIGOROUSLY criticise religion are uninspirational, low-grade, slovenly people. Just an observation. By contrast most religious people seem to engender respect by virtue of their inner strength and have strong self-discipline, which often helps them succeed in adversity - whether in life, business, sport, or whatever. Indeed, I firmly believe that some of the greatest sportsmemn (including boxers and RL players - think Murphy and Karalius) only acheived greatness an their edge in adversity through their faith.

Would you consider Brian Cox "uninspirational, low-grade and slovenly"?

He gave the most succinct debunking of religion I have yet heard on (of all places) the Jonathan Ross show. Christianity in the west has for a long time reconciled the idea of creation in 7 days with the evidence the World and Universe took billions to years to form as the former being a convenient parable to keep things simple. Yes it did take billions of years says the Church but just because the Bible says it took 7 days doesn't mean God didn't do it. This is often taken further when the big bang theory is put forward as where it all began by saying it was God that did that. This implies there was something before the big bang itself which Prof Cox debunked by the simple statement that there can't of been anything before the big bang as before the big bang the Universes did not exist so neither did time. Case closed.

Re: Religion's influence in the UK : Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:13 pm  

peggy wrote:

You seem to have missed this bit,

the bit where I say that I don’t think it is Gods work but I do understand when people have reached a point of desperation with little or no hope. Some people believe they will solve all their problems when they win the lottery on a Saturday some put their faith in a God. Everybody has a choice. (some better odds than others)
I am certainly not arrogant thinking I am special, I am walking through self determination and the care of my wife. I have not said that “God” saved me, perhaps if you read my post correctly instead of building yourself up for a misguided rant you would have understood what had been written.
I have asked many religious people the very same questions you state in your rant. Nobody can provide the answers.
I was removed from Religious Education classes at school because I was a constant disruption in class asking similar questions as yourself.

It was you who said your 'heart is confused'. It was you who said that you prayed to God. Why pray to someone/something you don't believe is there? Do you make a habit of talking to yourself? Why would you heart be 'confused' if you didn't think there was at least the possibility that your recovery could be "God's work"?

Re: Religion's influence in the UK : Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:16 pm  

vbfg wrote: Open the page you want. CTRL+SHIFT+K (Firefox) or CTRL+SHIFT+J (Chrome). Paste this in the window: Code: Select all $("#content, #mw-page-base, #mw-head-base, #mw-head, #mw-panel, #footer").show(); $("#mw-sopaOverlay").hide(); Disco. Wow, I take it all back. vbfg is the only true god.

vbfg wrote: Open the page you want. CTRL+SHIFT+K (Firefox) or CTRL+SHIFT+J (Chrome). Paste this in the window: Code: Select all $("#content, #mw-page-base, #mw-head-base, #mw-head, #mw-panel, #footer").show(); $("#mw-sopaOverlay").hide(); Disco. Wow, I take it all back. vbfg is the only true god.

Re: Religion's influence in the UK : Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:31 pm  

Rock God X wrote:

It was you who said your 'heart was confused'. It was you who said that you prayed to God. Why pray to someone/something you don't believe is there? Do you make a habit of talking to yourself? Why would you heart be 'confused' if you didn't think there was at least the possibility that your recovery could be "God's work"?

Because in certain times of desperation, you'll give anything a go.

And I suspect it's also a cultural response – it's embedded so deeply in our collective experience that we think: 'what harm can it do?'

There is, however, a slightly interesting point in that meditation and prayer have been shown to be beneficial – boosting certain hormones etc. So perhaps they do very seriously help people, but just in the way some might think of hope? And indeed, that's without looking into the psychological aspect simply of saying/thinking something to 'someone'.

On this level, I understand it.

Re: Religion's influence in the UK : Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:38 pm  

I meditate when i have a headache, it works but it's not God curing me, it's my own focus and relaxation.

Re: Religion's influence in the UK : Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:54 pm  

DaveO wrote:

Would you consider Brian Cox "uninspirational, low-grade and slovenly"?

He gave the most succinct debunking of religion I have yet heard on (of all places) the Jonathan Ross show. Christianity in the west has for a long time reconciled the idea of creation in 7 days with the evidence the World and Universe took billions to years to form as the former being a convenient parable to keep things simple. Yes it did take billions of years says the Church but just because the Bible says it took 7 days doesn't mean God didn't do it. This is often taken further when the big bang theory is put forward as where it all began by saying it was God that did that. This implies there was something before the big bang itself which Prof Cox debunked by the simple statement that there can't of been anything before the big bang as before the big bang the Universes did not exist so neither did time. Case closed.

Ah, well, y'see ... God moves in mysterious ways ... there are things he knows that we don't.
A lovely catch-all, that one.

No basis for it but, hey, let's not quibble.