Your claim to religion?

[MylesProwr]

Above troll post was troll, sorry.

Being honest for a second though, I can't bring myself to firmly believe in one set of values.
See, I was raised hardcore Christian. For a very long period of my life I thought Christianity was the only way,
and of course, everyone around me encouraged it. Everybody does it, and it feels good, so it must be true.
Some time along the way, however, I realized that I was gay. It was something I didn't at first want (and I sort of fought it, too) but there was
no denying how strongly I felt it. Suddenly, many biblical teachings didn't ring true with me at all.
Many didn't; and so there was distance. But it's not like Christianity was completely blacklisted. There are some good things to be learned from the Bible... but not everything. Don't take it all literally. It's a book.

Since then I've looked at lots of other popular belief systems. They're very different from Christianity but at the same time, pretty similar.
Some very good things... but also other things that don't add up. The problem lies in the questions.
There are just too many questions, too much unexplainable phenomena in this world for me to believe in one religion (and therefore be subject to what it dictates).

tl;dr I wanna know what the truth is, and I wanna think for myself, and I'm sorry if it sounds rude or selfish
but I wish everyone thought the same way.

 

[Juliacoolo]

The thing is, there are real followers :x

I know people who meet places and actively practice...pastafaria.

 

[Teal]

The thing is, there are real followers :x

I know people who meet places and actively practice...pastafaria.

What do they do? Eat pasta with meatballs and perform sacred rituals with ketchup blood?

 

[le Roi-Soleil]

Actually, you can. Just last week mice have been cloned from blood.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23068423

Ribs contain bone marrow, which produces and contains red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells. It is possible to clone an organism from a rib. But no, mud cannot bring forth a man.

Actually, we're able to create cells out of non-living materials now lol.

---

Also, it is physiologically impossible to create another human from the rib of another (unless I am totally ignorant on the subject of stem-cell generation).

EDIT: (Dis ma fii hunnit p0st.)

 

[PumpedAaron]

I really think that damn pasta troll joke picture is the closest we've got to flaming....

Yeah suurre, I knooow you guys wanted to make it a joke, but what you really did is turn our essential (yes, essential) prayer on its head....! I suppose you didn't intend to harm us, though. Rrrgh....

 

[PDC]

I really think that damn pasta troll joke picture is the closest we've got to flaming....

Yeah suurre, I knooow you guys wanted to make it a joke, but what you really did is turn our essential (yes, essential) prayer on its head....! I suppose you didn't intend to harm us, though. Rrrgh....

 

[Juliacoolo]

Pastafaria was not created as an insult to Christianity; It was to protest the teaching of Christianity in schools.

That said, there are some extremists, who, for reasons I don't understand, practice it seriously. They don't worship meat balls or anything, but they meet on a regular basis and discuss and grow the belief. I think certain people use it as a force against Christianity, even though it wasn't designed to be that way.

Those who just use it for the satire are fine though.

 

[Breakfast Cereal]

Jay, the whole thing is satire. There's no one who is actually serious about it. If they "discuss the belief," they're probably just having an atheist club meeting.

 

[MylesProwr]

Pastafaria was not created as an insult to Christianity; It was to protest the teaching of Christianity in schools.

That said, there are some extremists, who, for reasons I don't understand, practice it seriously. They don't worship meat balls or anything, but they meet on a regular basis and discuss and grow the belief. I think certain people use it as a force against Christianity, even though it wasn't designed to be that way.

Those who just use it for the satire are fine though.

Once again, I really don't think there could be actual followers!

I like to compare hardcore Pastafarians and the Westboro Baptist Church to internet trolls. You don't know them; so it is difficult to know their true beliefs and intentions; but by appearing to devote themselves to such ridiculousness, they get a widespread reaction from onlookers. This is what they want.

The truth IMO is that they do have a reason for doing these things. I imagine that the intent of a hardcore Pastafarian is to continue pressing the message sent by the Flying Spaghetti Monster in Florida years ago; all the while flipping the proverbial middle finger at religion.

 

[le Roi-Soleil]

...Westboro Baptist Church to internet trolls...so it is difficult to know their true beliefs and intentions...

Westboro Baptist Church is a hideous organization devoted to a real "cause." They are, and I reiterate, real, and just plain insane. They are not "trolls," per se, although they do come across as trolls most of the time; they are really that crazy, and they mean everything they say.

 

[MylesProwr]

...Westboro Baptist Church to internet trolls...so it is difficult to know their true beliefs and intentions...

Westboro Baptist Church is a hideous organization devoted to a real "cause." They are, and I reiterate, real, and just plain insane. They are not "trolls," per se, although they do come across as trolls most of the time; they are really that crazy, and they mean everything they say.

I completely understand having hatred for them. They suck. Trufax.

But what if (and this is just a thought, pls don't flame me) their intention is to make a really radical statement about religion in America (by any means necessary)?

What they spout off is very hurtful, no doubt. It's completely understandable that everyone will hate them. With the values they promote, they'd never get any levelheaded citizen to affiliate with them.

See, they claim they're a church... but really all they do is run around USA, spreading hatred and gaining media attention for it. Of course it upsets just about everyone, but what it's also doing is greatly harming the image of Christianity and religion. It sort of makes Christianity as a whole look like a hate machine. With their slogans like "9-11, Gift from God" and "Thank God for Dead Soldiers", their intent clearly is to offend everyone.

So at the end of the day, doesn't this just end up making everyone angry with religion?
I honestly think that WBC is a bigger threat to Christianity than anything else right now.

 

[le Roi-Soleil]

I really think that damn pasta troll joke picture is the closest we've got to flaming....

Yeah suurre, I knooow you guys wanted to make it a joke, but what you really did is turn our essential (yes, essential) prayer on its head....! I suppose you didn't intend to harm us, though. Rrrgh....

2. Be respectful and have a positive attitude. Do not troll/flame.

Have a positive attitude. This means you should NOT:

• Bash, insult, flame, attack, or troll anyone on this site.
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Members who break this rule will generally receive a 30% warning for two weeks or a 50% warning for one month, depending on the severity of the offense.

I do not recall anyone bashing or flaming, but yes, I do see a bit of trolling. Please keep in mind that the staff of this designated forum will take action if it gets out of hand, and I will be quick to notify them.

So at the end of the day, doesn't this just end up making everyone angry with religion?
I honestly think that WBC is a bigger threat to Christianity than anything else right now.

They think what they are doing is just in the eyes of a deity. I have watched numerous interviews, and I have analyzed their website, their words, and they mean what they say. They do not care how hurtful their "truth" is.

Just trust me on this one. They attack my Community, they attack me, personally. I would rather not go into details.

 

[Juliacoolo]

Jay, the whole thing is satire. There's no one who is actually serious about it. If they "discuss the belief," they're probably just having an atheist club meeting.

That's what I mean; they have their satire/atheist meetings. I just don't understand why they bother.

 

[Shining Raikou]

WBC was petitioned to be classified as a hate group like the KKK. The White House just said they weren't going to keep a list. Just saying, to think that they are a legit church is laughable. They are a cult of twisted minded people.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57592215/westboro-baptist-church-wont-be-labeled-a-hate-group-white-house-says/

I think we should get back to the topic at hand though, and remember not to diss each other's religious choices too. State your belief, but try to in a respectful way.

 

[Pineapple X]

Once again I have no idea what people are talking about since reading page 3 is not a part of my job. =P

But my claim to religion? I myself am not a very religious person, but I don't really know what to believe in. I believe there's something out there, a force controlling life. Is it God, Arceus or something else? I don't know. I really don't have any experience to form a strong opinion on yet, considering I'm only 13.

 

[bacon]

I believe in logic, but I also believe in human nature. While I am an atheist, I concede that some of my friends are (probably) better off sticking to their Christian beliefs. The support network they have from their Church is superb, and given how religion is a core part of their being, I wouldn't want to try and change that.

It's an interesting dilema because to me, it's blatantly obvious that Christianty is an inconsistent framework. I find the whole "faith" and "hell for sinners" mechanics to be disgusting and intellectually detrimental. They are clear exploitations of the way people think, the way we fear the unknown and the way we tend to blindly follow authority. And yet there are those who I would prefer to stay Christian, because it has already become their way of life.

Also hey guys whats up

 

[PDC]

What's good in the hood bacon



But the whole "part of you" thing is honestly just pathetic, considering most people think it is such an integral part of them, when in reality its not. Everybody is an atheist until told something different. Of course, it can be the other way around.

 

[Pride]

But the whole "part of you" thing is honestly just pathetic, considering most people think it is such an integral part of them, when in reality its not. Everybody is an atheist until told something different.

Who are you to judge what is important to one's life? This is the kind of elitist comment that is so terribly frustrating. You can say its "pathetic" but that is your opinion, you think your belief, or lack there of, system is so superior but in reality all that matters is how one perceives there own lives and if that makes them a stronger person and a sense of purpose then so be it.

 

[Juliacoolo]

Humans are highly impressionable. Thousands of people truly rely on religion to simply make it through the week. This mentall dependence on religious activities can be just as strong as that of many other basic needs.. While you can argue that there is no true supernatural benefit to religion, the psychological evidence is there.

 

[le Roi-Soleil]

I agree with Pride and Jay; it has been proven time after time that the psychological rewards of religion are extremely rewarding.


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