Persecuted for following your faith.

[Sir Shep]

So I was going to wish everyone a happy Easter only to find out that 3 churches and hotels have been targeted by terrorists in Sri Lanka this morning. Why can’t we just all get along FFS. 

 

Well i am off to church this morning safe in the knowledge that despite all the terrible things that go on this country in the main is pretty tolerant and I’m safe to do so. 

 

So to all those that hate, FOAD because you’ll lose. 

[danny.]

The group delusion that is religion needs to go, but hurting other people is never, ever OK. It's very sad indeed that people hurt and kill in the name of old books and magic invisible sky people.

[Guest MattP]

I had breakfast in the Cinnamon hotel a few years ago in Colombo, that whole walk down the beach there is beautiful and I can't imagine it struck with this carnage. 

 

They seemed to be one of the few societies that had religions mixed together and got along extremely well, this is so sad.

 

The Sri Lankan people are amazing and don't deserve this.

[Trav Le Bleu]

26 minutes ago, Sir Shep said:

So I was going to wish everyone a happy Easter only to find out that 3 churches and hotels have been targeted by terrorists in Sri Lanka this morning. Why can’t we just all get along FFS. 

 

Well i am off to church this morning safe in the knowledge that despite all the terrible things that go on this country in the main is pretty tolerant and I’m safe to do so. 

 

So to all those that hate, FOAD because you’ll lose. 

You see, this is exactly the problem.

[Izzy]

25 minutes ago, Sir Shep said:

So I was going to wish everyone a happy Easter only to find out that 3 churches and hotels have been targeted by terrorists in Sri Lanka this morning. Why can’t we just all get along FFS. 

 

Well i am off to church this morning safe in the knowledge that despite all the terrible things that go on this country in the main is pretty tolerant and I’m safe to do so. 

 

So to all those that hate, FOAD because you’ll lose. 

Amen brother.

 

We’re off to church at 11am for the family service and I’ll be praying for those in Sri Lanka who’ve been affected by the terrible atrocities this morning.

 

Peace be with you all this Easter Sunday.

[Sir Shep]

22 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

You see, this is exactly the problem.

Fair point. 

Edited 21 April 2019 by Sir Shep

[Carl the Llama]

Easter? Hardly knew her

[bovril]

Another blast hits Colombo according to reports. 

[Alf Bentley]

3 hours ago, danny. said:

The group delusion that is religion needs to go, but hurting other people is never, ever OK. It's very sad indeed that people hurt and kill in the name of old books and magic invisible sky people.

 

I'd recommend this book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Religion-Atheists-non-believers-guide-religion/dp/0141046317

 

"All of us, whether religious, agnostic or atheist, are searching for meaning. And in this wise and life-affirming book, non-believer Alain de Botton both rejects the supernatural claims of the major religions and points out just how many good ideas they sometimes have about how we should live. And he suggests that non-believers can learn and steal from them. Picking and choosing from the thousands of years of advice assembled by the world's great religions, Alain de Botton presents a range of fascinating ideas and practical insights on art, community, love, friendship, work, life and death. He shows how they can be of use to us all, irrespective of whether we do or don't believe".

 

I'm a complete atheist but am not sure that it's a good idea to just jettison everything that religion has offered - the good and important along with the bad.

To jettison it all without replacing it with anything - or replacing it with materialism and consumerism - seems a particularly bad idea.

[leicsmac]

As much as I find a lot of the ideas in the Abrahamic texts in particular daft and problematic and have nothing but contempt for those who would kill or dominate because of them, I've come to think that such texts are often just an excuse for people already power-crazy to use them to justify that powermongering. Taking those texts away isn't going to stop that sentiment or the people who express it - they'll just switch to a different methodology.

 

That idea - that power over other people and Might Makes Right are a good thing - is what needs to go, no matter how it is ideologically framed.

 

 

[sishades]

Quote

 I’ll be praying for those in Sri Lanka

I admire your sentiments but two hands working does more good than one million clasped in prayer. The late great Christopher Hitchens stated that "Religion poisons everything", the sooner we eradicate this superstitious nonsense the better.

[sishades]

Quote

I find a lot of the ideas in the Abrahamic texts in particular daft and problematic

Thats putting it lightly......child rape, slavery (Exodus 21), oppresion of women, mass genocide, and all round nastiness.

[sishades]

49 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

Alain de Botton presents a range of fascinating ideas and practical insights on art, community, love, friendship, work, life and death. He shows how they can be of use to us all, irrespective of whether we do or don't believe".

If this is in fact true then why do we need a god to persue it? Show me one thing that I cant do as an atheist that I can only do worshipping some divine dictator. God is nothing more than a mafia gangster operating a protection racket, with his Pope protecting child rapists and molestors re cardinall George Pell. The Popes (Godfathers) solution to the scandal is to offer the best pastoral care to the thousands of abuse victims carried out by his minions. The last thing these boys need is more religion by priests that abused them in the first place. 

 

 

Edited 21 April 2019 by sishades

[sishades]

4 hours ago, MattP said:

 

They seemed to be one of the few societies that had religions mixed together and got along extremely well,

You seem to have forgotten the civil war in recent years where tens of thousands were killed.

[Alf Bentley]

11 minutes ago, sishades said:

If this is in fact true then why do we need a god to persue it? Show me one thing that I cant do as an atheist that I can only do worshipping some divine dictator. God is nothing more than a mafia gangster operating a protection racket, with his Pope protecting child rapists and molestors. 

 

 

 

We don't need a God to pursue it. The book doesn't suggest that we need a God to pursue it. I'm an atheist myself. The book just suggests that religion has produced a lot of good thinking, ways of living, social structures and art that are beneficial and that atheists can learn from.

 

There's also a lot of bad stuff that's been done by different religious institutions or by people declaring themselves to be acting in the name of different religions (wars, terrorism, bigotry etc.): the "protecting of child rapists" is an example of that.

Where I part company with you is when you say that God (and by implication, religion) is "nothing more than" the bad stuff. As an atheist, I completely disagree.

 

Try reading the book. Be brave enough to challenge your own thinking.

[sishades]

9 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

religion has produced a lot of good thinking

Religion does the complete opposite....it tells you not to think but to obey. Thinking is the enemy of religion not a bed fellow.

 

"Social structures"

 

Stoning of gay people, oppresion of women, death penalty for apostasy. and so on. Id rather live in a cave than abide by these structures.

Edited 21 April 2019 by sishades

[leicsmac]

9 minutes ago, sishades said:

Religion does the complete opposite....it tells you not to think but to obey. Thinking is the enemy of religion not a bed fellow.

 

"Social structures"

 

Stoning of gay people, oppresion of women, death penalty for apostasy. and so on. Id rather live in a cave than abide by these structures.

As much as what you say is true wrt what organised religion has been a part, those power structures and abuses won't go away if religion does. The problem runs deeper than that IMO.

[sishades]

1 minute ago, leicsmac said:

As much as what you say is true wrt what organised religion has been a part, those power structures and abuses won't go away if religion does. The problem runs deeper than that IMO.

Perhaps but it would be a good start.

[The Guvnor]

You don't need to have a faith to act in a altruistic way, surely this is the base line for any decent human being.

[Alf Bentley]

6 minutes ago, sishades said:

Religion does the complete opposite....it tells you not to think but to obey. Thinking is the enemy of religion not a bed fellow.

 

It's true that religion too often demands obedience, not thought. That's true of many non-religious causes, too - socialism, conservatism, whatever. Some humans have an instinct for dictatorship/control/abuse or for unthinking obedience. That's not exclusive to religion.

 

But I disagree with the idea that religion never encourages thought or beneficial activity: "let he who is without sin cast the first stone", "love your neighbour like yourself", the Good Samaritan etc?

It has been claimed that the Labour Party owes more to Methodism than to Marxism.

 

Anyway, I've other things to do and De Botton explains it much better than me, so prove yourself more enlightened and open-minded than unthinking religious bigots by reading his book....unless you're an unthinking anti-religious bigot, of course, in which case you won't want to do that. 

[fuchsntf]

20 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

 

We don't need a God to pursue it. The book doesn't suggest that we need a God to pursue it. I'm an atheist myself. The book just suggests that religion has produced a lot of good thinking, ways of living, social structures and art that are beneficial and that atheists can learn from.

 

There's also a lot of bad stuff that's been done by different religious institutions or by people declaring themselves to be acting in the name of different religions (wars, terrorism, bigotry etc.): the "protecting of child rapists" is an example of that.

Where I part company with you is when you say that God (and by implication, religion) is "nothing more than" the bad stuff. As an atheist, I completely disagree.

 

Try reading the book. Be brave enough to challenge your own thinking.

Agree..And what many so called free souls,who follow no faith,seem to forget ....take away all those religious platforms...man will still do exactly the same..

There would still be the bigots,the child abusers/rapists,honour-killings... "Man" is a blame and excuse animal,and misuse/abuse/bastardisation,corruption of any organisation ,and manipulating & moulding the "order" to and for  their own vices ,is simply part of what we are...the question will be as we develop e and evolve,

How long does mankind need to reach that paradise of maturity,where he doesn't see his fellow man ,his best mate or stranger has a target,or victim to enhance their own egoes!!!

 

This forum or Brexit-issue alone shows,how we love to take a perception,then keep pecking-in our opinions,hoping to make it a fact,for future arguments!!!

Some people no matter if low or highly educated,consider themselves civilised..still have the need to dominate...

not to lead not through wise leadership,but by subjagation!! Loves committed horrors in war,criminality,sex or person abuse show We haven't reached any

Enlightenment phase..

 

We haven't reached that stage,has mankind!!!

We are just living in just a more modern,Technical  ,but still Dickenson stage..Socially still inept with cruel dominent  intentions,individually/groups/nations/and race.....

 

 

[sishades]

I suggest you read Christopher Hitchins work "God Is Not Great", (which I have) Dawkins "God Delusion " (which I have), studied history to a good level. Socialism does not demand obediance, it offers a political view point that can change over time along with all political ideologies. Only religion stays the same. Also if I decide not to become a socialist Richard Corbin will not come to my house and threaten to condemn me to an eternity of pain and torture. Also I can switch from socialism to conservatism if I wish and can do so in the knowledge that the politcal leadership will not issue me with a death penalty / fatwa and or excommunication.

 

Also why should I love my neighbour,  I will love whoever i choose and not be dictated to by some religous doctrine.  My neighbour might be an arsehole who deals drugs  and play gangster rap at 2 am. To suggest I am unthinking is rediculous, my posts prove that i have researched this topic to some degree, and it is typical of people of faith to throw biblical quotes as a weapon to make their points due to their own inability to ...ahem think for themselves. My original question that I posed still remains unanswered.

 

Edited 21 April 2019 by sishades

[Izzy]

1 hour ago, sishades said:

I admire your sentiments but two hands working does more good than one million clasped in prayer. The late great Christopher Hitchens stated that "Religion poisons everything", the sooner we eradicate this superstitious nonsense the better.

There are many more than two hands working in Sri Lanka right now. They’re queuing up to donate blood and rally round to help those in need.

Our Vicar led a very emotional prayer at our service today and the church were united in their grief.

Ive no idea who Christopher Hitchens is but he’s entitled to his opinion the same as the rest of us.

Being a Christian gives me, my family and many others a sense of purpose and a shared belief. Some may call it superstitious nonsense while others call it faith.

Each to their own but you’ll never find me being dismissive of atheists for not believing.

Live and let live.

[sishades]

1 minute ago, Izzy said:

There are many more than two hands working in Sri Lanka right now. They’re queuing up to donate blood and rally round to help those in need.

Very true, and they should be applauded for doing something rather than praying to a deity who allowed it to happen in the first place. Saying a prayer in a church thousands of miles from the event has no effect whatsoever. Also you have the right to follow whatever path you choose and I will defend your right to do so, but I would rather believe in something that is demonstrably true then base my existence on a 2000 year old superstition. After all faith is not a pathway to truth. Anyway I wish you well and more importantly dont eat too much chocolate.

[SpacedX]

6 hours ago, Sir Shep said:

Well i am off to church this morning

Genuinely. Good for you. 

 

6 hours ago, Sir Shep said:

 So to all those that hate, FOAD because you’ll lose. 

That's not particularly pious though is it. What would Jesus say?