Apech Posted December 13, 2012 Apparently it really doesn't matter, does it? Not as long as we all keep chatting Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted December 13, 2012 Give your Laughing Buddha statue a festive zing by putting a small Santa hat on his head. Ours looks a treat. Will try for a piccy tomorrow. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apech Posted December 13, 2012 Give your Laughing Buddha statue a festive zing by putting a small Santa hat on his head. Ours looks a treat. Will try for a piccy tomorrow. Ah! Now I know what this thread is about. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted December 14, 2012 Religion and spirituality innit? I think the poison got flushed out a few pages back. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted December 14, 2012 no, the poison has just been redirected. I think this is just our attempt to make light of something we don't want to face. after all the idea that we might have been fooled can be overwhelming, so what better way to deal with it then to make jokes? Aaron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 14, 2012 Well, as I hold to no religion I am limited as to what I can say directly to the thread topic. I watched a movie the other night, "Season Of The Witch", that did an excellent job at displaying the horrors of religious activism. But in the end religion was never questioned. People create their own fears and then create religions to protect themselves from those fears. Strange thing, the human mind. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted December 14, 2012 Mmmmmm. I wonder if religions aren't the main authors of most groundless fear and guilt trips. Along the lines of them creating the fictive disease then selling the medicine, that they claim to possess; for 'curing' it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 14, 2012 Mmmmmm. I wonder if religions aren't the main authors of most groundless fear and guilt trips. Along the lines of them creating the fictive disease then selling the medicine, that they claim to possess; for 'curing' it. I don't even wonder about that anymore. (Please remember that I separate religion, especially the spiritual aspect of it, from the institutions.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted December 14, 2012 (edited) Yep, spirituality as such does seem to flourish better outside of the institutional walls somehow. Most of the folk who come up with something useful tend to be either outsiders to begin with or folk who were excommunicated by the mainstream religions. I'm thinking Francis of Assissi, proper rebel and animal rights activist he was by all accounts but since he left his body the church just institutionalised him and brought his cult back into their fold. Edited December 14, 2012 by GrandmasterP Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted December 15, 2012 Yes, those who veer too far off the beaten path are often times persecuted for doing so. This is how religion keeps people subservient. If you fear being ostracized by those you love, the worst you'll ever do is stop believing in your heart. The Jews that remained in Spain after the inquisition had to practice in secret in order to keep their religion alive. There are rumors that there are a few that still do. Religion poisons spirituality through enforced conformity. Aaron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Isimsiz Biri Posted December 15, 2012 Yes, those who veer too far off the beaten path are often times persecuted for doing so. This is how religion keeps people subservient. If you fear being ostracized by those you love, the worst you'll ever do is stop believing in your heart. The Jews that remained in Spain after the inquisition had to practice in secret in order to keep their religion alive. There are rumors that there are a few that still do. Religion poisons spirituality through enforced conformity. Aaron I am not writing a reply to that. Everything is already said. But the theory of secret Jews in practicing their religion in Spain for hundreds of years secretly instead of migrating somewhere else, does not make sense at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Posted December 16, 2012 I am not writing a reply to that. Everything is already said. But the theory of secret Jews in practicing their religion in Spain for hundreds of years secretly instead of migrating somewhere else, does not make sense at all. You're absolutely right. They should have given up all of their possessions and just moved away in poverty, which is what happened to those who left. Can you begin to see why they did it now, or should I explain it a bit more? Aaron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShenLung Posted December 16, 2012 There is a certain distinction between douchebag nature and troll nature. I, for example, am a douchebag. I can accept this, learn from this, and move on from this. Trolls cannot do the same. Any other douchebags out there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted December 16, 2012 (edited) There is a certain distinction between douchebag nature and troll nature. I, for example, am a douchebag. I can accept this, learn from this, and move on from this. Trolls cannot do the same. Any other douchebags out there? Raises hand, 'Me, but only for a few days a month. Then I freshen up' There seems to be more irritation and sensitivity in the air then usual. Not surprising given recent events, but lets be aware of it and try not to take offense where none is meant. Edited December 16, 2012 by thelerner 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Isimsiz Biri Posted December 16, 2012 (edited) You're absolutely right. They should have given up all of their possessions and just moved away in poverty, which is what happened to those who left. Can you begin to see why they did it now, or should I explain it a bit more? Aaron On the contrary, since Jews lived for centuries under oppression, the only allowable profession for them is to make trade, trade of jewellery especially diamonds and banking of course. Their possessions were in transferable form. The Jews who migrated to Istanbul from Spain in 1492 never experienced poverty. If you have solid information, could you share with us please? Who are those Jews that still today secretly practice their religion in Spain? Edited December 16, 2012 by Recep Ivedik Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 16, 2012 Any other douchebags out there? I'm too arrogant to confess to something like that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apech Posted December 16, 2012 I'm too arrogant to confess to something like that. Marbles, Your avatar ... is it a bunch of roses or a blue carrot? What are you trying to say here? LOL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
konchog uma Posted December 16, 2012 (edited) its a sympathy bouquet for anyone who has read all 600 posts on this thread.. lol +1 whoever rated it one star lets start a thread about all the attrocities done by those who were against organized religion... joseph stalin (although marx didn't mind religion stalin took a dim view of it), chairman mao ("religion is poison"), adolph hitler (just to fulfil godwin's law lol he didn't like organized religion and rejected the hebrew roots of christianity just to make no sense at all!), mussolini (atheist).... sorry to throw more fuel on this fire everyone, i admit i liked it better when it was meaningless blather! aaaaaaa what have i done http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_religion_offer_that_dictators_dont Edited December 16, 2012 by anamatva 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vmarco Posted December 16, 2012 (edited) I watched a movie the other night, "Season Of The Witch", that did an excellent job at displaying the horrors of religious activism. But in the end religion was never questioned. People create their own fears and then create religions to protect themselves from those fears. Strange thing, the human mind. "Human kind cannot bear very much reality" T. S. Eliot Living in the USA, there is just one religion that pollutes every aspect of society,...Christianity. It's on our money, our pledge, and such faith-based agenda even comes before one's oath to the non-Christian Constitution. Their Bible says "prove all things" 1 Thess 5:21. So I say, give them a chance. Let them accept Jesus' litmus test for determining the true christian faithful, as published in the canonized text,...Mark 16:16-18. A true Christian, "the man who accepts baptism,...will be able to drink deadly poison without harm". I'll supply the deadly poison,...if they live,...then I say go ahead and continue to pollute the World with their missionaries, guilt, suffering, and lies. On February 10, 1814 Thomas Jefferson wrote that common law "is that system of law which was introduced by the Saxons on their settlement in England…about the middle of the fifth century. But Christianity was not introduced till the seventh century.…We may safely affirm that Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law." In other words,...Christian values are not American values, Christian values are not Human values, Christian values contain nothing of value. Edited December 16, 2012 by Vmarco Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted December 16, 2012 Marbles, Your avatar ... is it a bunch of roses or a blue carrot? What are you trying to say here? LOL. ....... Red Carnations I reckon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 16, 2012 Marbles, Your avatar ... is it a bunch of roses or a blue carrot? What are you trying to say here? LOL. It's a blue carrot. The roses just materialized magically when I converted the graphic. The blue indicates that the carrots are going to be cold as ice (much like my heart sometimes). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 16, 2012 Christian values are not American values, Christian values are not Human values, Christian values contain nothing of value. These are not universal statements but they are not too far from it, based on my observations. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted December 16, 2012 Feck the universal statements sifu, were they carnations or roses? ;-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 16, 2012 Feck the universal statements sifu, were they carnations or roses? ;-) Hehehe. They were, actually still are but now invisible, roses. I haven't grown carnations for a while. Maybe do some soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandmasterP Posted December 16, 2012 Ahhh I can sleep easy tonight. Thank you . We also call carnations 'border pinks', do you? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites