Religons

[Richie]

I'm really confused, I was raised a catholic but hold my own strong views on some things.

For example I don't believe a man has the right to take away anothers no matter how evil they may be. But in the bible it states "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". I honestly don't know if I'm just an atheist that holds my own beliefs or is there really a religion out there that I fit into?

I agree with some things in the bible but I am strongly against others. Another example is I don't believe that we are one to judge another's sexuality but in the bible it basically says it's wrong to be gay. Who are we to judge?

Am I just a crazed lunatic with crazy beliefs or is there actual religions out there that I may fit into. I'm not going to go all crazy and start attending churches / whatever I'm just curious. What religion do I believe in?

[Conservative,]

Your views sound fairly similar to mine.

There is normally a bit of differing of opinion in religions, however I myself am a Liberal Protestant - which is someone who doesn't take the Bible literally, but takes the morals and lessons from it and uses them in the modern world.

For example: They still follow the 10 commandements.
They accept homosexuality
They accept sex before marriage
They accept divorce
They accept Jesus as their Lord and saviour

That's just a few off the top of my head lol.

[Inseriousity.]

The problem with any holy book is that if you take little chunks of it here and there, you're going to get a distorted view of what it really is and could really justify anything. So yes "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" is in there but on the Sermon on the Mount for example Jesus said something like if someone hurts you, offer them the other cheek (something along those lines, basically the complete opposite). It also condemns homosexuality but also says on the same page 'don't eat seafood' - they didn't have fridges in those days!

I do believe (and there are many religious people who'd disagree) that it is healthier to take the messages and themes from religion and apply them to your life in general: love, tolerance, social justice etc etc. The beauty of it being that you don't actually need to practice a religion to do any of those things.

[ifuseekamy]

These days you can have a no strings relationship with religion and just believe in an afterlife.

[Red]

Well I think you don't fully understand the bible because it doesn't teach that.

Jesus' Sermon on the Mount:

"38 You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40 and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; 41 and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you."

and it doesn't say to judge people either. Jesus' message was one of love and respect for people.

[Eoin247]

I'm really confused, I was raised a catholic but hold my own strong views on some things.

For example I don't believe a man has the right to take away anothers no matter how evil they may be. But in the bible it states "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". I honestly don't know if I'm just an atheist that holds my own beliefs or is there really a religion out there that I fit into?

I agree with some things in the bible but I am strongly against others. Another example is I don't believe that we are one to judge another's sexuality but in the bible it basically says it's wrong to be gay. Who are we to judge?

Am I just a crazed lunatic with crazy beliefs or is there actual religions out there that I may fit into. I'm not going to go all crazy and start attending churches / whatever I'm just curious. What religion do I believe in?


The problem with any holy book is that if you take little chunks of it here and there, you're going to get a distorted view of what it really is and could really justify anything. So yes "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" is in there but on the Sermon on the Mount for example Jesus said something like if someone hurts you, offer them the other cheek (something along those lines, basically the complete opposite). It also condemns homosexuality but also says on the same page 'don't eat seafood' - they didn't have fridges in those days!

I do believe (and there are many religious people who'd disagree) that it is healthier to take the messages and themes from religion and apply them to your life in general: love, tolerance, social justice etc etc. The beauty of it being that you don't actually need to practice a religion to do any of those things.

I'm not really religious, but in the bible it says that Jesus said: "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone", when some jewish religious figures wanted to stone a woman for commiting a crime.

So it's not always "an eye for an eye" in the bible, at least not in the new testament.

[HotelUser]

I went to an Anglican church when I was little, I don't go anymore but I still believe in god.

[FlyingJesus]

I love it when people say they're believers but they don't follow the religion. If you truly believed then you would follow scripture to the letter - out of absolute fear if nothing else. How could you possibly claim to believe that a deity capable of these feats exists and rules over us yet still say "actually, I'm not gonna do what he commands"? I'm not saying there are no gods, in fact my own beliefs definitely involve deific characters, but for people to call themselves Christian when they don't accept (or in most cases even KNOW) what the Bible says is utterly ridiculous. It's like saying you're a Hindu but you love beefburgers

[Slowpoke]

I don't believe in religion, at all. Especially religions that are forced upon people. Pisses me off. People should be left to develop their own views on things, not take them from books

[FlyingJesus]

I don't believe in religion, at all. Especially religions that are forced upon people. Pisses me off. People should be left to develop their own views on things, not take them from books

Whilst I agree that religion should be taught, not imposed, I've always found that hardline atheists are the most pushy and annoying people in any religious debate :P that last bit doesn't make much sense though, should we tell people nothing that's written in books and leave them to explore absolutely everything by experience only? Dunno about you but I've found quite a lot of useful things in books

[Technologic]

Religion should be there for those who want it but it should never be imposed on people, used in law, as an excuse for violence or a reason to hate.

[GommeInc]

It's virtually impossible to follow the Bible to a tee, it's really only there as a guide and to illustrate. The "Eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" analogy gets overwritten in the New Testament, where a Christian must be accepting and forgiven, than vile and dangerous.

I for one don't mind religion. I find it teaches people basic morals and "social laws", which there is nothing wrong with particulaly when some of the teachings illustrate these points so perfectly and clearly.

[Awfy]

It's virtually impossible to follow the Bible to a tee, it's really only there as a guide and to illustrate. The "Eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" analogy gets overwritten in the New Testament, where a Christian must be accepting and forgiven, than vile and dangerous.

I for one don't mind religion. I find it teaches people basic morals and "social laws", which there is nothing wrong with particulaly when some of the teachings illustrate these points so perfectly and clearly.
Religion doesn't teach basic morals, they're in built into the human genetics just like they are within the ape communities. It has been religions long standing hold point that it was them who gave us morals however that is certainly not true. If anything certain religions are now holding people's morals back a couple of decades due to it's unwillingness to change with the times as quickly as it needs to. What solidifies your morals are in fact the way you interact with other human beings throughout your life time, watching how your actions affect them as humans and relating that back to your own feelings. Our level of intelligence even allows us to take them morals into other species like dogs where we can tell based on their non-human actions how we're affecting their feelings.

For the past 12 months I worked full-time then freelance with a Christian charity in the UK. Now, the majority of people who worked at this charity were all-out Christians and I think myself and about 2 other people were something other than Christian (myself being Agnostic at the time). The views of which they had about other religions and in particular homosexuals was shocking to say the least. The reason they were so shocking was because they simply relied on the bible to give them these views, that is very immoral in my view. Judging another human being based on scripture of such outdated and inaccurate form just plain wrong.

After this experience I switched entirely to Atheist as there is no reason to be that judgmental of another human being simply because your "holy" book tells you to be, or better put you think your holy book tells you to be.

If religion did build up your moral compass then most murders should be committed by Atheists/Non-Believers, which doesn't seem to be the case in any way.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Religion doesn't teach basic morals, they're in built into the human genetics just like they are within the ape communities. It has been religions long standing hold point that it was them who gave us morals however that is certainly not true. If anything certain religions are now holding people's morals back a couple of decades due to it's unwillingness to change with the times as quickly as it needs to. What solidifies your morals are in fact the way you interact with other human beings throughout your life time, watching how your actions affect them as humans and relating that back to your own feelings. Our level of intelligence even allows us to take them morals into other species like dogs where we can tell based on their non-human actions how we're affecting their feelings.

Well thats not really true - look for example at the Aztecs who sacrified humans (alive whilst cutting the heart out) based on their religion/set of morals. These things aren't built in through human genetics, and modern religion (Christianity in particular) has set what our morals are for hundreds of years - of which they still stand and gurantee the most basic things in law.

Another example would be the behaviour of African tribes towards British explorers/armed forces during the British Empire and its conquest - cannibalism and so forth. This is normal to them, but terrible to us because of our set of morals.


For the past 12 months I worked full-time then freelance with a Christian charity in the UK. Now, the majority of people who worked at this charity were all-out Christians and I think myself and about 2 other people were something other than Christian (myself being Agnostic at the time). The views of which they had about other religions and in particular homosexuals was shocking to say the least. The reason they were so shocking was because they simply relied on the bible to give them these views, that is very immoral in my view. Judging another human being based on scripture of such outdated and inaccurate form just plain wrong.

What are these 'shocking' views? did they voice a disapproval for homosexuality? if so, I don't find much shocking about that as many people (including non-religious) disapprove of homosexuality. I would understand if they were openly talking about Saudi-styled campaign against homosexuals, but what was so shocking? i'm interested to know.

[GommeInc]

Religion doesn't teach basic morals, they're in built into the human genetics just like they are within the ape communities. It has been religions long standing hold point that it was them who gave us morals however that is certainly not true. If anything certain religions are now holding people's morals back a couple of decades due to it's unwillingness to change with the times as quickly as it needs to. What solidifies your morals are in fact the way you interact with other human beings throughout your life time, watching how your actions affect them as humans and relating that back to your own feelings. Our level of intelligence even allows us to take them morals into other species like dogs where we can tell based on their non-human actions how we're affecting their feelings.
Your point doesn't really make sense as apes are known to kill, eat and rape each other, usually because of territorial disputes. The history of man is littered with examples of human sacrifices - the Romans used to sacrifice humans as well as animals infront of temples to opese their Roman Gods... With Christianity it taught people not to do this as it's a sin to kill innocent people (particularly the New Testament, the Old Testament is a horrific mess :P) So morals aren't really genetic, they're developed.


For the past 12 months I worked full-time then freelance with a Christian charity in the UK. Now, the majority of people who worked at this charity were all-out Christians and I think myself and about 2 other people were something other than Christian (myself being Agnostic at the time). The views of which they had about other religions and in particular homosexuals was shocking to say the least. The reason they were so shocking was because they simply relied on the bible to give them these views, that is very immoral in my view. Judging another human being based on scripture of such outdated and inaccurate form just plain wrong.
You do know there are different types of Christianity, and Christian? The people you experienced are just one type out of millions. You should of just quoted a few parts of the Bible, particularly the sea food sins and wearing two types of material at the same time - that ought to shut 'em up :P


After this experience I switched entirely to Atheist as there is no reason to be that judgmental of another human being simply because your "holy" book tells you to be, or better put you think your holy book tells you to be.
Nothing wrong with this as it's your view, but you mustn't claim that all Christians are bad. In the church I work in, they're very liberal and open to people. They do not judge people on their sexuality, gender or disability. Heck, I remember one Sunday I was working and there was a gay teenager who was attacked in the area, and they prayed for his speedy recovery and didn't make any mention of judging him on his sexuality, but judged those who attacked him. It was pretty interesting to see that, dispite the view the media and the world has on Christians being the sort of people to promote this, when it's often forgotten that many (possibly the majority in this country) are open to this.


If religion did build up your moral compass then most murders should be committed by Atheists/Non-Believers, which doesn't seem to be the case in any way.
Indeed, anyone can commit murder - religious, gay, athiest, straight, black, white, Asian etc.

[Prudesh]

I'm a catholic but not a follower/beliver person lol

[kasi]

**** religion. all of them. all they are is a civilized cult
i was born and raised catholic, then when i could think on my own, i realized how all it is is ********

[Eric]

I was born and raised as a buddhist :) Cuz im a chinese. And im not really believing in them. Just follow the tradition

[Zak]

I personally don't see how people can believe in the bible. If half the people took the time to look into the evidence that supports christianity to be a load of bull hicky, I'm sure they wouldn't believe.

However! The bible gives a good set of rules to live by and adhere to, and a calming feeling, that if you ever need God. He will be there. Also a lot of great stories & the feeling of acceptance. (I feel the church are less likely to judge an individual)

I am respectful of other people's views. They have the right to believe in what they want to believe, despite how strong my views are against it.

[GommeInc]

I personally don't see how people can believe in the bible. If half the people took the time to look into the evidence that supports christianity to be a load of bull hicky, I'm sure they wouldn't believe.

However! The bible gives a good set of rules to live by and adhere to, and a calming feeling, that if you ever need God. He will be there. Also a lot of great stories & the feeling of acceptance. (I feel the church are less likely to judge an individual)

I am respectful of other people's views. They have the right to believe in what they want to believe, despite how strong my views are against it.
The bit in bold is not advisable in my opinion. People end up deluding themselves with false comfort, when physical bodies like people - friends and family - are of more use. That said, the Bible and some texts that originate from Christianity are pretty interesting to read and are quite uplifting. The Giddeon Bible is one example I can think of which incorporates religious text and categorises them into type e.g. mourning, excitement, happiness etc.

[Zak]

The bit in bold is not advisable in my opinion. People end up deluding themselves with false comfort, when physical bodies like people - friends and family - are of more use. That said, the Bible and some texts that originate from Christianity are pretty interesting to read and are quite uplifting. The Giddeon Bible is one example I can think of which incorporates religious text and categorises them into type e.g. mourning, excitement, happiness etc.

Totally agree! My mum always said to me though the reason she believes is.. when her and her ex-husband got divorced, she felt God was there for her. I did tell her though that she was making herself feel better by believing someone was there for her :P

[Narnat,]

I'm very open minded and I think thats a good thing to be.