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What Religion Do You Practice/Not Practice and Why?

What Religion Do You Practice/Not Practice and Why?


  • Total voters
    131

Chthonic

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Jun 18, 2014
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Ive recently taken up buddhist practice because I am woefully undisciplined in the mind and prone to anxiety and unsettling thughts. Buddhism offers practical solutions to that. I also like the fact its a living practice that is easily proved or disproved by the individual. It either works for you or it doesn't. There is no faith in deities that may or may not exist etc or belief in doctrines that determine if you go to heaven or hell.

Its much like any martial art, a slow process of conditioning and training that [should] result in a stronger mental state.
 

Mole

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Most of us believe God created the universe. This makes God omnipotent or close to it. This means that God has absolute power, such as the power of life or death over each of us. And absolute power we know corrupts absolutely.

So an omnipotent God has always been the model for those who want absolute power over us, such as Kings, Dictators, Totalitarian Parties and Religions.

So God validates absolute power.

And if we reject absolute power, we are wise to reject God.

The dirty secret of God is absolute power and those who want absolute power over us.
 

Avocado

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Ive recently taken up buddhist practice because I am woefully undisciplined in the mind and prone to anxiety and unsettling thughts. Buddhism offers practical solutions to that. I also like the fact its a living practice that is easily proved or disproved by the individual. It either works for you or it doesn't. There is no faith in deities that may or may not exist etc or belief in doctrines that determine if you go to heaven or hell.

Its much like any martial art, a slow process of conditioning and training that [should] result in a stronger mental state.

Hence why I dabble.
 

Evee

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Most of us believe God created the universe. This makes God omnipotent or close to it. This means that God has absolute power, such as the power of life or death over each of us. And absolute power we know corrupts absolutely.

So an omnipotent God has always been the model for those who want absolute power over us, such as Kings, Dictators, Totalitarian Parties and Religions.

So God validates absolute power.

And if we reject absolute power, we are wise to reject God.

The dirty secret of God is absolute power and those who want absolute power over us.

What are your thoughts on pantheism, Mole?
 

Mole

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Evee

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Mole

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Little Portly

Ah, perfect reply. I should have suspected. :doh:

Well played.

Actually I would prefer you read the text of the chapter The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, let it seep into you, and imaginatively meet the Piper with Ratty and me, not to mention the most important person, Little Portly. After all, Little Portly is why we are here.

And then let me know how it has affected you.

- Mole.

RSVP.
 

sprinkles

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I'm a chaote, discordian, and animist. I also fiddle with Zen, dabble in Shinto and take vacations in Taoism. I'm an experimenter and pseudoscientist (as well as legit scientist some times) and I experiment with conjuration and alchemy using my own paradigms, but I still keep separate the hard science from my more crazy stuff.
 

Totenkindly

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Most of us believe God created the universe. This makes God omnipotent or close to it. This means that God has absolute power, such as the power of life or death over each of us. And absolute power we know corrupts absolutely.

So an omnipotent God has always been the model for those who want absolute power over us, such as Kings, Dictators, Totalitarian Parties and Religions.

So God validates absolute power.

And if we reject absolute power, we are wise to reject God.

The dirty secret of God is absolute power and those who want absolute power over us.

I think the distinction that people have typically made is that humans in absolute power are stepping beyond their reach as human beings (humans cannot handle absolute power without being corrupted), whereas "God" to whom absolute power already belongs is of course suited for it. In fact, the puny humans are stealing the power that rightfully belongs to god, much as prometheus stole the fire of the gods to give to man, which resulted in much progress but much destruction. It never belonged to us by the rule of nature, and we're prone to being corrupted and ruined by it.
 

sprinkles

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Most of us believe God created the universe. This makes God omnipotent or close to it. This means that God has absolute power, such as the power of life or death over each of us. And absolute power we know corrupts absolutely.

So an omnipotent God has always been the model for those who want absolute power over us, such as Kings, Dictators, Totalitarian Parties and Religions.

So God validates absolute power.

And if we reject absolute power, we are wise to reject God.

The dirty secret of God is absolute power and those who want absolute power over us.

Absolute POWER does not corrupt. Think of taking care of a helpless newborn. Most people naturally have compassion and restraint when in a position of great power.

Power doesn't corrupt. An entourage of ass-kissing followers is what corrupts. That ego trip when everyone bends their knee and bows their head and the king could have any one of them killed for looking at him wrong. That's corruption. But it really isn't power because that's not the king's power, that's the followers' power. They do it to themselves. The king is just a man and a man is easily solved by a blade in the dark. Any nobody in the right position can destroy a king.
 

Mole

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God and Liberal Democracy

I think the distinction that people have typically made is that humans in absolute power are stepping beyond their reach as human beings (humans cannot handle absolute power without being corrupted), whereas "God" to whom absolute power already belongs is of course suited for it. In fact, the puny humans are stealing the power that rightfully belongs to god, much as prometheus stole the fire of the gods to give to man, which resulted in much progress but much destruction. It never belonged to us by the rule of nature, and we're prone to being corrupted and ruined by it.

It is extraordinary to me that our first instinct is to defend God and defame man.

But how natural this is as God himself defames man with Original Sin and Redemption. And how natural for the followers of God to repeat God's defamation over and over again, until it appears to be true.

The love of God is the betrayal of humanity.

The love of God is pusillanimous, lacking in moral courage, ruled by fear in the face of Power.

We are told the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. But like Charlie Ebdo I prefer to live and die on my feet than live and die on my knees.

The absolute power of God is diametrically opposed to liberal democracy. The power God is absolute, while liberal democracy limits power.
 

Coriolis

Si vis pacem, para bellum
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It is extraordinary to me that our first instinct is to defend God and defame man.
Supposedly god created man in his own image (male and female he created them). If so, then we sink or swim together.
 

Mole

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Supposedly god created man in his own image (male and female he created them). If so, then we sink or swim together.

The abusing parent does in fact tend to create their children in their own image. As abused children tend to be abusing.

But what overwhelming vanity of God to want to create us in His own image.

And indeed what pusillanimous fear causes us to want to be in the image of God. Of course we want to be in the image of God to protect us from God's wrath.

Life terrified children we hide behind the image of God, hoping God will forgive us, and stop abusing us, and won't send us to Hell.
 

Coriolis

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The abusing parent does in fact tend to create their children in their own image. As abused children tend to be abusing.

But what overwhelming vanity of God to want to create us in His own image.

And indeed what pusillanimous fear causes us to want to be in the image of God. Of course we want to be in the image of God to protect us from God's wrath.

Life terrified children we hide behind the image of God, hoping God will forgive us, and stop abusing us, and won't send us to Hell.
What of those who turn my quote around and claim that man makes God in his own image?

Does either of us have any choice in the matter?
 

LonestarCowgirl

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Oct 21, 2013
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It is extraordinary to me that our first instinct is to defend God and defame man.

But how natural this is as God himself defames man with Original Sin and Redemption. And how natural for the followers of God to repeat God's defamation over and over again, until it appears to be true.

The love of God is the betrayal of humanity.

The love of God is pusillanimous, lacking in moral courage, ruled by fear in the face of Power.

We are told the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. But like Charlie Ebdo I prefer to live and die on my feet than live and die on my knees.

The absolute power of God is diametrically opposed to liberal democracy. The power God is absolute, while liberal democracy limits power.

The abusing parent does in fact tend to create their children in their own image. As abused children tend to be abusing.

But what overwhelming vanity of God to want to create us in His own image.

And indeed what pusillanimous fear causes us to want to be in the image of God. Of course we want to be in the image of God to protect us from God's wrath.

Life terrified children we hide behind the image of God, hoping God will forgive us, and stop abusing us, and won't send us to Hell.
From the very heart of God that made you is everlasting love (for you). He is the father you have been looking for all your life. Even though you don't know him yet, he knows everything about you (Psalm 139:1). He is familiar with all your ways (Psalm 139:3). Even the number of hairs on your head (Matthew 10:29-31).

Yes, we were made in God's image (Genesis 1:27). In God we live and move and have our being; we are his offspring (Acts 17:28). God knew us even before we were conceived (Jeremiah 1:4-5). And you were not a mistake (Psalm 139:15-16). God knit you together in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13). And brought you forth on the day you were born (Psalm 71:6).

God is not distant and angry; on the contrary, he is the complete expression of love. (1 John 4:16). It is his desire to lavish love on you simply because you are his child and he is your father (1 John 3:1). He is the perfect father (Matthew 5:48).

Mole, God's plan for your future has always been filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11); he loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Seek and you will find; knock and the door will open (Matthew 7:7).
 

Nicodemus

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From the very heart of God that made you is everlasting love (for you). He is the father you have been looking for all your life. Even though you don't know him yet, he knows everything about you (Psalm 139:1). He is familiar with all your ways (Psalm 139:3). Even the number of hairs on your head (Matthew 10:29-31).

Yes, we were made in God's image (Genesis 1:27). In God we live and move and have our being; we are his offspring (Acts 17:28). God knew us even before we were conceived (Jeremiah 1:4-5). And you were not a mistake (Psalm 139:15-16). God knit you together in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13). And brought you forth on the day you were born (Psalm 71:6).

God is not distant and angry; on the contrary, he is the complete expression of love. (1 John 4:16). It is his desire to lavish love on you simply because you are his child and he is your father (1 John 3:1). He is the perfect father (Matthew 5:48).

Mole, God's plan for your future has always been filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11); he loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). Seek and you will find; knock and the door will open (Matthew 7:7).
Do you really think that is going to impress anyone who thinks of the Bible as a collection of fairy tales?
 

Riva

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Jun 26, 2014
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I am an agnostic not entirely an atheist.

I will start believing in god if he (who is all powerful and exsits here and everywhere) proves his existence to me. I am not going to believe in him because someone else believes in him or what has been said or proof given in a book.

Just do it god just do it!

Or your believers can come to your rescue and tell me what i expect is wrong.
 
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