What are your religious beliefs?

[smashingpimp01]

Any religion following the bible has the same view. It's not like i'm making it up. I'm following something that is written in a book that I follow my life by. The only one attacking people here is you. I'm not trying to prevent anything. I'm not voting against gay rights r anything like that. I don't treat gay people like the plague. I've had friends and co-workers that were gay. You're making me out to be a monster because I follow the bible. So yes, i'm calling you the biggot

[controlthebleeding]

Personally i think the bible is pretty messed up in it's descriptions. it's written by man, and transcribed by man. it's full of errors and can be construed any way a person sees it. Transcribers took words that meant something different at the time written and transcribed it for what it means now, giving it a totally different meaning. which i find fascinating but also very dangerous. people can construe it the wrong way.

smashingpimp: what do you think of slavery then. I do know there are very concise texts about slavery and how there isn't anything wrong with it. it is not frowned upon in the new testament. It's taken as just a part of society. I remember reading about how people would use the scriptures to actually prove that god was ok with it, therefore it was right. I'm not making a jab or anything, but since you follow the new testament, i wanted to get insight.

[smashingpimp01]

Personally i think the bible is pretty messed up in it's descriptions. it's written by man, and transcribed by man. it's full of errors and can be construed any way a person sees it. Transcribers took words that meant something different at the time written and transcribed it for what it means now, giving it a totally different meaning. which i find fascinating but also very dangerous. people can construe it the wrong way.

smashingpimp: what do you think of slavery then. I do know there are very concise texts about slavery and how there isn't anything wrong with it. it is not frowned upon in the new testament. It's taken as just a part of society. I remember reading about how people would use the scriptures to actually prove that god was ok with it, therefore it was right. I'm not making a jab or anything, but since you follow the new testament, i wanted to get insight.

I really am not sure. I know we are against slavery but I would like to find the exact reasoning for you. All I can say off the top of my mind is that slavery was different IN SOME INSTANCES back then. You could buy yourself out and tings of that nature. Such a terrible ass answer at the moment but i'll look into it if you really are interested.

[lokithelion]

Personally i think the bible is pretty messed up in it's descriptions. it's written by man, and transcribed by man. it's full of errors and can be construed any way a person sees it. Transcribers took words that meant something different at the time written and transcribed it for what it means now, giving it a totally different meaning. which i find fascinating but also very dangerous. people can construe it the wrong way.

smashingpimp: what do you think of slavery then. I do know there are very concise texts about slavery and how there isn't anything wrong with it. it is not frowned upon in the new testament. It's taken as just a part of society. I remember reading about how people would use the scriptures to actually prove that god was ok with it, therefore it was right. I'm not making a jab or anything, but since you follow the new testament, i wanted to get insight.

I really am not sure. I know we are against slavery but I would like to find the exact reasoning for you. All I can say off the top of my mind is that slavery was different IN SOME INSTANCES back then. You could buy yourself out and tings of that nature. Such a terrible ass answer at the moment but i'll look into it if you really are interested.

a guy named smashingpimp who has never read the bible apparently is defending the worst parts of the bible to a bunch of atheists. if this was saturday i'd have pop corn.

[philsandwich]

who knew there were so many rhodes scholars posting on this board?

[smashingpimp01]

never read the bible? lol come on dude. I will admit the worst parts of the bible to atheists though

[smashingpimp01]

i now i feel like i really must explain the screen name. I've had this name since I was like 12 or 13. My favorite 2 bands were the Smashing Pumpkins and the Sneaker Pimps. Both are SP so it was either smashingimp or sneakerpumpkins. It's a stupid name I know but it made sense back in 98 lol

[controlthebleeding]

i just find it odd that you are against it, but you follow what the new testament teaches. that's why i wanted to know what you thought. to tell you the truth slavery is slavery.. they were suppose to be submissive and they were told not to take what god preaches to pertain to their forced slavery. There are many references in 1peter, 1tim, and a few others off the top of my bead) that condone this. it's not subject to interpretation either. it's plain as day. no room for interpretation. That's why it's kinda hard to me to believe people when they say there is no pick and chose. The bible was written in time of primitive age by primative people. Surely it would be better to "pick n chose" as there are a lot of good messages, but being against homosexuality but against slavery as well clearly makes you hypocritical. Again i'm trying to be as honest and straight forward as possible and with little insult as possible. Just it doesn't make sense how you believe in one and not the other.

[AlexH.]

I've had friends and co-workers that were gay.

The trump card!

[benchwarmer]

for the record, I like sneakerpumpkins better

[cj]

it seems like a collective effort to bust this guys balls.

i hope everybody isnt trying to run him off the board. i havent read everything yet, but it seems like a good thing that he's at least trying to answer questions/better explain himself.

[cj]

i'm an agnostic, but i have a question for everybody who is athiest:

i notice most athiests that i know go into great detail as to why they are athiest and why its the only logical choice. most enjoy letting people know they are athiest and then explain a lot of the misconceptions about being an athiest.

to me it is the same thing as somebody who is catholic and likes to let people know, and explains all the reasons why its great to be catholic and chastises people who dont follow their belief system.

[cj]

and i also think this is a stupid thread which was only started to get people bickering back and forth in a never ending argument

[controlthebleeding]

it seems like a collective effort to bust this guys balls.

i hope everybody isnt trying to run him off the board. i havent read everything yet, but it seems like a good thing that he's at least trying to answer questions/better explain himself.

well it's not like he has 1000 posts yet..

[mcm1610]

i believe that homosexuality is wrong. It's my religious belief based on the bible

I would call this uncivilized. And no, it's not taking place thousands of years ago. MCM, I don't get you. You are focusing on the wrong points of of my original thoughts. The wording may be slightly off, but the point is loud and clear. You agree with me that creationism is fairy tale right? Why didn't you answer my question about what happened to those other ancient gods? A Christian god or fuckin American Indian god or Mayan god is all the same. Someone would have to be less evolved than me to think up that garbage, let alone still follow it blindly today!!!! This guy (smashing pimp) is following something written in a book by people that were highly delusional...maybe unintelligent isn't the word....how about psychotic.

Jesus!(no pun intended)

Where do I start with all the inconsistency in these fuckin religions?

I read the bible and you know what? I was highly offended that it was so fantastical. Noah's Ark, Adam and Eve, NOTW??

What the fuck is that?

Now I'm getting angry.

It's all make believe.

You wrote off the entire history of civilization as a bunch of idiots because they followed some religion, now you're just ranting like a lunatic. I get your idea, and I agree with its' core, but your extrapolation isn't logical to me so I stated that I disagreed there. Because people don't believe in certain gods anymore doesn't mean their civilizations weren't intelligent, civilized, and whatever else you said. I just can't follow you on that leap.

If you can calmly, like an intelligent being, explain your logical steps, maybe I can see it, but you're a little high-strung here for some reason.

[mcm1610]

And you read the WHOLE Bible?

[rocknroll76]

And you read the WHOLE Bible?

Yes.

[kurtz]

Any religion following the bible has the same view.

This is not true. You seem to be coming from a very fundamentalist viewpoint. There are plenty of churches out there that don't believe the bible is an inerrant document. The beliefs of those who do believe this and those who do not can vary greatly.

[AsleepOnRocks]

I suggest anyone that hasn't read this book read it. For Atheists, it's a great reaffirmation of your beliefs, for Agnostics, it may just swing you to the "dark" side, and for Christians, it's a great test of your faith.

[riddle350]

good book

[steventangent]

Wow.

I tend to be curious about why people believe the things they believe, why they adopt certain thought processes. I love picking people's brains about things; sometimes this comes off as a challenge, and I have immense respect for the kind of people that explain themselves well, who aren't offended by my asking or even my polite dissent. It shows that they are sincere in their faith, whatever that may be, and more often than not, that is something to be respected.

I grew up in a military fambly, and Jehovah's Witnesses do not serve in the military. So I really didn't know anybody of that faith closely enough that I could pick their brains about it until relatively recently, when a girl I work with told me she was a Witness. And I ask her questions; that's how I learn about shit. Sometimes she reveals certain ways of thinking that I had never considered.

All told, what I've learned about Witnesses is that they are sincere, humble, and pious. They are not a threat to anyone, least of all the LBGT community. The LAST thing they are trying to do is hold back anyone's civil rights or discriminate against anyone. Despite homosexuality being wrong in their teachings, they are not the kind of people who try to force this on anyone, nor would a landlord of that faith refuse to rent an apartment to a gay couple, or would a Witness refuse to hire someone based on that or any other criteria.

It's a little bit meanspirited to ask the dude all this questions in an abusive manner. It speaks volumes (to back up what I'm saying) that he hasn't backed down from this discussion, or taken offense to what anyone has said, but instead has offered to find answers to the kinds of questions being asked. All told, I think it seems exactly in character with what the other few Witnesses I've ever talked to have done. It seems a little unfair to expect him to have every answer and to 100% understand every little thing about his faith - EVERY faith requires a lifetime of devotion and study, and even then some of them don't quite get it. BUT, from what I understand, that won't stop him from trying, no matter how much of a dick some of you are trying to make him out to be.

All that being said? I don't share their belief system. In fact, I think that the MOST unfortunate thing that comes out of all this is that I've known it to damage a few family relationships, one of which being my boss's with her in-laws. SOME of them, apparently will no longer closely associate with family members that do not share their beliefs.

On another note :

People cling to their atheism as a way to understand the world and all existence the same as anyone in any religion. And those that do it with hubris are no better than anyone else, no matter how refined they consider their thinking, or how barbaric they think everyone else's beliefs are.

Lastly :

Is voting a religion to some of you? Goddamn. I am ALL ABOUT being well-informed and participatory. But holy shit. To imply someone that doesn't vote is irresponsible seems kind of militant.

I won't go into the importance (or lack thereof) regarding voting here. It doesn't seem germane to the discussion at hand. I will say that busting someone's balls for not voting when their religion says not to, is just as shitty as criticizing ANY religious person for doing what they believe in, when it isn't necessarily hurting you. Would you interrupt a Muslim coworker while they are praying toward Mecca? Would you break the little handle off of a Jewish kids dreidel?

It's funny how people who otherwise buy into a politically correct version of cultural relativism, or would normally try to seem polite and open-minded, suddenly abandon that when they consider it acceptable because they view something as a challenge or abhorrent to their own beliefs.

[jimmythescumbag]

^ Good post.

[Guest markovianprocess]

Time to throw a spanner in the works!

It turns out there is no straightforward relationship between atheism and education. Discuss.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20527506.100-where-do-atheists-come-from.html?full=true

Importantly, whatever you choose to believe, that should not make you think that you know better or think less of someone else for thinking in a different way.

[controlthebleeding]

smashingpimp: steve is right. you sir, no matter what your beliefs and how i may disagree with them, have not succumb to outlandish insults and what not. no fuck you's etc etc. i'm really surprised you kept your cool. you're alright in my book.

[suburbanargyle]

All you people dumping on SmashingPimp are stuck in the minor leagues. To make it to the big leagues, take yourselves over to the PPMB and start a religious conversation with Cliffy Huntington. It will make your head spin like a top!