Religion

gerard_merosh:

ok but i think there would be less. Imagine if we lived in a world that there was no religion. No muslims no discrimination.

People will always find things to fight about and to put other people down about. I don't believe that purging all religion from society would change anything, we would just fight and discriminate over different things.

It's true, wiping out religion completely would not do much for society. People would just find all kinda of other things to desrciminate about others. I honestly think that world peace is impossible for the most part.

it is impossible but i said there would be less discrimination not none. none is impossible.

Well I'm a roman Catholic
I’ve been church ever since I was old enough to remember
And I've been in Roman Catholic education all my life
I've always been around people who believe all my life
And I enjoy celebrating the churches calendar eg. Christmas
I do think religion is needed
It is the basis to society
If there was no religion
There would be no commandment
No laws
No morals
No family value
And society would be all over the place
It offers a lot of comfort to people
Like the elderly or just lonely people
They find solace in God and if religion was to disappear so would all the holidays, tradition and history
I'm not saying I believe with all my heart
I don't
I'm Agnostic
I'm waiting for my faith to strengthen & kick in
Faith I think is a great comfort and I hope I get to experience it at some time
I'm not brain washed
I know what I want and what I believe
But religion is still a big part in my life
But I do think children who are brought up in the faith,
Should get to a age and choose weather they want to follow it any more
I have to wait till I'm 18
It may seem crazy to some but its normal to me

And if you are wondering why there is so much pain and evil in the world it is because God gave us free will to begin with we create the evil, we do evil things and if god was to stop that then we wouldn't have free will

Okay I hope I don't sound all high and mighty because I don't think I'm better then any one or that my religion is the 'right' one. I just get asked that question alot ^^

Oh another question everyone asks me because I'm catholic

No the church does not condemn homosexuality, it openly accepts it. God created everyone in his own image therefore the church accepts homosexuality. Just not the marriage because it is against pro creation


x

CamdenCutie:

Well I'm a roman Catholic
I do think religion is needed
It is the basis to society
If there was no religion
There would be no commandment
No laws
No morals
No family value
And society would be all over the place

Well, that's not entirely true. For many people, religion is not the basis of society. Values and morals, for instance, are not specifically religious. Values and morals are simply a set of beliefs that a person or group of people have in which they have an emotional investment (either for or against something). Values and morals are usually handed down from the parents to the children. They don't have to come from a religion. People that don't believe in god still have values and morals.

Society operates with or without religion. In the earliest of human civilization, there was no religion or system. There was only survival in the hunter gatherer sense. We survived, we created a system of governing ourselves, we appointed leaders, we made laws, we built cities.

CamdenCutie:

if religion was to disappear so would all the holidays, tradition and history

I'd hate to think the basis of my faith is centered around holidays. There is much more to faith than just celebrating on certain days a year. Tradition and history have always existed, regardless of religion. History is simply time recorded. My family has many traditions and we celebrate many holidays that have nothing to do with faith in god. We throw New Years Eve Parties every December 31st simply because it's fun and it's family tradition. My mother-in-law sings a traditional polish birthday song to me every year. It has nothing to do with religion. I won't even go into the fact that most Christian holidays were planned to divert people from going to pagan parties. In essence, many holidays were created out of political reasons by people who were power hungry.

CamdenCutie:

But I do think children who are brought up in the faith,
Should get to a age and choose weather they want to follow it any more

We agree on that point. Faith should always be a choice. You will know when you are ready to choose whether to believe or not to believe and in what.

CamdenCutie:

No the church does not condemn homosexuality, it openly accepts it.

Hmmm. I seem to remember the Catholic church's official standpoint on homosexuality as being immoral. It does teach tolerance, but I'm pretty positive that it does not support homosexual lifestyles.

The church is not against Homosexuality

It is indeed against homo-genital acts because it is not open to pro-creation, where as protestant’s feel it is okay as long as you are in a long term relationship.

I doubt that is the official view point from the Vatican

They accept every one is created in Gods image and therefore is just as beautiful and vital as the next heterosexual or A-sexual being.

CamdenCutie:

The church is not against Homosexuality

It is indeed against homo-genital acts because it is not open to pro-creation, where as protestant’s feel it is okay as long as you are in a long term relationship.

I doubt that is the official view point from the Vatican

They accept every one is created in Gods image and therefore is just as beautiful and vital as the next heterosexual or A-sexual being.

I remember several Churches condemning homosexuality. Mainly the Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church.
I remember several priests, Presbyterian ministers and other various religious Protestant leaders protesting outside City Hall when Civil Partnerships were made legal over here.
Their reasoning for the protest was that it "went against God's creation" and was "immoral and wrong to indulge in".
I guess that means they are against homosexuality.

Nope it is official church doctoring trust I go catholic and its been hammered into me. I know what I’m talking about I passed RE with an A*.

Just because the church states they are not against it doesn’t mean all the priest will back their opinion.

Eg.

It would be like say everyone is just going to agree with the new smoking ban in England. Just because the government passed the law it doesn't mean everyone is going to be happy about it.

And one of the bishops in England is openly gay and he is Catholic.

CamdenCutie:

It is indeed against homo-genital acts because it is not open to pro-creation, where as protestant’s feel it is okay as long as you are in a long term relationship.

Exactly. They accept gay people, but not homosexuality. Homosexuality is by definition two people of the same gender having sex, which the church does not accept, or having sexual desires towards the same gender, which the Church sees as a sin, and therefore does not accept. So yes, the Church is against homosexuality. They just wouldn't shun gay people for being gay, because everybody sins (well, officially. I know some parishes do their best to keep gay people out). But they don't believe it's okay to be homosexual; just like it's not okay to steal or murder or take the Lord's name in vain or any other sins.

Though not all Protestant churches accept homosexuality. The Episcopalians do, but I don't know that any other denomination does.

Indeed the church does accept homosexual people but you are right in saying they do not accept homo-genital acts. Just for the simple reason as it is against creation. Two men or two women can not have a baby naturally.

And according to the gospel sex can only find its true expression through a committed marriage. As homosexual people can not marry, they should not converse in homo-genital acts

Not a view held by me personally, I think if two people are in love they should be able to express themselves in whatever way they choose, its just the church's opinion. Just like pre-martial sex is wrong in there eyes.

CamdenCutie:

Just for the simple reason as it is against creation.

I'm sorry to insult anybody's religion or beliefs, but how do we know that Earth was actually "created"?
What about theories like the Big Bang?
Surely they are just as plausable as an entity of unknown origin creating the world and everything in it.

And you see the problem?
Those who don't believe the earth was created by a God will say that is a stupid reason for being against homosexual acts because the world wasn't creted, so it doesn't go against creation.


I know it's a rather stupid arguement, but I have heard it argued several times with different groups of Christians.

I meant creation as in pro-create

Like having children.

Homosexual people can not do this naturally and therefore are not open to it.

CamdenCutie:

I meant creation as in pro-create

Like having children.

Homosexual people can not do this naturally and therefore are not open to it.

Ah, okay sorry.
I thought you mean the actual creation.

Fair point, though.

I am Jewish, born and raised =D

But, personally, I believe that whatever a person believes in is true for them.

For example, if you believe in spirits or "ghosts", and you believe that they can harm you, then they are real, and they can harm you. But if another person dosen't believe in them, then they are not real for that person.
Or, I saw in an earlier post, a girl said that she was afraid to go to hell because of all the bad things that will happen to you. Well, I believe that because she believes that, if she did something truly terrible (or what she thinks is terrible), then she would go to a hell where bad things happen to you.
But, other people I know believe that (and I am pretty sure that this is what the Bible says as well) that hell is giant lake of fire where G-d throws your spirit in and it is forever gone (no torture or anything). So, whoever believes in that, that is what happens to them if they go to hell.
I myself don't believe in hell, so, in my beliefes, I wouldn't go to a hell. Of course, this does not mean that I do bad things.

...yeah. you get my picture (hopefully) lol =D

((p.s. sorry for my bad spelling...it is really really late...or early, however you want to look at it....and my spelling is not so good when I'm NOT tired....you can just forget how bad it is when I am tired T-T))

Today my ex-best friend was trying to convert me over MSN. Honestly, I was very offended. She was telling me that I was wrong (I'm apathetic agnostic--the belief that one cannot prove or disprove the existence of deity/s but does not think it pertains to human affairs) and that I should believe her religion because it is "the ONLY right one" and that I would go to hell and that believing isn't that hard if I would "open my heart to God." I just kept telling her that I was happy for her that she had her religion and beliefs, but I was happy the way I am. She wouldn't leave me alone, and I was really uncomfortable. I don't mind Christians UNLESS they are trying to convert me. I'm happy in my beliefs (or lack thereof).

^^^^^^I used to be Catholic, but after a certain event, it got me questioning everything, so now I'm Agnostic. I agree with you, I don't mind Christians or any oher religion, but if they start preaching to me or trying to convert me, I'll just walk away and ignore them.

Ok, I'm a Christian, but I dont care if you have different religious views and opinions than I do.
I believe if I can make the decision to be a Christian, then others should have the same right. It really ticks me off when others make you feel like crap because you dont agree with them.
And no, I dont care if you're gay/bi,have sex with someone before marriage, and if people make fun of others for it, I get REALLY
mad at them and do all I can to make them shutup!
so yeah...