just ask any members at the very top of any religious organisation
like Pope Leo X. He revealed to the world papal knowledge of the Vatican's false presentation of Jesus Christ( actual prophet called Jmmanuel) and unashamedly exposed the puerile nature of the Christian religion
At a lavish Good Friday banquet in the Vatican in 1514, Pope Leo is recorded as saying:
"How well we know what a profitable superstition this fable of Christ has been for us and our predecessors."
the current head of Scientogy, David Miscavige,
, was actually Hubbards ex Camera operator who won the struggle to head the organisation from Hubbard's wife after he died in 86
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:01, Reply)
I'm not anti-religion, I'm anti-people using religion to take advantage of weaker people.
I've been told that quakerism is a cult before, but never by anyone that has done any real research on the subject. They're generally getting quakers confused with Amish anyway. At least quakers make their beliefs known and don't charge any money for them.
There aren't any members at the top of the organisation. Or we all are, depends on which way you look at it. Nobody has 'control' over anyone else. We all have influence over each other.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quakerism if you're interested.
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:15, Reply)
any thing that claims to have the absolute truth and to be followed with faith without question is a dangerous thing
as it eliminates doubt - elimination of doubt and vagueness leads to beliving you hold the absolute truth, which means all those that don't adhere to it are wrong
this is the thinking of all fundamentalism and the thinking of the Nazis
I can sum up all religious thinking in 2 lines:
"everything in this book is true,
because the book says it is"
no other aspect of life is subjected to this level of absurdity
i'm not religious but I am spiritual
religion is about giving up personal responsibilty (not the opposite as most argue) through a structured set of coda (created by others), spirituality is about embracing it, unfortuanatley its the harder path which is why most people choose the religious one (I would class some forms of scientific 'faith' as this too)
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:25, Reply)
bring up religion. it will never end well in a discussion and some one will be insulted. im happy with people telling me their views and opions, but not on my door step or when im in the street and they come up to me and start waving booklets and leaflets into my face.
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:34, Reply)
belive they are right and you are wrong - without any doubt in their minds
.
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:40, Reply)
That's generally what annoys me about so many religious debates - people are usually arguing the same point, just with some small caveat that the other person won't agree with.
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:43, Reply)
I think all religions have a lot they could learn from each other if people could just forget their egos for a few minutes.
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:42, Reply)
the derivative of Mythralism and sun worship (Sun of God)
did you know there were 17 dieties before the christ myth who were crucified for our sins and rose again?
rose again and celebrated in the time of year the sun rises in the northern hemisphere again after winter - also Dec 23 - a new Sun is born
the symbol of the cross is the ancient symbol of the sun
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:50, Reply)
I don't believe in a higher power as such. I believe we've all got something inside of us that we haven't been able to properly explain yet.
I don't believe in an afterlife.
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:57, Reply)
are you 100% sure ther isn't an afterlife? or the survival of some essence?
Im not 100% sure of anything
although it could be said there is only 1 thing any of us can be sure of
'awareness of being aware'
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:58, Reply)
That doesn't mean I can't have an opinion on the subject.
Like I said earlier, it is important to always question things. No-one will have an answer until they die, and then they might not be around to discover it.
I'm sorry if you think I'm saying you should believe what I do.
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 14:04, Reply)
but that sounds kinda interesting
research time!
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 16:54, Reply)
There is no absolute truth. Everything is open for debate, and we're all still learning. It's called continuous revelation.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuous_revelation#Friends_.28Quakers.29
It's all about listening to your inner voice. Call it your soul, call it that little guy inside of you, call it your internal dialogue, call it your conscience, call it god, whatever. We all have something.
Some religions are about giving up responsibility, others are about taking responsibility and asking questions.
(, Tue 15 May 2007, 13:38, Reply)