Never trust a big brother religion

[tomspug]

There's a difference between a religion that gives counsel and one that controls your life.

For example, should you trust your religion if it tells you not to listen or to dialog with others, especially people whom are considered "enemies"? Should you trust your religion if it gives itself the responsibility of your personal well-being and safety?

Maybe we like having a big brother/mother hen religion that takes care of us. It's a very popular format for cults too! Your every need is met as long as you stick to the rules, otherwise YOU become the enemy... I think that one of the greatest evils in the world can certainly refer to itself as a "religion", because it convinces people that it is GOOD to harm others, even themselves, because the religion itself becomes the greater good.

 

[Runewolf1973]

Sounds like Christianity. That's exactly what early Christians did. They killed, destroyed, and tortured other people because they thought their God was the only true God. All others were evil and should be destroyed. Even today there are so many Christians that believe they are "saved" and all the other people who don't believe in their faith are going to Hell. Rubbish! I hate religions like that. But I don't like religion in general. It causes more separation and conflict than it resolves. To me, Christianity is one of the greatest of all cults and it's followers worship and believe in the false deities and idols of God, Satan, and the Cross. The bible speaks of more bloodshed and destruction than any other book I know of, yet considers it to be all in the name of what is "good". It creates more evil than it destroys.

But that is just my opinion.

 

[3.14]

a desire to feel safe is used to protect religion against evidence

 

[Breathe]

Sounds like Christianity. That's exactly what early Christians did. They killed, destroyed, and tortured other people because they thought their God was the only true God. All others were evil and should be destroyed. Even today there are so many Christians that believe they are "saved" and all the other people who don't believe in their faith are going to Hell. Rubbish! I hate religions like that. But I don't like religion in general. It causes more separation and conflict than it resolves. To me, Christianity is the greatest of all cults and it's followers worship and believe in the false deities and idols of God, Satan, and the Cross. The bible speaks of more bloodshed and destruction than any other book I know of, yet considers it to be all in the name of what is "good". It creates more evil than it destroys.

But that is just my opinion.

All of this could easily of been Islam.
However, the greatest of all cults as you so kindly put a reference to a legitimate, ancient, organized religion, to me, would easily be Islam. Islam even controls your banking, and your pets, what you wear, and who salaams the other party first. Islam's scriptures talk of "the Fire" a lot, even more so than Christianity.

You have a lot of anger in your heart, by the way. I noticed that. Someone needs a hug.

 

[AstralAkasha]

I get what you mean. I don't like religions that restrict and disapprove of more than they allow and encourage. I don't think God, in whatever form, wanted for us to be like robots.

 

[Breathe]

I get what you mean. I don't like religions that restrict and disapprove of more than they allow and encourage. I don't think God, in whatever form, wanted for us to be like robots.

That definitely deserves an amen

I also believe God loves diversity.

 

[Runewolf1973]

All of this could easily of been Islam.
However, the greatest of all cults as you so kindly put a reference to a legitimate, ancient, organized religion, to me, would easily be Islam. Islam even controls your banking, and your pets, what you wear, and who salaams the other party first. Islam's scriptures talk of "the Fire" a lot, even more so than Christianity.

You have a lot of anger in your heart, by the way. I noticed that. Someone needs a hug.

Well, thanks for the hug!

Perhaps I do have a lot of anger inside of me, but it comes more from my mind than it does from my heart. Anger is a state of "mind". I can't blame myself for disliking certain things. It is only human to have likes and dislikes and anger. It is one of the things I'm working on. I'm trying to be less human, really. Sometimes we just need to let a little "demon" out before we begin to see our lighter side. You might be right about Islam though, I don't really know. I think my beef is more with just organized religion in general. It is too much like politics and I hate politics! Too many "leaders" seeking world conversion and domination. I am more incline towards a personal journey and a connection with nature. If humans were more like animals, we would not know anger or hatred, or even religion for that matter. We would be living in balance. The human mind is what perceives difference and causes dissension. We are all the same.

We all have a dark side. It is the human mind. We all have one.

 

[Runewolf1973]

That definitely deserves an amen

I also believe God loves diversity.

I also like diversity. But organized religions seem to want to wipe that out. I kinda liked the old gods and the old ways. They were more interesting. I don't like religions were every natural human tendency is turned into a sin. The "seven deadly sins" are not sins, they are simply human nature.

Hail Odin!!!!

 

[Falvlun]

If humans were more like animals, we would not know anger or hatred, or even religion for that matter. We would be living in balance. The human mind is what perceives difference and causes dissension. We are all the same.

We all have a dark side. It is the human mind. We all have one.

But if we were more like the animals, then that would not be natural. The human mind, which you seem to hold in such high disdain, is as natural a part of us as our fingernails. Should the cheetah give up his speed to be more like the turtle? What purpose does it serve to revile an evolutionary gift?

 

[Falvlun]

There's a difference between a religion that gives counsel and one that controls your life.

Could you give an example of a religion that just gives counsel? I am thinking, and I don't think there is a non-controlling religion. Certainly, there are degrees of how controlling a religion may be, but when it comes down to it, isn't that the point of religion? Religion is about controlling human actions, whether it be something as obvious as dietary restrictions, or something less apparent, like encouraging meditation (and thereby changing the way one thinks).

 

[Runewolf1973]

But if we were more like the animals, then that would not be natural. The human mind, which you seem to hold in such high disdain, is as natural a part of us as our fingernails. Should the cheetah give up his speed to be more like the turtle? What purpose does it serve to revile an evolutionary gift?

Sorry, that's not what I meant. I do think the human mind is a gift, but most of us don't know how to use it very wisely. We must learn to control our "gift", not abuse it. We should respect that gift. It is natural. Evil is a manipulation of that gift.

 

[Falvlun]

Sorry, that's not what I meant. I do think the human mind is a gift, but most of us don't know how to use it very wisely. We must learn to control our "gift", not abuse it. We should respect that gift. It is natural. Evil is a manipulation of that gift.

Ok, agreed.

I was wondering if I was misinterpreting you since it didn't seem to flow with other things I've seen you post.

 

[Runewolf1973]

Ok, agreed.

I was wondering if I was misinterpreting you since it didn't seem to flow with other things I've seen you post.

That's okay! Sometimes I don't even understand myself.

 

[Jordan St. Francis]

Runeworlf

Sounds like Christianity. That's exactly what early Christians did. They killed, destroyed, and tortured other people because they thought their God was the only true God. All others were evil and should be destroyed. Even today there are so many Christians that believe they are "saved" and all the other people who don't believe in their faith are going to Hell. Rubbish! I hate religions like that. But I don't like religion in general. It causes more separation and conflict than it resolves. To me, Christianity is one of the greatest of all cults and it's followers worship and believe in the false deities and idols of God, Satan, and the Cross. The bible speaks of more bloodshed and destruction than any other book I know of, yet considers it to be all in the name of what is "good". It creates more evil than it destroys.

Odd...because I remember the early Christians being killed, destroyed and tortured because they confessed their God as the only true God.

What period of Christian history are you talking about?

 

[Runewolf1973]

Runeworlf


Odd...because I remember the early Christians being killed, destroyed and tortured because they confessed their God as the only true God.

What period of Christian history are you talking about?

The period of history which you obviously chose to forget about. I know, a lot of Christians like to forget about their dark past. There was one. Did the Crusaders carry that cross just as a lucky charm or did it actually mean something to them? I understand a lot of innocent people were killed and murdered because they did not wish to convert to Christianity. Perhaps the early Christians that were killed because they professed their God was the only true God, should have known better. It was their own self-righteousness that killed them.

 

[doppelganger]

My rule is to never trust anyone claiming to have authority over how I should interpret my spiritual experiences. They never know what the hell they're talking about . . . and always have an ulterior motive.

 

[Father Heathen]

I think attempting to meddle in government is a telltale sign of a big brother religion.

 

[Father Heathen]

My rule is to never trust anyone claiming to have authority over how I should interpret my spiritual experiences. They never know what the hell they're talking about . . . and always have an ulterior motive.

Yep. Does any god that may be really need interpreters and middlemen?

 

[doppelganger]

I think attempting to meddle in government is a telltale sign of a big brother religion.

Yes it is. Thomas Jefferson wrote a great letter explaining how religions that meddle in government do so because they really don't take the truth of their "Divine" message seriously enough to let it spread by means of reason and persuasion and instead try to seize control of the powers of the state to spread it by despotic force. If any one is interested, I'll link it.

 

[doppelganger]

D'oh! It was from his "Notes on the State of Virginia" (and this is extremely applicable to the abortion debate thread as well):

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself. Subject opinion to coercion: whom will you make your inquisitors? Fallible men; men governed by bad passions, by private as well as public reasons. And why subject it to coercion? To produce uniformity. But is uniformity of opinion desireable? No more than of face and stature. Introduce the bed of Procrustes then, and as there is danger that the large men may beat the small, make us all of a size, by lopping the former and stretching the latter.

Difference of opinion is advantageous in religion. The several sects perform the office of a Censor morum over each other. Is uniformity attainable? Millions of innocent men, women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burnt, tortured, fined, imprisoned; yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity. What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites. To support roguery and error all over the earth. Let us reflect that it is inhabited by a thousand millions of people. That these profess probably a thousand different systems of religion. That ours is but one of that thousand. That if there be but one right, and ours that one, we should wish to see the 999 wandering sects gathered into the fold of truth. But against such a majority we cannot effect this by force. Reason and persuasion are the only practicable instruments. To make way for these, free enquiry must be indulged; and how can we wish others to indulge it while we refuse it ourselves.