On Religion

[SCHIZO]

All religion seems pretentious to me. Every participant in any particular faith seems to exagerate their importance and the importance of the knowledge that their faith proclaims. Of any religion, only its participants are supposedly granted the benefits and rewards by the faith's central focus (eg. a deity). All outsiders who do not adhere to the faith are refused the benefits and rewards.

All religions are the same. You have a (path) you must follow in order to receive a reward after death. If there are so many different religions to follow, all professing the same principle what is the point of following any? They differ in so many ways on the path to receive that reward, yet none is profound. Its all wine I tell you. People get drunk off of wine. People get drunk off of religion.

But I just find it pretentious, every faith and denomination--that every particular one of them would expressly leave out everybody else from reward and benefit just to magnify their own importance. It's a valid point. Every single faith proclaims that if you do not have this faith you are in some sort of trouble. From Islam to Buddhism to Christianity. It is a good philosophical question, Why does every religion exclude reward and benefit from those that do not share faith?

 

[Awoon]

My ISING religion is all inclusive ISINg beings.

Faith isnt needed. You be ISING you be being.

 

[SCHIZO]

My ISING religion is all inclusive ISINg beings.

Faith isnt needed. You be ISING you be being.

What is ISING? Is that personal?

 

[fallingblood]

All religion seems pretentious to me. Every participant in any particular faith seems to exagerate their importance and the importance of the knowledge that their faith proclaims. Of any religion, only its participants are supposedly granted the benefits and rewards by the faith's central focus (eg. a deity). All outsiders who do not adhere to the faith are refused the benefits and rewards.

Way to over generalizing here. I know a number of Christians, myself included, who do not claim that only the followers of a particular form of idea get the "benefits and rewards."

I know even more people who say that people can follow whatever they want, and as long as they live good lives, they will still be rewarded. Basically, you are looking at a minority idea, and assuming it goes for everyone, which just isn't true.

All religions are the same. You have a (path) you must follow in order to receive a reward after death. If there are so many different religions to follow, all professing the same principle what is the point of following any? They differ in so many ways on the path to receive that reward, yet none is profound. Its all wine I tell you. People get drunk off of wine. People get drunk off of religion.

Again, not true. Various religions allow for many paths, or many ways. And it doesn't matter which one you follow, or which religion you follow.

Not even all claim that there is reward after death. Again, you are being way to overly broad here.

But I just find it pretentious, every faith and denomination--that every particular one of them would expressly leave out everybody else from reward and benefit just to magnify their own importance. It's a valid point. Every single faith proclaims that if you do not have this faith you are in some sort of trouble. From Islam to Buddhism to Christianity. It is a good philosophical question, Why does every religion exclude reward and benefit from those that do not share faith?

I find it pretentious that you would make such a sweeping generalization without actually knowing anything about a plethora of different religions.

Before making such a sweeping generalization, it would do if you actually studied those other religions.

 

[Quagmire]

All religion seems pretentious to me. Every participant in any particular faith seems to exagerate their importance and the importance of the knowledge that their faith proclaims. Of any religion, only its participants are supposedly granted the benefits and rewards by the faith's central focus (eg. a deity). All outsiders who do not adhere to the faith are refused the benefits and rewards.

*[So anyway, a man who's only exposure to any kind of literature amounted to the back issues of Readers Digest he found laying around his dentists reception room walks into a library, grabs a footrest and moves it to the center of the main reading room, stand up on it and starts delivering a speech]:

Man "What are all these books doing here? And why are there so many people here reading all those books? I mean, come on people!: they're all basically the same."...

All religions are the same. You have a (path) you must follow in order to receive a reward after death. If there are so many different religions to follow, all professing the same principle what is the point of following any? They differ in so many ways on the path to receive that reward, yet none is profound. Its all wine I tell you. People get drunk off of wine. People get drunk off of religion.

..."I mean they're all full of these sticky-sweet human interest stories and a lot of old, corny jokes and and thinly veiled conservative-Rockwellian propaganda...."

But I just find it pretentious, every faith and denomination--that every particular one of them would expressly leave out everybody else from reward and benefit just to magnify their own importance. It's a valid point. Every single faith proclaims that if you do not have this faith you are in some sort of trouble. From Islam to Buddhism to Christianity. It is a good philosophical question, Why does every religion exclude reward and benefit from those that do not share faith?

..."You're all wasting your time!!"

*[Librarian walks up to man] Librarian: "Eh, sir? I can see your experience with literature has been a bit...limited. Since you're here anyway, why not actually look through some of our books. I'm sure you'll find that only a very small percentage of books are anything like what you were just describing. Why, there's every kind of book imaginable here covering any topic or perspective you could possibly think of...."

(waits to see what happens next)

 

[Riverwolf]

All religion seems pretentious to me. Every participant in any particular faith seems to exagerate their importance and the importance of the knowledge that their faith proclaims. Of any religion, only its participants are supposedly granted the benefits and rewards by the faith's central focus (eg. a deity). All outsiders who do not adhere to the faith are refused the benefits and rewards.

Not all of them do that.

All religions are the same. You have a (path) you must follow in order to receive a reward after death.

What about the religions that teach no reward?

If there are so many different religions to follow, all professing the same principle what is the point of following any? They differ in so many ways on the path to receive that reward, yet none is profound. Its all wine I tell you. People get drunk off of wine. People get drunk off of religion.

That's funny. Some Hindu Scriptures use the image of drinking alcohol to describe reading the text, and the image of inebriation to describe the results. ^_^

But I just find it pretentious, every faith and denomination--that every particular one of them would expressly leave out everybody else from reward and benefit just to magnify their own importance. It's a valid point. Every single faith proclaims that if you do not have this faith you are in some sort of trouble. From Islam to Buddhism to Christianity. It is a good philosophical question, Why does every religion exclude reward and benefit from those that do not share faith?

Not all of them do. Not sure where you got the idea that because the mainstream versions of the major ones do, that ALL of them do.

 

[zuluniner]

Way to over generalizing here. I know a number of Christians, myself included, who do not claim that only the followers of a particular form of idea get the "benefits and rewards."

s.

if this is true, then you contradict your scriptures. and yes, the vast majority of christians on the planet believe that THE ONLY way is through jesus christ as noted in scripture. extremely liberal christians like you, who claim that ALL roads lead to rome are extremely few.

 

[SCHIZO]

Way to over generalizing here. I know a number of Christians, myself included, who do not claim that only the followers of a particular form of idea get the "benefits and rewards."

I know even more people who say that people can follow whatever they want, and as long as they live good lives, they will still be rewarded. Basically, you are looking at a minority idea, and assuming it goes for everyone, which just isn't true.
Again, not true. Various religions allow for many paths, or many ways. And it doesn't matter which one you follow, or which religion you follow.

Not even all claim that there is reward after death. Again, you are being way to overly broad here.
I find it pretentious that you would make such a sweeping generalization without actually knowing anything about a plethora of different religions.

Before making such a sweeping generalization, it would do if you actually studied those other religions.

You're telling me that it is not found in the tenets of faith that you either believe in that particular faith or suffer the consequence? Examples: If you do not follow Buddha you will not escape the cycles of reincarnation. If you you do not follow the Qaran you will not live in paradise. If you do not follow Christ you cannot get into Heaven.

So as long as I lead a good life I will be rewarded? Is this idea from religious principle? What if I lead a bad life, am I excluded? Who gets to judge whether I led a good life or not? Is it the religious view that judges?

You're Christian, do you think I get eternal life without Christ? Who needs him, right? What if I told you I spend my days blaspheming the Holy Ghost, do I still get my reward? Remember, no one who blasphemies the Holy Ghost is forgiven.

I'm being discreet, What religions do you think I am talking about?

 

[Riverwolf]

You're telling me that it is not found in the tenets of faith that you either believe in that particular faith or suffer the consequence? Examples: If you do not follow Buddha you will not escape the cycles of reincarnation. If you you do not follow the Qaran you will not live in paradise. If you do not follow Christ you cannot get into Heaven.

So as long as I lead a good life I will be rewarded? Is this idea from religious principle?

Many teach that this is so.

BTW, what do you mean by "following the Buddha?" Here's a hint: I'm not strictly a Buddhist, but I acknowledge the four noble truths.

 

[SCHIZO]

*[So anyway, a man who's only exposure to any kind of literature amounted to the back issues of Readers Digest he found laying around his dentists reception room walks into a library, grabs a footrest and moves it to the center of the main reading room, stand up on it and starts delivering a speech]:

Man "What are all these books doing here? And why are there so many people here reading all those books? I mean, come on people!: they're all basically the same."...



..."I mean they're all full of these sticky-sweet human interest stories and a lot of old, corny jokes and and thinly veiled conservative-Rockwellian propaganda...."



..."You're all wasting your time!!"

*[Librarian walks up to man] Librarian: "Eh, sir? I can see your experience with literature has been a bit...limited. Since you're here anyway, why not actually look through some of our books. I'm sure you'll find that only a very small percentage of books are anything like what you were just describing. Why, there's every kind of book imaginable here covering any topic or perspective you could possibly think of...."

(waits to see what happens next)

A child looks at a book and says, Wow. A wise man looks at a book and says, A useless piece of garbage.

 

[Quagmire]

A child looks at a book and says, Wow. A wise man looks at a book and says, A useless piece of garbage.

Since you didn't specify the book, I assume you consider any book a "useless piece of garbage"? And you consider this wise?

Not a surprise.

 

[Riverwolf]

A child looks at a book and says, Wow. A wise man looks at a book and says, A useless piece of garbage.

No.

While the truly wise would have no use for books, he/she would recognize the usefulness of books for those who have not achieved that wisdom, yet.

 

[SCHIZO]

Not all of them do that.



What about the religions that teach no reward?



That's funny. Some Hindu Scriptures use the image of drinking alcohol to describe reading the text, and the image of inebriation to describe the results. ^_^



Not all of them do. Not sure where you got the idea that because the mainstream versions of the major ones do, that ALL of them do.

I'm talking about the major religions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Budhism...and all the denominations that stem from each faith. I was just being discreet, hoping not to offend anyone or offend everyone. I'm quite aware that religion comes in many forms. But the same principle fits all of them, My faith is the right one and outsiders are apart from us with certain consequences.

 

[SCHIZO]

if this is true, then you contradict your scriptures. and yes, the vast majority of christians on the planet believe that THE ONLY way is through jesus christ as noted in scripture. extremely liberal christians like you, who claim that ALL roads lead to rome are extremely few.

excellent point.

 

[SCHIZO]

Many teach that this is so.

BTW, what do you mean by "following the Buddha?" Here's a hint: I'm not strictly a Buddhist, but I acknowledge the four noble truths.

By "following the Buddha" I mean following the Buddhist Scriptures and ways.

What about people that lead a bad life? Is there anything in your heart that you can give them?

 

[SCHIZO]

Since you didn't specify the book, I assume you consider any book a "useless piece of garbage"? And you consider this wise?

Not a surprise.

There are searches for knowledge outside of books. What is wiser than knowing that none of it matters? Its all based on personal taste. What's so enlightening about picking up a book and reading some words? Am I supposed to be struck with awe because I found some useless knowledge? It's personal taste if you like to read. It's not something that is required to have wisdom.

 

[SCHIZO]

No.

While the truly wise would have no use for books, he/she would recognize the usefulness of books for those who have not achieved that wisdom, yet.

I would base wisdom off of experience rather than a collection of useless knowledge.

One becomes wise through living not book reading.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

But I just find it pretentious, every faith and denomination--that every particular one of them would expressly leave out everybody else from reward and benefit just to magnify their own importance. It's a valid point. Every single faith proclaims that if you do not have this faith you are in some sort of trouble. From Islam to Buddhism to Christianity. It is a good philosophical question, Why does every religion exclude reward and benefit from those that do not share faith?

What was Noah's 'own importance'?
Noah, according to 2nd Peter [2v5], was a preacher of righteousness.
In other words, the people were warned in advance they could be in trouble.
Bottom line apparently they excluded themselves because they did not want to give up their violent ways.
-Genesis [6v11] 2nd Timothy [3vs1-5,13].

What is the 'own importance' of the humble sheep of Matthew [25v32,37]?
Doesn't Jesus, as shepherd, judge the people of verse 32 on the basis of how they have treated his earthly 'brothers' of verse 40 ?

Notice the reason why Jesus would exclude reward or benefit to any at Isaiah 11vs3-5. Because of wickedness. The wicked or those of violent ways do Not only Not share faith [Jesus new commandment of John 13 vs34,35] they are enemies against such faith.

Please notice: Nobody is left out to magnify their own importance at Ezekiel [3 vs18-21; 33v11] because both the wicked and the righteous [everybody] is to be warned before the action of Revelation [19 vs11,15] is taken.
That is why the good news of God's kingdom is being proclaimed on a global or world-wide scale as it is being done today- Matthew 24v14.

 

[Riverwolf]

By "following the Buddha" I mean following the Buddhist Scriptures and ways.

What about people that lead a bad life? Is there anything in your heart that you can give them?

Krishna freely liberated the people who tried to kill him.

 

[Riverwolf]

I would base wisdom off of experience rather than a collection of useless knowledge.

One becomes wise through living not book reading.

Books provide a good baseline for living, and can also record experience-earned wisdom.

You speak of "useless knowledge." But there's very little knowledge that cannot be put to good use, if used correctly.