Strange parallels in religion...

[xoxoxoBruce]

[Note: I'm not a particularly religous person, I can't really say I accept any of the religion or the one I kinda grew up with. ^_^;; But I do want to know what all the fuss about God & various other deities is all about. So I pick up books on religion from time to time...]

Good move, know thine enemy.
You may not feel that the religious types are your enemy but they feel you are. Your lack of faith and questioning their beliefs, makes you threat that is not tolerated by the "Big 3".
Thanks for the reference and welcome to the Cellar, ashke.

[Troubleshooter]

Religion is real simple:

1) We don't know.
2) We make something up.

The similarities of the religions come from the similarities of the psychological needs of humans.

Religion, weed, and chocolate all effect the brain similarly, that's why people can't give up religion.

[perth]

The God FAQ

Not necessarily on-topic, but I've been dying for an excuse to post this.

[Elspode]

I think the most curious thing about the current state of religious affairs is that, even though we know historically that the current Predominant Religion is based on even older mythologies, it doesn't give Predominant Religion's ahderents enough perspective to stop violating their own religious dogma (i.e., thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife's ass, etc) in order to further that same dogma.

It is all about money and power, pure and simple. Nothing more. True spirituality is an inward experience. It has outward manifestations, sure, but the minute anyone practicing any sort of outward spirituality starts trying to tell *you* what you *must* or *must not* do, run screaming in the other direction...and keep your hand on your wallet.

Originally Posted by Elspode

I think the most curious thing about the current state of religious affairs is that, even though we know historically that the current Predominant Religion is based on even older mythologies, it doesn't give Predominant Religion's ahderents enough perspective to stop violating their own religious dogma (i.e., thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife's ass, etc) in order to further that same dogma.

It is all about money and power, pure and simple. Nothing more. True spirituality is an inward experience. It has outward manifestations, sure, but the minute anyone practicing any sort of outward spirituality starts trying to tell *you* what you *must* or *must not* do, run screaming in the other direction...and keep your hand on your wallet.

Hear! Hear! Religion DOES NOT equal spirituality! George W. Bush is a Christian, but I don't think anyone would call him a spiritual man. Osami Bin Ladin is a Muslim, but he's hardly a spiritual person. Both men are certainly religous, however. The manifestations of religous belief shown by these two men and a multitude of other religous people of all creeds are what has turned me off completely to the idea of organized religion. I attempt to walk a spiritual path which is distinctly my own, and I'd never dream of imposing it of someone else.

[limey]

Originally Posted by Elspode

It is all about money and power, pure and simple. Nothing more. True spirituality is an inward experience. It has outward manifestations, sure, but the minute anyone practicing any sort of outward spirituality starts trying to tell *you* what you *must* or *must not* do, run screaming in the other direction...and keep your hand on your wallet.

I stepped into a Russian church out in the boondockski, that had kept right on doing what it was doing all through the Soviet era, and felt the spirituality ...
I stepped into the newly rebuilt Church of Christ The Saviour in Moscow and smelt only money and power ...

[Catwoman]

Originally Posted by Troubleshooter

Religion is real simple:

1) We don't know.
2) We make something up.

The similarities of the religions come from the similarities of the psychological needs of humans.

Religion, weed, and chocolate all effect the brain similarly, that's why people can't give up religion.

Exactly.

[God]

Originally Posted by Troubleshooter

Religion, weed, and chocolate all effect the brain similarly, that's why people can't give up religion.

Don't forget cable TV. It's a biggie even for me.

[Buddha]

Originally Posted by God

Don't forget cable TV. It's a biggie even for me.

I see you are finally back from your extended vacation on Alpha Centuri. Things have not improved in your absense. Lucifer is responsible for the cable TV thing in case you we're wondering. Me and Krishna tried to talk him out of it, but as You know, there's no reasoning with Satan.

[God]

Originally Posted by Buddha

I see you are finally back from your extended vacation on Alpha Centuri.

As I look around, I'm seriously considering going right back.

Originally Posted by Buddha

Things have not improved in your absense. Lucifer is responsible for the cable TV thing in case you we're wondering.

Hhmm. I thought the Fox channel was responsible for all the bad stuff. They are the ones most mentioned with my name in curses anyway. I'll have Reagan look into that and report back.

Originally Posted by Buddha

Me and Krishna tried to talk him out of it, but as You know, there's no reasoning with Satan.

No reasoning with Satan or the IRS, true.