Started By: Solon -- (Moderated) -- Started: 7/16/2000 10:45:52 PM
The anthropomorphic God(s) depicted and portrayed in our history/mythologies has prevented the human race from advancing to a higher level of being. This God is murderous and sadistic. He tortures without hesitation--physically, mentally, and emotionally. He is intolerant to everyone but his own, and even there he is mercurial, capricious, inconstant, and violent. He evaluates all matters in accordance with his feelings, and gives no heed to objective values or ideas.
Some follow this God literally, and use him to determine and to justify their own actions. Thus, we see His most ardent followers displaying intolerance, hate, jealousy, spitefulness, insecurity, and other attributes of evil and of weakness.
It is for this reason that I ask: Should God be replaced? Is it time for a new CEO? Is it time to discover a God based on acceptance and love...rather than on fear? Can the human race advance beyond the killing fields, while it yet mires itself in emulating the evil traits of its many anthropomorphic Gods?
For me, worship is honoring and respecting the greatness and the goodness beyond my knowledge. It is acknowledging the common bonds that unite humans on this fragile and dark side of mystery. For me, God IS that which IS ultimate greatness and goodness--not some crippled beast. I would never worship a beast in heaven, that I would avoid like the plague on planet Earth. Would you?
Addendum: This thread is now moderated, so the previous addendum is superceded by FAQ's.
1). Does this thread favor any one religion?
NO. Actually, the thread begins with the scientific perspective that there is ONE rationality that best conforms to objective life, and that there are infinite Gods and religions that rely on superstition and fictional stories. This is not to say that the idea of a Supreme Being need be rejected out of hand.
But a rational person understands that all these myths began because people had no explanation for ANYTHING: not the thunder, not the lightning, not the rain--not anything at all. They came to believe that if something moved (such as a branch or a leaf) it had a “spirit” in it (well—how else could it move!).
So, no. Religion is treated as a curiosity and an interesting phenomenon here. To modern and open-minded people the texts of religious dogma are transparent enough.
2). Why do you attack Christian religion, in particular?
I don’t. I point out that it is a product of primitive, immoral, and savage tribes—no different than the Navaho, Cherokee, Shintos, or any other “the people”. On a western web-site this religion is represented above others and it is one that I am most familiar with. But other and all religions are equally welcome to be discussed here. When I discuss Christianity or any other religion, I quote directly from whatever dogmatic texts have survived through the centuries and I quote the opinions of others as well as my own fair comment.
3). Are insults allowed here?
Of course! This is not a nunnery! Violations of the TOU are (of course) not allowed. But sarcasm, mockery, and other pillars of free speech are healthy and necessary in such a controversial environment. What is not allowed are defamatory attacks on others where false statements are made regarding their lawfulness in society. Thus, attributing criminal acts to another unless it is clearly jocular is ugly and mean-spirited and outside the scope of fair comment or polemic.
4). Will I be "banned" for expressing my viewpoints or for advocating positions or beliefs?
Certainly not! I was actually banned from a thread for asking the moderator to show some respect! Such people have fragile egos and are simply using their thread to control the beliefs of others. NOT HERE.
I hope never to need to ban ANYONE here--even temporarily. That is the job of SI Admin. However, at least one individual on this thread took to using defamatory statements wherein he associated lawful citizens (self included) with Nazi Death Squads and murderous activities. He could not see "any difference" between what Nazi Death Squads did....and the lawful support of citizens in voicing their support for the law of the land re: abortion. Out of an abundance of latitude, I have STILL NOT banned him. However, such suggestions of criminality are over the line of argument and will not be tolerated.
I am not saying that fanatics are not permitted their opinion; only that they need to rein in their tongues when it comes to certain legal limitations on free speech and fair comment.
(note; This is posted to preserve this current version before the next revision erases it) |
