Faith versus religion

[symyjym]

The word faith is a little ambiguous; I have faith in Tony Bloom, but I do not have a religious faith.

The meaning of faith differs if used in a religious context or not.

If you are going to have a major operation it is good to go into it having faith in the surgeon and hospital staff.

Religion is a business and they have to work very hard to market and promote themselves. Even at funerals and memorial services it is a great opportunity for them to advertise to people who do not normally attend Church.

I had to sadly attend a memorial service a few weeks ago, and it was 30% about the person who had passed away and 70% a God Our Savior advert.

What I quietly objected to was that near the end, being told that if you seek Jesus you will be saved. This memorial service had young children in attendance and I thought it was bang out of order to include what I basically feel is a join us or go to eternal hell threat.

 

[pastafarian]

Shhhhh!
Dont tell anyone but apparently Christianity is NOT a religion.

 

[Soulman]

I believe i am an agnostic dyslexic person i lie awake all night wondering if there really is a dog.

 

[Albion Rob]

Ah good, the NSC delusion, haven't seen this for a while.

Countless pages of people with differing views of the world setting out what they believe/don't believe and not comprehending how it can be possible for anyone not to share that view.

 

[Albion Rob]

....

 

[Tubby-McFat-Fuc]

 

[brixtonA23]

Not sure what you mean by a fundamentalist and I would not use that word. I am talking about everyday exchanges with people of different faiths.

I live in a very religious, mixed faith country. A country that will bleep out the word God on the television automatically (try watching films like Bruce Almighty when that happens!).

I own a book shop and get many people of different faiths in there, including Hindu's, Christians and burka wearing Muslims. Not once has a Muslim or Hindu ever said anything to me about their beliefs, or complained that I do not sell enough books on their faith. Christians on the other hand are another story - some complain bitterly about all sorts, from not having enough Bibles on sale to selling Harry Potter or the God Delusion.

We also have a new "church" in the area who aggressively recruit young people to their fold. From my observations, these appear to be mainly teenage girls. They stand on street corners singing and trying to engage with people. I have never seen this with other religions (I am sure it happens somewhere in the world though).

The local rep from the SA Bible Society tells me every time he comes in the shop that there are 100,000 Zulu's in the area all desperate for bibles. Not from my observations there are not - they are desperate for food and a job. I do not have anyone from the local Mosque telling me that there are 100,000 Zulus desperate for the Koran.

Anyway, enough of that. Anyone can have faith - they do not have to be part of an organised religion in order to do so.

I'm sure that you know exactly what fundamentalism means. But thank you for a measured response.

 

[Triggaaar]

You should never attack people who hold a faith, even if you disagree with their ideas, so long as their faith does not affect yourself. But religion seems to engender a doctrine in people that makes it necessary to convert non believers into their way of thinking.

Humans aren't born with faith, they're taught it. While there are those that have faith and don't push it on others, they, by definition, will not be pushing it onto the next generation. So the next generation that learns of faith, learns from the religious nutters that are pushing their beliefs. And they are taught that it is their duty to push it onto others.

It's shocking that in our relatively enlightened era, so many people still believe the nonsense they're taught.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Religion is the most divisive thing ever invented by man.

Did man invent it or was it already part of our hard wiring like so many other things?

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Humans aren't born with faith, they're taught it. While there are those that have faith and don't push it on others, they, by definition, will not be pushing it onto the next generation. So the next generation that learns of faith, learns from the religious nutters that are pushing their beliefs. And they are taught that it is their duty to push it onto others.

It's shocking that in our relatively enlightened era, so many people still believe the nonsense they're taught.

You could say that about people who think their life means anything in the grand scheme of things.

Do you think your life means anything in the grand scheme of things?

 

[Harry H]

We are all a part of God and have our destiny in our own hands.
Do what you want,when you want to.You make your own rules.
Do nothing if that is what you want.
Nothing can affect you unless you give it the power to do so.

 

[Triggaaar]

Do you think your life means anything in the grand scheme of things?

No, of course it doesn't. There are an estimated 70 thousand billion billion stars in the Universe, and I am a spec on one planet that orbits one of those stars.

However, if I did believe it meant something in the grand scheme, that would be my personal belief, not some crap that had been forced on me.

This whole Christianity nonsense started because Mary had sex with someone (maybe Joseph, maybe not) before she was married, and someone in the family didn't want shame to be brought on the family, so they said she was pregnant with the son of god, and no one wanted to argue with him. And 2000 years later, mugs still believe it.

 

[SeagullSongs]

Atheism (noun) - the null hypothesis on the existence of gods, to be discarded only upon reasonable proof to the contrary.

 

[topbanana36]

No, of course it doesn't. There are an estimated 70 thousand billion billion stars in the Universe, and I am a spec on one planet that orbits one of those stars.

However, if I did believe it meant something in the grand scheme, that would be my personal belief, not some crap that had been forced on me.

This whole Christianity nonsense started because Mary had sex with someone (maybe Joseph, maybe not) before she was married, and someone in the family didn't want shame to be brought on the family, so they said she was pregnant with the son of god, and no one wanted to argue with him. And 2000 years later, mugs still believe it.

I think you need to get your history correct, if you read the old testament you will obviously know that Jesus Christ was mentioned a long time before Mary. Its important before you call people mugs it would be advisable to do your research and know something of the topic you intend to slag off.

 

[symyjym]

George Bush claimed he was on a mission from God when he launched the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

"President Bush said to all of us: 'I am driven with a mission from God'. God would tell me, 'George go and fight these terrorists in Afghanistan'. And I did. And then God would tell me 'George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq'. And I did."

Mr Bush went on: "And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me, 'Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East'. And, by God, I'm gonna do it."

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

No, of course it doesn't. There are an estimated 70 thousand billion billion stars in the Universe, and I am a spec on one planet that orbits one of those stars.

However, if I did believe it meant something in the grand scheme, that would be my personal belief, not some crap that had been forced on me.

Plenty of people have beliefs that were not forced upon them. far more brilliant minds than yours or mine have held beliefs in many things unexplainable.

This whole Christianity nonsense started because Mary had sex with someone (maybe Joseph, maybe not) before she was married, and someone in the family didn't want shame to be brought on the family, so they said she was pregnant with the son of god, and no one wanted to argue with him. And 2000 years later, mugs still believe it.

It began a long time before that. In fact that train of thought has in many ways been with homo sapiens since they first appeared.

Many gods, many prophets. It's always been in the human psyche.

 

[brixtonA23]

Humans aren't born with faith, they're taught it. While there are those that have faith and don't push it on others, they, by definition, will not be pushing it onto the next generation. So the next generation that learns of faith, learns from the religious nutters that are pushing their beliefs. And they are taught that it is their duty to push it onto others.

It's shocking that in our relatively enlightened era, so many people still believe the nonsense they're taught.

The OP was concerned with a problematical issue based on faith v religion.

So to use the football analogy once again. If you support Brighton but your son or daughter decides to support another team (bar one of course, because that is plainly a psychiatric issue) you allow them to do so because you allow them that decision. But if you enforce on them that they have to follow Brighton or else, then you are indeed infusing a faith in them that they were not born with.

But shockingly, we are born with the basic instincts to survive, nothing else. The idea of nature v nurture has been discussed for eons and nobody can categorically give an absolute answer. There are a huge amount of people who don't have a faith nor a religion and as one of those I was simply asking why tolerance on all fronts can't be reciprocated. And only because we do live in an enlightened era can I write to this point.

 

[beorhthelm]

I think you need to get your history correct, if you read the old testament you will obviously know that Jesus Christ was mentioned a long time before Mary. Its important before you call people mugs it would be advisable to do your research and know something of the topic you intend to slag off.

i like the irony of your arguement. the old testament is a christian invention post christ to name the old religous text of judaism, and isnt even the same between different christian groups. you haven't actually read the original text yourself, or you'd know that "Jesus Christ" was never mentioned in there, "Christ" is a Greek word from their translations of the Hebrew.

 

[topbanana36]

i like the irony of your arguement. the old testament is a christian invention post christ to name the old religous text of judaism, and isnt even the same between different christian groups. you haven't actually read the original text yourself, or you'd know that "Jesus Christ" was never mentioned in there, "Christ" is a Greek word from their translations of the Hebrew.

Your right about the original Hebrew text and not being fluent in Hebrew course I haven't read it. Confused about the old testament being a Christian invention though since the Torah and the Psalms are used in Judiasm.

 

[dingodan]

Religion = clinging on

Faith = letting go.