Sunday: do you believe in Jesus? Do you love Jesus? Do you trust Jesus?

[symyjym]

And there we could remove the social aspect of religion from the positive practicality of spirituality.

But on a side note we generally only see things that support our current views.
My church is doing a lot of work with the homeless and refugees, of course it is a matter of debate and your upbringing whether you would consider this to be 'good'.

Funny you should say this because if it wasn't for George Bush and Blair and their belief in doing God's work, there wouldn't be any refugees anyway.

 

[Stoo82]

Very true. Religion is man-made to control and exert power over the population.

I think you are correct. But not quite in the sinister way you mean. The rise of Christianity in Europe coincides with the fall of any central power. The Church took over from the Roman Empire. Like ISIS if you like.

It wasn't until national central government really took hold. England with the reformation, and the 18th and 19th century European revolutions, thus establishing stable (ish) modern, central governments, did the Church's power ever diminish.

 

[sir albion]

There is plenty of evidence that says the man Jesus existed. Whether he was the son of god is another matter of course. And evidence would suggest that it is highly unlikely.

Really!!!!
Who created Jesus then?

 

[Titanic]

Funny you should say this because if it wasn't for George Bush and Blair and their belief in doing God's work, there wouldn't be any refugees anyway.

Is Putin religious too?

 

[Titanic]

Is Putin religious too?

A quick Google search would suggest, rather interestingly, that he underwent a conversion from being an avowed Atheist to the Russian Orthodox church.

 

[symyjym]

Is Putin religious too?

I've never heard him use God in his rhetoric.

What are you implying?

 

[ThePompousPaladin]

Funny you should say this because if it wasn't for George Bush and Blair and their belief in doing God's work, there wouldn't be any refugees anyway.

Really? I thought they just used it as an excuse, like the sociopaths they are...

 

[Stoo82]

How do you mean?

It wasn't an immaculate conception. I think he was a man, born in the normal way, that had a lot of ideas about how to treat each other. People followed him, much like they followed Plato and others in Greece 500 years before, spreading their philosophy. Somewhere down the line, 4th century AD, Rome converted (a very loose conversion, and just because the emperor did didn't mean the population did also).

 

[symyjym]

Really? I thought they just used it as an excuse, like the sociopaths they are...

I suspect that if someone is in a powerful position they may well believe that God is looking down on them. People can be Christian and have mental health issues. However I don't see any outrage in the Christian community for a war being carried out by our leaders in God's name. It's all a bit too silent considering it was an insult to the Christian faith.

If someone tells you that they are Christian, there is no way of telling if they are genuine or if they are seeking to manipulate to gain an advantage, and quite possibly they could be genuine in their faith and also out to manipulate.

 

[goldstone68]

JESUS SAVES ,
but Bobby Zamora scores on the rebound.

 

[symyjym]

JESUS SAVES ,
but Bobby Zamora scores on the rebound.

https://youtu.be/cNNQ3hD3nV8

 

[Coldeanseagull]

http://www.northstandchat.com/showt...-amp-Hove-fish-n-chip-shops-rated-on-Buzzfeed

Good link, but wrong sort of chippy. I'm not totally sure but I don't think the bearded and sandelled one served up fried offerings with the couple of fish he had

 

[ThePompousPaladin]

I suspect that if someone is in a powerful position they may well believe that God is looking down on them. People can be Christian and have mental health issues. However I don't see any outrage in the Christian community for a war being carried out by our leaders in God's name. It's all a bit too silent considering it was an insult to the Christian faith.

If someone tells you that they are Christian, there is no way of telling if they are genuine or if they are seeking to manipulate to gain an advantage, and quite possibly they could be genuine in their faith and also out to manipulate.

Yes agreed, to an extent.

Of course you wouldn't see any outrage from christians unless you looked for it, which you obviously havn't, the internet is full of it.

I assume we both think however, that the war was originally for the oil.

One of the issues with religion and politics in a country like ours is that the establishment religion is generally right wing. There are many flavours to choose from however, the methodists for example are generally left wing.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

"Live and let live" is, of course, a fine sentiment. How can any reasonable person have a problem with someone holding benign religious beliefs, however strange and illogical those beliefs may seem to the rest of us.

However, when any religion's imperative turns into "Live and kill all unbelievers", then everyone else has a serious problem. The only answer then can be to challenge the systematic brainwashing that has produced such a pitiless, murderous philosophy.

A good place to start would be those so-called faith schools, many of which pollute impressionable minds with a grotesquely distorted view of humanity and of the world in which we all live. In our flawed yet still liberal democracy, we owe it to all our children to develop an inquisitive, rational approach to learning, and to life, that will detect and instinctively reject any attempt at malignant religious brainwashing.

This is the reason I resigned from the labour party a long time ago, when Mr Tony decided all faith schools deserved a taxpayer subsidy. As I said in my resignation rant, the model for a predominance of faith schools is Northern Ireland (or Ulster, take yer preference). I go no reply (fancy that). By all means invent a religion and set up a school, but get your adherents to pay for it, puh-leeze!

 

[sir albion]

How do you mean?

It wasn't an immaculate conception. I think he was a man, born in the normal way, that had a lot of ideas about how to treat each other. People followed him, much like they followed Plato and others in Greece 500 years before, spreading their philosophy. Somewhere down the line, 4th century AD, Rome converted (a very loose conversion, and just because the emperor did didn't mean the population did also).

Yeah he probably popped out a silverbacks ares*hole or something like that.

 

[symyjym]

Yes agreed, to an extent.

Of course you wouldn't see any outrage from christians unless you looked for it, which you obviously havn't, the internet is full of it.

I assume we both think however, that the war was originally for the oil.

One of the issues with religion and politics in a country like ours is that the establishment religion is generally right wing. There are many flavours to choose from however, the methodists for example are generally left wing.

When I say Christians I really meant official statements from different church organisations regarding discontent over Blair and Bush using God's name for the purpose of going to war.

Agree it was for the oil as far as Bush was concerned but I'm not sure what Blairs motivation was.

Apparently George Bush is methodist.

 

[ThePompousPaladin]

When I say Christians I really meant official statements from different church organisations regarding discontent over Blair and Bush using God's name for the purpose of going to war.

Agree it was for the oil as far as Bush was concerned but I'm not sure what Blairs motivation was.

Apparently George Bush is methodist.

There were official statements, from the vatican,world council of churches, archbishops of canterbury plus many many many others, but as said we tend to see things to conform to our world views.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opposition_to_the_Iraq_War#Religious_opposition

I never realised Bush was a methodist, apparently he joined his wife's church from the episcopals. Not a group i know much about, although Martin luther King was one of their leaders for a time. He was a loony too, all that dreaming!
My comment was directed towards this country though. The methodists over here were instrumental in the beginnings of the trade union movement, tolpuddle martyrs etc. Trade unions may have a reputation now, but back then they stopped the peasants starving...

On a side note, when i heard that Blair had prayed for guidance on the invasion i signed up to the humanist society that evening.

 

[AlbionPics&SouthCoastTwit]

I believe in, love and trust this footballer Jesus.

 

[AlbionPics&SouthCoastTwit]

There were official statements, from the vatican,world council of churches, archbishops of canterbury plus many many many others, but as said we tend to see things to conform to our world views.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opposition_to_the_Iraq_War#Religious_opposition

I never realised Bush was a methodist, apparently he joined his wife's church from the episcopals. Not a group i know much about, although Martin luther King was one of their leaders for a time. He was a loony too, all that dreaming!
My comment was directed towards this country though. The methodists over here were instrumental in the beginnings of the trade union movement, tolpuddle martyrs etc. Trade unions may have a reputation now, but back then they stopped the peasants starving...

On a side note, when i heard that Blair had prayed for guidance on the invasion i signed up to the humanist society that evening.

George Bush actually lives in Dallas (at least part of the time) near Southern Methodist University and one of the largest methodist churches in the Dallas area.

http://www.hpumc.org/about-us/our-history/

 

[Juan Albion]

It wasn't an immaculate conception.

Did anyone ever say it was? "Immaculate conception" refers to the conception of Mary in her mother's womb, according to Catholic teaching. It's a common mistake to think it refers to Jesus. It is nothing to do with the virgin birth story.