God doesn't intervene, except when he does.
I'm glad pennared stopped by to bring some much needed levity.
I'm glad pennared stopped by to bring some much needed levity.
Religion, what's the point?
- Thread starter TheRedFlag
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran are here to talk about a frustrating 2 points dropped at Crystal Palace. They then discuss the regeneration of Old Trafford. Finally, Nik is joined by special guest Michael Statham from the Football Oranje podcast - who gives us a more in depth look at our EL opposition FC Twente, and then runs through the (many) Dutch connections currently at United.
Can't recall now, this was 5-6 years ago. As a test to prove how ridiculous prayer is, I did a prayer to the sky god and a prayer to the plastic flamingos and only one was answered (flamingos). It wasn't something ridiculous like a cure for aids or money. If memory serves, it was along the lines of praying for a friend and a family member in a job search or whatnot. Granted, my variables were probably flawed, nonetheless, prayer is stupid. Pray/wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which fills up first.
Hundreds if not thousands of people pray for world peace daily. Gods still getting round to that. He's got to make sure Kanye West gets a few more Grammys first. Priorities and that. Plus there are some actors who deserve some more shiny trinkets and back slapping for their incredibly worthy job of reading pretend things in an interesting way. The starving can bloody well wait.
I dont know where to put this but since it relates to islam and this is the religion thread then I'll stick it in here.
Tribal leaders are pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi as the next Caliph of Islam. If all this goes to plan the Khilafah will rise and you can bet that thousands of Muslims will go to syria to also pledge allegiance. The people who have pledged say that he is the caliph but the people who haven't say they havent heard a thing about it.
This is all very interesting.
Tribal leaders are pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi as the next Caliph of Islam. If all this goes to plan the Khilafah will rise and you can bet that thousands of Muslims will go to syria to also pledge allegiance. The people who have pledged say that he is the caliph but the people who haven't say they havent heard a thing about it.
This is all very interesting.
This reeks of a set up to create another "atheist turns believer" story. Either way, sky god helped this "atheist heroin addict" but ignores the cries and pleas of thousands. Makes sense.
http://www.faithit.com/atheist-heroin-addict-gets-schooled-on-power-of-prayer/
http://www.faithit.com/atheist-heroin-addict-gets-schooled-on-power-of-prayer/
Just goes to show that you'd have to be on pretty hard drugs to believe this shit.
Sad stuff. Happened a few miles from where I reside. http://www.christianpost.com/news/p...as-congregation-family-waited-for-him-108608/
Pastor Who Confessed: There Are Times 'I Don't Feel Like God Is Hearing Me' Kills Self as Congregation, Family Wait for Him on Sunday
The comments are fantastic per usual.
Pastor Who Confessed: There Are Times 'I Don't Feel Like God Is Hearing Me' Kills Self as Congregation, Family Wait for Him on Sunday
The comments are fantastic per usual.
A former coworker posted this religious tripe in regards to the typhoon hitting his native land. Typical religious apologetic crap. Can't understand how people do not look at what they write and realize just how crappy their God is.
"The Bible never guarantees a life free from suffering. But the dark moments of our life last only as long as necessary for God to accomplish His purposes. The Lord uses trials, difficulty, and pain to equip us for more effective service to Him. As you and I continue to trust and obey Him, God uses hardship to develop the character of Christ within us."
"The Bible never guarantees a life free from suffering. But the dark moments of our life last only as long as necessary for God to accomplish His purposes. The Lord uses trials, difficulty, and pain to equip us for more effective service to Him. As you and I continue to trust and obey Him, God uses hardship to develop the character of Christ within us."
Just long enough for wind and waves to knock over your house and kill your family. It's all rosy after that. Probably.
If you ignore the likes of typhoid, cholera etc that tend to follow flooding.
insert Hubert Farnsworth.gif
Does David Barton knowingly lie or is he really a believer in his research and work?
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-i-am-very-scary-people-who-have-secular-worldview
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/conte...-can-sneak-christian-indoctrination-classroom
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barton-i-am-very-scary-people-who-have-secular-worldview
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/conte...-can-sneak-christian-indoctrination-classroom
Turns out the poor man had mental health problems and had suffered a number of bereavements.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/p...ng-medication-had-physical-challenges-108683/
Is it more ridiculous than thinking the god who you've been slandering would accept your prayer? lol, you man make me laugh at times.
So this god rejects me then. What a great god to worship. Holds grudges. So loving of him.
Ponder me this... Imagine a ten-year old boy who believes and loves his God, attends Sunday school like a good christian/jewish/catholic/muslim/etc. boy should. But each night his stepfather beats him and/or sodomizes him yet God never answers his prayers for that to stop. This is not a selfish prayer like asking for money or a new job or a lost scarf.
I've used this scenario a few times. I'm both amazed and appalled at the responses. Nonsense like, "God works in mysterious ways," and, "Everything happens for a reason." Apologetic tripe like, "The father will eventually be arrested and that proves God answered the boy's prayers."
The most devout of believers often pray for altruistic things, such as protection for those who are suffering. If god is this petty little creature that religion presents to us, why does he not reward those who believe most?
we are in the final stage, where belief is doubted and where one day it will become a crime to believe in god
after that will come judgement day and the cycle will start again from 100% purity to 0% purity and so on until god sees fit..
after that will come judgement day and the cycle will start again from 100% purity to 0% purity and so on until god sees fit..
Crikey.
yes, i'm still trying to get my head round it aswell 
Damn, I did not read a single word. Why would you even think that I would read something that long.
you are so annoying
That's the dumbest thing I've read today. The world is currently a better place to live in than at any point in human history.
Yet you replied... strange. You can pray for me if you like.
I can't figure out if he/she was being serious or sarcastic.
Well, given most religion's obsession with doom scenarios, I wouldn't be surprised if he genuinely believed that.
Out of interest, why? There's no shortage of human suffering for you to choose from, if you insist on repeatedly making that argument. It seems purposely specific, to me.
It hits most people deep inside, shocks the core of a person because many have kids and children are innocent and protected.
Another is, "Why doesn't god heal amputees?" He supposedly answers other prayers but never has given an amputee a regenerated arm (and prosthetics do not count, are a creation of man's wisdom, and not all amputees get/can afford them). Salamanders can regenerate limbs but god didn't see fit to equip this genetic trait with all creatures.
It does shock people but I don't think that's productive. It's an example of suffering that we have an irrational reaction to. By which I mean, I think most of us find it harder to take that children get abused by those charged with their care than we do that children die of malnutrition, despite the reality that malnutrition causes much more global suffering.
The amputee example is I think something it's easier to react rationally to.
I'm not sure if debating what causes the most human suffering is a real criticism of his point.
Disease, famine, poverty are other examples used and I have heard/read plenty of apologetic responses too.
I'm criticising the example.
It's a perfectly fine example to use when dealing with people indoctrinated into believing some mythical sky god has caused miracles throughout time. Where is this loving god when a child is being beaten, sodomized, starving to death, whatever variable desired. The extremity of the variable does not matter. We're already dealing with extremism from the other side. One cannot get more extreme than claiming others will go to hell or that "God works in mysterious ways."
peoples replies make me laugh, i wonder sometimes who is on more of a mission
Just as a tip, when you equate belief in god to purity, expect to be called out for idiocy.
I think the hole prayer as some sort of order form thing is mainly down to manipulation at some stage along the line.
There's massive growing evidence that practicing things like meditation & mindfulness have a physiological effect and can help reduce a whole range of psychological (and sometimes physical) ailments.There's a good chance that people who take time out to pray could experience some of the same benefits (obviously there are religious forms of meditation too).
Praying for the lotto numbers is obviously bullshit though, again appealing to mans search for purose and meaning 'it can't all just be random, that would mean I'm not special!'
I wouldn't deny that it can have benefits, but they're all illusionary in one way or another. It's certainly true that praying can be beneficial to a person's state of mind, providing they think praying works. If you do then even the act of praying itself feels like you're doing something to help, or making a difference. Thing is, you're benefitting from a psychological consequence of your views on praying, and not the actual praying. Which is doing absolutely nothing in the intended way. It's no different to any superstition. Which can become a sort of form of OCD.
If you think picking your nose with your big toe 4 times before breakfast will keep Lions out of your garage, then doing it will make you feel better.
It all comes down to how much you value truth over ignorant bliss, and vice versa.
If you think picking your nose with your big toe 4 times before breakfast will keep Lions out of your garage, then doing it will make you feel better.
It all comes down to how much you value truth over ignorant bliss, and vice versa.
Yep I agree with you. Praying is mainly just paying lip service, rattling off words, half of which you don't even know, or begging for something.
I'm not sure about the big man in the sky... I think that's all bollocks as its presented.... I do like to believe that the original idea of religion was just people trying to figure out how best to live their lives.. then the money men got involved.
I think religion is bullshit, organised religion at least, but that's not to say that there are elements and practices, now bound under the label of being 'religious', and which will be abandoned along with it (I think the catholic church has about 20 - 25 years of relevence left in western europe) which can actually have a point. If someone feels better as a result, who really cares whether they're meditating thinking of being judged by a man on a cloud or just focusing on their breathing.
The risk we run is that we abandon everything ever associated with religion simply because its associated with religion.
I'm not sure about the big man in the sky... I think that's all bollocks as its presented.... I do like to believe that the original idea of religion was just people trying to figure out how best to live their lives.. then the money men got involved.
I think religion is bullshit, organised religion at least, but that's not to say that there are elements and practices, now bound under the label of being 'religious', and which will be abandoned along with it (I think the catholic church has about 20 - 25 years of relevence left in western europe) which can actually have a point. If someone feels better as a result, who really cares whether they're meditating thinking of being judged by a man on a cloud or just focusing on their breathing.
The risk we run is that we abandon everything ever associated with religion simply because its associated with religion.