Stingray24
Proud member of the vast right-wing conspiracy
+1,060|6869|The Land of Scott Walker
Post #104

Spearhead wrote:

You can tell their nutty when fellow Christians say "Hey, we have nothing to do with that guy over there..."
Stingray24
Proud member of the vast right-wing conspiracy
+1,060|6869|The Land of Scott Walker
Post #115

Marconius wrote:

Would people even believe had they not been indoctrinated from an early age?  My family tried to raise me as a good roman catholic, but I always found everything I had to do ridiculous and always found mass to be a big waste of time (from a really early age). 

I realized I wasn't feeling anything special when performing the actions of catholic ritual, I was only doing what others told me to do, trying to feel what others were telling me to feel.  It was all like a huge game of pretend, and it's a game that everyone still plays.  I dropped out of doing anything related to catholicism when I was around 12, when I started reading other sources and fully understanding what the faith entailed.  I started thinking for myself, rather than just accepting what the priests and my religious teachers were telling us.

I don't think anyone can be "saved" by a belief unless they are told over and over again that it will happen to them by their parents during their most impressionable years.  Faith and belief shouldn't be taught, they should be left to arrive as "god wills it."
Many adults choose to convert quite late in life with no Christian upbringing at all.  True faith is not contained in rituals, I share your feelings that they’re a huge waste of time.  Thinking for yourself, rather than just accepting what a priest/minister/religious teacher tells you is good.  Comparing teaching with what the Bible says is a must for any person seeking the truth.  I asked many tough questions in my teenage years and early 20s and didn’t receive satisfactory answers, so I studied on my own – reading and listening to many teachers and taking their views with a grain of salt.  Prayers to God to help me understand were an important part of my studies then and now. 

I am glad my parents took me to church every week.  I learned a lot and it gave me a base of knowledge which enabled me to make my faith my own, not just what my parents believed.  Today I hold beliefs that are quite different than my parents on quite a few issues.  In my opinion, children should be instructed from an early age and the choice left to them when it comes to faith and belief.  Those two things cannot truly be forced, but would just be actions performed on the outside, as you mentioned.
Stingray24
Proud member of the vast right-wing conspiracy
+1,060|6869|The Land of Scott Walker
Post #134

Luzer wrote:

Stingray I like the post. I came to the forums for an answer to a question about BF2S and fell upon your post. I registered here just to reply.

I am an atheist. This will come accross offensive but I think people that are religious are simply uneducated.

Oganized religion is truly dissapointing and burdens science and technology. I'd like to think that the early christian intensions were good but its just big business and poltics now. For someone to stand proud of thier incompetence makes me sad, ill, and very dissapointed.

The worship a higher power came at a time thousands of years ago when human brains really started to develop and when man realized that one day he will die.
As simple as it may sound it is the fear of death. The religions/beliefs man have merely out of survival and self preservation.
Thanks, man.  Pay no attention to ATGs grammar check post.  

No offense taken, thanks for registering to reply and for posting your views honestly.  Some of us who are religious are uneducated and have not studied other views which challenge our own.  Standing on beliefs that we just believe without knowing why is very sad and disappointing.  When I encounter that mindset in other Christians it frustrates me to no end.  At the same time, I am not the brain trust of Christianity and don't claim to have all the answers to the hard questions yet.  Everyone should be willing to challenge our beliefs with opposing viewpoints and test their validity.  Failing to do so is rooted in the fear that our beliefs will be shown to be false.  I do not think that mindset is exclusive to the religious, however.  I’ve had discussions with atheists and agnostics who deny basic logical conclusions because they refuse to allow a challenge to their own worldview. 

The burdening of science and technology by religion doesn’t seem to fit.  If so many scientists are not religious as we’re told, then why would religion hinder their chosen scientific study or development of technology?  Also, if religions and their beliefs arose simply out of survival and self preservation, why then isn’t everyone religious?  We all have the survival and self preservation instinct and many of us fear death in one way or another.  In light of those realities, it seems that belief should be a universal instinctual response, according to your point of view.  Feel free to clarify if I’ve misunderstood your thoughts.
Stingray24
Proud member of the vast right-wing conspiracy
+1,060|6869|The Land of Scott Walker
Today I had more time to respond to all the great questions and I'm half way through page 6!  Thanks for everyone's posts and for waiting patiently for my response. I'll continue tomorrow if possible.

Board footer

Privacy Policy - © 2025 Jeff Minard