Religion. Your thoughts...

and to blame it on religion...please. blame it on PEOPLE. peopl e who distort and corrupt the fundamental truth and basis of religions. that is what we call extremism, fundamentalism taken too far, and just plain wrong. did religion corrupt itself? no. people did.

you along with several other people seem to hold to the ignorant belief that being a christian (or of any other religion) automatically makes you a robot and unable to make your own decisions. if that's not a huge lie, then i don't know what is. i don't know about other religions, but the whole beauty of christianity is the element of free will.

I agree with you. Christianity in its early days was spread entirely through teachings and letting people make their own decisions as to whether they wished to join or not. Take Paul, he managed to convert thousands of Athenians and other Greeks to convert to Christianity, and these were among the most skeptical and philosophical of the people on Earth. A significant number of them came from educated backgrounds so in now way did they find themselves under the influence of any form of brainwashing. The Roman Empire eventually became Christian through conversion accepted by free will. Also, I do not think this would all have come to pass unless their was truly a messiah and the apostles had truly believed in their cause. The bible itself, especially the Old Testament, provides a way of expressing morals and teachings through stories that could be understood and applied by the people of the time.

Alot of critics of religion like to point out how they feel it is just a tool for control. This is completely true for some religions (such as Islam) who use religion to provide a strict code that must be followed on pain of death. Christianity however was not based on control, it was morphed into a religion of control during the Dark and Middle ages because their was no control over anything. It was used as a tool by the kings and bishops to gain influence for themselves but also to have more control over their subjects. Now, however, we have reverted away from the control aspect brought on by the middle ages and have turned back to the teachings and practices of Christ. There is a small minority of Christians however that still wish to use it as a source of control and these are the ones who give a bad name to all Christians.

I'd like to give a quick Fuck You to the guy who compared Christianity to the trash of scientology. Scientology is a bullshit cult based on one mediocre science fiction writer's greed and desire for tax exemption. There is absolutely no comparison between the two.

thank you, could not have said it any better.

Not trying to be harsh or piss people off. This is more a statement, and my believe.

There's no fucking higher power. No big dude looking over you. No heaven, no angels, no nothing. That's just the way it is. Live with it.

Religion was made thousands of years back by a bunch of crazy white people who thought the earth was the center of everything, you could fall off of it and never knew about gravity, atoms, the big bang, creation of stars or planets, anything about elements, nohting about science. They knew as much about science back then as a 1 year old would know in this day and age.

So, they just made up a bunch of bullshit, to try and make everything have some sort of reason to all of them. Then, that was there logical reasoning. WELL, news flash, it's been disproved, THE EARTH IS ROUND.

Now, would you go and believe everything in a book a 3 year old wrote? Well that's practically what you are doing when you read the bible. Basically, the bible is equivalent to some story a drunk 2 year old wrote. Just think about it.

Most people who would argue with this comment, is becasue they grew up with religion in there life. Well argue all you want, there's nothing. Stop wasting your money with churches, that's just the way it is.

Also, some people may say that church is just good to go to to make you a better person. Well, look at this. Every single war in the entire world, has been based on religion in some way. Every war in the history of the Earth. All caused because two groups of people had tiny little stupid ass fucking differnet thoughts about "god". So they killed each other. Super great fucking idea. Religion isn't love. It's HATE. It's all it breeds nowadays.

Every country man over seas that gets killed by some crazy terrorist, is just another life ended because of religion. Killing of each other all started becasue of religion. Just because of it.

If people want wars to end, burn every bible on the earth, and get everyone to suck it up, and believe there is no god. World War II, I and every war in Europe before then, every war in North America, every war in the middle east, all because of religion. Englsih hated French because their religion was different. World War II, because Hitler didn't like one type of religion. Middle east, because "god" loves it when you kill yourself while killing other people to go to a better place. Downright brainwashed.

Sorry about that. I probably pissed off a lot of people. But, I just feel that is just the way it is. Accept it.

a little is good, but when it gets to the brainwashing/extremist stage then it is bad.

does anyone else hate those damn retreats people at your school go to and then come back from and think the only good people in the world are the people who were on the fruity little retreat.

Newsflash...our world has done fine for thousands of years with religion.

this is just me, but the day that religious people are lyring there...be it in a hospital, bottom of the ocean, or in an aligators mouth and they finaly know they're going..and they don't see a light.....theyre all just gonna go "FUCK...well that life was a waste"..don't live your life by something some guy who couldn't shave says is right...just live...and then you can die going..."yea that was wicked"

Yeah, #1 at lowering the population ever since humans evolved form apes!

Religion wasn't made by white people.


This site is really constricting the meaning of religion. Not all religion deals with god and a creator. Seriously, more than half the people posting in this thread need to go read what religion really is.

Religion is a funny thing in my eyes. I first feel the need to say that I dont believe in a god/gods/higher powers. But I dont think religion is a bad thing either.

I mean, sure, countless people have died in the name of a religion (Crusades, Jihad's, etc), and I still find it amazing that people can believe that the Earth is the center of all things and that the world was created 4000 years ago (yes, this is a Christian example, I know other religions believe in other things like karma, spirits... just go with it). Its been responsible for lots of persecution for people all across the world. But its also done a lot of good as well. People are genuinely happy with being faithful, and I think its done more good this way in our world than bad.

So, you may ask why I can be happy without religion. Well, religion in my eyes is something that every culture in the world has created, and thus I believe its a truly human concept. I think that society creates religion out of lonliness. The world is a big place, and finding meaning for your life can be hard. Religion answers that, gives a purpose to your life and answers your questions. So why am I not religious? I guess that I've found a way to answer my own questions that makes sense to me. I believe in evolution, the big bang and an expanding scientific universe because its the first way we as humans have explained our world based on experimentally proven results. But that really doesnt matter anyways. I can really care less about what you believe in, you just need to come out a good person.

And enforcing your beliefs on others is dumb; you're not saving anyone from unhappiness, let people find thier own way in life.

I'' tear you to shreds on every point you made.

You are a fucking idiot. Religion was not started by "a bunch of crazy white people".

Christianity was started in Judaea, Islam in Arabia, and Buddhism in India. Learn your shit before you ever post again. Learn your shit before you make any more stupid responses that just make you look like an idiot. The Christian religion makes no mention of science as it is not a scientific book, the progress of science had to do with the knowledge of the individuals of the time and had nothing to do with the religion of Christianity. They knew a great deal of the world but obviously they had a much lesser understanding of the world than we do now.

Now to the main point of your thread "THE EARTH IS ROUND". You are one stupid motherfucker, the world was known to be round long before Christianity was even a religion. A greek mathematician calculated with near accuracy the circumference of the Earth based on a technique of measuring shadows. This was done back in the 200s BC. Has no relation to religion at all. In the dark ages this information was lost and therefore it was assumed that the Earth was flat.

"the bible is equivalent to some story a drunk two year old wrote"
ah you're intelligence astonishes. This is among the most moronic shit I have ever read. I would not be surprised if you also believed in the 9/11 conspiracy.

Every war in the world based on religion?
Are you really that stupid?
Just look back at the conflict between the Ancient Greeks and the Persians. The fight was based on expansion of an Empire, not conflicting religious beliefs. The same applies to the Roman Empire who did not fight for their religion but only to expand their empire and establish order. They were respectful of other religions as long as there was no practice of human sacrifice.

"Killing of each other all started because of religion. Just because of it"
Did you pass 7th grade history?

All wars based on religion? Bitch please.

You are possibly dumber even than FuckThePolice.

if you know anything about history.  religion was created to explain the mysterious.  Much of which past religions was based on can now be explained through science.  those religions dont exist anymore.  every religion becomes obsolete.  religion was also created and mantained to control the masses.  Giving people a common goal brings unity and with a group of unified peopel that will do anything for "god", then you have a shitload of power.

Haha. And there is some hate. Yeah I don't know my exact shit lol. Obiviously I'll admit that. But, the idea of a greater power was created before very little was known about anything. It was all started because AT THE TIME, it sounded like the most logical thing to believe. As in to how everyone got there, why everyone is different, why they were on Earth anyways, etc..

So anyways. About the whole "earth is round thing". Sure, he calculated it. But how many people believed that the Earth was round?

And, to argue your point about the romans and expanding there empire. Yes I overexaggerated a lot. But, how many lives have been lost in the last 1000 years due to religion? Look at it that way.

And, how about this. This is very crazy, it would never happen, but it's just a way to look at religion. Say way back when, if people just appeared on Earth, out of nowhere, and they somehow had the same scientific knowledge as we have do today, and if they never had any knowledge of any religion. They wouldn't have a reason to create religion. There would be no reason to. This would be becasue they already would know, truely how the Earth was created, how stars were created, how everything was scientifically created. They wouldn't need to make up other theories on the existence of human beings.

You can also think of religion, as kind of a theory of life. But hasn't that theory been replaced?

damnit, you have no idea.....science hasn't explained everything.  science will never explain everything.  the theory of life has NOT been replaced.  we DO NOT know where the universe came from.  we know how it started, but we DO NOT know where it came from.

you aren't looking deep enough at the question that originated religion.  they would have a reason to create religion, because science WILL NEVER EXPLAIN EVERYTHING.  and if you think it does, YOU ARE A FUCKING MORON.

i respect the fact that you have your own opinions as to why you are here, how you got here, and whats going to happen when you leave.  i have mine, and it happens to be the basis of the catholic religion.  i don't know where you pulled the "2 year old story" bullshit, but i will once again ask everyone in this thread to please stop trying to sound like you're smart by posting assumptions about things that you have no idea about.  how about you debate in an intelligent way and research a few things before you develop your own opinions on something?

for all you "science disproves religion" assholes -

In 1927, the Belgian PRIEST Georges Lemaître was the first to propose that the universe began with the explosion of a primeval atom.

i found this too, i thought it was interesting

Does God Exist - Things to Consider
Once you're ready to ask the question, "does God exist?" here are a few observations to consider as you begin your search for an objective answer:

• Discoveries in astronomy have shown beyond a reasonable doubt that the universe did, in fact, have a beginning. There was a single moment of creation.
• Advances in molecular biology have revealed vast amounts of information encoded in each and every living cell, and molecular biologists have discovered thousands upon thousands of exquisitely designed machines at the molecular level. Information requires intelligence and design requires a designer.
• Biochemists and mathematicians have calculated the odds against life arising from non-life naturally via unintelligent processes. The odds are astronomical. In fact, scientists aren't even sure if life could have evolved naturally via unintelligent processes. If life did not arise by chance, how did it arise?
• The universe is ordered by natural laws. Where did these laws come from and what purpose do they serve?
• Philosophers agree that a transcendent Law Giver is the only plausible explanation for an objective moral standard. So, ask yourself if you believe in right and wrong and then ask yourself why. Who gave you your conscience? Why does it exist?
• People of every race, creed, color, and culture, both men and women, young and old, wise and foolish, from the educated to the ignorant, claim to have personally experienced something of the supernatural. So what are we supposed to do with these prodigious accounts of divine healing, prophetic revelation, answered prayer, and other miraculous phenomena? Ignorance and imagination may have played a part to be sure, but is there something more?

http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/does-god-exist-c.htm

yea, i mean, the crusades, and the innocent killings of millions, probably billions throughout the ages,all over religion...........

there is no super uber high power chillin somewhere up in the sky or anything, but there is a little bit a Jah in everyone from the original African people. selassie and everyone had one life to live here on earth but we all have a little bit of everyone else in us, creating the oneness of all people: one love, one heart, one soul!!!

Lets see, I can think of quite a few instances in the last 1000 years when religion was not the basis of war off the top of my head.

Genghis Khan and the Mongol Conquests.

The 100 year war between England and France.

The Shogun wars of Japan.

The Battle of Agincourt

The Conquests of Napoleon

The French and Indian War

The American War for Independence

War of 1812

The Opium War

The Civil War

The First World War

The whites vs. the reds and the fall of the czar

The Second World War

Vietnam

The Soviet war against Afghanistan

Do I need to continue?


As for the first point, the fact that the Earth was round was a widely accepted as the truth. The Ancient Greeks and Romans knew it. Unfortunately, they couldn't go very far offshore in their triremes because they were built for the calm waters of the mediterranean.

wow, you just proved my point. war is caused by people. good job.

We're still standing.

A lot of the things you say can be explained by the Anthropic Principle: Things are the way they are because if they weren't, we wouldnt exist and be able to question why things are this way. Astronomers and Physicists have found that the universe is like a machine that uses a lot of constants, or values, to determine its properties. These are things like how strong the force of gravity is, the speed of light, etc. If we were to change any of these, like say increase the strength of gravity, electrons would fall into the nucleus of an atom, which would then destabilize. If we decrease this strength, even a little bit, then electrons fly away, again destabilizing the atom. No stable atoms, no stars, no planets, no humans.

This is not to say there are universes where the settings are somehow different. Maybe other universes are spawned with different settings, but due to the conditions in these universes, life cannot form and question why the universe is as it is. Its a cool idea to think about anyways.

And about cell machinery - a favorite saying of ecologists and biologists is that  life finds a way. Life isnt static, and its rediculous to think it has been like that throughout time. It may seem like things are so complex that evolution could never construct them. But it can, given enough time and the right conditions. I really dont want to explain evolution (once again), so wikipedia it. And for anyone who disputes it just because its a 'theory', please do. And then also call in to question this so called 'gravity' since its just a theory as well.


And also, about morals, I believe that they are also created through selective evolution when humans formed societies. We see this in nature too - animals, like prarie dogs or some communal creature, have evolved a sense of community. These animals actually call out to warn others of predators, endangering themselves for the safety of their community.  Why did this evolve so? Natural selection allowed prarie dog communities that engaged in this behavior to hide from predators more often , allowing more offspring that had these traits too. Human morals could have formed the same way; humans that went and killed people were probably hunted down and killed by other threatened family members. Only the humans that weren't pyscho were allowed to go on and insert thier genes into the genetic pool. Thus, we now through natural selection have a sense of morality that was programmed into us because it was a favorible trait back then. I'm not saying this is what happened, but its certianly a possibility.


But who knows, maybe all this science is bullshit, an elegant ruse set up by a higher power to confuse and mislead us from the real truth.

Most of those were declared in the name of religion, but thats what rulers do when they want more power. Its more political than religious warfare.

I feel roughly the same way you do Rowen. Not about everything, but about most. I'm a pretty mild agnostic, so I'm not to one to believe something. I'm not saying there isn't a god/being/power though, but there hasn't been an explanation that from my experiences in life, seem plausable or acceptable.

It is pretty apparent, that anywhere in the world, from pre-paleolithic peoples, to the present, people have been looking for answers they simply do not know. And so we see that in anybody over time and the world. They create what they believe to be the answer to these mysteries. The outcomes differ maybe because of climate, social structure, food, etc. etc. Regardless of the substantial differences in the specific beliefs, there generally seems to be similar patterns; origin and end, right and wrong, afterlife, etc. Realistically, if you were to be born into a culture (or family nowadays) that had a particular belief, you would be taught this as well, and taught to accept it as fact. That aspect alone deters me away from any religion.

What really pushes me away is that most religions try to answer, in my opinion, too much. There are some things we may simply never know. And quite frankly, to me, worrying about the ultimate origin of things, or anything of similar magnitude, doesn't quite concern me. There are other issues that are unknown in my life that are much more realevant and require more attention, so I do not seek answers such as origin. What boggles my mind is when most people address origin (this goes out to most Christians here), is that how can it be so hard to believe that the universe just "happened" so to speak, but it is so easy to accept that God has been basically infinate in existance? That to me would be even harder to understand, but then again, that is an instance where I think it is trying to answer to much.

When you really get down to it, the origin of things just seems, well, rediculous (once again, going after Christianity here). To me, six days to create everything then a rest day? And some bishop of the 17th century claiming the origin was in the 4th millenium BC? That may have acceptable in a time when that seemed plausable, but in the present day, we keep learning more. However, I am not one to simply say that since I don't believe in God, tha I must believe in the big bang. We still have to learn more. We may never know, and so be it. To me, answered (and potentially a flawed answer) doesn't mean better than no answer at all. Also, there generally seems to many leeways, such as changing meanings over time, or changing aspects to be more accomodating.

And morals. I think Rowen put it nicely. We don't know where inherent morals come from. I look at it this way, if there is somebody who commits a crime like a murder, we see it as a threat to others, so we try to neutralize that threat, or simply destroy it. In more pirimitive times, it would make sense that it would probably be rather similar, not to mention there weren't that many people.

But, religion isn't all that bad at times. It does help people that sometimes need something. I'm not talking about going to poor countries and "helping"(which is just a lazy way of getting converts in my opinion), but just people that might need the support. Then again, I don't need support when times get tough and stuff. I know I have to deal with it one way or another, so make the best of it. So that has never been an attraction of mine (once again, mostly regarding Christianity). The only thing that really gets me is how people bring children into it, sometimes rather forefully. Of course a 3 year (or older) old mind will conform to any damn thing you teach it. So most people that are brought into it from a young age accept it. To question it, or to just really think about it, really isn't questioning it, becuase it has become so embedded as fact. Brainwashing? eh, not really. Seems more like brainmolding? I don't know.

and to the guy about allaboutphilosophy.org, why did you use that as a source? Could that be a tad biased? Considering it is a branch of allaboutgod.org??

Grant, you put everything I want to say so nicely in your own words. I shouldnt get into these kinds of posts when I have homework due the next morning at 8:30, I really need to start that now that its 1:30... weeee, keeping procrastination alive in the gene pool!!

Man this is going to be hard to get back in this one. What happened to the free expression of ideas everyone is pissed off.

First off I am glad someone said that the Greeks knew the earth was round and also had some idea that the earth rotated around the sun, stars were distant suns ect. This is exactly my point with religion some valuable legitimate science was destroyed with the creation of monarchies, the Catholic Church, and basic ignorance. Who is to say where society could have progressed if religion hadn’t invaded into the realm of science. And it’s not the first time and certainly not the last. Look for example at stem cell research. The government decides its ok to kill an unborn embryo, ok that’s fine if that’s what society wants, but then Bush (Christian Fundamentalist) decides that doing stem cell research is morally unethical. Excuse me? Stem cell research could eventually bring the human race to a higher plane out of the trenches of primordial sea into a world free of disease.

If you are going to look at the bible for guidance in your then by all means go ahead I encourage you. However it is not to be taken literally by any means. Gay marriage for example, there are a few obscure passages about gay marriage taken literally breading hate. By the way a couple of pages later the bible asks that insubordinate children should be stoned to death.

People look at the bible to suit their needs; they pick and choose from the staggering number of rules to the ones that best fit their agendas. In this way the bible is effectually a tool of oppressive people.

Let me ask the Christians this; if science could with out a doubt categorically prove that not only was Jesus black but also was the father of several children, would you continue believing? The bible had lied to you again. I sure people would still believe because what does it really matter race doesn’t matter right? This is completely hypothetical. If this were found to be true the worst part would be repainting all those intensely gruesome statues that hang in churches with a black sharpie.

Why cant people celebrate Jesus life they have to hang these statues so everyone remembers how horrible it is to die. Mel Gibson I’m looking at you.

“because science WILL NEVER EXPLAIN EVERYTHING. and if you think it does, YOU ARE A FUCKING MORON.”

Then I guess sign me up for the moron team, I believe that science has the power to explain everything and anything in the universe. It might take human a million years of technological advances, maybe even a billion but eventually everything in existence can and will be explained. That’s also considering the fact that we wont nuke ourselves, biological disease, rise of the machines, global warming, hit by a comet, mass suicide excreta.

Then in your next post you go on to say why science is proving the existence of god, which has absolutely nothing to do with religion. The existence of a supreme being be it energy source, cosmic omnipotent being, or kid with a chemistry set is not on trial here. What is on trial is the view distortion of god into political and mind control power. All the points you made on the second post have nothing to do with Organized religion in any way. If you believe those things to be true form your own opinion. Its just as valid as some guy that wrote a book 1500 years ago. In fact you have the benefit of science in you description so it should be an even more accurate description of god.

Would a theory of everything become god? Super string for example could explain the mechanics of the universe. Would there be a sect of fanatical super sting scientists who say burn Christian burn Jews we know the truth. I think not because science is rooted in reality not creativity.

We don’t need religion to give us a set of morals it is built right into our genetics. Good deeds are rewarded. Society can decide what is morally wrong not some ancient text.

In time the world population will level out around 12 billion and people will become one race. Will religion end them?

Stop calling people dumb it is not a legitimate response it just makes you sound foolish like you have no material to debate the subject.

It seems harder for me to believe that something could be created that had the power to create the universe. Something had to create God and God has to be a physical presence in order to create Earth.
Also, the Christian loving God obviously does not exist. Look around you.
If God created us so that we would love him, is that really a loving God or a selfish one.
If there was such a supreme being, don't you think that he would be able to create a book so fantastic that everyone would be convinced. Four years of Catholic school has actually had an inverse effect on my spiritual life because the Bible contains more holes than Swiss Cheese.
Religion is failing now becasue it has lost is sphere of influence with the rise of technology and science. Only 20% of the former Christendom is Christian.
Read the newsest nobel prize awarded to two scientists who explain the Big Bang.
John Lennon "Imagine"

once again, you clearly demonstrate your lack of understanding of the christian faith. you are correct in that the bible shouldn't be taken literally. no one does, except for super fundamentalist christians...and bush is not one of them. the bible is not merely a book of rules, if that's what you think it is, then too bad, try reading it for once. your hypothetical black jesus thing is just stupid, because it's never going to happen. and for the last part. the death and resurrection of jesus christ is the most pivotal aspect of the gospel. jesus christ died to save the sins of the world. without the death and resurrection of christ, what christians believe is completely garbage.

I did read the bible. The bible starts out by saying someting about the world was created in 7 days yada yada yada

The bible NEVER speaks about the details of jesus crusifivtion infact it was a perfromance piece created to spark jew hatered.

Every Christian takes the bible literally its their faith. If you dont take it literally then you dont believe.

Bush is a super christian fundlementalist and so is a good portion of the us which is why he is in power...

I am way to drunk to argue right now, just understand that trying to doubt my knowledge in your first sentence is a mistake and I never make the same about you.

maybe you shouldn't engage in debate when you're drunk, cuz you make no sense at all. i respect your opinion, but at least try to make it make sense.

how was the cruxifiction meant to spark jew hatred? it was the jews that wanted jesus cruxified.

i also don't really get how you could possibly think that all christians take the bible at face value, word for word. if that was the case then, we'd be stoning our children, like you pointed out. but we don't (at least most of us non fundamentalists don't), so that's supposed to invalidate our faith? the bible, like any other religious text, say like the quran, must be interpreted and applied to modern times. as long as the core belief of christianity remains, that is that jesus christ died and resurrected for the sins of everyone who chooses to believe, everything else is up for interpretation. some things can be taken literally, some can't. most of it is common sense.

touche sir

ya I didnt make any since in my last post. I agree believe what you want as long as you dont force other people to believe as you do. That dosent mean that you cant present your ideas but if people arnt buying then dont sell.


Good reply I dont really have too much more to say...

yeah, lets take alook at the bible, where god says that if you see someone working on a sunday you should kill them! or maybe where it says that if a woman dont scream so loud that someone can hear her when she is rapped, she deserve death, by stones...

Just tell me if you want more examples like these

I'm pretty religious.
I believe in God.

i'm agnostic.. if you dont know what it means, look it up, i dont feel like explaining it. but in a nutshell being agnostic means you just dont really know what to beleive and choose not to, i just have fun and dont worry about shit.

if you're going to point these examples out just for the sake of argument, then i'm just going to ignore you. be real and use your common sense okay? you know as well as i do that many of these things don't literally apply to modern society, though they might have in biblical times. even then, many of the underlying themes in these examples can be interpreted and applied to modern days.

Fuck I am drunk again

You cant pick and choose religion it is bull shit made by,, dammit I cant think

These crazy finnish guys and I took a lot of Absenth tonight so fuck the universe lets just all have fun thats what life is all about...

i know i know, the way i present it make it sound... childish, actually.. But if you give it a second tought, we cant let this apply to us now, but just think about that you support a religion that once believed that this was the right thing to do! and there still is christian people who believe this! and lets be thankfull for that they dont have much power.. i remember reading about some american christian society or something that believed that usa was doomed, and they cursed the whole country for their sins, and they were happy for all the disasters and wars we have had lately.. someone got brainwashed by wrong religion?

Let's take alook at a religion im more familiar with, as im from Norway. I cant find a English word for it in the dictonary :S but in Norway its called "Norrøn" believe. Its the religion we had in Norway before Christians came here and tried to convert us! This religion is pretty old, and still its view on life is so much bether than christian. It respects woman and men equally, it does not forbid us anything, and punishment is given only to those who really really deserve it! And if you read håvamål (words of the big one, witch is odin) this is a writ on how you can live your life, if you want the best for you and yours (note that it does not say you MUST follow it, but its a guide you can choose) in this text you will see that most of what it says appeal to our common sense even today. You can actually follow it in our time, and still not be looked difrent at. People wouldnt notice unless you told them.

here il translate some few handy paragraphs from it

This is the first one :
"The man who stands at a strange threshold,
Should be cautious before he cross it,
Glance this way and that:
Who knows beforehand what foes may sit
Awaiting him in the hall? "
Tells us to be cautious before we enter someone else's house, because we dont know who is inside.

Number 10:
Better gear than good sense
A traveller cannot carry,
Better than riches for a wretched man,
Far from his own home,"
Tells us that good sense is the most important thing we have

Number 18:
Drink your mead, but in moderation,
Talk sense or be silent:
No man is called discourteous who goes
To bed at an early hour "
Handy tips when it comes to drinking alcohol

Number 115:
Never seduce anothers wife,
Never make her your mistress. "
Speaks for itself?

Number 134:
Never laugh at the old when they offer counsel,
Often their words are wise:
From shrivelled skin, from scraggy things
That hand among the hides
And move amid the guts,
Clear words often come."
Tels us that old people often knows more than younger. This was a important advice at the time we had this religion, because then few respected old people, the day you no longer could fight, work or protect your familly, you were considered old and unworthy. a 70 year old man could be spoken of as a great warrior, while a 35 year old blind man was considered as old.

I dont believe in this religion, as i dont believe in any, but i find it interesting how "håvamål" can give good advice. and how this great view on life was replaced with christian believe, wich at that time was very unrespectful and violent. We lost a part of our national culture and history to the church.

Thank you

I love God, and God loves all of us.

yea...i don't think those people are really christian, but who am i to judge? i would never associate myself or my faith with them.

it's interesting how the passages you shared from that norwegian religion have many of the same themes and lessons present in the bible. thanks for sharing.

btw, i'm not trying to force anyone to believe. i'm just attempting to clear up some pretty bad misconceptions.

All of the wars that have anything to do with the english and french is because of religion. They both ahd different religions. They could not accept each other for that. World War II? How could you say that wasnt because of religion. Hitler hated Jews. Why just Jews? They had their own relgion. So he killed over 3,000,000 of them.

If there was no such thing as religion. Hitler could not have hated just the Jewish people. Because there would not have been a Jewish group of people to hate.

Hitler wanted world domination and he used the jews to blame the depression on. The allies didnt have confirmed intelligence about the extermination of the jews until they found the camps. Also it was more that Jews, Catholics, different races, and people who hitler didnt like were there.

dude, the jewish people are a race, not a religion. their religion is judaism, and as far as i know, it had nothing to do with wwii.

no way am i going to write a lot so here it is
i dont believe in god
i dont believe in the events that happend
i do believe that you should treat everyone with respect and kindness and enjoy life because we will be dead for a long fucking time

Man, I wish i could write my thoughts like that. I always piss people off..... it kind of pisses me off that i piss other people off. But I agree with you there for sure.

dude, perhaps you should read a little more about the Holocaust. A lot of Germany (and other places) HATED Jews, a strong form of anti-Semitism. They hated their religion, the race, everything about them. It didn't stem from the depression. It had long and evil past really. It was anti-semitism that was manifested in the church, and taught for essentially over a millenium. It is a matter of religion in that case. So millions died for it.

god's just hanging there with santa claus and the easter bunny

It should be noted that the Big Bang theory was highly controversial and unpopular in the scientific community at the time it was published. But then the Catholic Church started campaigning for it (since it supported the idea that the universe was created at one specific instant) and the theory took off. Unfortunately for your argument, religion and the Big Bang theory are historically VERY intertwined.

Not that it particularly relates to your argument, but the Steady State theory is has far, far less holes than Big Bang. Pick up any copy of the journal Nature: the Big Bang theory has been dying rapidly in the cosmophysics community the last ten years.

Man created God, God did not create man. What we blame religion for, we can only blame ourselves.

The problem I see with organised religion, particularly christianity, is that it promotes a moral code that is against human nature. We naturally care for ourselves and those close to us over complete strangers, so why shouldn't we strive to better our own lives and the lives of our families? It quells the expression of passions and promotes absolute conformity coupled with a dangerous sense of subservience to a higher power that we all should fear. Any force that seeks to alter our base nature is what we should fear.

Believing in a God does not make you a better person, it does not give you the right to judge, nor does it give you the right to feel superior to those that would much prefer to live as a free spirit, like myself, and not within the confines of an organised religion. I wouldn't give a shit if I was going to hell, we only live once and what good is something if you can't have it until you die?