Originally posted by queenannie38
Originally posted by Jamuhn
Well, by your reasoning there would only be one religion. Yet, religious groups all over the world do not believe what "God says" within another
religion.
Hmmmm.....
'True' religion is an individual experience, not a group one.
Groups of men = politics.
Politics + 'god' = control of the people using superstition and fear (religion)
Anyway, that's my 'take' on it.
Why must religion be such a dirty word? I am a highly educated man with a much higher than average IQ. I've spent decades reading philosophy,
theology, history, political science, and literature. I have discussed religion, belief, and faith with countless numbers of equally intelligent and
educated people. Now, because I have chosen to adhere to the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church, this makes me fearful, ignorant, and superstitious?
How presumptious!
'True religion' is what you believe. If YOU want to call it an individual experience, that's your choice. But, of course, you took the intellectual
cop-out. After making a bold assertion, you cheapen your argument by claiming 'that's my take on it'. Of COURSE that's your take on it. If it
wasn't, you wouldn't have written it, would you?
Most people of faith are average folk. Actually, many of us are above average. How? In my community, soup kitchens, food pantries, homeless shelters,
counselling services, and more are directly and almost totally funded by our local religious congregations. In fact, my city government doesn't even
have a social services department. We take care of the poor, the homeless, the needy, the sick, the lonely, the hungry, and the outcast. We do it
because we are organized, we share a belief in the tenets of our faith, and we believe in helping the 'stranger among us'. How many secular
humanist groups do what my church does?
Religion is false? So what if it is? How is it hurting you? Indeed, my arguments suggest that without religion there would be more problems, not less.
Personally, I don't care what you believe or even if you believe in anything - that's your choice. I believe that God gave us Free Will. You have
the choice to turn your back on Him. I have the choice to turn towards Him.