Protestantism

» Migisi - Infants

In response to Infants posted by pink101:
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What kind of "bringing up" or "rearing" did those people receive that made them think their "god" wanted them to do its bidding about anything?
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Ya got me. But if they were raised with the Bible, they'd have noticed that God's greatest champions did His bidding by shedding their own or somebody else's blood. And these heroes were praised and blessed by the Almighty for doing so. Now, imagine a voice in a faithful fanatic's head telling him/her "Send your baby to Heaven before he's corrupted to sin and Hell. Just hold his little head under the water... " When people say "God spoke to me", I shutter.

-- posted by Migisi

» pink101 - Infants

In response to Infants posted by Migisi:
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But, it wasn't only the religious who killed infants.
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So, any reasonable inquiry would have to include the ideas of almost any primitive culture. The ancient Mayans and the Incas were especially interested in making sacrifices of their best.
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While there might be some purpose to put down Christianity for the loyalty it upholds to Jehovah, the point--it seems--you are discussing begs has to do with where those ideas came from. Are you saying that they actually came from the "god" of the Bible? Or are you saying something like those ideas were made up stories religionists used to control an ignorant people?
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-- posted by pink101

» Migisi - Infants

In response to Infants posted by pink101:
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Are you saying that they actually came from the "god" of the Bible? Or are you saying something like those ideas were made up stories religionists used to control an ignorant people?
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Man is, by nature, a savage creature, and so are the gods he created. Pick a culture. They all created gods who demand(ed) bloodshed. Man IS his god.
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When God Sanctions Killing, The People Listen
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200...
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(quote) "The research sheds light on the possible origins of violent religious fundamentalism and falls in line with theories proposed by scholars of religious terrorism, who hypothesize that exposure to violent scriptures may induce extremists to engage in aggressive actions. "To the extent religious extremists engage in prolonged, selective reading of the scriptures, focusing on violent retribution toward unbelievers instead of the overall message of acceptance and understanding," writes Bushman "one might expect to see increased brutality." (end)
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Matthew 24:14- "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

-- posted by Migisi

» Migisi - Infants

In response to Infants posted by Migisi:
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Maybe that article I posted should've been titled "When Man Sanctions Killing, the Gods Listen".
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Matthew 18:18 - "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.' Interesting... 'whatever' we bind or lose? We've sanctioned violence on earth, so it is sanctioned in heaven?

-- posted by Migisi

» pink101 - Savages By Nature

In response to Infants posted by Migisi:
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Man is, by nature, a savage creature, and so are the gods he created. Pick a culture. They all created gods who demand(ed) bloodshed. Man IS his god.
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To believe your comments, I am forced to accept the idea that you present here that "man is, by nature, a savage creature..."
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While people involve themselves in all kinds of savagry, I don't think your claim is true as you state it. Your claim makes any effort anyone ever might make to raise humanity up to a higher plain seem futile. It's the same as the "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" claim made in the Bible that carries with it the idea that only a god can be compassionate and merciful.
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In Transactional Analysis, there is a game that people play known as, Ain't It Awful. People go around with their heads hanging down complaining about how awful things are. They share their miseries.
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I think people are inherently good and looking for ways to improve their experiences in life. It's okay for us to be negative about things that are going in the wrong direction; but, to what avail if we are savages by nature?
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You seem to think you have found the ultimate answers. I think there are other ways of looking at the issues involved.
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-- posted by pink101

» HeadZenCards - Savages By Nature

In response to Savages By Nature posted by pink101:

I agree. People are inherently good.

The original religionists were a special breed of human, like Nazis. They lusted after power. They are the ones who made up violent religions and so-called "Gods".

They needed the hammer of religion and holy books and nonsense like virgin births and resurrection in their shock and awe campaign to get more power.

But the great majority of people, even if they fall under the sway of preachers, are inherently good.

-- posted by HeadZenCards

» HeadZenCards - Infants

In response to Infants posted by HeadZenCards:

If they weren't inherently good, a lot more people under the sway of preachers would kill their infants so they could get to heaven quickly.

-- posted by HeadZenCards

» pink101 - Infants

In response to Infants posted by HeadZenCards:
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yupper.
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:)
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-- posted by pink101

» Migisi - Savages By Nature

In response to Savages By Nature posted by HeadZenCards:

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But the great majority of people, even if they fall under the sway of preachers, are inherently good.
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If that's so, how can the majority of these good folks admire, follow, and worship malevolent and violent gods? And justify, condone, praise, and imitate that god's behavior - which is inherently bad and immoral, and destructive to their own well-being? I'm not just referring to Christianity, but other religions as well.
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-- posted by Migisi

» paper_turtle - Savages By Nature

In response to Savages By Nature posted by Migisi:

If that's so, how can the majority of these good folks admire, follow, and worship malevolent and violent gods? And justify, condone, praise, and imitate that god's behavior - which is inherently bad and immoral, and destructive to their own well-being? I'm not just referring to Christianity, but other religions as well.
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I don't believe the **majority** of believers "admire, follow, and worship malevolent and violent gods." First of all, **many** do not accept the idea that God really is like that. How can you know the nature of the God they are worshipping? Further, I don't believe **every** religion in the world is founded upon, or condones, savagery. Even those whose scriptures *might* mention murder and warfare do not necessarily adhere to the delusion that these acts are in any way good.
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle