Four critiques of religion

Thank you, your opinion is dully noted.

 

Anarchy-- to follow no rules but one's own. To compare the rules stated in the bible to anarachy is resonable; ever read the bible?
Of course you haven't!

A different can of worms? it was a direct reply to your mis-characterization.

No it's not tribalistic. There is no hiearchy. Rastas are a loose association at best.

I'll dumb it down for you:

"by demonizing other peoples beliefs as the root of all evil, [some people] can feel better about [tjheir] own...existence. "

This isn't about your ego-- it's about your mis-understanding and mis-representing Rastafarianism.

I am here to discuss religion-- not to mis-represent them as you are. Nor do I have an axe to grind or ego to feed.
Stop posting false information and claiming it's true, and I'll happily ignore your post. You really don't seem to have much to offer beyond what pit pal said.

If you don't know who themnax is then you don't read your own thread.

Bash religion all you want-- but when it comes to factual information--
you're way out of your league my friend.

 

Actually does the bible not teach of a strict code of conduct, be it rational or not?

How would you know?

Are they not lumping themselves together as rastas as opposed to just fellow humans?

Please do.

You do not know me, or so I htought how could you make such an assumption based on just those four critiques that I had posted, why take it so personel?

You had said that according to rasta belief whites were working for satan, I say that is a racist thing to say, and you claim I am misrepresenting this religion that you make claims to understand deeply, fine it's your world.

Then why are you here, just to troll? I don't understand where you get off saying that I'm misintrpriting what you said were rasta beliefs, are you sure you don't have an axe to grind or an ego to nurse, after all this has been about the third time you've mentioned such things.

Opinion dully noted.

What "factual information?"

 

"Actually does the bible not teach of a strict code of conduct, be it rational or not?"

No. It doesn't.
Do you reliase there are two different and in some way opposing sets of commandments.
In fact, there's virtually nothing in the bible that is not contridicted in the bible.

"How would you know?"
See above. You display only folk knowledge of the bible- like almost every atheist and christian.

"Are they not lumping themselves together as rastas as opposed to just fellow humans?"
??? Who can not be labeled this way? Do pot smokers quailfy as an organized religion?

"Please do."
"You do not know me, or so I htought how could you make such an assumption based on just those four critiques that I had posted, why take it so personel?"

I display a garmet off the rack and you claim it's tailored for you? (Sorry, Frank Herbert).
Who's taking it personally?

"You had said that according to rasta belief whites were working for satan"

Re-read. Where did I say "all"? And where did I say balcks don't work for Satan?


"Then why are you here, just to troll? I don't understand where you get off saying that I'm misintrpriting what you said were rasta beliefs, are you sure you don't have an axe to grind or an ego to nurse, after all this has been about the third time you've mentioned such things."

To think, practice my craft, and protect what IS from misrepresentation by zealots.

"What "factual information?""

In this case, the fact that various religion are based on referencable materials.
What I've stated about rastafarinsm is, in fact, their core belief system.
Argue the point all you want-- it's irrelevant. Their bekliefs are what they are.

 

I know that ruedenoodle provides a cascade of biblical quotations in other threads that far exceeds the characterization of "folk knowledge only".

 

Mr Noodle---I would agree that your critiques on much of organized religion is correct. The tenets of individual churches relative to your critiques would affect individual members to a more or lesser extent according to strength of belief.On the whole,as I have observed,there isn't much to argue about here---when I see grown humans making little signs on the fronts of their bodies ,or rising up and sinking to their knees in concert to little bells,or other adherants toying with dangerous snakes,I have to conclude that some very strong "persuasion"has occurred.An objective viewer would wonder why this all would be necessary,(as I have ,watching some of my friends do these things)however your critiques detail the what and I imagine most know the why.Universal Life Church,as I understand it, would be an exception and there are others I'm sure.--- my 2 cents.

 

Anybody see Julia Sweeny's "letting go of god"?
---------
Thedope,
quotes are easy to obtain, but he seems to feel there is a single code of behavior in the bible. You've read it, and you know it's not that simple.
If there's a common theme throughout the bible it's "shut up, do what you're told, and don't ask questions".

 

Universal Life Church is definitely different--
They ordained me!

 

Excellant!!Knew they had some sense.

 

Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened for you.
Seems you demonstrate a "folk knowledge" of the subject.

 

But it claims to, as for labeling every Rasta an anarchist thats your opinion.

I'm sure some do, but more importantly they do not claim that they are part of a religion normally, if you refuse to accept that by claiming that people who happen to be born with white skin are in consort with satan is a racist remark so be it, have fun with your view.

good question, think about it...

Your calling me a zealot, and yet it is you who resort to ad hominem attacks, fine, whatever.

Who said it wasn't, seriously why divert the subject constantly?

 

Those are NOT a code of behavior. You left out the subject, i.e., Seek and you shall find god
Those are slogans promoting religion.
I thought you said you've read the WHOLE bible?

In the bible, god kills a man for jacking off, and orders another to do it or else. He also let's Lot throw his daughters to a gang of rapist to protect a singleman from homosexuality, and then turns Lot's wife into a pillar of salt for looking over her shoulder. Nice guy, your biblical god-- hardly a hypocrit at all.

And what's with god admitting the flood was a mistake made in anger and promising not to do it again? Infallibe, the bible god is.

Shall I go on? At least a little...

what is Jesus' problem? He's pissed at everybody but his whore and calls the apostles stupid when they ask him what the hell is he talking about?

Why be limited to the chuch approved bible?

In the Book of Judas, Jesus laughs at the apostles for praying to the wrong god-- not a false god, the WRONG god.

My biblical knowledge is far more extensive that the average christian-- never mind the average atheist.

If I wanted to tear into the bible, I could do a job that would make rudenoodle come in his pants.

I state again, there is no single code of behavior on the bible.

 

I in no way mean to impugn, just a friendly poke. It appeared vaguely to me that you were approaching inconsistency.
I'm curious, is that Universal Life Church inc. of Modesto California?

 

Religions are cultural institutions. They affect us and we engage with them on the very same basis. We become the institutionalized or the insane.

 

If the bible is not intended to control the behavior of people are you insinuating that it is simply meant as entertainment?

 

Sense? They're just a tax dodge, formed to undermine organized religion. Then again, that's not so bad!

 

The Bible is intended to control (or at least guide) the behavior of people. I think what geckopelli is suggesting is that it's not controlling their behavior in a consistent direction. Borg argues that "the Bible contains different voices (and thus different visions) of what life is about." There's a conflict between the establishment theology and the prophets who preached against it (Moses, Isaiah, Amos, Jeremiah, Jesus, Paul, etc.) There are the Psalms preaching conventional wisdom, and books like Job and Ecclesiastes refuting it. To me, that's the greatness of the Bible. It reminds us of the complexity of existence and the human condition. But to literalists who believe it's a simple rulebook from God, there's a lot of 'splainin to do. If the Bible was "written by God", as I've heard claimed in these forums, then God is saying in Ecclesiastes: "under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all." The best people can do is "Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved of what you do." The Church Lady would be appalled!

I submit that there are passages providing guidance toward a coherent message. In the Old Testament, Micah asks: "And what does the Lord require of you?" And answers: "To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Mich 6:8). And in the New Testament, Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment? He answers: ""Thou shalt love the Lord God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they mind,and the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40) That pretty much sums it up. Why make it complicated?

 

Actually, the words seek, ask, and knock are all verbs, all actions or behaviors. And you are the subject.

The book of Judas?

Knowledge is knowledge, there is no better or worse. There is what we know and what we don't know. I don't question your knowledge. I see that you are a person of above average sincerity. I do question however, your situational awareness.

I enjoy talking to you but you do not move me. We move together or we move apart.

There is a transcendent whole that cannot be recognized from the collecting of parts.

 

I see it as more a documentation of the meanings and causes of behaviors and phenomena.
Religion, a thing made up about the book. Like Scientology from Hubbard.