Our Lord and Master

[DeepGreenEyes]

To a certain point, I think everyone believes they're right about their beliefs about religion and stuff pertaining to that. I think that's human nature and not something we should be ashamed about, or something we should hide. In the end, we'll all be shown what's the truth and the wonder and awe of that is cool, especially since I also think that everyone wonders and doubts equally as much!

Off topic, but y'know.

I think that's part of the tribalism that enabled our species to thrive in little bands by being suspicious of others who look differently or have different deities. Obviously, it's proven effective for millions of years, enabling us to dominate the planet. It worked. But at this point, the tribes are blurring and bumping up against each other at every turn, and our ability to destroy other tribes has moved from sticks to nukes. Not to mention the fact that even a few hundred years ago our knowledge of science – and those who thought and lived differently – was almost nonexistent. Most of our religions don't reflect any of this.

So, while I agree that believing our religious beliefs to be right is human nature, I think we should be ashamed of it.

 

[satindesire]

I think that's part of the tribalism that enabled our species to thrive in little bands by being suspicious of others who look differently or have different deities. Obviously, it's proven effective for millions of years, enabling us to dominate the planet. It worked. But at this point, the tribes are blurring and bumping up against each other at every turn, and our ability to destroy other tribes has moved from sticks to nukes. Not to mention the fact that even a few hundred years ago our knowledge of science – and those who thought and lived differently – was almost nonexistent. Most of our religions don't reflect any of this.

So, while I agree that believing our religious beliefs to be right is human nature, I think we should be ashamed of it.

For all the reasons humans have killed each other, one reason was never better or worse than the other. And people did and do good things in religions' name as well.

I don't agree with you, but I understand your POV.

 

[ownedsubgal]

Well, H believes in science and finds God an absurd redundancy in the face of how great science is.

I don't have the answers on that one, and I think it's arrogance to think you do one way or the other. I enjoy pointing this out to him in certain instances. I could definitely do inquisitor of agnosticism.

lucky you. i'm an agnostic slave to a Christian Master. YOU get to actually say all those things that i can only proclaim in my head, while biting my lip and and nodding thoughtfully lol.

 

[graceanne]

Mabye I'll just start slapping myself in the face whenver I do it...I should get a nice rubber-room vacation if enough people notice it.

Dude.

Can I watch?

To a certain point, I think everyone believes they're right about their beliefs about religion and stuff pertaining to that. I think that's human nature and not something we should be ashamed about, or something we should hide. In the end, we'll all be shown what's the truth and the wonder and awe of that is cool, especially since I also think that everyone wonders and doubts equally as much!

Off topic, but y'know.

I agree.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

For all the reasons humans have killed each other, one reason was never better or worse than the other. And people did and do good things in religions' name as well.

Absolutely. Humans do great things in the name of religion. And horrific things. And for every other reason. I wouldn't wave a wand and make religion disappear; humans need religion, or spirituality in some form.

What I would expunge from human nature is this concept: "My religion is true. My God is real. And yours is false. So I am right."

This idea is entirely unnecessary for religious experience and expression. And how much evil, how much real wickedness, has been done because of it?

 

[Seurat]

"My religion is true. My God is real. And yours is false. So I am right."

Change it to:

My belief system is right. My philosophy is real. And yours is false. So I am right.

Get everybody to agree this is wrong, and you would eliminate most of the wars going on, as well as wiping out half the threads on the BDSM front page.

 

[JMohegan]

Absolutely. Humans do great things in the name of religion. And horrific things. And for every other reason. I wouldn't wave a wand and make religion disappear; humans need religion, or spirituality in some form.

What I would expunge from human nature is this concept: "My religion is true. My God is real. And yours is false. So I am right."

This idea is entirely unnecessary for religious experience and expression. And how much evil, how much real wickedness, has been done because of it?

Personally, I don't mind if people think their religion is true, their god is real, other gods don't actually exist, thetans created the universe or jesus died so people go to heaven or whatever. Isn't that what faith is, after all? Belief that you know, really KNOW, that stuff? Otherwise, what's the point of the whole endeavor?

What bothers me is that some religious people try to apply the rules of their faith to others. "My god says homosexuality is bad, so you gay people can't be married.... even though you don't belong to my church." "My god says abortion is murder, so I can't have one and you can't either." That type of thing. It's not that they have faith, it's that they believe their faith trumps my right to reject it.

 

[intothewoods]

To a certain point, I think everyone believes they're right about their beliefs about religion and stuff pertaining to that. I think that's human nature and not something we should be ashamed about, or something we should hide. In the end, we'll all be shown what's the truth and the wonder and awe of that is cool, especially since I also think that everyone wonders and doubts equally as much!

Off topic, but y'know.

Not everyone. Many people in all different faiths are universalists who believe we all walk our own path to God.

Absolutely. Humans do great things in the name of religion. And horrific things. And for every other reason. I wouldn't wave a wand and make religion disappear; humans need religion, or spirituality in some form.

What I would expunge from human nature is this concept: "My religion is true. My God is real. And yours is false. So I am right."

This idea is entirely unnecessary for religious experience and expression. And how much evil, how much real wickedness, has been done because of it?

It's not necessary for me, but for people who are devout and strictly follow a religion that is not at all universalist, then it is necessary for them.

Personally, I don't mind if people think their religion is true, their god is real, other gods don't actually exist, thetans created the universe or jesus died so people go to heaven or whatever. Isn't that what faith is, after all? Belief that you know, really KNOW, that stuff? Otherwise, what's the point of the whole endeavor?

What bothers me is that some religious people try to apply the rules of their faith to others. "My god says homosexuality is bad, so you gay people can't be married.... even though you don't belong to my church." "My god says abortion is murder, so I can't have one and you can't either." That type of thing. It's not that they have faith, it's that they believe their faith trumps my right to reject it.

I agree, although if you truly believe all of these things are sins then it's difficult to adopt a 'live and let live' attitude about it. On a somewhat positive note though, some of these beliefs do change over time when people have personal experience to base their opinions on.

 

[JMohegan]

I agree, although if you truly believe all of these things are sins then it's difficult to adopt a 'live and let live' attitude about it. On a somewhat positive note though, some of these beliefs do change over time when people have personal experience to base their opinions on.

I guess if you believe god orders you to save unborn babies, or convert heathens in Africa, then you'll be bound by faith to fight pro-choice folks or fly on over to work as a missionary. That makes sense.

 

[satindesire]

Absolutely. Humans do great things in the name of religion. And horrific things. And for every other reason. I wouldn't wave a wand and make religion disappear; humans need religion, or spirituality in some form.

What I would expunge from human nature is this concept: "My religion is true. My God is real. And yours is false. So I am right."

This idea is entirely unnecessary for religious experience and expression. And how much evil, how much real wickedness, has been done because of it?

Oh, trust. Coming from a Christian woman, you may be surprised to hear this (read this?) But I agree, wholeheartedly. I won't go deeply into my personal beliefs about the world's religions more than to say this: I think all religions have one very large grain of truth (Be loving to people and you'll be rewarded) that should CONNECT people, not push them away. And the truly religious and spiritual people who aren't using religion as an excuse to hate actually DO believe that religion, no matter which one it is, is a good thing, not bad.

Anyway, yeah. There ya go.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

Change it to:

My belief system is right. My philosophy is real. And yours is false. So I am right.

Get everybody to agree this is wrong, and you would eliminate most of the wars going on, as well as wiping out half the threads on the BDSM front page.

Poof! Gone!

Personally, I don't mind if people think their religion is true, their god is real, other gods don't actually exist, thetans created the universe or jesus died so people go to heaven or whatever. Isn't that what faith is, after all? Belief that you know, really KNOW, that stuff? Otherwise, what's the point of the whole endeavor?

What bothers me is that some religious people try to apply the rules of their faith to others. "My god says homosexuality is bad, so you gay people can't be married.... even though you don't belong to my church." "My god says abortion is murder, so I can't have one and you can't either." That type of thing. It's not that they have faith, it's that they believe their faith trumps my right to reject it.

Yeah. Like Doritos, it seems so hard to stop once you get started, though. Once you say you know for a fact what God wants.

God says women should wear orange traffic cones on their heads.

And if that IS the will of the Almighty, the Creator and Ruler of the Universe...

1.My wife should definitely wear an orange traffic cone on her head.
2.Actually, your wife should wear an orange traffic cone on her head, too, if you think about it. Let me share what God told me about it!
3.Hey! Let's vote for the mayor who will require all the women in our village to wear orange traffic cones on their heads.
4.And if we want God to smile on our nation, the laws of our country should require women to wear orange traffic cones on their heads.
5.God's will does not stop at national boundaries! The laws of every country should require women to wear orange traffic cones on their heads!

Mmmm...Doritos.

It's not necessary for me, but for people who are devout and strictly follow a religion that is not at all universalist, then it is necessary for them.

Wait! I just poofed! that with my wand. So it doesn't exist anymore.

Oh, trust. Coming from a Christian woman, you may be surprised to hear this (read this?) But I agree, wholeheartedly. I won't go deeply into my personal beliefs about the world's religions more than to say this: I think all religions have one very large grain of truth (Be loving to people and you'll be rewarded) that should CONNECT people, not push them away. And the truly religious and spiritual people who aren't using religion as an excuse to hate actually DO believe that religion, no matter which one it is, is a good thing, not bad.

Anyway, yeah. There ya go.

Cool. I wish that were more prevalent in mainline and especially evangelical Christianity. I'm not so crazy about what some religions do to their members, and sometimes to the larger world. Scientology preys on its members and makes the world a worse place, imo. And I hate mayo, so any religion trying to foist it on the larger society as a ritual food would lose its tax-exempt status.