Anyone loose a light before 7:30 this morning between the BBC and STV? It was working so couldn't have been there that long.
I thought you'd found religion....So was a bit disappointed when I read the thread.(I was expecting some theological debate)
Ah religion, I do love a good debate.
You know, when I was in school, we once had a religious group who used to come around, who for the day would teach us their ways and their beliefs.
When asked to complete a number of questions and write a short essay on the subject I suggested the following.
I believe that religions were written by men for other men. Regardless of the original intent they are then manipulated to suit the needs of some and to control others.
I think this for a number of reasons, perhaps most strongly because historically religions have maintained a social order, most promise an afterlife of bliss, by which the living have manipulated the terms by such to suit their needs.
Christianity for example, qouting Matthew 19:24-26, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" would suggest to the poor, by means of a promise of heaven for simply being poor, would keep the rich rich and the poor poor.
Religions also provide answers for questions beyond the comprehension of a society, however it could be suggested that the more a society advances in knowledge and science, the less importance is given to those answers when proven wrong or absurd.
Upon reading my report out loud the religious leader enraged, he bleated his religous statements in defence yet the questions remained and I was ordered out of the room by his companions.
The most valuable lesson I learnt that day, is that a man so strongly influenced by religion, can not be reasoned with.
Ah religion, I do love a good debate.
You know, when I was in school, we once had a religious group who used to come around, who for the day would teach us their ways and their beliefs.
When asked to complete a number of questions and write a short essay on the subject I suggested the following.
I believe that religions were written by men for other men. Regardless of the original intent they are then manipulated to suit the needs of some and to control others.
I think this for a number of reasons, perhaps most strongly because historically religions have maintained a social order, most promise an afterlife of bliss, by which the living have manipulated the terms by such to suit their needs.
Christianity for example, qouting Matthew 19:24-26, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" would suggest to the poor, by means of a promise of heaven for simply being poor, would keep the rich rich and the poor poor.
Religions also provide answers for questions beyond the comprehension of a society, however it could be suggested that the more a society advances in knowledge and science, the less importance is given to those answers when proven wrong or absurd.
Upon reading my report out loud the religious leader enraged, he bleated his religous statements in defence yet the questions remained and I was ordered out of the room by his companions.
The most valuable lesson I learnt that day, is that a man so strongly influenced by religion, can not be reasoned with.
I had the 'jovvies' come round, on the conversion trail. Obviously a leader and a recruit. They were both male, the older one was a white guy, the younger appeared to be of Asian heritage. I'm usually too busy to give them the time of day, but this time "Why not?"
So within a couple of minutes the leader saw a challenge, not because I was atheist or agnostic, but because I said I was Buddhist. Don't get me wrong, I'm no "would be monk". I'm probably a Buddhist in the same way that 70% of the population call themselves Christian.....
So began about 10-15 mins of this guy parading his ignorance in front of his recruit. I guess with less than one percent of the population being Buddhist they don't train their guys how to debate against it?
It was basically all the same formula:
"You worship Buddha"
"No, Buddha was just a man. Enlightened, but just a man. Buddhism has no deity"
Imagine 15 mins of him coming out with statements that got immediately shot down. 15 mins can be a Loooong time!
There was a look of relief on his face as I said I had to go, and a smirk on the face of his recruit!
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Yeah, you'd think a little more research into other religions before they try to knock them. If for no other reason so that they don't come out looking like a horses arse when they're proved to have inaccurate information.