Quote:
Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!
What i'm writing here is not intended to be a religious lesson, nor is it the intent to criticise other people's beliefs, however i do take the firm stance that it is so ignorant and plain stupid when the ignoramouses of this world make the assumption that it is the religion that is at fault, not the people that actually perpetrated the offenses or causes of alarm.
That is a big gripe of mine.
The word of the Lord does not condone the actions of the unsavoury behaviour of its perpetrators, i'm not sure where people get that idea from.
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I don't agree and could really rip into that claim if I wanted to, but I'll be nice and only give it a glancing blow.
Frankly I think this sort of behavior goes part in parcel with the basics of most religions. Your typical religion sets up the statement that they are the only true religion and that all others are false (or often much worse). Even if they do not explicitly say that, the premise is generally still there (if our religion is different then others, then there must one that is right, therefore the others are wrong and these people are ignorant and must see the light). This is basic human nature to, hate and fear that which is different and unalike.
Second, this lack of questioning found in many faiths is what makes members so vulnerable to people who exploit and use them. It is part of what makes suicide bombers, and other religious terrorists possible. They must believe without question. It is also what permits all the other stuff that happens in religion, which most would find highly questionable otherwise.
These 2 things combined together (I am right + lack of questioning) are what create 'holy' wars, forced conversions, the inquisition, the holocaust (Nazism was effectively a religion as practiced by the SS, and the effect of the Christian hatred of Jews), persecution of other groups, justification for racism and slavery, etc etc etc ad nauseum.
So ya I would say the institution is inherently responsible. Now if you want to get to something that really pisses me off... people who put words into "God's" mouth. Who the hell do they think they are, that they think they can claim to know what "God" wants. If there is such an entity, it would have to be completely beyond our comprehension, and understanding, thus rendering us incapable of knowing what it desires (or if it even desires, as that is a mortal trait).
Now as a more general comment, anyone ever noticed, how very quickly people of faith get angry if you even begin to question their beliefs. They can go from happy and pleasant, to angry and rude in the blink of an eye. I find that very odd and attribute it to doubt and anxiety. If a person is secure in their beliefs then logically they should be able to take any amount of questioning or worse. You see a lot of insecurity in the full video OTH started the thread with.
Frankly I think the reason people get so hostile is because they are afraid of being shown their beliefs are not real, or worse of looking stupid for believing something that would otherwise be considered absurd if it wasn't cloaked in religion. Most people are very insecure in their faiths, which makes them quick to take action to reinforce that faith.
Anyhow, ultimately I don't care what other people believe, as long as it does not directly affect me or how I choose to lead my life. But I do not like organized religion, due to it being a power entity and due to what it does in the world, which is mostly harm in my eyes. All of that in exchange for a bit of comfort in a world that is totally mad, and a bit of hope towards that which is forever void of knowledge, death.