Got Religion?

[Flea of the BastardCast]

I am not a Christian. I live in America where the majority of people are Christian though. I was baptised Catholic, raised Lutheren, and have come to learn that I can depend on myself, my family and my friends, but not on an invisible, omnipotent, omniscient being that lives high above the clouds in a magical land of make-believe. This isn't Mr. Roger's neighborhood, this is reality where life and death decisions are made at the whim of the plutocrats that run this oligarchy that we've been subsisting in for the last 80 years or so.

I am also not Hewrew or Muslim. I do not subscribe to any set of religious standards or practices. I do however believe in fundamental moral laws, but moral based on human interaction, emotions, and mutual respect, not on archaic text. I believe in the sanctity of life,
all life, not just human. I believe it is wrong to kill for selfish reasons. I believe we have transcended our need to cannibalize our environment, rape our planet, and pillage our neighbors' homes.

I also believe that we, as a modern society, have transcended our need for Religion. It seems that we've never recovered from the Dark Ages, that we still hold on to the Fire and Brimstone Ooga-Booga of a thousand years ago. Christianity was never the largest purveyor of the ties between Science and Faith. Islam did a better job of that, but everything seems to have been lost and forgotten to the sands of time (or the Winds of Change if that's more your thing).

I think tradition and religion are fetters that keep us in Plato's cave, unable to move past what we are. I'm not advocating Science as a new God, but I do believe Nietzsche was correct in his belief that we have outgrown God's usefulness, that religion is an anachronism and should be recognized as such.

We have so much potential, and I feel that sticking to the routine of Tradition allows us to stay bound by the fetters of Religion and that prevents us from respecting ourselves, each other, and the world we live in. Also i did not write this.

[Justin of the BastardCast]

I dont care if you didn't write it, i couldn't agree more.

[marleybob]

deep man but true

[zasuarc]

Being a Christian I have to disagree with you. There are plenty of problems with the religions of the world (mainly the people in positions of power and those who run around as sheep with their flock without a shephard). But religion is not just some crazy notion that there's "a magical land of make-believe" it's a place to strengthen oneself, to channel the powers greater than our own, and come together as a community and help others. Mind you this has been lost by the greed and power struggle of the last thousand years or so. I do agree the Traditions are keeping us bound but there are people trying to resolve this problem and hopefully truth will one day prevail.

It seems like the cool new thing among our hollow generation to side with the disbelievers.

[Flea of the BastardCast]

Hey man thanks for the reply--

I completely agree with your statement that religion is "a place to strengthen oneself, to channel the powers greater than our own, and come together as a community and help others" and the comment "Mind you this has been lost by the greed and power struggle of the last thousand years or so. I do agree the Traditions are keeping us bound but there are people trying to resolve this problem" also as far as the "a magical land of make-believe" comment--- as i said at the end of the post i did not actually write the stuff i was just posting it and agreed with the basic idea that it conveyed.
As far as religion i think that it is a wonderful thing for people to believe in and it sets a good guideline for life. However, i do not believe.....
As far as the "the cool new thing among our hollow generation to side with the disbelievers" comment---
i am not a sheep following the flock so you can suck my cock (that part was just a joke)

Anyhow i would not gamble with the fate of my soul just to be cool or follow a trend-- these are my beliefs.

Again, i thank you for your comment, especially since your comment was intellectual and not the usual rigmarole that i receive when talking about religion or the lack of religion.

Ken

[zasuarc]

I realize you didn't write the first post but I wasn't sure who to address in my response and assuming you agree with the original author I decided to respond to you.

[Justin of the BastardCast]

Cool. So do you listen to the show?

[marleybob]

i was baptised but i wasnt told to go to church or anything so i never really got into the pray and be good thing i dont want religion because its the opposite to my lifestyle but if there is a hell imk gonna kick hitlers arse evreyday and anyone else i dont like. if god sent me a sign something that convinced me i would be religious for the rest of my life i blame society for breaking away frm religion branding it uncool if jesus is supposed to return to convince us god exists again he better come soon.

[Orion Moon]

i am aThist, but my girlfriend is religous, but i believe that you can't base a relationship on religion.

[marleybob]

damn right!!!

[marleybob]

why did i say that? awnsers on a postcard

[ginkowski]

I'm a Taoist. I was raised Lutheran, but after a certain point my "annoying nature" to understand the world around me led me astray from Christianity into about three years of confusion. Being Taoist is more of a "everything is balanced or balances out somehow." It just makes more sense. I also agree with the statement of "outgrowing religion" and think that heaven and hell are more of a marketing tool used by religion to attract the old, scared fuckers. Here's how I back that statement up, "remember anything before you were born? What makes you think you'll remember anything after it's all over?" It's just an attatchment to our bodies and minds that we hold onto the idea of keeping our bodies and thoughts after we die. Not the most uplifting of beliefs, but I'm trying to help evolve mankind at least in my own small way.

[bastardart]

I was baptized and raised Catholic and went to Catholic school from kindergarten to 3rd grade. I still went to church with my parents until I was 18 when I made it clear to them I was chose not to attend church, I hadn't even truly followed the religion since I left Catholic school. I just felt that religion wasn't my cup of tea and there were certain beliefs and hypocrisies that I just didn't agree with. For a long time I was aggressively against Catholicism and Christianity more for the reason that certain followers and believers felt that they were obligated to recruit anyone who they considered a "lost soul" (i.e. my father) and that their way is the right way and if you don't follow along you are screwed, and also the combination of Church and State in this country still pisses me off to this day, Bush saying he's leading this country under the guidance of "God" doesn't mean shit to those who don't believe in "God". But recently I have felt that if you follow a certain religion and it works for your life and has helped you improve as a human being than that's awesome. But for people who try to force feed their philosophies, whether it be religion or anything else, than I won't tolerate that shit and they can go try and find someone else to spew their crap onto, like these religious douchebags in the city who pick the hotspots on Friday nights standing in front of bars and telling people not to "sin" and live such "unacceptable" lifestyles. I went up to this brainwashed bald asshole and asked why he had to resort to harassing people who are out having a good time, if he had given me a legit response and told me his reason I would've respected it and moved on, instead this douche tries to give me a god pamphlet and told me "Jesus loves you." and I asked, "how do you know that you asshole?" and walked away.