Religion

calimary

(81,222 posts)

6. Welcome to DU, nruthie!

Sat May 16, 2015, 10:22 AM

May 2015

Glad you're here! I don't think enough people realize what you pointed out - that God did not write the Bible - MAN DID. As in MEN. It was a bunch of dudes. Many of whom were loners, misanthropes, nomads, and sheep herders. It was mostly verbal because I doubt a lot of these early dudes had gone to any sort of school or knew how to read and write. Later on, it was written down - again, mainly by more dudes. The few gospels that were written by women were mostly and arbitrarily thrown out by another bunch of dudes many centuries later. And the messages therein are elastic and vague enough to be applicable to any situation and often to both sides of the same situation. For some it is indeed the Holy Bible. For others, it's the Buy-Bull.

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Reza Aslan: It’s not God’s fault if you use religion to justify hate — you’re just a bigot [View all] cbayer May 2015 OP

Which still fails to address skepticscott May 2015 #1

That's the great thing about the bible. You get to pick and choose which parts to believe Major Nikon May 2015 #10

To be fair, the Bible never says Mariana May 2015 #20

Sure, your children are optional. Other people, not so much. Major Nikon May 2015 #21

The only moral thing to say about slavery Mariana May 2015 #28

So why is religion such a persistent phenomenon? LTX May 2015 #46

Are you going to answer any of my questions? skepticscott May 2015 #48

The obvious answer to all of your leading questions is that religion is completely unnecessary. LTX May 2015 #49

Try fear and guilt for starters skepticscott May 2015 #50

Certainly. And I think fear of death plays a large role as one ages. LTX May 2015 #51

Children can be indoctrinated into fear at a very young age skepticscott May 2015 #66

Case in point skepticscott May 2015 #72

Here's another. rug May 2015 #73

Exactly!! nruthie May 2015 #2

I think many share your view. cbayer May 2015 #4

Welcome to DU, nruthie! calimary May 2015 #6

Yep, and the misogyny found in the bible can be accounted for by the cultural cbayer May 2015 #11

So if "god" didn't write the Bible skepticscott May 2015 #9

This message was self-deleted by its author Starboard Tack May 2015 #22

Anti-theists don't need god skepticscott May 2015 #25

This message was self-deleted by its author Starboard Tack May 2015 #33

Poor Tack skepticscott May 2015 #39

This message was self-deleted by its author Starboard Tack May 2015 #52

Poor Tack skepticscott May 2015 #55

This message was self-deleted by its author Starboard Tack May 2015 #61

Poor Tack..Did you really spend all that time skepticscott May 2015 #63

This message was self-deleted by its author Starboard Tack May 2015 #64

Greater than 40ft? Rent the house in Italy? Warren Stupidity May 2015 #58

This message was self-deleted by its author Starboard Tack May 2015 #62

And gone.... skepticscott May 2015 #67

Well that was quite the meltdown. Warren Stupidity May 2015 #69

And if that is the case, what's the point of religion? Bluenorthwest May 2015 #3

Diffusion of responsiblity Thor_MN May 2015 #5

The point of religion is spiritual growth and awareness. Maedhros May 2015 #101

without an utmost focus on compassion, respect for difference, BlancheSplanchnik May 2015 #7

Do you think that for some, religion provides them with the cbayer May 2015 #13

in religions where the fundamental doctrines are so contradictory, BlancheSplanchnik May 2015 #14

Your description of Nichiren Buddhism is really interesting. cbayer May 2015 #15

thanks! I edited...added a paragraph while you were reading. BlancheSplanchnik May 2015 #16

Here is the link - rug just posted this. cbayer May 2015 #17

thanks, that was an interesting article! BlancheSplanchnik May 2015 #18

Is that the branch that chants "nam myoho renge kyo" before a gohonzon? rug May 2015 #34

yep, that's the core practice. BlancheSplanchnik May 2015 #37

I sat with a few of them when it first became popular in the U.S. rug May 2015 #41

I was told that if you left the religion/practice you'd be cursed for life. haikugal May 2015 #82

I think you mean "identify", mr blur May 2015 #19

People are fooled into thinking that they need "god" for all of that skepticscott May 2015 #27

"If you're a violent misogynist, you will find plenty.... MellowDem May 2015 #8

"If you’re a peaceful feminist, you will find just as much in those scriptures to justify your cbayer May 2015 #12

It's not blindness Leontius May 2015 #23

And yet you argue all the time that people need texts skepticscott May 2015 #26

I honestly don't know what point you're making? MellowDem May 2015 #40

But you do cherry pick, just like you accuse others of doing. cbayer May 2015 #42

I'm not cherry picking... MellowDem May 2015 #43

But it does matter how much good there is. cbayer May 2015 #44

In what situation... MellowDem May 2015 #45

This is where the cherry picking comes in. cbayer May 2015 #47

Yes, where the cherry picking comes in for believers... MellowDem May 2015 #53

The good is not an excuse, it's just a part of it. cbayer May 2015 #54

Being a citizen of a country... MellowDem May 2015 #65

That people can cherry pick is evidence that no text exists that is the direct word of any god. snagglepuss May 2015 #56

Agree and I would take issue with anyone who claims that the texts cbayer May 2015 #57

There is next to nothing in the patriarchal abrahamic religious texts that can honestly Warren Stupidity May 2015 #59

Why would phil89 May 2015 #89

Because it was written down by greatly flawed humans. cbayer May 2015 #90

It's so easy to explain away the parts you don't like! trotsky May 2015 #93

So God didn't inspire phil89 May 2015 #94

I don't really know anything about any god, but I don't cbayer May 2015 #97

Why tack on such a b.s. insult, cbayer? trotsky May 2015 #98

He makes some very good points here. hrmjustin May 2015 #24

Glad you liked it. cbayer May 2015 #29

Agreed and i like his point about crediting religion for its good moments. hrmjustin May 2015 #30

Yes, you can't have it both ways. cbayer May 2015 #31

Agreed! In more ways then one. hrmjustin May 2015 #32

It's not God's fault if Reza Aslan is dishonest. Yorktown May 2015 #35

The Christian bible is worse. Not only must you kill other believers, but their livestock as well. Major Nikon May 2015 #36

Yes, the Torah is one source of the violence of the Quran Yorktown May 2015 #38

yeah but that is just your interpretation of those passages Warren Stupidity May 2015 #60

Yes, it stumps me all the time Yorktown May 2015 #68

Because it's perfectly fine to cherry-pick! trotsky May 2015 #95

And for those who don't like cherries? Yorktown May 2015 #99

I have also phil89 May 2015 #91

Are you an afairyist? Yorktown May 2015 #100

The quote that seems to most apply here... gcomeau May 2015 #70

Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride do the job just as well, if not better. rug May 2015 #71

I never understood the 7 deadly sins thing... Humanist_Activist May 2015 #74

Remove the word "sin" and they are still far from human ideals. rug May 2015 #75

When they interfere with healthy functioning, both for the person who has... Humanist_Activist May 2015 #87

The reasoning behind it Sobax May 2015 #78

Except there's no evidence for a "soul" phil89 May 2015 #92

I'm just explaining their worldview Sobax May 2015 #96

I should also add Sobax May 2015 #79

Reading about how these sins are described by medieval scholars is illuminating... Humanist_Activist May 2015 #85

If free will exists, its scope is very narrow Sobax May 2015 #86

Yes, but those instincts aren't bad, nor necessarily to be avoided... Humanist_Activist May 2015 #88

Right nil desperandum May 2015 #76

Why does credit for evil trump good every time? cbayer May 2015 #77

Indeed nil desperandum May 2015 #80

You are twisting the words. I didn't say we don't hold them accountable. cbayer May 2015 #81

Accountability nil desperandum May 2015 #83

The military service awards project sounds like it would be very challenging. cbayer May 2015 #84