Religion

[Stress]

Religion = bad.
Spirituality = good.

I could write pages on why this is true, but I can't be bothered to do that now. Peace.

[NuclearSilo]

Religion = bad.
Spirituality = good.

I could write pages on why this is true, but I can't be bothered to do that now. Peace.

Yes please

[Stress]

[disclaimer] all of this is my view on the matter, I don't mean to judge anyone [/disclaimer]

All that is religion is man made. Be it Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or anything else. Man has always looked for ordered, organized ways to express his reverence towards the spiritual world, which he has always been aware of, and is, even now. In my opinion, during the course of history, man has made several big mistakes. What caused the mistakes is his own weakness, in certain areas, and malicious will in other parts. I believe we should not be looking towards the spiritual realities with awe-struck reverence, and in a humble attitude, reflecting our presumed nothingness, weakness and so on. That was one mistake man has made in the past. Upon realizing various spiritual realities, man was afraid. And condemned himself to humble attitudes, and ultimately, rituals. It is of utmost importance to note that spiritual entities do not govern the human, physical realities, the two simply coexist, in harmony, in interdependance.

Fear has been, is, and will always be a very important element of the human relationship with the spiritual world. And, by spiritual, I do not mean ghosts or anything of that kind. I am referring to spiritual entities, in the widest possible range of perceptions one could have. It is a natural phenomenon that upon becoming aware of a different reality than the material world (this happens through man's own, native sensitivity), man becomes afraid and acts improperly. Groups of people, be it manipulated and frightened by others, or realizing the same facts together, have slowly spawned cults and religions, over the course of history.

I believe the existence of something out there, however each and every one of us wishes to define that, can not be contested. There must be something else than meets the eye for each and every individual. But as I've said, the problem arises when people fail to define that which they perceive by themselves, and accept that which is given to them, by cultural, religious, or any other means. True spirituality, or religion, as some may wish to call it, is something intimate, strictly personal.

[EvGa]

no one will bump, don't worry. It's enough, no one will win.

Not trying to win anything, just trying to discuss.

[/Pi]

We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because they?re never going to be born. The potential people who could have been here in my place, but who will in fact never see the light of day outnumber the sand grains of the Sahara. Certainly some of those unborn ghosts include greater poets than Keats, Scientists greater than Newton. We know this because the set of possible people allowed by our DNA so massively outnumbers the set of actual people. In the teeth of these stupefying odds, it is you and I, in our ordinariness, that are here. We, privileged few, who won the lottery of birth against all odds, how dare we whine at our inevitable return to that prior state for which the vast majority have never stirred.

Unweaving the Rainbow - still my favorite book.

[EvGa]

[disclaimer] all of this is my view on the matter, I don't mean to judge anyone [/disclaimer]

All that is religion is man made. Be it Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or anything else. Man has always looked for ordered, organized ways to express his reverence towards the spiritual world, which he has always been aware of, and is, even now. In my opinion, during the course of history, man has made several big mistakes. What caused the mistakes is his own weakness, in certain areas, and malicious will in other parts. I believe we should not be looking towards the spiritual realities with awe-struck reverence, and in a humble attitude, reflecting our presumed nothingness, weakness and so on. That was one mistake man has made in the past. Upon realizing various spiritual realities, man was afraid. And condemned himself to humble attitudes, and ultimately, rituals. It is of utmost importance to note that spiritual entities do not govern the human, physical realities, the two simply coexist, in harmony, in interdependance.

Fear has been, is, and will always be a very important element of the human relationship with the spiritual world. And, by spiritual, I do not mean ghosts or anything of that kind. I am referring to spiritual entities, in the widest possible range of perceptions one could have. It is a natural phenomenon that upon becoming aware of a different reality than the material world (this happens through man's own, native sensitivity), man becomes afraid and acts improperly. Groups of people, be it manipulated and frightened by others, or realizing the same facts together, have slowly spawned cults and religions, over the course of history.

I believe the existence of something out there, however each and every one of us wishes to define that, can not be contested. There must be something else than meets the eye for each and every individual. But as I've said, the problem arises when people fail to define that which they perceive by themselves, and accept that which is given to them, by cultural, religious, or any other means. True spirituality, or religion, as some may wish to call it, is something intimate, strictly personal.

Interesting read. Made me envision some sort of drug trip...

I'm not into the spiritual stuff though.

[TheDrop]

For those of you who don't believe in an afterlife (me included), is it not a mind boggling thought, when you die..you cease to exist..for eternity. All conscious processes gone, "you" gone, crazy. Yet at the same time takes me back to the Dawkins quote, I feel lucky to be here.

Probably why people are so desperate to believe in religion- hope that after they die they don't just turn into soil.

[Stress]

[disclaimer] all of this is my view on the matter, I don't mean to judge anyone [/disclaimer]

All that is religion is man made. Be it Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or anything else. Man has always looked for ordered, organized ways to express his reverence towards the spiritual world, which he has always been aware of, and is, even now. In my opinion, during the course of history, man has made several big mistakes. What caused the mistakes is his own weakness, in certain areas, and malicious will in other parts. I believe we should not be looking towards the spiritual realities with awe-struck reverence, and in a humble attitude, reflecting our presumed nothingness, weakness and so on. That was one mistake man has made in the past. Upon realizing various spiritual realities, man was afraid. And condemned himself to humble attitudes, and ultimately, rituals. It is of utmost importance to note that spiritual entities do not govern the human, physical realities, the two simply coexist, in harmony, in interdependance.

Fear has been, is, and will always be a very important element of the human relationship with the spiritual world. And, by spiritual, I do not mean ghosts or anything of that kind. I am referring to spiritual entities, in the widest possible range of perceptions one could have. It is a natural phenomenon that upon becoming aware of a different reality than the material world (this happens through man's own, native sensitivity), man becomes afraid and acts improperly. Groups of people, be it manipulated and frightened by others, or realizing the same facts together, have slowly spawned cults and religions, over the course of history.

I believe the existence of something out there, however each and every one of us wishes to define that, can not be contested. There must be something else than meets the eye for each and every individual. But as I've said, the problem arises when people fail to define that which they perceive by themselves, and accept that which is given to them, by cultural, religious, or any other means. True spirituality, or religion, as some may wish to call it, is something intimate, strictly personal.

Interesting read. Made me envision some sort of drug trip...

I'm not into the spiritual stuff though.

Of course you can think of it this way too. I'm in love with everything that is not material, whatever that may be. What do you understand by "spiritual stuff", of which you say you are not into?

[EvGa]

Probably why people are so desperate to believe in religion- hope that after they die they don't just turn into soil.

That's exactly what it is for, and to some degrees to try and explain the natural world.

Of course you can think of it this way too. I'm in love with everything that is not material, whatever that may be. What do you understand by "spiritual stuff", of which you say you are not into?

I believe all things to be physical. Consciousness being a manifestation of physical processes. I don't "believe" in any sort of metaphysical realm. I don't see everything as having a deeper meaning or "behind the scenes" process, I see everything as "just is".

[NuclearSilo]

can't wait the day magic dominates the world

[EvGa]

can't wait the day magic dominates the world

notsureifserious.jpg

[Stress]

Probably why people are so desperate to believe in religion- hope that after they die they don't just turn into soil.

That's exactly what it is for, and to some degrees to try and explain the natural world.

Of course you can think of it this way too. I'm in love with everything that is not material, whatever that may be. What do you understand by "spiritual stuff", of which you say you are not into?

I believe all things to be physical. Consciousness being a manifestation of physical processes. I don't "believe" in any sort of metaphysical realm. I don't see everything as having a deeper meaning or "behind the scenes" process, I see everything as "just is".

Oh, I understand.

When did you become aware of the fact that your perception of the world is this one? How did it come to that?

[EvGa]

Oh, I understand.

When did you become aware of the fact that your perception of the world is this one? How did it come to that?

When I became more involved in science, i.e. when I moved off to college. Seeing how science can explain natural processes and the ones yet to be explained are well defined within theories that just need further testing, like all scientific theories.

Testing is a bad term, err...further refinement and explanation.

[Stress]

Oh, I understand.

When did you become aware of the fact that your perception of the world is this one? How did it come to that?

When I became more involved in science, i.e. when I moved off to college. Seeing how science can explain natural processes and the ones yet to be explained are well defined within theories that just need further testing, like all scientific theories.

Testing is a bad term, err...further refinement and explanation.

You're more than 20 years old, right?

[NuclearSilo]

Oh, I understand.

When did you become aware of the fact that your perception of the world is this one? How did it come to that?

When I became more involved in science, i.e. when I moved off to college. Seeing how science can explain natural processes and the ones yet to be explained are well defined within theories that just need further testing, like all scientific theories.

Testing is a bad term, err...further refinement and explanation.

You're more than 20 years old, right?

irrelevant with the current topic

[EvGa]

Oh, I understand.

When did you become aware of the fact that your perception of the world is this one? How did it come to that?

When I became more involved in science, i.e. when I moved off to college. Seeing how science can explain natural processes and the ones yet to be explained are well defined within theories that just need further testing, like all scientific theories.

Testing is a bad term, err...further refinement and explanation.

You're more than 20 years old, right?

Yes, that applies how? lol..

I was raised Methodist, but my parents were not very religious. My grandparents though...

[Stress]

I was just wondering, not trying to make any age connections!

EDIT:

Here is my background.

At 15 years of age, I quit pretty much everything (my place in the moderating team here, chess, any other activities), to become a "priest" in the church I was raised in. If you're from the USA, you must have heard of Baptists, otherwise you can google it, but it's nothing extraordinary, really. I was supposed to lead the worship through songs in my church, even at that frail age. Some time later, I realized this place was not for me, and I needed to pursue something that I felt needed to be known (I've felt this since I was about 13-14 years old), by other means. I just turned seventeen, two months ago. I've got one wonderful lady aside me, and I'm happy of the place I've come to. All is well now.