I just want religion to stop influencing my politics. Politics interest me, but I don't want to get into it just to be stuck debating on whether or not global warming is real. I don't care what the public opinion is, if it contradicts facts, then it's not going to have any influence on my decisions as a leader. That's the way it SHOULD be. Bringing this back to religion, I'm going to admit that I find it something thoroughly detrimental to society, but mainly because of the way people are forced to support it (through taxes, in the U.S.) whether they believe in it or not. For the most part, I don't care what you believe in, but I wouldn't ever use taxpayer money to set a location and build a church. If the group can raise the funds to buy the land and build their church, they are entirely free to do so. That's how I interpret the separation of church and state.
Religion... Hmm... According to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, witches are evil and must be killed. Let's look at the Wiccan Law, shall we? Horrifying, isn't it? It's so evil! Then there's the ultimate Big Bad of religion, Satan. Let's see what rules his followers must obey. Huh... well, I'm gonna let you draw your own conclusions here. I will, however, mention that pagan religion existed long before Abrahamic religion.
HAIL SATAN But seriously, the Satanic rules make more sense than "I am your GOD, you shall have no other gods before me." I mean, really, it's as if the Abrahamic god is an attention-seeking maniac. Make of that what you will.
Asatro for the win. It doesn't hate on gays or anyone else. The only important rule to follow is that you have to die in battle or else you end up at Hell.
Yeah, because that's the only rule. There is "You shall not kill". That include small children. "Respect your father and mother" is another rule. The "You shall have no other gods then me" rule makes sense. I mean if you would create the human race would you like it if they prayed to another god that didn't exist?
i don't care what religion you are if i get along with you. I personally am a Morman, a form of Christianity.
What so wrong with wanting the people you created worship you? This one of the things that make me dislike most atheists.
I don't know about the other two, but anyone who is a Christian who believes this is pretty mistaken.
My mother lives across the street from a church led by a pastor who teaches that Atheism, Wicca, and Satanism are the same thing. Also, Exodus 22:18 (KJV) says "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."
Then I believe that pastor is mistaken, probably because he is following the old testament to the letter. The bible also says, in a verse that can be taken mostly at face value, unlike most of the bible: 1 Peter 3:8 "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing." A lot of the old testament is impossible to take in the context of today. We're in a time 4000 years or so later than when it happened, and in an entirely different culture. Circumstances have changed. In just one example, the definition of "witch" has changed. A witch has, over the years, gone from meaning someone who communes with the dead, to any practitioner of magic, to someone who made a pact with satan exchanging their soul for power, and finally to the modern interpretation of Wiccans and other similar groups. You see why you can't just take it word-for-word?
I understand that. You understand that. Most Christians, however, do not understand that. I have no problem with belief in a higher power. What concerns me is blind faith.
Blind faith is different than being a sheep and believing everything you see or hear. If you have blind faith it means you trust God unconditionally and follow what He tells you to do no matter what. It DOES NOT include putting zero mental effort into trying to FIGURE OUT what He's telling you. But, yes, there are a lot of misguided, false, or just plain stupid Christians out there. Doesn't mean Christianity is any of those though.
I have never seen a concept such as religion become such a fierce tool for a catalyst to hatred and as an excuse for wrongdoing before. World would be better off without it in my opinion. But hey, whatever floats your boat, I won't knock on your door and call you an idiot.
I was personally raised up in an Anglican household and I attend a private, Catholic school. I do believe there is some sort of creator somewhere, that might not necessarily be the God of Christianity. But a creator nonetheless who made this universe. I'm not a crazy, fanatic Christian, but I just believe there is a God.
