Christianity

[Bondy]

Probably the fact its an inanimate object, plus this is a totally harsh view but it was on russell brands radio show and made me laugh...basically he said, it wasnt actually the woman who called the bear mohamed it was the children...now surely the children must know better aswell , so surely they are just as culpable

p.s sorry Mark i did read your post but mustve totally forgot you put that when i was posting!!

[Mark W]

off topic but slightly related..

You know the teacher whos class named the bear mohamed... I understand the concept as to why it wasnt aproved of (naming someone god for example) so why are there soooo many people called mohamed? is there a line between humans claiming to be god and teddy bears?

The crowds of people protesting saying she should have the death penalty, I cant think of a bigger waste of lifes than those devoted to that religion.

It was, from what I read about it, more that she was implying that Mohammed was like a bear. They don't see bears as 'teddy bears' over there, they're vicious, unpleasant animals and have a negative connoitation. So yeah, they thought she was personifying Mohammed as a bear, which isn't allowed.

The "Death penalty" thing does seem to be the standard Islamic thing. Like after that Dutch (Danish?) cartoon, how they were campaigning for the cartoonist to be killed, saying that Shilpa Shetty should be killed because Richard Gere gave her a kiss, etc. Usual knee-jerk reactionary shit.

EDIT: It was a boy in her class who suggested naming it Mohammed after himself, so she just went along with it.

[Dr. Nick Riviera]

off topic but slightly related..

You know the teacher whos class named the bear mohamed... I understand the concept as to why it wasnt aproved of (naming someone god for example) so why are there soooo many people called mohamed? is there a line between humans claiming to be god and teddy bears?

The crowds of people protesting saying she should have the death penalty, I cant think of a bigger waste of lifes than those devoted to that religion.

sharia law > *

go team.

[PaRtZ]

my new girlfriend is a christian and shes been raised on the whole, no sex before marriage thing, and its so annoying because shes fit as f**k!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

love her lotsz!!

[br3n]

my new girlfriend is a christian and shes been raised on the whole, no sex before marriage thing, and its so annoying because shes fit as f**k!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

love her lotsz!!

covert her, if you wanna know how watch cruel intentions only number 1, others are pure shite.

[monkeyseemonkeydo]

Interesting topic. Personally, I can't stand religion. To me it's a waste of space and seems to simply give people a reason to be crappy to each other together with giving weak people a flock to follow and a sense of bellonging. Now, don't get me wrong, the ideas behind religion are good: Be nice to each other, don't rape, murder, steal etc... but as has been pointed out that's simply common sense, nothing more. Also, if you look at the original bible, rather than the watered down modern version (don't quote me, I've never looked at a bible except to see if they have a page 666...), there's a lot of dodgy stuff in there about allowing people to do some really nasty things but that's by the by.

Although I'm completely open to people believeing what they want, I personally

1) Get really annoyed when someone tries to preach their beliefs to other people. Those guys you see on the streets telling everyone they're in for an eternity in damnation really need to go have a long think about their lives...

and

2) Am really disappointed that there are so many young people who are strongly religious. To me there is simply no logic behind Christianity, for example, and I don't understand how anyone with any kind of free thought can believe the rubbish the church peddle... With all respect to Andy and his girlfriend for finding happiness, I find the idea of 'having a personal relationship with jesus' kinda scary.

At the end of the day, the only reason I can find for the existence of religion is control through fear. If everyone's petrified of going to hell for eternity unless they follow all the rules and regs and pray to the correct god then they're more likely to behave themselves and cause less problems for those in power. Also, religion at its roots was created by humans to explain what they were unable to explain and give themselves a reason for being. In this day and age we know a hell of a lot more about the Universe in which we live in and how we and the world on which we live on came about. In this world religion has very little place...

Kudos for the Ricky Gervais link... let me add this to the fray.

Watch me.

[hI-OOPS-CAPS]

i met the most knowledgable and well educated bloke of my generation on the bus,we got talkin and he said to me, 'oh im now a muslim'

he was educated well in science and not religous, and even so he turned to the quran because apparently it has over 4000scientific facts that were postulated in 600ad when it was written and the facts have been proved only recently by science - so confirming its the word of god so i was told by him.

i was intruiged by it so bought myself a copy of the quran and check out these facts.though im not finished what ive read recently just strengthens my opinions that a religion doesnt exist

[Simpson]

Show me proof. Show me a modern day miracle.

I couldn't read page 2 cos of the page block on the school network, but thanks guys for all the posts and issues raised.

And Mike i don't think religion is about seeing anything or anything like that, i think its just how it makes you feel to know that there is something stronger. Im not going to lie i don't belive in half the things people are taught at this school, just i dunno i think peacefull religion is a really good ethos of how to live if you understand. Ill post more later, looking forward to your essay when i get home mark lol

[F-Stop Junkie]

It's just a pity that Descartes created what would become known as Cartesian Dualism simply to prove the existence of God (by saying that God was the way that the immaterial soul connected with the material body, by focussing our immaterial soul's aims and goals into the body through the Pineal Gland (I had to research this for my photography (yes, photography) project's production analysis last night ).

"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."

"But," says Man, "The Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn’t it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don’t. QED."

"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn’t thought of that," and promptly disappears in a puff of logic.

"Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.

Most leading theologians claim that this argument is a load of dingo’s kidneys, but that didn’t stop Oolon Colluphid making a small fortune when he used it as the central theme of his best-selling book, "Well That about Wraps It Up for God."

Meanwhile, the poor Babel fish, by effectively removing all barriers to communication between different races and cultures, has caused more and bloodier wars than anything else in the history of creation.

Ah, religion, faith, that old can of worms.

I have no doubt that _faith_ is a powerful thing, but it depends on the individual. Some people are receptive to it, or even too receptive in the case of cult members and the like, while others are not receptive at all. However everyone has to build a belief structure in life in order to make sense of everything around us. It's what makes us examine ideas and come up with a sense of self Some demand empirical proof, others will tackle wholly theoretical concepts as fact.

After all, the bible is the greatest work of fiction ever regarded as fact...

My problem with religion are the religions. The idea that this is right, that is wrong, and this is how it is can either be restrictive or a way of absolving the individual of having to find their way through life on their own. I have heard a number of theories about religion as a way of controlling the masses, that somehow a fear of eternal damnation will keep the population on the straight and narrow. This rings true - either as a deterrent against crime or the original self-help book - because it's based very much on symbolism and analogies which can be easily followed by an illiterate population.

In these modern times though, there's an overwhelming quantity of faiths, philosophies, ideas and practises that the idea of The religion is an outdated one. So many of the religions have overlapped that they no longer hold a clear separate message. Perhaps the ultimate irony is that many of the faiths intermix that they could almost be interchangeable, so slight are the variations and so strong are the similarities.

The problem with religion is the separatist nature of it. The believers against the godless/heathens/gentile, the idea of the one true religion, the devoted who try and outdo others to prove their faith, and the extremists... Ultimately Kevin Smith had it right:

Rufus: He still digs humanity, but it bothers Him to see the shit that gets carried out in His name - wars, bigotry, televangelism. But especially the factioning of all the religions. He said humanity took a good idea and, like always, built a belief structure on it.

Bethany: Having beliefs isn't good?

Rufus: I think it's better to have ideas. You can change an idea. Changing a belief is trickier. Life should malleable and progressive; working from idea to idea permits that. Beliefs anchor you to certain points and limit growth; new ideas can't generate. Life becomes stagnant.

My take is that there are elements of the universe outside of our understanding, and possibly things we can never know. The idea of the big bang has very strong supporting evidence, and I accept that it's a very possible theory to the start of the universe. What we don't know is what came before the big bang? Is the Universe a constantly expanding and contracting ball of matter and energy, perpetually regenerating? If so, what started the process? What is beyond the edge of the universe? I'm not looking to science for answers, but then I'm not looking to religion for a definitive answer either. I'm after ideas.

However, I think I've finally found proof for creationism, or intellectual design if you happen to have a tendency towards your sister. A lot of things appear to happen by chance, like looking through a sale rack at a clothes shop to find just the one in your size. The Back to the Future setup too, where your Mum and Dad don't meet and your life, well, stops.

Why do I now believe that a higher being created the sky and moon and frankfurters? Because Dinosaurs were stupid enough to not be able to adapt to an ice-age, and they decompose to make petrol, and that brings joy to me. Yup, I believe said higher being created animals and destroyed them in order to let me drive cars, shallow?

Note, I say higher being. I'm one of those fence sitters that must annoy the Lord so much. I can imagine God with his head in his hands muttering "Have some balls man, either say you do or don't, otherwise I'll make you sit outside the pearly gates, looking through at Neve Campbell and Eliza Dushku enjoying flirty chats in a very warm hot tub, and you can never touch yourself. Mwahahahah"

God has a sense of humour? Absolutley. To paraphrase a much better writer than myself, just look at the faces humans make mid-coitus. God isn't the judge of all judges, he's just a guy in a heavenly shed who keeps getting told by Mrs God to stop mucking about with his planets and come and have his tea.

Or is God a nerd? He has the ultimate Sims game. He and the other Gods (ummm, okay, this is getting theologically patchy) all logging into wow://heaven.earth.net and taking their little guilds on quests. One of the smaller guilds is launching attacks against the biggest guild of them all who has had the council of elders revolt and make an idiot leader (Okay, now this is getting WoW patchy too).

Anyway, one creator made animals that form petrol (woohoo!), they also made the new Subaru Impreza. While Peter Stevens became an instrument of the Lord when it came to pening the first WRC car and inspire the 22B, it seems that the Saviour has no interest in Japanese turbo hatches. Suddenly every Impreza saloon and wagon has had their residuals firmed up. Maybe his Holy Petrolheadedness is responsible for the new M5? Bangle is detirmined to muck up the world of car design, but the M5 has a magical ability to grow on me. My thought process is simple:

* God, that new M5 looks like a right dogs dinner. I'd buy the old one, f**k Bangle!

* I do like that headlight detail. Works with the bigger wheels and arches.

* 507bhp?

* Hmmm, it looks awesome in black. Like Batman in middle management.

* Oh, an old M5. It's quite... bland.

* Crikey, I love the new M5!

Maybe God just doesn't like hatchbacks - excluding his short secondment to the post-Escort Ford design office - because the Mitsubishi Evo X looks awesome. Like a Group B rally shark. The Astra VXR though looks forced and contrived, Seat Leon looks oddly rounded (especially from the rear, where the arches look like a girl in overly tight jeans), the new Focus is bland and uninspiring. In fact the few inspirational, divine hatchbacks I can think of ended up on rally stages, Escort RS Cosworth, Lancia Delta Integrale, Citroen Xsara. Maybe not the last one.

So in conclusion, God like saloons. Now please open your hymn books at number 173; The Chain by Fleetwood Mac.

"Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise..."

[Dan6061]

Too many long posts to read...

Anyway, I don't understand johova's and those people we get in Oxford shouting religous crap at everyone.

Surely if we wanted to follow a certain religion then we'd chose to do it ourselves? I don't see why they think they can simply 'convert you' by telling us about what some bloke with a beard did.

There's been many great people in the world that many helped many, but we don't go following everything they do/say...

[monkeyseemonkeydo]

snip

You should apply for a job on Top Gear, Chris...

[JonMack]

So in conclusion, God like saloons. Now please open your hymn books at number 173; The Chain by Fleetwood Mac.

"Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise..."

QFT

[F-Stop Junkie]

You should apply for a job on Top Gear, Chris...

I did get a story in Sniff Petrol once! Seeing as that's done by the TG script editor, I'm half way there. Sort of.

Hmm, just read that back, and it in my head it sounds like Martyn Ashton in Chainspotting going "It's true, he did do that once!"

</old school>

[Tony Harrison]

Damn, Chainspotting is over 10 years old now...

[Pashley26]

It was, from what I read about it, more that she was implying that Mohammed was like a bear. They don't see bears as 'teddy bears' over there, they're vicious, unpleasant animals and have a negative connoitation. So yeah, they thought she was personifying Mohammed as a bear, which isn't allowed.

But it's alright for them to burn imitations of our world leaders in the street when we do something they don't like ?

What do you think would happen if we went over there and DEMANDED and basiclly blackmailed them, saying they HAD to put up Christian churches or we'd blow up there capital cities, and we had to have English/Christian only communities ? What do you think would happen if we tried to prosicute some of there so called "Preachers" who are basiclly spreading evil words and rumors through our country ! Fair enough, we're having a war in there back garden. But there having a war in the Worlds capital cities ! I'm not going to say anything more because i'l get called a racist and get banned.

I'm not having a go at you either, just using what you said to make a point.

Jarrod

[mat hudson]

for a while now i've seen religion as something that started off with good intentions, maybe as rough guidelines to live your life by turn into somehting that is used as an excuse to kill people. sure, some good comes of it but i could never be part of something responsible for so many deaths.

[Mark W]

But it's alright for them to burn imitations of our world leaders in the street when we do something they don't like ?

What do you think would happen if we went over there and DEMANDED and basiclly blackmailed them, saying they HAD to put up Christian churches or we'd blow up there capital cities, and we had to have English/Christian only communities ? What do you think would happen if we tried to prosicute some of there so called "Preachers" who are basiclly spreading evil words and rumors through our country ! Fair enough, we're having a war in there back garden. But there having a war in the Worlds capital cities ! I'm not going to say anything more because i'l get called a racist and get banned.

I'm not having a go at you either, just using what you said to make a point.

Jarrod

Um, I don't really get why you're addressing that at me, as I was simply pointing out WHY they thought she'd done a bad thing? I didn't agree with it, I was just saying.

Oh, and btw, we've already done that in our history. Crusades 'n' stuff. British Empire. etc. We are a bunch of c**ts, and they're basically doing now what we did to them. Again, not justifying it, just saying that the "proud" Britons who complain about what other people do don't really have anything to be "proud" about. But yeah, they are being dicks about pretty much everything these days.

Personally, I think it'll equal itself out. It's how the world works - goes from one extreme to the other, gradually balancing itself out in the process. We're just at the one extreme now, having gone from the other extreme of our ridiculous levels of persecution in the past.

[Pashley26]

"I'm not having a go at you either, just using what you said to make a point."

Didn't mean to get you in that, i was just making my point on something alot of people say.

I can't really express my views becouse no doubt i'll get in alot of trouble.

Well, long and short of it is i agree with what Mat said, I i too hope to never be a part of something that has caused so many deaths !

Jarrod

[Dan6061]

Mum said the other day that she heard that they were going to stop doing nativity plays due to out 'multi-cultural' nation.

[Mark W]

I'd just like to point out that in most of the cases of "I heard that...", it tends to be like a global game of Chinese whispers, and the result is probably no more accurate than the leading "news" story in The Sun...

[Revolver]

causaliy/karma hybrid pretty much sums up what my beliefs are

[tomturd]

I'd just like to point out that in most of the cases of "I heard that...", it tends to be like a global game of Chinese whispers, and the result is probably no more accurate than the leading "news" story in The Sun...

It probably was the leading news story...

I heard 'they' are banning saying ho ho ho as its offensive to women.

Not religious myself, I'm pretty happy milling along without belief in greater beings. I guess if I did 'find god' then I could technically be even more happy.. but I don't feel the need for it personally.

[monkeyseemonkeydo]

I heard 'they' are banning saying ho ho ho as its offensive to women.

Allready happened in Australia apparently, although it was not banned, as such, but up to the individual 'Santa's' discretion. They were told they should say Ha Ha Ha instead. No Joke.

Edit: Link to story.

Mum said the other day that she heard that they were going to stop doing nativity plays due to out 'multi-cultural' nation.

My sister, who works in an accounting firm in Toronto, had a meeting the other day about what to call their Christmas Party. Apparently the word Christmas may offend people so they're going to be having a "holiday celebration" or "winter celebration" or "holiday party"... Plus all cards must read Happy Holiday. If you ask me that's just completely retarded. Everyone knows December 25th is just Santa's birthday, why is that offensive?!

Edited December 13, 2007 by monkeyseemonkeydo

[Simpson]

Everyone knows December 25th is just Santa's birthday, why is that offensive?!

Becuase its JESUS's birth date and as a country we only celebrate his birth.... (maybe rightly... mabe not)

But none of this is the point of the thread... i wanna know your opionon on relgion.

[monkeyseemonkeydo]

Becuase its JESUS's birth date and as a country we only celebrate his birth... i wanna know your opionon on relgion.

[sarcasm]Ah, right, gotcha. Never realised[/sarcasm]. Already given my opinion, and the Santa comment is just a bit of fun in line with my views...

Oh yeah, and I was under the impression that Easter also had something to do with this jesus dude you mention...

Edited December 13, 2007 by monkeyseemonkeydo