Don't be silly, well over half the country identified themselves as Christian in the 2011 census.
Yeh, I can see what yer alluding to there, but being religionist does not necessarily equate with being racist.
i.e. I can't be doing with christians, catholics, muslims, jews, hindus, buddhists etc. etc., but I couldn't give a fuck where they're from or the colour of their skin, it's just their general ignorance, gullibility and willingness to commit crimes against other humans which pisses me off![]()
I rest my case..![]()
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It's called believing in God n being Christian. You don't justify it. You just believe or you don't. Simple.
Define "delusional" and then define "faith?" These are different things to different people. What may be delusional to you may be in fact normality to another....
Faith is the ability to believe in something without the need for evidence or facts....
that's not the point, even a schizo dude firmly believes that the fbi is after him or that a serial killer planted a bomb in his bathroom whitout the need of any proof.
I'm not comparing mental illness to religion but you see what i mean, if someone believes (for example) in ghosts and shit he's made fun of and he's crazy, but if someone else believes that if you pray a man that you've never ever seen and you will never see and if you are a good boy/gal etc. you will go to a magical place after you die or that a man who could multiply fish and bread was killed and then resurrected some 2000 years ago then that's completely fine.
it's this kind of double standard that gets on my nerves: for me you can believe what you want and I'll defend that right to the death.
also from a logical point of view believing in ghosts would be much less crazy and out there than christianity imho.
see what I mean?
that's not the point, even a schizo dude firmly believes that the fbi is after him or that a serial killer planted a bomb in his bathroom whitout the need of any proof.
I'm not comparing mental illness to religion...
Why not? The only time I've spoken to 'god' (or angels or demons and the like) is when I've been psychotic. I suspect I'm not alone in that. Only I didn't write a book about it, preach on streetcorners, or try to attract folllowers in general. I just stepped away from the drugs for a while and it all went away.
Which form of Christianity are we even discussing?
Any and all. Organised religion was/is just a convenient means of keeping the uneducated masses under control, so that the ruling classes could/can do whatever they bloody felt/feel like. The only religions which make any logical sense these days are the ancient 'pagan' beliefs which, due to general ignorance, anthropomorphised natural events such as the days, the seasons, the weather etc. This early religion has now been replaced with science. Any other types of religion based around guilt and suffering were purely a means of social control by people who knew better..
It's viewed opposite here... it's normal to discuss "talkin to the dead" ie "ghosts" etc but if one is a Christian n dares to discuss it, they're quickly ridiculed, made fun of, called a "Bible basher," so to speak... For a long time I never mentioned believing in God due to that kind of reaction especially from my own family, whom are very much atheist. I wanted my child Christened - and to be Christened myself but my family and friends won't come as they're atheists.... also I've confliction views, as discussed above, but for another discussion...
I guess my point is that it differs from community to community, even country to country... I know that in America - most of them are very much Christian, go to Church every Sunday and it's very much open, not laughed at all....
So, CN - I get your point and accept it, but my answer is that it's very much reserved, at least in Wales, anyway.
Evey
Why not?
Yes i agree, I'm from italy and Here it's very normal to believe in God, but you have to admit that being christian is much much more widely accepted than believing in ghosts/fairies etc., which doesn't make any sense..
Because mental illness has some features that religion (usually) doesnt have.
Then you miss the point I was making, FUBAR. Christianity was no organised religion initially. It was a sequence of ideas one inspired by - or in direct reaction to - the next one. Nothing we have today bears any relation to any of them. What is called Christianity today would not be recoginised by anybody that knew the man known as Jesus if he existed as a single man. None of them.
The reason Christianity took off so well and became embedded is because initially it gave hope - in various forms, very, very varied forms - of a life without slavery and misery and injustice. This life may be hell but there's better to come if only you love your fellow man. That is an idea that has legs. That is an idea even I could live by - and try to. But that is not what Christianity is now because it became the handy state religion - organised, Catholic (Orthodoxy Schism aside) - approved and enforced by the sword. Cos the book (the state approved and abridged version of many, many books) allowed for so much interpretation it allowed for tyranny. It suggested and reinforced that idea... when interpreted by 'people who know about these things'. It became debased. Christianity as now understood is repulsive and abhorrent. Because those that made it an organised religion were base and abhorrent.
I rather suspect the same applies in a wider sense.
^ Then you have nothing to add to this discussion.
I see yer point, but I am still a little dubious as to whether there ever was a Jesus. AFAIK, his existence has never been proven beyond reasonable doubt (how could it?). Whether the christianity of today bears any resemblance with 'original' christianity is really beside the point IMO. Any christianity or other religion (insert name of deity here..) is an outmoded concept - worshipping some twat that spouts a load of bollocks just smacks of gullibility and desperation in these modern times. I'm sure it did have its uses once upon a time, but these days it is little more than a fairy tale.
(disclaimer: I've not actively studied any religions due to lack of interest. Anyone that wishes to believe to give themselves hope is fine by me - just don't preach yer twaddle to me, especially on a sunday morning when I'm trying to shag the wife.....)
a schizo individual hears voices, has hallucinations, is paranoid etc.
a religious individual isn't religious because he has this kind of symptoms and most religious people don't have them.
Why not? The only time I've spoken to 'god' (or angels or demons and the like) is when I've been psychotic. I suspect I'm not alone in that. Only I didn't write a book about it, preach on streetcorners, or try to attract folllowers in general. I just stepped away from the drugs for a while and it all went away.
Yes - she made a mistake. I don't necessarily believe a lot of her stuff, was more a way of relief after the stuff form Michael Drosmin (Wednesday 21 January, 2004).... I was so incredibly scared that her books comforted me.... Of course I don't believe it all... and she charge like $750 for reading, which I don't agree with....
I loved those Christian assemblies; the stories; the hymn. I always felt right to believe. I remember telling kids as a young child; who bullied me for being partially-sighted; "Jesus is watching you n you'll get your karma for this!" Of course, they just laughed. I never mentioned it again, but I always believed and whenever something was happening, I prayed and found comfort in it.... Like I said when sober, I'll not argue one way or the other because when one has faith it is not a question of "evidence" or having to persuade others, it's a case of what one believes oneself...
On the other handle, PTCH, yes if you did not believe in the Christian faith - your Mam did right by opting you out of those assemblies... but personally I found that those stories taught people morals n what-not. Different strokes for different folks, n all that!
EDIT: The reason I am facing the issues of addiction with opiates and alcohol is my punishment n my karma. When I was fit I had a lot of anger towards other who went out drinking while I was alone (self-pity basically) and I thought evil things such as "haha they'll all wreck their livers with alcohol while I'm all fit!" Because of those nasty, evil thoughts I am facing the ultimate payback; the battle against addiction. Energy breeds energy and it starts with thought........
Evey
Which neatly brings us full circle back to ol'...
NSFW:![]()
Hmm.... I'll assume sarcasm over ignorance in this instance. Surely nobody trying to bring Hindu beliefs into such a debate would make such a non sequitur unless it was in the form of sarcasm...