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By the way...
...from a believer to a non-believer! Read the words mainly.
http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/babs_2/
posted by
b2008
on January 7, 2008 at 5:04 PM
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Gomedome
I love your sense of humor:). Yes, you are correct in your "subscription ploy" idea. See what I posted in your blog before this one and you'll see we agree. I believe what God really wants has not been employed, however. And I explained that in the other blog also. I agree, we do better learning for ourselves because that's how I've learned what I know about religion. I do not go to churches, I do not listen to the false prophets, and I do not try to preach to anybody else. I use my own commen sense to interpret what God really means to me. His words should be interpreted by each person individually, not as a group because everybody cannot feel exactly the same way about anything. It's not possible, unless it's group hypnosis.
That's why when people say the "word of God", they tend to read verses and passages from the Bible, supposedly God's words right from his mouth. I'm not an atheist in any way, but I do believe the words of God has been humanized through the centuries and just like a story that has been passed around for eons and never comes back exactly as it started, that is what I believe happened to the words of God. Too many human hands have interpreted the words to brainwash people into doing what a specific religion wants their people to do. It seems to me that the words of God should have been the same worldwide if they came from one God. And I certainly don't believe that every religion had different Gods.
But after reading some interpretations from a blog today on Islam, it expanded my scope just that quickly in believing that man has tainted the words of God dramatically. And I'm so glad I interpret his words myself and do not listen to other's interpretations and that's why I believe what I believe right now. The words should mean goodness of the heart and soul, that's all. If you believe in goodness and equality for all mankind, you are good. If you have compassion, empathy, and hope, you are good. And good cannot be denied! I don't care what anybody says to the contrary.
hehehehehehehe...I know exactly what you mean about learning the English language:). I
fight with that myself!
posted by
b2008
on January 4, 2008 at 7:27 PM
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FineYoungSinger - I don't see any similarities between non belief and
indoctrination. If anything, non belief is the antithesis.
When the definition of indoctrination is considered: "The process of teaching a partisan or sectarian point of view, or of teaching someone to accept doctrines, a philosophy, a or religion without the application of critical and objective scrutiny." . . . to arrive at conclusions based on: ". . . the result of the examination of ideals, facts, opinions, history and the like" could only be considered as the complete opposite of indoctrination. Especially when it is considered that this examination is more than likely to take place (though not necessarily so) from within an indoctrinating environment.
All human societies have some form of ever present, ongoing subtle indoctrination to accept an ideal, religion or philosophy as part of their inherent framework. In the case of purely religious indoctrination, North American societies collectively adhere to a number of notions (erroneous or not) that reinforce the value and importance of religious belief. To develop a set of values and beliefs that lie outside of these commonly held notions is only possible by self deprogramming of one's indoctrination.
posted by
gomedome
on January 4, 2008 at 7:51 AM
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gome...I have a question for you.
Can you explain how non-belief is not an example of indoctrination? Aren't all forms of religious belief--including non-belief--the result of the examination of ideals, facts, opinions, history and the like?
posted by
FineYoungSinger
on January 4, 2008 at 7:20 AM
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b2008 - God doesn't really want all his believers to spread the word
That is just a subscription ploy invented by religions to put more tithing butts in the pews. Think about it for a minute. God as I understand this mythical being, doesn't need anyone to speak for him or round people up to worship him or whatever. This entity is also supposed to be infallable, why would he entrust the spreading of his word to mortals? . . especially after we have seen how it has turned out. An outcome he would have surely seen coming. . I could go on but I feel a post brewing.
As far as formal religious studies, I didn't go very far, I quit the whole deal once I got out of the mission school at 14. I wrote a paper on world religions in college for one of my elective courses. The rest of what little I know is a result of the fact that we live in a world where we can learn anything we desire, as much as out little brains can hold.
I don't have any significant works published, I'm still working on learning the English langauge. I majored in beer, hockey and girls in college but the damned fools gave me a piece of paper anyways.
posted by
gomedome
on January 3, 2008 at 8:46 PM
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Ciel - that is very kind of you to say such a thing
I think it is a natural part of the maturity of a wealthy society for its people to become collectively stupid. The same trend is taking place in Canada but it is masked somewhat by the constant influx of immigrants. We tend to take all of the learning resources we have at our disposal for granted while we allow our inane entertainment mediums to not only deaden our minds with contrived drivel but quite often shape our views and perceptions. Everyone wants an easy button.
posted by
gomedome
on January 3, 2008 at 8:32 PM
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Gomedome,
I'm glad you're not a believer either because I can pick your brain some more. I like you the way you are. Honesty is a rarity I must say. An honest person has nothing to lose and don't have to worry about getting caught up in a bunch of lies. That's what I like.
But you not going to get believers to give you a break. God said he wants all believers to spread his words to those who don't believe. So I guess you get a lot of free preaching:). But don't fret, you won't get any from me. Did you respond to my request about how far you went with your religious studies because you are very informed and I want to know at what point did you discontinue studying and decided you were an atheist. Because to me that was a point in your life that you became aware of your feelings regarding religion and decided you wanted nothing to do with it, I would assume.
Finally, how far have you taken your studies on world events, mankind, or politics. What was your major? Have you written any books? I might have asked these questions in another blog, I think. Did I? You have so many, I get confused:)
Thank you.
posted by
b2008
on January 3, 2008 at 4:14 PM
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On being a non believer
I enjoy your posts and am not threatened by your beliefs. Sure glad your not a believer of "kill an infidel for glory"
posted by
thoughtfulness
on January 3, 2008 at 10:49 AM
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"I think that I am so much smarter than the majority of people..."
You are, GD--the majority of people, especially in this country are getting dumber by the school year, by the generation. Not because they are poorly educated, but because they don't care. And vast numbers of dumb do not add up to smart.
I don't know you well enough or in depth enough to make judgement calls on your level of smartness, but from what I've read here over the past couple of years, I quite agree you are smarter than the majority of people, and that it isn't smart to believe something just because mass quantities of other people believe it.
What we believe doesn't really matter much until it has to pass a test. A lot of our beliefs are never tested in our lifetimes, and probably just as well. I believe a lot of us, when we die, wake up to a lot of surprises! But that is just my belief.
This gives rise to other thoughts that urge me to go post in my own blog before I weigh down yours...!
posted by
Ciel
on January 3, 2008 at 9:38 AM
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