condor47

on a more sombre note due to the recent events across the world may I just add these few points , who will win the battle against terrorism, can capitolism beat religion or will religion destroy mankind first.
If you cant stop ahorse & cart full of weapons how do you know whats coming next??
You cannot fight what you cannot see!!!

shyguy

Mankind will carry on finding ways of destroying itself until it is successful, whatever the means, motives or ideals given to justify it.
Capitalism is just another form of religion where money is the god, and the devil.
All religions are twisted by the people in them to justify whatever it is they want to do, and it salves a conscience or 2 to do it in the name of a god who is more powerful than you, so can take the blame.
End of rant, normal service is resumed

Bubba136

My, my, Shyguy! With an outlook like that, you must be one miserable person.

shyguy

No, a happy one not bogged down with religion, or money worship. I help others where I can, but don't need a bible to tell me if it's right or wrong. I do however watch the news and balk at the atrocities man inflicts on his fellow man, I know that's got to be wrong in the eyes of any god which may be watching it done in his/her name.
I just used this thread to vent a little, Bubba

Heelfan

Well no, I don't write-off Shy Guy as a miserable guy, I think there's a lot of intellect and perception in what he says. Firstly, I agree with him that opposing religions have been the main cause of history's wars and suffering, whether you look at the Crusades, or the Irish problem or the ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, or the growing international "Christian v. Muslem" problem.

Secondly, I agree with him in lumping capitalism (well, let's say excessive capitalism) along with excessive religiousness. It leads the world's oil-driven and wealth-driven largest super-power to refrain from signing international clean-air treaties etc. etc., thereby threatening the healthy future of the planet for each and every one of us.

Shy guy also seems to be a profoundly wise guy (but not a wise-guy if you see what I mean!). He's got my vote for president!

Cheerfully yours, Heelfan

__________________
Onwards and upwards!

azraelle

likewise.

__________________
"All that you can decide, is what to do with the time that is given you."--Gandalf,
"Life is not tried, it is merely survived
-If you're standing outside the fire."--Garth Brooks

JeffM

Just imagine for a moment that God did create the universe and all living creatures in it.
Can you now imagine that God saying "hey every one if you happen to bump into any one who doesnt believe in me then it is Ok for you to kill them"
Doesnt go down to well with me.
My God is the one that those who have had near death experiences have seen and felt Gods love. I believe that each and every one of us has a little bit of that God in us.
And it is up to us to live a Godly existence. But we are all human and that means we make human mistakes.

Jeff

shyguy

Umm don't think I can stand for President, as I'm a citizen of the UK. Or has Bush/Blair declared us part of the US yet?
I hope so as it's got to be better than being part of the United States of Europe (gulp) :P
I do have very strong views on religion (and lots of other things too ), and am trying *hard* to restrain myself here, so as not to upset any religious quarters. If religion works for you then that's great, as long as it's not your excuse to maim others to force them to believe the same as you.
All religions used in the right way promote some good ethics and some good rules to live by, it's the fanatics who ruin everything, using text out of context.

Bubba136

My father used to say that it's best not to discuss religion or politics in places where you don't know the people. I think that's good advice for this forum, as well.

shyguy

good advice Bubba, and I'm showing huge amounts of restraint here. I was taught to live and let live, and that there's good and bad people in every race/society, and that is also true in religious groups.