I would like to put fourth the POSSIBILITY that organized religion COULD be used to control masses of people for purposes that were not in their best interests.

The non-requirement of any proof whatsoever leaves open a realm of possible hopes, dreams and desires to be answered by the deity NOT in question.

Thoughts?

By the way... is there any way to search this forum?

Im sure it has been used that way. Its been used that way in recent years in elections here in the U.S.

When people can get off the subject of religion.....

which God has NO interest in whatsoever...

and get their minds on RELATIONSHIP....

which is all that God requires of us ....

then maybe just maybe we can get somewhere here.

Otherwise..same old grind.

Which personally, I am done with.

Why put a name on it? Why not just live by the rule "Be good... for goodness sake" and then some threats about not getting any presents...

God doesn't threaten anyone.

God gave man a free will....


To choose

either to

Believe on Him

or

not Believe on Him.

MAN'S CHOICE.

God doesn't FORCE man to do anything

God doesn't threaten anyone hmm?

What is "Hell" then?

Then why punish us for making the "wrong choice"?

All that does is punish us for his decision.

I think as long as your just a good person and try do to good... obey the law of karma you shouldn't need a club God card to avoid hell.

As I understand it... If i do not "accept the lord JC as my savior" I'm going to hell... is that right?

Well that's kind of an ultimatum... I don't do well with ultimatums. Probably why I got a stick up my a** for God.

“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”
- VOLTAIRE

"God made me an atheist. Who are you to question his wisdom." (unkown)

"But a short time elapsed after the death of the great reformer of the Jewish religion, before his principles were departed from by those who professed to be his special servants, and perverted into an engine for enslaving mankind, and aggrandizing their oppressors in Church and State."

Thomas Jefferson (in a letter to S. Kercheval, 1810)

"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration--courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and, above all, love of the truth."

Henry Louis Mencken

"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."

Albert Einstein

"There once was a time when all people believed in God and the church ruled. This time was called the Dark Ages."

Richard Lederer (Anguished English)

I (believe) in a good (food) after a hard days work - smiless


believe = my faith

food = my goddess

Our pasta, who art in a colander, draining be your noodles. Thy noodle come, Thy sauce be yum, on top some grated Parmesan. Give us this day our garlic bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trample on our lawns. And lead us not into vegetarianism, but deliver us some pizza, for thine is the meatball, the onion, and the bay leaves, forever and ever. R'Amen.