Searching for GOD...

[Nearly Sane]

I am slightly younger so my school experience is all post V2. But I was always asked to question, in general, but also specifically when I went to  Jesuit secondary school. There have and are many problems with the RCC but it is a wide 'church'. Easy generalisations are no more than wrong.

[wigginhall]

I used to be friendly with several Catholic priests, they were widely read, and interested in all kinds of stuff, e.g. atheism. other religions, and so on.   They were great company in the pub as well.   I suppose there are no go areas for them, not sure.

[Sebastian Toe]

It can be difficult, but in addition to my own judgement I can use the bible and the guidance of the church.  Also I can ask myself: "Am I doing this for my own personal satisfaction or for the good of all?"

How/when do you decide that you have to make a choice?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I'm an ex-Catholic too, or a lapsed Catholic it.

I'm not, I'm just a refugee from a fucked up secularism.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Vlad,

I'm not, I'm just a refugee from a fucked up secularism.

There are I believe several theocracies available should you prefer to relocate. You may find their attitudes to women's rights, to freedom of speech, to amputations for petty offences etc a tad bracing but hey - it'd get you out of the "fucked up secularism" you so deride that protects your right to post as you do here.

Good luck with it. 

[Sebastian Toe]

I'm not, I'm just a refugee from a fucked up secularism.

Thre are too many words in that sentence.
Not required are the following;
A, from, a, secularism, refugee.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Thre are too many words in that sentence.
Not required are the following;
A, from, a, secularism, refugee.

LOL.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Vlad,

There are I believe several theocracies available should you prefer to relocate. You may find their attitudes to women's rights, to freedom of speech, to amputations for petty offences etc a tad bracing but hey - it'd get you out of the "fucked up secularism" you so deride that protects your right to post as you do here.

Good luck with it.

Oh Shit....Alf Garnett rides again.

[BeRational]

If more people followed the guidance of Christian teaching, could you honestly label them as immoral?

Absolutely yes.
they are just following orders and they have no Morality.

[BeRational]

Surely to rely entirely on your own thinking leads you open to all kinds of self centred traits.

If you do not asses situations for yourself then you have no Morality.

It's that simple

[floo]

I have asked this before but never had a sensible answer. For those who think that god is always right and knows what is best for us, what if like the abusive father, Abraham, you thought god was telling you to sacrifice your child, or do some other terrible deed? Would you go along with it, or think you have got it wrong? If you think you have got it wrong, why do you attribute to god other things, which might not be wrong but are not logical?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I have asked this before but never had a sensible answer. For those who think that god is always right and knows what is best for us, what if like the abusive father, Abraham, you thought god was telling you to sacrifice your child, or do some other terrible deed? Would you go along with it, or think you have got it wrong? If you think you have got it wrong, why do you attribute to god other things, which might not be wrong but are not logical?

Firstly Isnt this the story of when God does away with child sacrifice?
Secondly Jesus has made the final sacrifice.
Thirdly in times of war nations 'sacrifice' their young armed forces.

[Sebastian Toe]

Firstly Isnt this the story of when God does away with child sacrifice?
Secondly

....why did he wait until then to do it?

[floo]

....why did he wait until then to do it?

Good question!

[Walt Zingmatilder]

....why did he wait until then to do it?

God was waiting for a faithful people of which Abraham is an archetype.
Prevailing belief systems at the time didn't follow the God of Abraham and we know that God does let people give themselves over to kookie moral ideas.

The Abraham story as many are are about the journey from one religious mind set or cynicism to a relationship with God and the moral transition that brings.

For Abraham or the people he is archetype of there is to be no more sacrifice like this since they now follow the Lord.

[floo]

God was waiting for a faithful people of which Abraham is an archetype.
Prevailing belief systems at the time didn't follow the God of Abraham and we know that God does let people give themselves over to kookie moral ideas.

The Abraham story as many are are about the journey from one religious mind set or cynicism to a relationship with God and the moral transition that brings.

For Abraham or the people he is archetype of there is to be no more sacrifice like this since they now follow the Lord.

What sort of god would ask someone to sacrifice their son, even if it call it off as Abraham was about to do the deed? Only one with a psychopathic personality would ask that, imo!

[SusanDoris]

God was waiting for a faithful people of which Abraham is an archetype.
Prevailing belief systems at the time didn't follow the God of Abraham and we know that God does let people give themselves over to kookie moral ideas.

The Abraham story as many are are about the journey from one religious mind set or cynicism to a relationship with God and the moral transition that brings.

For Abraham or the people he is archetype of there is to be no more sacrifice like this since they now follow the Lord.

I find it hard to understand how people believed this stuff when it was first written down, let alone today. I was going to say next - and even harder to understand today, but that is not so; it is clear from history and written records how and why people believe it, but seriously worring that greater numbers of people do not break out from behind the barrier of religious faith and out of the dogma and trap of faith in things which do not exist.

If only the atheists throughout history had written down and preserved their thoughts and conclusions, we just might have arrived at this point in time with a much more sound  logical and clearerphilosophy. Mind you, they probably did write things down but the religious commanders and leaders would have destroyed them since it would have disrupted their (i.e. the leaders') influence.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I find it hard to understand how people believed this stuff when it was first written down, let alone today. I was going to say next - and even harder to understand today, but that is not so; it is clear from history and written records how and why people believe it, but seriously worring that greater numbers of people do not break out from behind the barrier of religious faith and out of the dogma and trap of faith in things which do not exist.

If only the atheists throughout history had written down and preserved their thoughts and conclusions, we just might have arrived at this point in time with a much more sound  logical and clearerphilosophy. Mind you, they probably did write things down but the religious commanders and leaders would have destroyed them since it would have disrupted their (i.e. the leaders') influence.

Hang on I'll get my violin and cut onions.

[Sebastian Toe]

Hang on I'll get my violin and cut onions.

Are you cooking Beef Stravinsky?

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Are you cooking Beef Stravinsky?

Eerie whistle of the wind........distant bell ............tumbleweed.

[SwordOfTheSpirit]

If only the atheists throughout history had written down and preserved their thoughts and conclusions, we just might have arrived at this point in time with a much more sound  logical and clearer philosophy.

The first problem with this is illustrated by the poster who said this. What's to stop people in the future thinking this way?

I find it hard to understand how people believed this stuff when it was first written down, let alone today. I was going to say next - and even harder to understand today, but that is not so; it is clear from history and written records how and why people believe it,

[Maeght]

If only the atheists throughout history had written down and preserved their thoughts and conclusions, we just might have arrived at this point in time with a much more sound  logical and clearerphilosophy. Mind you, they probably did write things down but the religious commanders and leaders would have destroyed them since it would have disrupted their (i.e. the leaders') influence.

'I don't believe in God or gods' probably wasn't worth writing down.

[SwordOfTheSpirit]

'I don't believe in God or gods' probably wasn't worth writing down.

That's the problem when you have no evidence to support your position. Not everyone wants to put their faith in a set of arguments against something.

[SusanDoris]

'I don't believe in God or gods' probably wasn't worth writing down.

Ah! Well said, indeed!!

[SusanDoris]

The first problem with this is illustrated by the poster who said this. What's to stop people in the future thinking this way?

Please cite post number - I'll never find it otherwise.