Instead of finding differences...

[Ciabhán]

This is for all of us.

Catholic, Prod, Orthodox, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheist, Agnostic,...

Why is it that we try so hard to find differences? We all suffer the same human condition. Some better, some worse but we're all just us. Instead of looking for differences why is that we can't find commonalities instead. We all have the same needs. We all have the same basic wants.

Bloody well stop following the ideals of zealots of all stripes and realise that we're little different from one another no matter where we're born.

[basics]

" Bloody well stop following the ideals of zealots of all stripes and realise that we're little different from one another no matter where we're born. "

Ciabhan,

It is not the ideals of anyone that matters here but the will of God. When God calls out His people, them that are born again of the Holy Ghost, by the blood of Jesus Christ, it is to separate them from all the others of the world. That has been Biblical teaching from the beginning of time as written and when it comes to the end of time it is also written of many many people will plead that they did follow Him in their own way, yet He says that He doesn't know them, why? Because His blood was never applicable to them yet in their own minds they thought it was.

The one attribute that we all have is that we were all born under sin, that it runs through our veins as much as blood does yet is much more dangerous than that because our blood at death returns to the earth but the sin remains within the soul. It is through that that man has invented so many religions the commonality of which is that none changes anything in what they are bound by meaning that it is to them that are changed, born again, to point them in the right direction, which can only be measured by Scripture.

[Ciabhán]

" Bloody well stop following the ideals of zealots of all stripes and realise that we're little different from one another no matter where we're born. "

Ciabhan,

It is not the ideals of anyone that matters here but the will of God. When God calls out His people, them that are born again of the Holy Ghost, by the blood of Jesus Christ, it is to separate them from all the others of the world. That has been Biblical teaching from the beginning of time as written and when it comes to the end of time it is also written of many many people will plead that they did follow Him in their own way, yet He says that He doesn't know them, why? Because His blood was never applicable to them yet in their own minds they thought it was.

The one attribute that we all have is that we were all born under sin, that it runs through our veins as much as blood does yet is much more dangerous than that because our blood at death returns to the earth but the sin remains within the soul. It is through that that man has invented so many religions the commonality of which is that none changes anything in what they are bound by meaning that it is to them that are changed, born again, to point them in the right direction, which can only be measured by Scripture.

Really? Bloody hell this is the kind of Bronze Age monotheistic I just asked you to get over.

God's 'blood'? So he's a hairless monkey too? God's people? He's the silverback? This is nothing more than codifying and anthropomorphysing the laws of the wolfpack...Get over yourself.

[Søren]

It's pretty ironic that the thread was started on a reconciliatory note, and as soon as someone respectfully disagrees the OP retorts:

"Really? Bloody hell this is the kind of Bronze Age monotheistic I just asked you to get over. [...] Get over yourself."

[Hilarion]

It's pretty ironic that the thread was started on a reconciliatory note, and as soon as someone respectfully disagrees the OP retorts:

"Really? Bloody hell this is the kind of Bronze Age monotheistic I just asked you to get over. [...] Get over yourself."

Lol, I missed that. Oh dear.

[Wilder]

It is not the ideals of anyone that matters here but the will of God.

Provided that he exists which has been contested a little if I am not mistaken.

But I think the OP is right, for what little it is worth. We are all far more similar than we are different in many more ways than one. Perhaps the differences seem glaring because we have nothing, other than the animals, to contrast our humanness against, and we tend to ignore them, largely because we feel uncomfortable recognizing that we exist on the same continuum of existence as them (and because of silly leaps of faith, like what does and does not have a "soul", as I am sure Basics will shortly inform us about at great length). Maybe when and if we meet extraterrestrial life we will begin to get it.

[Ciabhán]

Provided that he exists which has been contested a little if I am not mistaken.

But I think the OP is right, for what little it is worth. We are all far more similar than we are different in many more ways than one. Perhaps the differences seem glaring because we have nothing, other than the animals, to contrast our humanness against, and we tend to ignore them, largely because we feel uncomfortable recognizing that we exist on the same continuum of existence as them (and because of silly leaps of faith, like what does and does not have a "soul", as I am sure Basics will shortly inform us about at great length). Maybe when and if we meet extraterrestrial life we will begin to get it.

Precisely. We're all part of the same great troop. Biology tells us that we, our offspring, and our breeding partners are solely important. But we're such a great bloody mix of genetics that you'd think, being that we can do so, we'd be able to get over basic animalistc urges.

[Col. Tartleton]

I think the problem is that all those belief systems (Agnosticism, Atheism, and Buddhism are more a school of thought than a religion, but in practice can be just as nasty) are inherently wicked and encourage the very wickedness that drives them apart. Look, people are s, and I don't think there is enough maturity in the graybeards of the world or the youth or anyone in between to kick this habit.

Religion isn't an opium, it's lsd, cocaine, and pcp. It creates delusions, aggression, and feelings of invulnerability. It turns regular peaceful guys and gals into lunatics.

A philosophical individualist approach to the mysteries of the universe is fine. We must accept that we know almost nothing about the world we live in, and that for all our progress we will die knowing next to nothing about the universe. But religion is not a panacea, it is a poison. Belief in ideals and virtues is good as long as they are tempered by reason. But they don't really teach you how to reason and logic in school anymore.

The reality we all live in is unique to the individual. I'm more of the thought that we get revelations in living life not reading a book penned by some chronicler of myths.

[Sher Khan]

Religion isn't an opium, it's lsd, cocaine, and pcp. It creates delusions, aggression, and feelings of invulnerability. It turns regular peaceful guys and gals into lunatics.

How can we know this, though? I mean, how do we know that those who become delusional, aggressive, arrogant lunatic theists were regular and peaceful to begin with?

[Taiji]

How can we know this, though? I mean, how do we know that those who become delusional, aggressive, arrogant lunatic theists were regular and peaceful to begin with?

I don't think we can know that. But I think it's obvious. The alternative is believing that if religions vanished then all these people would switch from religiously supported or motivated violence to something new and violent. Basically I'm finding that very doubtful. No matter how generous I feel, religion seems to be amongst many causes of violence.

[Gromovnik]

I love these threads. It all starts with a dream of a hippie utopia, and very soon devolves into threatening and insulting the heretics. Can't wait.

[The spartan]

This is for all of us.

Catholic, Prod, Orthodox, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheist, Agnostic,...

Why is it that we try so hard to find differences? We all suffer the same human condition. Some better, some worse but we're all just us. Instead of looking for differences why is that we can't find commonalities instead. We all have the same needs. We all have the same basic wants.

Bloody well stop following the ideals of zealots of all stripes and realise that we're little different from one another no matter where we're born.

Because if you tolerate someones ideas that are different than yours, then you are accepting that there is some possibility that they are right. And if they are right, then you are wrong, and that completely goes against the concept of being a zealot: i.e. without doubt.

[RangerGxi]

God, for some unknown reason likes to choose certain groups of people to be "His people".

Yahweh and his genocides, Muhammed with his purges... they really don't have happy beginnings.
The Indians and Asians seem to have pretty peaceful religions.

[Rex Germanius]

God, for some unknown reason likes to choose certain groups of people to be "His people".

Yahweh and his genocides, Muhammed with his purges... they really don't have happy beginnings.
The Indians and Asians seem to have pretty peaceful religions.

Judaism and Islam are both Asiatic, or Asian, religions. The Middle East is part of Asia, as is India, hence there is no very good reason why Asians and Indians should be split up.

Also, Christianity(I reasoned that this religion was implied) has no "chosen people," at least as far as most sects go. It is the religion of peace as well. No where in Christian theology does it state that Jesus Christ preached that people must war. Remember "turn the other cheek?"

Religions are not responsible for violence. People are. If there was no such thing as spiritual beliefs then the destructive tendencies would surface elsewhere, and they do. Do not blame religion for the actions of its followers.

[Sphere]

This is Sam Harris's argument on why noticing the differences between religions is very important (the first two minutes are his argument agaisnt the term atheist which leads into his argument about recognizing the differences between religions) ...




Not a perfect argument, but a usefull framework. In short, different religions and their various idea's are not all the same, indeed they are vastly disperate. Not recognizing the worst of these ideas, and pointing them out is to let bad/dangerous idea's go unchallenged.

[Hilarion]

This is for all of us.

Catholic, Prod, Orthodox, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheist, Agnostic,...

Why is it that we try so hard to find differences? We all suffer the same human condition. Some better, some worse but we're all just us. Instead of looking for differences why is that we can't find commonalities instead. We all have the same needs. We all have the same basic wants.

Bloody well stop following the ideals of zealots of all stripes and realise that we're little different from one another no matter where we're born.

Yes, from a Christian perspective, you're completely right. Sincere Christians know that loving the world and all its people is essential for salvation, and that they are no different from the next person, or actually worse off than the next person, because that is the Cross they must bear. Arrogant or intolerant Christians, who unfortunately do exist, haven't yet learned the meaning of the faith.

[Gaidin]

This is for all of us.

Catholic, Prod, Orthodox, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheist, Agnostic,...

Why is it that we try so hard to find differences? We all suffer the same human condition. Some better, some worse but we're all just us. Instead of looking for differences why is that we can't find commonalities instead. We all have the same needs. We all have the same basic wants.

Bloody well stop following the ideals of zealots of all stripes and realise that we're little different from one another no matter where we're born.

We find the similarities too. You can't find one without finding the other as a natural consequence. They basically emphasize each other.

[sdjenkyn]

We dont fear life we fear death and that leaves the door open for religion. Different religions offer different retirement packages and we all like to think we have the best 401k out there.

[Col. Tartleton]

We fear life because we fear death.

By living for tomorrow based on what we knew yesterday we die today.

[sdjenkyn]

We fear the life we live because we fear that after death we will be forgotten.....religion absolves us of that life and provides another life after death. So Ive heard