Religion will dramatically shrink within 20 years

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Castlepalomaposted 12 years ago
Many will say that religion will always be with us. True, just not in the majority like it was 100 years ago or so. Some may think I’m crazy by saying I’m a. Clairvoyant and made dozens of major prediction which all have come true except for GW Bush second fix election.

The religious bigotry is going to blow and I can feel it in my bones and gut. Here are some other reasons why

1.Atheist have brought a lot of attention to religious, like how women liberators have.

2.About 100 years ago in Canada 98% were Christian, today; 50% are Christian, check if you have similar stats in your Country.

3.The world's happiest countries have been announced, and three of the top five are among the least religious countries in the world, reports Alfredo Garcia at Religion News Service.Out of 10 were the nations taking the top spots include: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands. Three of the least religious nations were in the top five nations.

4.Greatest religious bogus End of the world prediction, maybe it’s because only 3% of Christian go to church regularly, trying desperately to scare the hell into people rather than motivation by love.

5.Middle eastern dictatorships are falling almost as fast the eastern Bloc Countries did.

6.Unreligious countries have less crimes and wars over all.

7.In the USA out of 400 Universities and colleges survey they were 67% somewhat religious and other survey said 87% were somewhat Spiritual.

8.Most people I ask, tell me they Spiritual rather than religious, check out if that is true in your Country

I have more , it's safier not to say, for the ego's must be flameing red hot and ready to give me hell.
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  People stop practicing religion when they're comfortable. We stop hoping for something better or looking for meaning because we're not desperate to survive. People have stopped caring for each other as much too. Without a common understanding, people mistrust each other.
  War, poverty, high mortality bring a thirst for religion. When we squeeze out the peaceful religions, we will leave holes that will be filled by beligerent ones. It's human nature. Good luck with that.
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  heavenbound5511posted 12 years agoin reply to this
  The Bible tells us what is going to happen. Since you like prophecy and knowing of things in the future- than read your bible. Christianity will become more hated as the bible says. Also these countries that are killing people just because they claim Jesus and no other reason is how america will become.
  
  The world will come under a one world government. The wisdom of God goes beyond anything that we could conjure up to say!
  
  Here's something just for you- You Castlepaloma are one of the ones that will accept Jesus once this stuff starts to unfold- so really read your bible so when these things happen that is in the bible you will know it!
  
  Say no all you want I don't care- you don't know what will happen when truth sets in.
  God bless you!!
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Will see you on Judgment Day 2012, the fireworks I hear will be amazing
  
  Or will this truth be a no show againssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Castle:
  
  20 yrs?
  
  Fingers crossed yer right.
  
  A good population reducing nuclear cataclysm should finish it off.
  
  My prediction is that it will end within the next 50-75 yrs.
  
  "'Course I'm the forever pessimist ya know! :
  
  Qwark
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earnestshubposted 12 years ago
Thank god for that!
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  Titen-Sxullposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I see what you did there
  
  No surprise that religion is shrinking, the institution is pointless and many of those who believe are relying more on alternative ideas and on religious content on the internet to get by.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  If the records are not right, and the right God is not the perfect one and only, I can always blame Satan and do three hell marry's.
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  earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  just a sprinkle of Aussie sarcasm makes it all go down a little easier for me.
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  Motown2Chitownposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  earnest, you're a brat...lol
  
  Castle, why is it that you're so concerned about how religious folks can't be live and let live, but you are intent on stirring up religious sentiment from believers? I've never been sure I understood that concept.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  After being constantly being told by Christians that my artwork that I send most of my waking hours in my life doing, is nothing but a gift from Jesus.
  
  I never understood how a hole in a person wrist is the greatest gift to God. Or understood how the USA polices takes half of the world War budget to make USA Military in 200 countries. Then the predominate Christian USA claims to be the highest moral world order wail being an example of a Sodom and Gomorrah. than anywhere else
  
  My pushing back is all done with a little grain of craziness to prevent a total a insane world, Perhaps
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SEEKER OF TRUTH57posted 12 years ago
The only thing that has shrunk is the mind of mankind. He has become ignorant enough to assert himself as a god. Save yourself and your friends when death comes. Show the world how great and powerful you are.How ignorant you show yourselves to be.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Believe me, if the 2012 seven horned red dragons start burning up the earth .I promise with all my heart I will repeat harder than any living zombie ever did. My disadvantage is I have not been a Christian as long as A. Hitler and never wanted to stamp out gays and atheist, that might put me back in the hot seat.
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Muldanianmanposted 12 years ago
I think traditional Christianity will certainly shrink. However, based upon current trends, I believe fundamentalist Christianity and Islam will grow dramatically.
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  SEEKER OF TRUTH57posted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Muldanianman, you are probably correct. These seem to be the predominant beliefs at the time.
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Cagsilposted 12 years ago
Religion will dramatically shrink within 20 years.

There isn't any doubt about that. As knowledge increases, religion and it's beliefs will shrink.
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  SEEKER OF TRUTH57posted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Apparently, as knowledge increases, so does stupidity Cags.
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  Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  As knowledge increase, so does stupidity? That statement shows how little you understand about knowledge or learning or even wisdom for that fact.
  
  It is always nice to see when people show off their true inner colors.
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  SEEKER OF TRUTH57posted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Cagsil, I would bet that you`re a 45 year old man that still lives at home with your mother.
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  Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Age is wrong. However, your secondary point would be accurate. But, what you do not know is why? Nor would you be smart enough to figure it out...so let me clue you in.
  
  I gave my word to my dying father(on his deathbed) that I would not let the fear my mother had come true.
  
  My word means more to me, than you would ever understand. My understanding of family, is more powerful than you or your pathetic religious belief.
  
  My integrity is in place, which cannot be said for you, considering you made the above statement, under the impression that it would matter to others. How sad for you? How pathetic?
  
  But, nice try though. Next time, try coming at me with something more than childish tomfoolery.
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  earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  So you got it right Cags.
  
  It is a nice feeling to know you are looking after your mother's needs, it's a funny thing that when you look around you see ordinary people doing extraordinary things because they have worked out what really matters in a life, and integrity is high on my list as well.
  More power to you and your mom.
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  Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Thank you Earnest. My father asked me to make sure that my mother was never left completely alone. It was the one thing he asked of me, just before he died. And, for the last 25 years, I have managed to keep my word to him.
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  earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  The personal attack was a lousy one anyway. I know many men who live with their mothers. In this country we try to keep our family in one place when they get older, preferably within a single house.
  
  Older people need the love of their children and a bit of reassurance, how anyone can denigrate that I don't know.
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  Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I thought is was pretty petty and lame too.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Even in Street Gang fights, they leave Mother comments out of it.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  SEEKER OF TRUTH
  Apparently, as knowledge increases, so does stupidity Cags.
  
  Are you going to tell me, for people who lived during the mid evil times of NT who only manage an old age of mid 20s. Are in fact more intelligent than people today who live over the age of 80 years?
  
  Is that what you call Christian logic or science?
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  earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Well, they got to go home to god a helluva lot quicker than we do, so they had that goin for them!
  
  The beatles were about allowing youth to dress as they wanted and wear their hair the way they wanted, and to be free to think outside the confines of a very straight world.
  It was a great success as were other means applied to break free.
  
  The results can be seen in the wonderful youth of today. Smarter, well educated, not walking isms as the older generation were.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Good example
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  OutWestposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Actually intelligence has nothing to do with age.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  As I remember it, I was smarter at age 30 than I was at age 20 Smarter at age 40 than at 30 and so on .......then each generation got smarter than the generation of the one before and so on....All the way back to med evil time and Flintstone
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  OutWestposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  You might be smarter because of knowledge and growth but are you any more intelligent?
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Brainwashing people for most part, from the bible for 2000 years. I call it very cunning, not intelligent unlimited ways of thinking. For Jesus time I do think Jesus was very spiritual and intelligent man, yet just a man and an armature shaman. Because Jesus did not write things down himself causing wrong translation, for writting it down for himself gives memory retention a 80% much better chance of not getting it wrong
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  OutWestposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  thanks, you just answered my question.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Gee, that was easy, welcome to the hub pages OutWest
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  OutWestposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Hate to burst your bubble but I was being sarcastic. Maybe I'll be more direct. It takes intelligence to be tollerant and to see both sides.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I do not belong to any group, so there is no bubble to burst and I always consider all sides and learn from all sides.
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  Evolution Guyposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Being tolerant of religious nonsense takes intelligence?
  
  That is what all the religious nuts say. :lol:It takes genuine intelligence to realize there is no other side.
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  OutWestposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Are you so sure of yourself Evolution Guy. You are the typical sounding atheist who really knows no better than any of us. You like to generalize and draw conclusions when you actually don't know. Maybe you could consider the people and ideas before just making statements about religion as an institution. I myself am not religious and also do not belong to any religion. But I realize religion is not responsible for anything, it is the person who is responsible for their actions.
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Well golly Outwest, being the "pragmatic realist" I am, and understanding that approx 88% of the earths population believes in this god thing, you are probably right that 88% of all our world problems are caused by the individual who believes in this god thing...whom, I think I can safely say, are having or showing belief in and reverence for god or a deity. That is the definition of "religion."
  Their actions, historically, have been pretty danged abominable.
  How can you not agree with that?
  Qwark
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  OutWestposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Religion is usually organized. A belief in God does not mean religion. And you are probably right that there are more people who believe in God than are religious as in Catholic etc. And interestingly enough I just saw an article about how the army has been covering up rape cases. What does this mean of them? Any different than the organized religion. How about the police force who cover and protect their own. I think you catch my drift. The actions of individuals unfortunately taint the overall picture of any organization. But in the case of God and religion they are often lumped together.
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  ...are you typing to yourself?
  Qwark
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  OutWestposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  No but there isn't a "reply" button under your comments. ???
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  earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  The sad thing is, as education increases, the fundamentalists will get prouder and become more bloodthirsty and dangerous.
  
  It will SEEM there are more of them, but I don't see education standing in the way of isolating those who would conduct acts of killing others because their fairy is angry.
  
  It is silly enough to put itself out once more than a few brain cells are up and running.
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  Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Yes Earnest, but those who are bloodthirsty and dangerous, forget their place in this world and over step their boundaries, which in the end will not only hurt others, but will definitely get themselves killed.
  Correct, education isn't going to stop those who refuse knowledge from killing others, but the knowledge derived from learning new things, will open other people to more things, which will eventually eliminate those who create damage through religion.
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Emile Rposted 12 years ago
That might be true in the west. I see no reason to think religion will shrink in the Middle East or Third World Countries. And I'm not even sure about America. The religious tend to have more babies than the rest of us. America has a growing Latino population, who are predominantly Catholic, and pretty religious. So, it will be interesting to wait and see if your prediction comes true.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Emile R
  
  Already China has the one child law, and the overall earth population is causing so much pollution, that for the FIRST time in human history, Man’s life expectancy is going in reverse.
  
  I give more credit to mankind than most, because when mankind learns they have abused something to the point of damaging their own health. Then we will change dumping more homeless people in where there is already 1/3 homeless in the world,
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  To add....
  
  The biblical term being fruitful will be better served by gays that are playing their role in reducing the World's over populations.
  
  If that's not the truth, so help me, may God strike me dead........................................................................................................................................ HUUUEEWW.. Nothing happened, it's all cool
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  wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I would counsel that you be careful, but the damage is already done. You are doomed. As His concept of time is not the same as ours it may take 50 years or more, but God will strike you dead.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Thanks, I'll be age 106 by then
  
  If God is all loving, in which, is my source of good intention senses tell me. God will forgive me for trying to care for the world as my family, not to just cow down to the Adam's family fundy Super-high-way to hell.
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  earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Sorry mate, still no god.
  
  Just hang on a bit longer, the "god particle" is about to deliver a whole lot of new answers to the eternal question.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  The little fish ask the big fish where is the ocean?
  The big fish replied, you’re in it, the ocean totally surround you, right now
  The little fish did not like the answer, then swam off
  
  God is everything and everyone is god
  I am talking to God right now
  When we know this, we know now to tap into its higher energy.
  Lower energy suffers from a God proclaiming to own everything
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I hope Evan is not jealous
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  earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  You know, the world, the universe and everything can be a god to some I suppose, and being into psychology I try to be wary of "the gods within" but I still don't see the need for the word when describing what is in reality self actualisation.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Yes, God is just a word; I study people’s behavior and their context more than the actual words they uses. The Bible claims every word is truth, wail the translations are wrong and the contradiction are all over the board.
  
  The Bible can only handle so smany face lift, until it's facless and the ancient spiritual NT& OT fade away; it will mainly be replaced by the slowly moving spiritual age to come.
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thirdmilleniumposted 12 years ago
All religions will be destroyed. The most offending religion is Christianity with its numerous branches. Bible's teachings have all either been forgotten or ignored by all of them.

All indications point to the second coming of Christ soon and the false Christianity will be banished (the so-called Christians will be made to learn and adhere to true Christianity).

So religions will not just shrink but disappear.
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  Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  The falsehood of Christianity will be banished? Well, you might want rethink the entire statement from above. Why? Because, the falsehood of Christianity is that Jesus' second coming, has already occurred.
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  thirdmilleniumposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Sory about the late reply
  I did not, you might notice, say falsehood of Christianity. What I said was false Christianity.
  True Christianity will be established when Christ reveals himself.
  Yes, Christ is already here on the earth, having arrived here in 1874.
  
  Thanks
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Are you talking about Smith?
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jcnasiaposted 12 years ago
I think it highly unlikely that religion will dramatically shrink within 20 years. It would have to buck a pretty strong trend. I found a graph of religious adherence in the States from 1776 to 2000 and it shows the % of adherence increasing from 17% to 62%.

If you want to look at the graph for yourself, click on the link below and scroll down to Figure 1.2 'Rates of Religious Adherence, 1776-2000'

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en& … mp;f=false
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Did you know the USA has more than doubled its population since I was a kid and I think Christian population increased too?
  
  I must have missed all the pioneer stories when 80% of the population were made up of Buddhist’s Hinduim Muslim and atheist all disguise as American cowboys doing their cattle drives and farming slowly heading west. I did not know the brown race killed the American native brown people in the greatest genocide in human World history.
  
  TAR NATIONS!!! I want my money back; these school books they sold me are full of BS
  
  I did hear that the Muslim are the fastest growing religion in a America Today
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jomineposted 12 years ago
Apparently, even if the standard religions shrink, relativity and quantum is going to survive for a longer time!
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Muldanianmanposted 12 years ago
Having once been a religious believer myself, spending time as a Jehovah's Witness, a Quaker, an Anglican and a Spiritualist, I have always had sympathy with those who decide that they need a god in their lives.

Whilst I have long ago lost my own personal faith, I have always defended the right of anyone to believe in what makes little sense to me. Whenever, I have read about Christians who have been asked to remove their crosses whilst at work, or about those who have lost their jobs for praying for someone in their care, whether they wanted praying for or not, I have always reacted with outrage. "How dare the politically correct dictate a person's right to practise their faith" I have exclaimed.

Little did I realise how bigoted such religious people are though. Having read so much on this site, posted by good Christian people, has resulted in a complete change of heart on my part. Christians, who have seriously suggested that the mentally ill are possessed by the devil, or that atheists are to burn in hell, or that only they have the right to dictate morality, and that the rest of society should obey them, because they own the one and only truth. I had previously had this simplistic idea that Christians are loving, peaceful creatures, who are willing to dedicate their lives to their fellow man. Whilst I am sure there are such Christians out there, the evidence from this site, and from many others would suggest that these are in the minority.

Previously I believed the world only had to fear the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. Now, I perceive Christian fundamentalism as equally dangerous. And far from wanting to defend such people, because of the bigoted views so many of them have expressed, I have now come to realise what nasty people some of these good Christian folk can be.

I just hope that I am not proven wrong, and that Christ really is the Lord and Saviour, because I have been prevented from believing in him by those, who claim to follow him. Christians should be preaching love, mercy, forgiveness. Instead, they preach intolerance, anger and hatred. Surely, these were not the teachings of Christ himself. Christians are the biggest obstacle to my belief in Christ, because they do not give the example Christ would have wanted.

Far from now approving of religion, I would hope that its days are numbered, for the sake of world peace and tolerance.
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Ah Muldanianman don't take on so! Think of the CS Lewis's of this world and take heart.
  When I read the stuff on this forum I have to remind myself that I am not mad in believing in the metaphysical. I think that fanaticism springs from a fear of doubt. You remember the angry dad in 'American Beauty', terrified of homosexuality because he was that way inclined too. When a religion doesn't make sense, and the people practicing it know it, they feel a failure and that's frightening, and fear makes you do stupid things.
  
  Religion is institutionalised belief that's all, and for the most part, the practice of religious culture is beautiful, especially in the older ones with music and architecture that can move to tears. Don't kid yourself either, that the absence of religion will stop man making life hell for man.
  Lizzie
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  Muldanianmanposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I know that perhaps I shouldn't take all this religious discrimination to heart, but it is in my nature. This is especially so because I have spent much of my life as a Christian. Whilst I now find it impossible to believe in the literal truth of the Bible, I still am nevertheless moved by the words, which have been recorded as being those of Christ. I no longer believe in the miraculous, but still believe that Christ's teachings of love and forgiveness have much to offer the world. I therefore find it so upsetting and disturbing to hear views coming from people who call themselves Christians, which are racist, sexist, homophobic or simply intolerant of other faiths. To my mind, this was not what the teachings of Christ were all about. I find myself reacting to such fundamentalism, by being repulsed by it and rushing in the opposite direction to try and avoid such people. I suppose this is the price of using the Internet so much. I would not have been exposed to such bigoted views from evangelical fundamentalists if I had stuck to watching the soaps on TV. I think from now on, I shall try and avoid the religious topics, because my innate sense of justice will not fail to react to what I perceive to be discrimination.
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Muldanianman, I truly know what you mean. I find myself unhealthily fixated here sometimes, like looking at a car crash. I get drawn into arguments and people start getting all hardcore with me. I am saved from a pit of despair by my children forcing me off the computer. Chin up me deario!
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qwarkposted 12 years ago
When it comes to love, peace, tolerance et al, monotheists speak with "forked tongue."

A couple millenia of their deadly history, speaks volumes in ref to the use of guile in seeking and gaining power, control & riches.

Man created an abomination to "Mother Nature" called monotheism.

Mother Gaia rules!

That postulate will become evident "shortly."

Qwark
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I know where you're coming from Qwark, but it's a mistake to think that people will start getting all lovely once you've booted out the notion of God.
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  ...sorry you didnt understand my comment.
  Read it again....it might come to ya..
  Whew!
  Qwark
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  qwark, you're right. I've got no idea what you're talking about. All I could hear was religion...blah...forked tongue..blah...guile..abomination...blah blah. I thought, well I know where he's coming from in general, so here goes...
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Knowing you Lizzie, I can understand your confusion.
  No Problem...
  Qwark
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wilmiers77posted 12 years ago
Religion shall shrink and rise again as it always has in the pass. After all is said and done, Jesus shall still be the man.
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wilmiers77posted 12 years ago
It always has amazed me when atheist attack religion. The reason that religion developed among mankind is because of sinners. So, I ask what is the basic reasoning that atheism is the answer to people living lovely together. Live and let live beliefs and atheism has always during history become chaotic and destructive. Why does some atheist who popped up recently to think that humanism has the natural truth? This has never been true. The reverse has been true thousands of years before they were just born.
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Frank Menchiseposted 12 years ago
Just to say my point of view on this subject: I believe that religion will survive in a modified version, perhaps more spiritual than real religions with an omnipotent god, just look at history how many religions humanity has gone through?
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dutchman1951posted 12 years ago
I agree it will morf and evolve, and the membership data records in all these US Mega Churches seem to support it.

Just watched on the News a Giant Church here in nashville Oust Its Pastor, and central core members who have been there for years in favor of a much lighter message, instead of stricter doctrine, and they are gaining even more members doing that.

The more universal the messages and the more softer the versions, it seems = big numbers for them.

I think that is now the trend. It may very well evolve to faceless or cross denominational in the future it seems. But it is gaining members not loosing them.
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Druid Dudeposted 12 years ago
Being tolerant shows that you have respect for others, something which many intelligent people do. If you've never been somewhere, how can you insist it isn't there? Very intelligent.
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  wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Fifty years ago churches were about worship and learning more about how to follow God's instructions. Now the primary concern is to build membership by whatever means it takes. If that means that God's instructions need to be changed to get people in the door, so be it. If it means the church is used more for socializing and entertainment, that's OK. It gains membership (and, not incidentally, gold for the collection plate).
  
  Dutchman is right - churches are changing and the face of religion is changing with them.
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Greek Oneposted 12 years ago
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Nice poster boy for Atheist
  
  Anyone got a poster for Christian, like- Join or die forever
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  Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  So that's what your buddy Beelzedad looks like. I imagined him as older.
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  jacharlessposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Beelzedad is not my buddy until he helps me move my furniture to my new place, for only beer I
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Field-Of-Flowersposted 12 years ago
A very interesting dialog going on here. It's not about 'religion' it's about 'relationship'. You can have all the religion in the world and still not make it to Heaven. Religion won't save you...it's a relationship that you have with God that will. The God I'm referring to is Jesus. There are those who will disagree with me. If you read the Bible you will see for yourself that all of life's answers are in it. Religion, in itself, can't help you. Only a relationship that you have with God will. :-)
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qwarkposted 12 years ago
Will someone pls explain to me, a naturally evolved ANIMAL, why the naturally evolved ability to read and write make us worthy of immortality and all life that can't, isn't.

I'm waiting....

Qwark
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  The human animal has an inbuilt desire to live for ever. The soul, or call it what you will, cannot imagine NOT existing. Worth doesn't come into it.
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  Muldanianmanposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I sometimes wonder why it is that we cannot imagine non-existence, because we all have come from a state of non-existence. Our bodies only came into being with conception. Before then, we had no existence, yet trying to imagine going back to this same state is almost impossible, because we view our non-existence as an observer. But of course we cannot be observers of our own non-existence.
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  It is all pretty mind-boggling, but this is the origin of belief in the metaphysical. If you yearn for something, the way the soul yearns for immortality, your logic tells you that even though you cannot imagine it or understand it, why else would you yearn if not for something real?
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  jacharlessposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  ...hands LizzieBoo a gold star and the mic. Do it, do it!
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  wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  The ability of the human mind to rationalize is absolutely amazing. You just stated that because you want an unimaginable something that it must therefore be real. And you used the word logic in the same sentence although it is difficult to imagine a sentence with less logic in it. Nevertheless it is a most common phenomenon; a yearning for something that actually creates a belief in the same something for no more reason that we want it. The yearning will not, of course, make that something real, but it sure as heck makes the belief real. You are probably right that it is the origin of belief in the metaphysical.
  
  Eternal life, however is not something to yearn for. There could be no greater torment than to live only 50 or 100 million years of life, during which you found that you know everything there is to know and have performed every possible action 10,000 times until you are utterly bored.
  
  And then to realize with utter horror that you have another 50 Billion years before you have taken the very first step towards eternity.
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  It is the same logic that drove scientists, thousands of years ago, to question the mechanisms behind all natural life. They might have known nothing, but their logic would tell them that one thing must be the catalyst for another. Science has come up with absolute answers for the simple questions over the years, just as religion has, but the more difficult concepts are still subject to speculation and theory, in the same way as difficult religious concepts.
  In terms of eternity, the soul is not physical matter, therefore time, which is physical, has no impact on it. Time, years, boredom etc are all subject to physical existence. A billion years will be no different from a second. It is impossible to imagine a non-physical existence, but it is equally impossible to imagine our memory, our knowledge ceasing to exist.
  "To see the world in a grain of sand, or heaven in a wild flower,
  to hold infinity in the palm of your hand, or eternity for an hour. (William Blake).
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Hi Lizzie
  
  ...and you are the "Queen" of falacious reasoning and response.
  
  On your knees woman and I will dub thee the forums "Queen of Fallacy!"
  
  You may rise and curtsy to your adulating fans in the eternal Kingdom of "Fallacy!"
  
  Long Live The Queen! :
  
  Qwark
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I feel strangely flattered.
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  wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this
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OutWestposted 12 years ago
And there are people and religions who feel that animals do have life after death. And who knows?
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Outwest:
  
  Really?
  
  Who might their salvation be owed to?
  
  C'mon! Not this jesus guy!
  
  Qwark
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  wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Have you never heard of the Lion King? Or Tarzan, King of the jungle?
  
  Egyptians worshipped cats, didn't they? Perhaps each and every cat is a God unto itself. (That would certainly explain a few things around my house!)
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Don't feed your cat for a few Days, watch how he will changes to worship you like Jesus
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Qwark, They're called Hindus.
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Onusonusposted 12 years ago
Religion is bad, blah blah, blah......

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Field-Of-Flowersposted 12 years ago
Why is it that some of you are so opposed to Jesus? What wrong did He do to make you so dislike Him? I'm just wondering....
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Jesus seem like one of us or most of us , its the Christian that give us hard times.
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  Field-Of-Flowersposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I'm sorry to hear that you have come across some Christians who have given you grief. I too, have experienced that. Not everyone who calls themselves a 'Christian' really are one. You will know a tree by it's fruit. If an apple tree is full of rotten apples, would you take one and eat it? Or an orange tree? No way! Only if the tree is healthy. (Just thinking about nice juicy oranges makes me want one!)
  So it is with people. There are those who call themselves 'Christian' who are so judgemental...I can't even stand it! And yes, I do believe in Jesus. I'm not here to judge anyone. I have no right too because I'm not God. Only He can judge. Besides, I'm far from perfect....I'm just forgiven.
  Jesus is love. Love doesn't give people a 'hard time' and make things miserable and difficult for them. I choose to show others His love. You can't lose when you love. It beats out hate everytime. Besides, wouldn't you rather be around someone who is loving than someone who hates you?
  In the boxing ring of life, love wins with a TKO! :-)
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I can feel mystic about Jesus in somewhat the same way Mother Teresa said she feels mystic yet does not agree with the church. Even Jesus only was angry with the church. So what the whole purpose and what good if the system has failed and where Christian are more a negative examples
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  Muldanianmanposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  As an atheist, I am not opposed to Jesus at all. In fact, I regularly read the bible, because the teachings of Christ still give me comfort, even though I realise that there is no evidence that what was recorded were really the words of Christ. I think any historical figure who taught love and peace has a lot to offer the world.
  
  What I am opposed to is the often judgemental attitude of Christians. Reading posts on here by Christians, who claim that the mentally ill are possessed by the devil, or that gay people, who have no choice about their sexuality will burn in the fires of hell. Also their refusal to recognise scientific discoveries, and instead stick to their belief that the universe was created in six days and is only 6,000 years old. Whilst everyone is entitled to their beliefs, I don't see how people who have such views feel they have the right to judge others. Christians should be the last people to be judgemental, and should realise that only he who is without sin should cast the first stone.
  
  Also all of the terrible things that Christians have done throughout history, the wars they have fought, the children which have been abused by priests, the torture and killing of Jews, and so much more, have turned me against some Christians. Although of course, I recognise that not all Christians are like this, just as not all Muslims are terrorists, but unfortunately, it is not possible to ignore the terrible things Christians have done in the name of Christ.
  
  I think there are many people who whilst not recognising the divinity of Christ or even believing in God, would recognise the fundamentally good nature of the Christ we read of in the bible, and would wish that the world would put into practice some of his teachings.
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  field:
  
  ...who "KNOWS this jesus?
  
  You don't!
  
  No one does.
  
  How can one hate that which one "KNOWS" nothing about?
  
  One hates what the murderous history of "christianity" has perpetrated in the name of this fellow: jesus, no one "KNOWS!"
  
  People read a book written by people and ASS-U-ME, that they "KNOW" this fellow jesus when all they "KNOW" is the hearsay spewed forth in a book that has nothing written by this fellow jesus.
  
  My goodness ! How easlily fooled and led we childish humans are!
  
  Qwark
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  Jeramiposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  No one truly knows another person from reading a book.
  
  No one truly knows another person from looking at a picture that someone else has painted that person to be. (metaphoricaly speaking of course)
  
  That doesn't mean that the person doesn't exist nor that we can not come to know them.
  
  The same is true for everything and everyone.
  
  You know who you know and I do not know them.
  I know who I know and you do not know them.
  
  The same can be said or everyone and everything.
  
  That which you know to be true may not be universaly true. And if you accept only that which is universaly believed to be true, then you are missing out on a whole lot of truth.
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Jerami:
  
  Oh I disagree!
  
  As a speaker of English, it being my native language, to "KNOW" is to perceive directly; grasp in the mind with clarity or certainty. To regard as true beyond a doubt!
  
  No one "knows" this jesus fellow unless they have met him personally.
  
  The operative words in "KNOWING" are: 1. perceive directly, 2. certainty and 3. true (beyond a doubt.)
  
  Your words are quite true: "No one truly knows another person from reading a book."
  
  You "cannot "...come to "KNOW"..." this jesus fellow.
  
  You "can" imagine you do, but the "reality" is that it is impossible, for obvious reasons.
  
  Qwark
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  For couple of months as an adult I was almost was capture by the mind and body snatcher who wanted to take my soul in church. Many other religions have wanted my soul too and all its millions of parts. When most of my question were met with answered of- you have got to have faith, I notice the glassy eyes and phony smirks, then they gave me this totally numb feeling. They were such Cowardice in the sense of lacking reason, logic and science
  
  I ran out of there like a bat out of Hell
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Castle:
  After almost 2 1/2 yrs in Baptist seminary in NJ, in my early 20's, I was asked to leave because I asked too many questions and challenged their answer: "ya gotta have faith!"
  I know where you are coming from!
  We escaped...unscathed and much wiser for the experience! :
  Qwark
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  lizzieBooposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  You gave me the impression you were in a Catholic seminary. Now I get it.
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Lizzie:
  Catholic?
  
  Naw. My runaway parents introduced me to the baptist church early in life.
  
  My father converted to "mormonism" the idiot!
  
  I, fortunately grew up and freed myself from the restrictive religious shackles that were binding me...hallelujahhhh and amen!
  
  Qwark
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Jeramiposted 12 years ago
qwark wrote
As a speaker of English, it being my native language, to "KNOW" is to perceive directly; grasp in the mind with clarity or certainty. To regard as true beyond a doubt!

No one "knows" this jesus fellow unless they have met him personally.

= - = - = - = -
Me
I can not disagree with the dictionary.

SOooo using that standard; How many of us know who our paternal mother and father are? How many of us have had DNA testing. For us that haven't; We just have faith.

Edit .. quark, I had to come back and clarify who said what oops.
sorry
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Druid Dudeposted 12 years ago
You can live side by side with a person all your life...and you don't know that person at all. You can know Jesus just as well.
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  qwarkposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Druid:
  
  You are an imaginative, easily led human and ya have lotsa company!
  
  Qwark
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TMMasonposted 12 years ago
I must hear a 1000 times a day that religion is dead and will be no more in such and such an amount of years. Man needs God. It is inherant within us to want to believe. Studies in England and Europe have shown that even children have a desire to know God. Soooo... I believe God has alot more staying power than Atheism. And we will see in a century if your right.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  About 80% of the world is Religious that will take a lot of shrinking to de program the brainwashed. The 3% atheist will not have the voting power or the history background to change much, although the non religious and most people of little faith in religion are very strong now, They have more spiritual sided views rather than religious views, Like the students Surveyed in the US college and Universities that are 87% spiritual sided (spiritual just being the 99% unknown world and universe) will replace people of little faith in Religion
  
  It’s unstoppable for Faith head to reverse the slow moving spiritual age.
  
  There is no word God in the USA Constitution, a lot of American fore father may have been closet atheist. It's not the atheist by numbers that will shrink Christian numbers down, it will be the non religious and the spiritual rather than religious type of people who will replace most of the Christian beliefs. One reason is almost half of American believe the earth is only 10,000 years old wail the majority of the people in the world today believe man is 180,000 years old. Most of the world population in third world countries amoug some like India and China that are doublling or tripling the USA economic growth too
  
  As you can see, American is ready for a real rude awaking of Religious disbelief
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  TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Well, you keep the faith in your clairovoyance abilities. I will keep faith in my God.
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  Castlepalomaposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  We'll found out in 20 years from now, who is the better guess-ta-mator
  
  I stop telling people, I told you so, YEARS AGO
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  TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I am not making fun of you. I do believe people have abilities that are mostly untapped. So please do not take it that way. I just have more faith in my God than I do in any man.
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  Field-Of-Flowersposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I agree with you TMMason. I too have more faith in God than in any man. Thank you for believing too.
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  TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  You are very welcome, Flower.
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  Muldanianmanposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Yes children do have a desire to believe in God, but they also believe in the tooth fairy and Father Christmas. Does this indicate that they also exist? As to seeing who is right in a hundred years, I hate to break it to you, but we will all be dead by then.
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  TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Children are taught about the tooth fairy ann father christmas. This study showed a desire to believe in children who had no relation to, nor knowledge of God. Good try though. Go read the studies, then comment.
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earnestshubposted 12 years ago
A comment from one of my hubs indicates why religion will die off.

"hate and vengeance as religion"

Look up the word "fault-finder" moron, try reading ALL of the Bible and not taking it out of context and ignoring every time it uses the word love, like LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF, DON'T HOLD A GRUDGE, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU, IF ANYONE HATES HIS BROTHER YOU KNOW HE IS A MURDERER... Committed any sins lately, HYPOCRITE? And you're contradicting yourself idiot: you're taking your desire for revenge out on God whom you are illogically blaming for YOUR SINS MORON. HE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR CHOICES. Stop contradicting yourself moron and stop hating God. Dur.

"The biblical account of god as written by humans is undeniably promoting a truly horrible psychopathic entity."

And using flowery language makes you right, right? Wrong NARCISSIST PSYCHOPATH. Merely, accusing others of what you, not even with hate and vengeance are does not make you right.

"Hate and vengeance."

And you know what that is right, oh perfect one, Oh God? Speaking of God moron, who made you God? Who made you the one to tell God, let alone the world, right from wrong? Why do narcissists like yourself repeatedly have to be told that basic fact: YOU AREN'T GOD MORON. REPEAT THAT TO YOURSELF OVER AND OVER AND OVER TILL IT FINALLY SINKS IN THAT YOUR FEELINGS DON'T DETERMINE FOR ME OR ANYONE ELSE WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG, HYPOCRITE. God, stupid.

"I know this hub will alienate all the god fearing intellectually stuck of the world"

Awww he thinks making conniving statements and using "big words" makes him right: typical narcissist moron. Grow up idiot: big words don't replace genuine intellect. KNOW what the words that you use MEAN, not just the "big" words little kid, but the BASIC WORDS: EVIDENCE, TRUTH, JUSTICE, MERCY, LOVE, HATE, ANGER, JUSTICE, JUSTICE, JUSTICE, AND DON'T FORGET: REALITY. When you learn that that means, stick with the definition instead of repeatedly trying to warp it into a "name it and claim it" one, in which your mere faith, the force of your faith makes what is true or false (yeah: you're the deluded fanatic).

"and I do not give a rats arse."

Nah, you're not hateful and angry at all to say that you don't care if those who are religious, the very ones you are ranting at in hate, decide not to listen to your ranting. Contradict yourself much? And as usual, the PSYCHOPATH SAYS HE DOES NOT CARE, THE NARCISSIST SAYS HE IS ABOVE THOSE WHOM HE HATES. You're an obvious hypocrite.

"Don't like it? GO AWAY."

Immature, another trait of a narcissist. Poor little baby wants people to go away if they don't like what he says, because how dare those who believe in God NOT LIKE something, only you, oh God, may not like them or what they say or God, only you, oh high King of the Universe and King of Right from Wrong may be angry. What a hypocrite. If you don't like God, HIS universe, or HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS, he will force you out and throw you into the darkness of Hell. You do not mock God, you do not tell God off, you do not tell God or his children to go away, that is your fate little whining kid.

"Why read this hub?, you have never read anything else you didn't already agree with."

Yawn. Because you have no substance in your argument, you fill it with childish ranting. Typical sign of a loser: they just rant childish conniving remarks and things of no use, things without evidence. You had your chance, and blew it and the rest of your rant will be ignored just as you asked of people who don't like ranting, baseless, contradictory, stupidity. You have to make up your mind self-condemned self-defeating moron: either you want those who know the truth to listen to your immature time-wasting ranting, or not, but since you want to be left in isolation just as you asked, so then God will isolate you.

"Do not judge: for with the judgment you use shall you be judged, and with the measure you use shall you be measured." - Jesus, in context, hypocrite judge.

Besides what I've just pointed out, you can further learn how not to contradict yourself and rant: http://circularreasoning.tk

And another clue stupid: learn to use a search engine, and instead of only reading pages that say, "Why God wrong, nanny nanny, God bad b cuh he geh mad at me when do murder n steal n lie n babble, wah wah um uh um u go way if no likey me, um why u read dis rant uh yeah, oh dis is consrasisctions see it says jesus is man but den says he god um uh, christians all hypicrites dey do bad tings". Ok bigot? Grow up and learn to read and stop stereotyping fault-finding idiot.

Status: Approved
I thought others have a right to see the brilliance behind religious reasoning.
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  TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Wow Earnest you are so full of anger and hate... man breathe for a minute. Vengeance is a human desire. It would be here even if we had no religions.
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  earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I thought it was the person Andrew who posted this to my hub that was angry, I'm fine thanks!
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  TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  Oh but you got your shots in there too. How have you been, Earnest? I hope well.
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earnestshubposted 12 years ago
Thanks for asking TMM! I am exceedingly well. I hope I find your good self in similar robust health.
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  TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this
  I am doing well, thank you.
  reply report

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