Musings on religion... again.

[silversolitaire]

Just spent about an hour looking through this site:

http://www.wayofthemaster.com/

This is truly stunning. I don't think I've ever seen a missionary site as effective and multimedia as this. It was almost fun to listen to the half an hour sermon... >.>; Okay, I know I suck. I'll listen to any sermon. I'm a sucker for these things.

It really cracks me up how they make you take a gazillion of tests and never give you any results! And I clicked "No" first on "Are you a Christian" and found it very funny that they force you through the Ten Commandments then! I mean geeze, yeah you could probably argue that in general the Commandments should be true (don't kill, steal etc.) but there are so many things that are so clearly Christian only, why the hell do they want to ask non-Christians whether they've really stuck with it 100%? That, and they really managed to interpret the Commandments in a way that makes it impossible to NOT break them. Like, of course I don't love God so much more than my family that my love for my family seems like hatred. Dude... yeah I got it, I'm an evil sinner.

Somehow it always bothers me when actors I've known since I was a kid (or even liked!) turn into religious nuts... I mean, there's nothing wrong with having faith and a firm belief, but stuffing it into people's faces like that just seems like such a total sell-out to me. I'm always put off immensely when I read that an actor or singer is a member of Scientology. Virtually makes me lose my erection. It's like my interest in them deflates immediately. And when I read someone has been "saved" or is "born again", it's similar. I'm just put off by this. I guess it's because they always come off as condescending to me. Is it a fault I have? Am I jealous? I don't know...

Religion has a strong attraction to me. I dig every kind of religion. Every time I study another form of belief I passionately wish to be part of it. I wish I could practice every religion in this world, be part of it all, feel it rush through me. I don't think many people understand how I feel about this. Reading about religion makes me feel great. It gives me a powerful rush and I feel enlightened and enriched. And I also feel sad because it's so hard to fully understand them, to have full access to it. Most religions / denominations think exclusive. They say "I'm the true way, the one and only way!" and so they don't allow people to just snoop into it and soak it all up like a sponge. I can understand that, but it gives me great pains.

Sometimes I wish I could be a preacher. I know it sounds weird. But I wish I could be part of this entire mechanism, this brotherhood, the love. I want to share my faith and hope that others feel as enriched about it as I do. But of course I can't, because I'm a freak. Because I embrace all religions, they're all dear to me, every single one of them I respect and find plausible. It's like you feel when you're bisexual. You don't really belong to any group.

But I digress! My point was this: I understand why these people try to proselytize like this. It's an integral part of their belief that it's their responsibility to save everyone. They truly believe that without commiting yourself to Jesus you are going to Hell and it was Jesus' will for them to try to reach every single soul and save it. The entire "from now on you will catch men" thing. I get it. But it annoys me that by doing that they immediately brush aside everyone else's beliefs. That's just not decent.

One thing I give them though is that they don't seem to try to sell you things all that much. Unlike Scientology for example where a simple paperback version of their Handbook costs 100 bucks or so -.-;. Sure, they sell stuff, but they also provide you with a lot for free and the rest isn't that incredibly overpriced. So at least they don't seem like hypocrites there.

Okay, I'm done. I'm just babbling anyway and I was distracted again by the Mormon website. I'm horrible.

Comments

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

well..
i clicked through that "Ten Commandments" bit.. and i'm sorry to say.. but that is such an ugly case of heinious brainwashing and terror attempted on a living human that it makes me puke. and then laugh at its retardedness..
poor Jesus (whoever he was if he existed) is twitching in his grave..

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

But they don't say you're doomed. They say you're a sinner, no matter which way you turn it and you need to embrace Jesus in order to be saved. If you read the whole thing they're not being judgemental at all. They're saying nobody can claim they're free from sin, so you need to take an effort to lead a good life. I don't think that message is that bad. Of course I'm not saying everyone should run and convert to their branch of belief immediately. They also have rather annoying beliefs such as feeling the need to save homosexuals and what not. But I'm saying that in their particular mindset at least it's consistent. I've seen other Christian pages that were a lot more hateful and condemning than that.

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

trying to force obedience (and in this case to stupid superstitions) through instigating fear is terror. period.
and while i may agree that forms of terror are sometimes needed (since some poeple are cattle).. this is not that case..

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

Well, to them it's a fact though. Try to think of it this way for a moment. It's like accusing a doctor of terror because they tell you that if you continue smoking 10 packs of cigarettes per day you're going to die of lung cancer. Or take any other example that'll lead to a surefire way of getting yourself killed (since cancer still only has a certain chance of happening). Of course to us it sounds like BS to say "OMG you're going to hell and will suffer in all eternity!", but to them it's a fact. They think it's going to happen if you continue in your sinful ways, so it makes sense to try to warn you against it.

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

the doctor can at least support his words with different statistical studies (let's not go into their objectivity now, though).. but what do they have??

yeah, i'm sure some of them are "well meaning".. but then what about the pranoid shizo for whom it's a fact that he's the chosen to rid the world of demons and goes on a killing spree in his neighborhood.. and that's really just a tiny step of a difference..

btw, would you want to live in a world that truly subscribes to the things on that website? ok. the one we are living in right now is another extreme :)) but still..
lichen and spanish moss would grow on me from boredom.. O_o

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

LOL I never said we all should immediately rush there and convert. I'm just clamoring for understanding, I guess. I mean geeze, I don't think anyone can live up to their standards, not even them. And there are other religions who basically have the exact opposing view to theirs, and I refuse to believe that all these people are doomed. The only solution I see is that there must be different sections for every denomination in afterlife... ^^;.

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

..or the different fabulations of the many denominations are equally ignored in the eyes of the supreme schemer :))

[krss.livejournal.com]

Ugh.. as a raised Christian I'm having a hard time reading this comment. Maybe I'm just in that mood, but..

>>>poor Jesus (whoever he was if he existed) is twitching in his grave..

is just SO wrong in my head. ~.~

It's brought up so much negative feeling in me I can't believe it.

So I thought it's fair you should know. =P

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

*patpat* You mustn't let other people's beliefs faze you. Theirs is as valid as yours. If you're firm in your belief no one can take it away from you. I can see why you find this offensive, but don't let it do that. Just embrace it as an opposing opinion and continue believing what you always did.

[krss.livejournal.com]

You're right. =) I'm okay now.. I usually try to be tolerant. I guess this offense I took is a proof that I'm still a Christian, and that's very good.

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

Exactly! ^_^ What more can you ask of? Look at me, I didn't even notice the "grave" bit. I'm bad.

[krss.livejournal.com]

Hehehe. XD No you're not.. I think that your fascination with religions is great. I think there is truth in all of them, and if we could just combine everything and put our own beliefs on top of it, we'd be on the road to.. something.. =P

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

you will perish in hell :p

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOHO!!!!!!!!!! *sobs*

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

well.. that was not my intention.
though, i'm not going to say i'm sorry, since to my knowledge.. i didn't say anything inappropriate..

belief is the opposite of reason.
it is blocking the way towards truth.. since truth got already substituted with a fabulation..
but, nuff said.. i don't want to disturb anyone..

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

I don't think that belief and reason exclude each other. I consider myself a very spiritual person, but I'm still open to reason. But so far I haven't encountered any argument yet that could effectively convince me against what I believe. Of course, that doesn't mean I actually want to be convinced. I just have a deep reverence for "the divine" and I think this simply can't be explained.

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

yes. but you admit that you don't KNOW. and you do not flip should anyone say somathing else. and you are willing to consider other alternatives. or willing to reasonable discussion.
your belief is, i hope, not blind..

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

Oh no, of course not blind. As a matter of fact my faith based on the firm belief that there's always something new to discover and that you will never possess the end of all knowledge. I'm truly convinced that there is a Supreme Being out there, whatever shape that may have, and I'm probably saddened at someone saying there is none, but it won't change what I believe.

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

no belief is needed in the existence of a "Supreme Being". it is evident. (though the ideas about its nature may differ.. that's where belief comes in)
belief is needed to be convinced of its non-existence..

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

How is it evident? Just curious.

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

the "uncaused first cause" is (in my philosophy) undoubtable..
i cannot concieve how it is not evident to some.. or how it was not to me.. O_o

[krss.livejournal.com]

Ooookay.. -_- Is this about me? Cause if it is.. it's wrong. And I'm saddened.

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

no it's not. it's about blind belief.

[silversolitaire.livejournal.com]

I'm very sure he didn't mean you. He meant those religious zealots who freak out and anything that doesn't conform with their beliefs and yell you're going to hell for it. Besides, you didn't "flip out" so he obviously didn't mean you.

[krss.livejournal.com]

Thank you. This is NOT my good day. =)

[no-ron.livejournal.com]

oh, you! :pp

[krss.livejournal.com]

=)