Religion — Page 81

TV’s Frink said:

moviefreakedmind said:

TV’s Frink said:

Lol why would a perfect being such as God feel human emotions like jealousy. Or desire for that matter.

If God exists, it is not jealous. Nor does it desire a close relationship with you. That’s entirely on the human side of the equation.

The god of the Bible wasn’t described as being “perfect” in a way that we tend to define that word. All-powerful, maybe, but especially in the Old Testament he resembles a lot of the very human-like gods of other mythology.

I don’t care what a bunch of humans in the dark ages thought about God. They didn’t know any better than anyone today does, and in many ways they knew worse.

I was explaining why the god you’re referring to supposedly experiences human emotions like like jealousy and desire. You asked, so don’t get pissy when someone answers completely cordially.

It came across that way.

moviefreakedmind said:

It came across that way.

This is true.

suspiciouscoffee said:

Story time!

For about 13 years, my dad has made my family perform a ritual in the morning of most days. It’s changed slightly over the years, mostly just by adding more half-quoted Bible verses for us to repeat after him in meaningless succession, but for the most part it’s been consistent. He has us stand in a circle and repeat things he says for a while and do stupid poses (the latter part was added a few years ago because he watched a TED talk or something), and then he brings up Ephesians 6:10-18, or Paul’s “Armor of God” metaphor. I say metaphor, though my parents would call that heresy, as they see the “armor” as a literal set of armor that we must physically place on our bodies every day. It’s a stupid, stupid ritual based on bizarre, ungrounded theology, but any time I’ve questioned it or even just not spoken in a tone that sounded convincingly enthusiastic or reverent, he gets pissed at me for “disrespecting God.”

TL;DR, being raised under entirely literalist theology is fucking exhausting.

So, I’m a little late to the party here, but every now and then I hear someone railing against organized religion and I find myself nodding along because as an atheist that seems to fit my biases pretty well. But then every now and then I hear a story like this and I think, you know, maybe religion could use a little bit of organization after all.

My condolences on, uh, whatever the hell that was. The most important lesson is from Luke 23:37 “Save yourself!” Okay that was selective editing and just for snark, but really I hope you find a way that works for you, and a way to work with your family, that can work in the long term.

.

TV’s Frink said:

yhwx said:

moviefreakedmind said:

It came across that way.

This is true.

Thanks chyron.

You’re welcome.

Possessed said:

Now you’ve done it.

😄

suspiciouscoffee said:

Story time!

For about 13 years, my dad has made my family perform a ritual in the morning of most days. It’s changed slightly over the years, mostly just by adding more half-quoted Bible verses for us to repeat after him in meaningless succession, but for the most part it’s been consistent. He has us stand in a circle and repeat things he says for a while and do stupid poses (the latter part was added a few years ago because he watched a TED talk or something), and then he brings up Ephesians 6:10-18, or Paul’s “Armor of God” metaphor. I say metaphor, though my parents would call that heresy, as they see the “armor” as a literal set of armor that we must physically place on our bodies every day. It’s a stupid, stupid ritual based on bizarre, ungrounded theology, but any time I’ve questioned it or even just not spoken in a tone that sounded convincingly enthusiastic or reverent, he gets pissed at me for “disrespecting God.”

TL;DR, being raised under entirely literalist theology is fucking exhausting.

Wow, that’s a powerful story. And yes, it sounds exhausting. I’m so glad my parents didn’t put me through that. Of course you want to respect your parents, and surely they think they are doing the right thing (and who knows, maybe they are - anything’s possible). But you also want to retain your sanity and perspective. It seems like you are doing a great job of both, and that someday when you are on your own (presuming that you aren’t yet), you will be able to construct a more balanced spiritual life.

.

suspiciouscoffee said:

I was at church this morning and the pastor said “sometimes we like to think of God as our sugar daddy in heaven.” It was viscerally unpleasant to say the least, and just another reason I will be leaving the southern baptist church as soon as I can.

The thing about Baptist churches is that they are rather independent from each other, so just because you dislike (the pastor from) one church, that doesn’t mean another Baptist church is the same, since they do not answer to a unified administrative body that tells them how to manage themselves.

The reasons why I find that I’m Baptist are: 1) I agree with the the concept of priesthood of the believer; 2) I do not assert that baptism is required, but I prefer immersion over sprinkling (however, what matters is if it is meaningful to the person baptized); 3) I don’t really value liturgy; 4) and I’m not accustomed to people randomly speaking in tongues. JEDIT: 5) oh, and also The Father, The Son, and Holy Spirit are all God, but while distinctive from each other they are not separate individual entities.

DuracellEnergizer said:

chyron8472 said:

oh, and also The Father, The Son, and Holy Spirit are all God, but while distinctive from each other they are not separate individual entities.

Isn’t that true for all orthodox Christians?

I don’t know who specifically does and doesn’t. I just know there are some denominations that subscribe to the idea that either Jesus is not himself God, but somehow a lesser creation; or that He and the Father are separate Gods. And I don’t agree with that at all. That is, I’m not sure who all follows the idea of the “Trinity”, but among those Baptists also do and I agree.

I am not accustomed to random speaking in tongues, and am therefore not Assembly of God. I believe in the priesthood of the believer and so am not Catholic. I do not value liturgy and so am not Methodist. Baptists also do value baptism by immersion as being obedient in following Christ’s example, but cite the salvation of the thief on the cross as evidence that it is not required.

chyron8472 said:
I am not accustomed to random speaking in tongues, and am therefore not Assembly of God.

I’ve brought this up in this thread in years past, but I find “speaking in tongues” to be the most horrifying and creepy religious activity imaginable. I don’t think I believe in demonic possession, but Jesus Christ if demonic possession is real then “speaking in tongues” is what it is.

If anyone reading this is fortunate enough to have no idea what I’m talking about, here is an example of “speaking in tongues” - https://youtu.be/vsrwgd7rnR0?t=6m14s (Yes, she is speaking gibberish.)