A message from another world

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Sunday, April 24. 2011

A message from another world

At USA Today, How Easter and Christianity undermine atheism. A quote:

If human beings were going to invent a religion based on wishful thinking, they could come up with something a lot “easier” than Christianity. After all, why not wish for a religion that promised eternal life in heaven, but at the same time allowed promiscuous sex, encouraged gluttony, did away with all the commandments, and forbade anyone to ever mention the idea of judgment and punishment?

Yes - why not, doggone it? We have no problem with atheists - or with any other religions, here at Maggie's. Life, and consciousness, is a deep mystery and a puzzlement, and we all must find our own ways through it with whatever sources of illumination we can find. As readers know, I am a Jesus guy - and I am not even particularly attracted to the idea of eternal life.

Posted by Bird Dog in Religion at 12:01 | Comments (7) | Trackbacks (0)

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Believe it or not, you have main line religions that are headed in the direction you mentioned in the interest of being more "inclusive." The church I left a few years ago has a minister that tells parishoners every Sunday that God's love is automatic and has no strings attatched. Just mentioning to her that repenting and making an honest effort to not repeat the sin is a condition of that forgiveness and you get to see the hair stand up on the back of her neck. The handful of people who still attend her service are those who like a minister who tells them "do whatever you want, it's all good, every morning when you wake up God forgives you for whatever you did the day before.

#1 Bruce on 2011-04-24 16:00 (Reply)

Oh, you mean Joel Osteen and the other preachers of the "God wants me to be thin, rich and good looking" doctrine?

#1.1 the gold digger (Link) on 2011-04-25 12:57 (Reply)

BD, interesting comment at the end that happen to agree with. I was raised Catholic, although I have not attended church regularly since I left home (much to my mother's chagrin). I have come to see the value of religion, though, as a blueprint for how to conduct an honorable life. The moral framework that religion provides makes our society a better place for all of us to live in, even if you do not believe in the afterlife. Thanks for making me think.

#2 altered states on 2011-04-24 18:04 (Reply)

The idea that religion sets a moral tone is utterly bizarre and erroneous. Neither do I need a religion to lead a good life or be told what a good life is but I also do not need the ancient mysogynist, violent texts such as the Bilble and Koran being used by those who claim to get their moral guidance from these repugnant fairy stories.

#3 thehawkreturns on 2011-04-25 00:59 (Reply)

Whew!
I'll tell you one thing: It's not about morality.

#3.1 Bird Dog on 2011-04-25 05:51 (Reply)

"...but I also do not need the ancient mysogynist, violent texts such as the Bilble and Koran being used by those who claim to get their moral guidance from these repugnant fairy stories."

Gosh, your dyspeptic posting reminds me of George Orwell's old line about certain atheists:

"He was an embittered atheist, the sort of atheist who does not so much disbelieve in God as personally dislike Him."

#3.2 JJM on 2011-04-25 15:06 (Reply)

Thanks for posting that, JJM. I'd somehow missed ever reading that.

Oh, boy... I've got some places I can use that quote to good effect.

#3.2.1 Big___Al on 2011-04-25 15:24 (Reply)

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Sunday, April 24. 2011

A message from another world