DescentBB

I've always had a sort of odd view of religion, but today I finally got to write it down. What do you guys think about this view? I've always been interested how devout Catholics or the like would view something like that.

NEway http://blog.fragwerkz.com

I don't think that this was close to your main topic, but it's what occurred to me while reading it. I don't really understand where this whole brainwashing concept comes from. I guess if people realized how often religious people discussed and argued (most usually good-naturedly) amongst each other (myself included) every matter in the book (literally), I think you'd have a different concept and realize that there isn't a one-way stream of information, from personal origin at least. In fact, most people that I know who have had formal theological education go out of their way to state their opinions as such, and it's refreshing.

The "Bible study" is probably the simplest idea of this, and it's usually an open forum to anyone to say what they think, and depending on the crowd, there'll be lots of, how shall we put this, heated discussions.

Some people will always stick to their ideas no matter what you tell them though, and that is infinitely frustrating, probably as frustrating as people like me who are continually trying to pick fights with them though.

The first problem with your hypothetical club is that you'd need some strong evidence or something convincing to encourage people to take your word for more worth than a grain of salt. Something divine perhaps, or perhaps a con? Alternatively, you could raise an army.

Nitrofox125 wrote:The Church abandoned the idea that the Earth was flat. The church abandoned the idea what the Earth was at the center of the Universe when presented with scientific fact, despite the fact they had been enforcing it...

I'd like to point out a couple of things here,if I might. These were ideas put forth by scientists, well, a flat earth was reinforced by scientists, I think it was just "common knowledge" put forth by sailors. Also, in the era that these ideas were popular, the "church" such as it was, was hardly honorable. The Church history through the middle ages and its Popes stikes an amazing resemblance to Judea and the Northern Kingdom thru thier "middle ages" that would roughly between Solomon's death and the roman occupation. The kings were brutal and evil. .. er that's redundant .. sorry.

Remember that religion by definition is "a way of life." .. you can be a religious golfer, but in this context it is how you live your life before God and others according to God's edicts; which, btw, is not being perfect all the time or blowing it from time to time (contrary to popular belief.)

Now, I need to go. going to drive around the Olympic Penninsula today! Hasta!

as a very lay person in the buddhist philosophy i think it's healthy that you question everything. the buddha encouraged self discovery among his followers…

*edit* self discovery is paramount.

The Catholic religion is NOTORIOUS for trying to enforce ideas that did not originate with the bible. As a matter of fact, at one period in time, they even killed people who were found to have bibles because the church feared that people would see and be able to reason and see what the bible actually says about certain matters rather than what the church says. Basically staying in power.

Also, before the whole "Atlas" theory and the earth was flat, the bible itself actually discounted those theories. Job 26:7 refers to the earth as "hanging upon nothing". Also, Isaiah 40:22 refers to the one who is dwelling upon the "circle" of the earth. The Hebrew word here rendered â??circleâ?

wtf@Thrawn

You apparently missed out on the whole Protestant Reformation. You know, the part where the Catholic church defends traditional practices not rooted in scripture, and the Protestants break away because they believe solely in scripture?

The protestants broke away because they knew that there were so very many things that were just plain WRONG about the catholic church.

Remember Luther nailing that list of wrongs to the door?

The main problem with your comparison of flat earth/center of universe and creationism/evolutionism is a matter of time. Creationism doesn't say anything about the present, (clearly, things such as survival of the fittest are in effect now) but only wishes to address the distant past. (how we came into being) Things in the present can be hypothesized, tested, and proven. Things in the past can only be hypothesized (history is always subjective, at least to some degree) The scientific method requires one to be there, then. Therefore, no matter what science finds, the origin of the human species will always be a matter of speculation and belief, because evidence can always be read multiple ways.

DCrazy wrote:wtf@Thrawn

You apparently missed out on the whole Protestant Reformation. You know, the part where the Catholic church defends traditional practices not rooted in scripture, and the Protestants break away because they believe solely in scripture?

No, I didn't. It's just that it was irrelevant to the point I was making.