Discusssions about religious beliefs

I love the potential which comes from people with very different worldviews getting together to share their beliefs because, at best, it might turn out like this. Easily my favourite novel, and filled to the core with weird or just plain crazy people arguing about religion. Call me low brow, but I have to maintain that I've received more enjoyment out of that little dime-store sci-fi novel than from any of the renowned greats in literature. It's hard not to love when people reach into the core of their beliefs, pull out shining models of how their minds work, and present it for examination.

I loath discussions of religion, because in the vast majority of cases they end up more like this. Except with some examples of the answer being flipped to the opposite side of the coin. Well, that and more exclamation marks, and words spelled out in caps, and the inevitable mention of Hitler somewhere.

Somehow though, even the latter tend to have nuggets of pure gold scattered throughout.

emerson, I'm going to try to get that book Black Iron Prison. Were the people in the prison happy and content or were they unhappy and oppressed?

The only thing that come up on my screen when I clicked on your second link for this http://www.400monkeys.com/God/ was that. There's only an e-mail address link, nothing else. What's up with them?

infernity, this is my explanation from the other thread. It greatly disturbs me when I hear young Jews say they don't believe in God - especially when Israel is experiencing the problems it currently is. All Israel's problems are due to the people straying from the true God of Israel. I'm sure you know that is what the Torah teaches and that's what history shows? You and inarchunite should very seriously rethink your positions on God's existence. Take a look at the literature at http://www.gnmagazin...itreq/index.htm. May be you could take a close look at The Middle East in Bible Prophecy.

I recently witnessed my best friend decide to become a Jew. The loss of such a great mind would be felt by the whole world, if we had feelings about such a thing. Your religion is one more roadblock on the way to a better world.

I recently witnessed my best friend decide to become a Jew. The loss of such a great mind would be felt by the whole world, if we had feelings about such a thing. Your religion is one more roadblock on the way to a better world.

the naïveté...

DREAM:
It is the human nature of many of us which serves as the "roadblock on the way to a better world". If not Judaism, then something else - race, nationality etc'. Religion is just an excuse.

Religion gives many people something they are unable to find without it.

Not when it comes to us, though.

I completely agree that "religion gives many people something they are unable to find without it".

If you think I am naive about anything, you should get to know me better, so you can relieve yourself of your misconception.

Religion is nothing but an excuse in many discussions about many different things.

As for human nature...I consider myself human, but my "nature" is vastly different from the populace at-large.