The religious of America

[Tech Rob]

Wise words.

[exreo]

We had a dry town in our Bible Belt, or triangle at least. Thirty years ago they had a bar just over a bridge just out of the town's limits. Since then you can get alcoholic beverages in town at a restaurant with your meal. The funny thing is that everyone in the area knew someone who had a still, also there was a higher concentration of teenage pregnancies in that area then the rest of the province. Had a girlfriend that grew up there and talk around town was that she was a hooker due to the fact that she worked as a waitress in a bar. She told me that kids in the area would be all smiles and proper in the light of day and at night do crazy things like two cars speeding down the highway and them seeing if you can get from one car into the other. Must have been that evil Kiss music that made them do it.

A Bible belt in Canada? I've heard people say that Canada is a very dark place spiritually. I know for sure that Vancouver, BC was the many times I visited there. You must be talking about a time when you lived in the U.S. I'll guess NC or WV.

[tedkidd]

Maybe semantics, but I think religion is great. It's education and moral guidance. The early social glue that provided a framework to see beyond immediate self interest to longer term mutual interest.

It's typically selfish, evil, greedy men who corrupt it, using religion for power and profit, that turns religion to crap.

[exreo]

Maybe semantics, but I think religion is great. It's education and moral guidance. The early social glue that provided a framework to see beyond immediate self interest to longer term mutual interest.

It's typically selfish, evil, greedy men who corrupt it, using religion for power and profit, that turns religion to crap.

I thought immediately of how that applies to the Saudi rulers and every other raghead ruler in the Middle East. It also applies ot the rulers in India. You're right. They do use religion for their self-serving purposes and to control their own people. Christianity on the other hand is a relationship with God that brings liberty to the Christian. This is why Christianity is hated in raghead countries and in Buddist countries.

[corny]

Buddhists dont hate.....and most...if not all muslims dont hate christians...or even jews.....they hate the western governments and of course the government of Israel.

[tedkidd]

I thought immediately of how that applies to the Saudi rulers and every other raghead ruler in the Middle East. It also applies ot the rulers in India. You're right. They do use religion for their self-serving purposes and to control their own people. Christianity on the other hand is a relationship with God that brings liberty to the Christian. This is why Christianity is hated in raghead countries and in Buddist countries.

Idk, historically the greatest crimes against humanity seem to have been by Christian based governments or groups, hiding behind a perverted interpretation of "Gods instructions" that justify really bad behavior.

Take a step back, even in your own writing, can you see how that might be perceived as either holier than thou or hate mongering?

[ga-hvac-tech]

Someone many generations ago said: Religion is the opiate of the masses (masses meaning the working class). When I first read this... it angered me... Since I learned religion and Christianity are not mutual (in reality opposed), it no longer matters. Back on topic
Religion is one of the easiest tools to use to control folks... the other is freebees. Everyone has that streak within them of wanting a better life... All a ruler has to do is promise something (or put on a guilt trip); and the un-educated will dance to almost any tune. The folks who choose to ask 'why' questions and learn... well they are set free... the others who do not bother... well they remain in bondage to their own minds. The really sad thing is; those who will not ask why (take a look outside the box) truly 'think' they are right... talk about making a choice to live in deception... WOW is all I can say.

One really needs to choose to learn... truth has this way of setting minds free. However within the world of education, there is as much deception as in retaining a small mind. One has to learn to sort out both...
A tall order without the input of a higher source... us Christians call Him God. And His love for us mortals is written in Scripture. Lots of truth and freedom in there, one has to look with an open mind to find it though.

[Tech Rob]

The folks who choose to ask 'why' questions and learn... well they are set free... the others who do not bother... well they remain in bondage to their own minds. The really sad thing is; those who will not ask why (take a look outside the box) truly 'think' they are right... talk about making a choice to live in deception...

I agree with this. Theism defies this logic. Where does your search for answers and truth end?

[wolfstrike]

i support total and complete ban of alcohol and any kind of drugs.
(but i dont support the government kicking in people's doors to look for it)
(i dont support ban on expensive alcohol)

drinking was the stupidest thing i did when i was young.
i did a lot of crazy things while i was drunk and if someone would have said the wrong thing at the wrong time, i would have easily killed somebody.

every year the young generation goes into the world where everyone says alcohol is cool, but the FACT is , most people have very little respect for drunks, even though they ACT differently.

every year there is a percentage of the young misguided generation who train their drugs and alcohol skills, and spend the rest of their lives paying for it.

many years ago religious people in America saw the problem with alcohol and they worked very hard to pass prohabition.
they tell us that it simply failed , but it didn't, wealthy people didn't want to lose the big profits.
..as the weathy are currently trying to legalize drugs

wether drugs or alcohol are legal, the government is not going to stop throwing people in jail.
they want to allow the rich to collect the profits, but when people cause mistakes under the influence, they will mark their criminal records and screw up their life.

that's immoral government

[Tech Rob]

i support total and complete ban of alcohol and any kind of drugs.
(but i dont support the government kicking in people's doors to look for it)
(i dont support ban on expensive alcohol)

drinking was the stupidest thing i did when i was young.
i did a lot of crazy things while i was drunk and if someone would have said the wrong thing at the wrong time, i would have easily killed somebody.

every year the young generation goes into the world where everyone says alcohol is cool, but the FACT is , most people have very little respect for drunks, even though they ACT differently.

every year there is a percentage of the young misguided generation who train their drugs and alcohol skills, and spend the rest of their lives paying for it.

many years ago religious people in America saw the problem with alcohol and they worked very hard to pass prohabition.
they tell us that it simply failed , but it didn't, wealthy people didn't want to lose the big profits.
..as the weathy are currently trying to legalize drugs

wether drugs or alcohol are legal, the government is not going to stop throwing people in jail.
they want to allow the rich to collect the profits, but when people cause mistakes under the influence, they will mark their criminal records and screw up their life.

that's immoral government

I thought you were a proponent of personal responsibility?

[hvacker]

Back to alcohol. When I lived in Arkansas there were dry counties. There, a bootlegger usually meant someone that bought commercial alcohol and sold it in dry counties.
What I noticed about wet counties was the high prices. Example. A bottle of Jack at the time was $18.50 in a wet county where in another state, Illinois for instance it cost $8.50.(like I said, awhile ago). It seemed maybe a lot of the politics behind keeping counties dry might not be just from religions.
A lot of todays bootleggers have seen easier money in growing pot. In a lot of places the law turns a blind eye as cutting a bean has got a lot harder for the people.

[ga-hvac-tech]

I agree with this. Theism defies this logic. Where does your search for answers and truth end?

You took this out of context... you have to take the WHOLE message if you want to learn.

[Tech Rob]

You took this out of context... you have to take the WHOLE message if you want to learn.

I get what you're saying. To you, the people who live according to religious dogma and dictations of man are the ones who can't think outside of the box and ask why. To me, people of all faiths are living in denial of the fact that our existence is a random and insignificant occurrence that can't be explained yet. It's not a comforting thought that nothing you do has any meaning or purpose aside from the superficial meaning we give it to help ourselves sleep better at night. I'm not unwilling to accept the notion of a creator, because there's no evidence that there is not one, but there is an overwhelming amount of circumstantial inferences throughout the centuries that the stories of Jesus and Allah and Shiva and Buddha are constructs of man intended to control the masses. It's not plausible to me that all that's in this world was created because God wanted to have a personal relationship with YOU. I've had countless discussions with people of faith on this subject, and faith is an inevitable impasse in the discussion, because that is all it comes down to. Some people have none. I mean no disrespect, and hopefully this helps you understand where I'm coming from.