The bible is ancient, with outdated attitudes and thinking?

[aposhark]

It often seems glaringly obvious to me that the religious people on this forum would be very happy for non-believers to refrain from their comments.

The simple fact is that churches are emptying in the UK, and us non-believers are reflecting this fact.

Atheists are not the ones knocking on other's door trying to get people to go to church, for example.
Atheists don't get together in groups on the streets and shout out at the tops of their voices about religion, blocking people from shopping.

Atheists have better things to do in this one and only life

[les_taxi]

It does not matter whether you believe or not but since my girlfriend deeply does believe and goes to church regularly i will support her in that

Apart from nutty jehova witnesses I've never had anyone from the church knocking on my door begging me to come.

The churches where I live seem busy enough and remain thriving

[grahamw48]

Les, don't forget to bring some money for the entry fee at York Minster.

[les_taxi]

Yes Graham I will but it's long way off till that happens - before that we are meeting up in Phuket again in October

[grahamw48]

Can I carry your bags ?

[Terpe]

I could easily have guessed what would follow as posts on this thread.
Always, predictable.

I just cannot understand the mentality of those who feel such an irresistible and desperate need to rage, insult and disrespect those who have a belief and faith.
Amazing really, that given they are unable to control their own emotions, so many 'seemingly' intelligent people are unable to string together just a few intelligent words.

[KeithD]

If my plane goes down I'd just be happy at my age something was going down on me

[Walaytawo]

We humans are a stubborn breed. Why can't we all just hold our hands up and say, "eh, we don't really know the truth one way or the other."

If we spent half the time we do on bickering about it on research we might even get to the bottom of this ancient mystery.

[: that was actually a shorter version of my original post. Not the first time the forum crashed on me, grrr. most sites if that happens at least your post's still there when you click back]

[Terpe]

We humans are a stubborn breed. Why can't we all just hold our hands up and say, "eh, we don't really know the truth one way or the other."

If we spent half the time we do on bickering about it on research we might even get to the bottom of this ancient mystery.

[: that was actually a shorter version of my original post. Not the first time the forum crashed on me, grrr. most sites if that happens at least your post's still there when you click back]

If you have the intention to make an effort with a long post, I've found it helps to prepare in notepad or word or similar first, then copy&paste to the forum in 'Go Advanced'
You can still make edits once you've reviewed or even posted.

[keithAngel]

or just "copy" before clicking "post"

[Walaytawo]

cheers, I'll try and get in the habit.

[keithAngel]

Atheist bible' an impossible fairy story, say Christians

05-04-11

THE idea that people could do good things without religion is a child's fairy story, Christians have claimed.


Leading clerics have dismissed atheist philosopher AC Grayling's 'secular bible' as a 'cheap con trick designed to keep people scared by telling them they are instinctively co-operative'.

Grayling's The Good Book explains why human beings are capable of being nice to each other even without the guidance of divisive, self-serving organisations that preach a moral doctrine riddled with obvious contradictions.

But the Right Reverend Julian Cook, the Anglican Bishop of Hatfield, said: "It suggests that a man who doesn't believe in the resurrection could help a neighbour or give money to charity. It just doesn't make any sense.

"In one chapter we are told that an ordinary person could volunteer at a homeless shelter when there is no evidence whatsoever that this person believes Jesus turned water into wine or healed a leper with his special finger."

Monsignor Stephen Malley, a leading Catholic theologian, added: "So this person just woke up one day and miraculously decided to do something for someone else?

"I'm sorry Professor Grayling, you may convince some people with this voodoo hocus pocus, but I will stick with the empirical logic of transubstantiation, thank you very much indeed."

Tom Logan, a practicing non-believer from Finsbury Park, said: "Yesterday I gave twenty quid to the Japanese Red Cross and then wiped my backside with St Paul's Third Letter to the Kardashians.

"I think that's one of the ones where he encourages the ritual slaughter of homosexuals.

[Terpe]

KeithAngel, It would have been much more interesting to read your own words rather than a copy and paste from 'The Daily Mash'
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/s...s-201104053690

You made the effort to post a contribution, but most of us have no idea what you mean to convey.

[keithAngel]

just an amusing counterpoint, it is after all a thread about the relevance of the bible that perhaps provokes some thought about some of the nonsence we suffer from folk who cant keep their personal pet rabbits at home, satire youve got to laugh right

[Piamed]

I actually went to a very modern church this morning in Dudley, well organised, well run, the congregration seem inspired and happy the pastor deleivered a message rather than preached and the whole thing was presented in a relaxed "well this is us take it or leave it way, no bible bashing fire and brimstone here, just make your own mind up" , more like a latte in the coffee shop and thanks for coming. I am yet to be convinced and probably never will be but it was a bright occasion full of genuinely happy people engaging in their beliefs. I am afraid I could not live my entire life to the teachings of the bible as I just do not believe in blind faith

Hey me too.

Grandad was a Methodist Lay-preacher with his own church.

I was forced to go to Sunday School/Church until 16.
After that I made up my own mind, but the basic teachings did me no harm

Great youth club though, where I met many good friends.

Easter not far away, will Easter eggs be exchanged?
Christmas just gone, I wonder how many of you greeted each other ' merry Christmas'.

Alot of you got children, I wonder how many of you got your children Baptised.

I wonder what sort of burial service, yourself or your family got planned for you.

I expect it will be the full Christian monty. You got nothing to loose really, Thy will accept all late believers.

The word, Hypocrites springs to mind.

I believe in Jesus, our saviour, our God.

Yes, I got carried away with the o's, so what, you understood it.

It's a shame you don't pick up keefy with his numerous spelling errors as well.

It's not a book club so, stick to the subject without going for the lowest denominator.

Matter of fact, i am relaxed and much more than happy with my lot, thank you very much!

Having faith does not equate to misery, not in my house.

Back to my poker

If some of you can just respect the beliefs of others and not attacking each other personally, religion and politics discussions would never be a pain in the for a lot here.. I can see that there'll be another heated argument with the same people here again and again...

what this particular thread need is respect...lets not be tactless

My view is that I am not deeply religious but I do believe in god,I think well if my planes going down on way to Phils I'm going to pray

Also I attend weddings and funerals and would love to go to midnight mass at xmas but I always end up working

Also If it makes people happy and gives a sense of togetherness and promotes family values then it's fine by me.

My fipipino girlfrind is catholic and of course I want to take her to york minster,St Pauls cathedral etc when she comes here.

It does not matter whether you believe or not but since my girlfriend deeply does believe and goes to church regually i will support her in that


The churches where I live seem busy enough at remain thriving

I could easily have guessed what would follow as posts on this thread.
Always, predictable.

I just cannot understand the mentality of those who feel such an irresistible and desperate need to rage, insult and disrespect those who have a belief and faith.
Amazing really, that given they are unable to control their own emotions, so many 'seemingly' intelligent people are unable to string together just a few intelligent words.

KeithAngel, It would have been much more interesting to read your own words rather than a copy and paste from 'The Daily Mash'
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/s...s-201104053690

You made the effort to post a contribution, but most of us have no idea what you mean to convey.

just an amusing counterpoint, it is after all a thread about the relevance of the bible that perhaps provokes some thought about some of the nonsence we suffer from folk who cant keep their personal pet rabbits at home, satire youve got to laugh right

[grahamw48]

If members don't wish to read the views of others.......for or against (since there is no 'proof' only 'faith' involved here) then don't click.

A civilised society should be able to debate a subject without people getting all upset because someone doesn't agree with their view.

I don't believe any poster has aimed personal comments at another contributor.

We have been talking in general terms, and what is wrong with that ?

[KeithD]

If you agree to disagree then you are agreeing .... sorted

[Tawi2]

If it makes people happy and gives a sense of togetherness and promotes family values then it's fine by me.

No religion whatsoever(which seems to freak out pinoys)but these above words encapsulate it for me
If you believe fine,if you dont fine also,but religion always sparks argument being an emotive subject just like politics

[Arthur Little]

I could easily have guessed what would follow as posts on this thread.
Always, predictable.

... no prizes for guessing!

I just cannot understand the mentality of those who feel such an irresistible and desperate need to rage, insult and disrespect those who have a belief and faith.

... NOR me ...

Why can't we all just hold our hands up and say, "eh, we don't really know the truth one way or the other."

... ... NONE of us do! And to think otherwise, we'd simply be kidding ourselves BIG style!

These two guys have put it in a nutshell. Okay ... based on statistical evidence relating to church attendance in the UK, it would be fair to say that most *Brits are either non-religious or - more likely - INDIFFERENT towards its teachings. But ... for *those of us here (and that IS a sizeable majority!) whose **partners are from the Philippine Islands, it is - or should be - incumbent upon us to accept and respect that the Christian Faith is fundamentally at the [all-embracing] of **THEIR upbringing, and therefore we ought NOT to allow it to give rise to controversy and slanging matches.

[gWaPito]

If you have the intention to make an effort with a long post, I've found it helps to prepare in notepad or word or similar first, then copy&paste to the forum in 'Go Advanced'
You can still make edits once you've reviewed or even posted.

Alright for those with time on there hands

Many of us still out there contributing to a life we've been blessed with.

Thank heavens for the android invention.

Ill get back to work, you get back to your composing and correcting

Yes, it may be more pleasing to the eye but, dont you think it masks your true self.

[Terpe]

Alright for those with time on there hands

Many of us still out there contributing to a life we've been blessed with.

Thank heavens for the android invention.

Ill get back to work, you get back to your composing and correcting

Yes, it may be more pleasing to the eye but, dont you think it masks your true self.

[grahamw48]

Yes...go and get some work done Terpe.

[gWaPito]

I could easily have guessed what would follow as posts on this thread.
Always, predictable.

I just cannot understand the mentality of those who feel such an irresistible and desperate need to rage, insult and disrespect those who have a belief and faith.
Amazing really, that given they are unable to control their own emotions, so many 'seemingly' intelligent people are unable to string together just a few intelligent words.

Put simply, they attack out of envy

[Terpe]

Yes...go and get some work done Terpe.

Look, this is an issue of Time Management.
I just cannot give a high enough priority to allocate time for getting out of the house to work for money.
I need to optimise my time to focus on filling out all my benefit claim forms.

[gWaPito]

Look, this is an issue of Time Management.
I just cannot give a high enough priority to allocate time for getting out of the house to work for money.
I need to optimise my time to focus on filling out all my benefit claim forms.

I thought as much

[grahamw48]

Citizens Advice Bureau are very good I hear...help you get your full entitlement, and don't forget your Pension Credit and bus pass !

I can't wait...especially as I'll be getting Pension Credit and Child Benefit at the same time.

[keithAngel]

Now Tocs wins my prize for exemplary love to all the primary christian message

I still struggle to love people who appear to hate others

[JimOttley]

It does not matter whether you believe or not but since my girlfriend deeply does believe and goes to church regularly i will support her in that

Apart from nutty jehova witnesses I've never had anyone from the church knocking on my door begging me to come.

The churches where I live seem busy enough and remain thriving

I have had Jehovah witnesses at my door too, not so often in recent years though, I regret my actions in the case of one man who in 1974 had a long sustained argument with me at the door of my parents home, I was just a child at the time really.

At the time I had extremely strong views based on science and I argued and argued and argued with this poor man that god did not exist, I gave him incredibly good arguments, at least coming from a 14 year old.

All valid arguments and still valid today but that was not the point, at that age I was full of the wonder of understanding and proof and in reaction to the fact that this older guy in his 40's was preaching to me on my own doorstep I chose to preach back and I did it very convincingly.

I later found out from people who knew the man (he was local to my neighbourhood) that he left his faith about 6 months later and there were stories that he had been very disconcerted by discussions he had had with a certain young boy and this had contributed to his leaving the Jehovah's.

I am not proud of that, indeed when I got a bit older I was quite ashamed for my contribution to this man's life, as it did not go all that well for him in later years.

I was brought up Catholic, I had a scientific education which at face value makes it very hard not to seriously question the Catholic and other faiths, but I am happy to let people believe what they will as long as their belief's cause no harm to other people.

What I will not do now, at my age, is preach, I am not in the business of trying to convince anyone that I am right and they are wrong, how would I know with absolute certainty? I caused more harm than good preaching my view of reality 30 odd years ago.

[Ako Si Jamie]

I don't have a problem with religious people who have love in their heart. It's the hypocritical one's, the one's that hide behind a faith and the one's who think they're above everyone else that I have no time for.

[les_taxi]

There must be a God I picked up a Jehovah witness today