Hey Christians, how can you believe in this???

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MonsterGuy
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02 Jun 2014, 12:10 pm

We Muslims may have had a prophet who had sex with a 9 year old girl at age 53, armies of Muslims invading India, looting, taking slaves, and killing, (after the time of Muhammad) and women wearing niqabs and burqas, friendship with the opposite sex person said to be a sin by many, the Armenian Genocide, cutting off the hand for thievery (rarely), and Muhammad marrying a woman whose father and husband he killed, but here's what you have:
Old Testament: Full of genocide, war crimes, ordered by GOD.
An innocent man dying for humanity's sins.
Forced conversion of people to Christianity.
Inquisition.
Persecution of Jews.
Colonization and enslavement of indigenous peoples, and their annihalation.
Absolute monarchy as the norm.



TallyMan
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02 Jun 2014, 12:12 pm

Both Islam and Christianity sound quite barbaric to me, especially historically. Though Islam is more barbaric today.


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MonsterGuy
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02 Jun 2014, 12:19 pm

What religion are you, Tally man?



TallyMan
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02 Jun 2014, 12:20 pm

MonsterGuy wrote:
What religion are you, Tally man?


Atheist / Zen Buddhist.


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MonsterGuy
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02 Jun 2014, 12:26 pm

Can you explain the beliefs of Buddhish, namely Zen Buddhism? perhaps in a message?



TallyMan
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02 Jun 2014, 12:33 pm

MonsterGuy wrote:
Can you explain the beliefs of Buddhish, namely Zen Buddhism? perhaps in a message?


Here is a simple introduction to Zen:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/zen_1.shtml

One of the key points of Zen is that it is not based on "beliefs" but rather on direct perception of reality.


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drh1138
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02 Jun 2014, 1:26 pm

A game of "holier than thou" between Islam and Christianity can be nothing except a race to the bottom. :roll:



MonsterGuy
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02 Jun 2014, 2:09 pm

Then what religion isn't a race to the bottom, in your opinion?



visagrunt
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02 Jun 2014, 2:19 pm

It is, I suggest, uncritical to ascribe to either Islam or Christianity one fixed and invariable set of beliefs.

I know many Christians whose faith isn't even grounded in an historical Jesus. Their faith does not require a factual resurrection in order to provide them with a basis on which to follow the teachings of their particular denomination.

Similarly, there are plenty of muslims who reject the notion of copying the mores of 7th century Arabia, in favour of a more contemporary understanding of Islam.


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TallyMan
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02 Jun 2014, 2:22 pm

MonsterGuy wrote:
Then what religion isn't a race to the bottom, in your opinion?


Buddhism. :P


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MonsterGuy
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02 Jun 2014, 2:27 pm

Sorry, I looked into it, its just not for me.



jrjones9933
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02 Jun 2014, 3:07 pm

Gnosticism neither wants or needs converts, and I can't imagine how a forced conversion would even work. Like Buddhism, Gnosticism doesn't require belief in any particular god, nor any god in the normal sense of the word, and relies on individual attainment of truth without the need for mediation by priests. I doubt anyone considers that attainment as some sort of race, but it aims for the top.

Any religion that persecutes apostasy clearly feels that it cannot fairly compete in the marketplace of ideas, and deserves nothing but contempt. LDS and Scientology stalk their former members, too, so I don't mean to single out radical sects of Islam for that criticism.



DentArthurDent
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02 Jun 2014, 3:08 pm

TallyMan wrote:
MonsterGuy wrote:
Then what religion isn't a race to the bottom, in your opinion?


Buddhism. :P


Is Buddhism a religion? Certainly not in the primary and secondary meaning of the word. Although curiously it does have similarities to the Gospel of Thomas, which I must say makes far more sense than its canonical brothers.


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TallyMan
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02 Jun 2014, 3:13 pm

DentArthurDent wrote:
TallyMan wrote:
MonsterGuy wrote:
Then what religion isn't a race to the bottom, in your opinion?


Buddhism. :P


Is Buddhism a religion? Certainly not in the primary and secondary meaning of the word. Although curiously it does have similarities to the Gospel of Thomas, which I must say makes far more sense than its canonical brothers.


Religion, yes and no. In Asian countries I'd class it as a religion where it is part of their endemic culture; however, those of us in the west who have adopted Buddhism tend to view it more personally and less dogmatically.


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drh1138
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02 Jun 2014, 5:15 pm

MonsterGuy wrote:
Then what religion isn't a race to the bottom, in your opinion?


None. I am an atheist. I realized long ago that the entire "box" of religion was ridiculous and self-defeating.

Though, on the Buddhism line of thought, I do highly respect it as a philosophical framework, as I do Taoism.



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02 Jun 2014, 5:20 pm

To paraphrase Martin Luther, reason is the enemy of Christianity. A common sentiment with apologists.