I'm in!

Don't know about y'all, but *I* was brung here by my momma, and so I'll be thankful to her, thank you very much! She didn't write any holy book or nothin, but I believe everything she said, even when she lied about vegetables making me as big and tough as Larry Robinson (who nobody but Q will appreciate...)!!

Lis - screw the paper dolls. All play-doh please!!! nitenite...

Except most religions are exclusionist. My way or the highway. Silly notion since those same religions also usually espouse kindness and understanding toward the unenlightened. Do what I say, not what I...say...

Geez I recommended this before I went to bed, of course.

I see patterns in the pictures of the universe, in buildings erected by man, in the pond outside my apartment complex.

Too many patterns.

I get as mad as Hitchens when discussing religion for many reasons.

But without the churches, there would have been no abolitionist movements, no civil rights movements, fewer save the poor movements.

So I step back. Try not to argue too much.

Nice post. Nice thoughts LisB.

Amen and hallelujah LisB!

My opinion, oft stated and deeply held, is that the problem is not religious belief or teaching per se, but dogma. Dogma's rigid insistence on a particular set of beliefs, practices, and so on is always the source of problems when it comes to religious questions. Dogma's insistence that those practices and beliefs are the only proper way to believe and so on are the source of just about every religious difficulty in society.

It seems to me that the human disposition, perhaps even our brain structure itself and how we are wired, without proper intellectual training and discipline, often insists upon an either or approach to the world whether or not it is appropriate. It is difficult for humans to overcome this predeliction even with good intellectual training and discipline. It seems we often insist upon black and white choices and simplification of what is neither black nor white and is anything but simple. I think this proclivity is integrally bound up with the desire for, creation of and very often blind adherence to dogma and dogmatism.

And unfortunately, we can never get consensus on your quite sensible proposition above for the very reason that many religious denominations are based almost solely upon a dogmatic insistence that their viewpoint alone and their methods and practices and beliefs alone are the sole truth and only path to God or enlightenment and so on.

All we can do in the face of that petrified and quite poisonous approach to religion is educate people as well as we can to have open minds and to reject dogmatic belief systems that, by their very nature, engender conflict, competition, dischord, and often much, much worse as we know when we look at all the blood shed throughout history in the name of religion.

Sigh. Not to presume, but what would the answer be if you posted your question over at Red State? We should agree with you. If we follow the teachings of what practically all religions say (I mean, I don't know of a major religion that's premise is hate--That's for the followers to come up with), then there should be universal agreement with you, LisB.

Thank you Lis. Very relevant.

I wish all Christians (not that I have anything against them, just that its dominant here) would look closely at the Transfiguration of christ.

So the dude goes up the mountain. The holy spirit (blesses dickday) joins the dude on the right and Moses joins the dude on the left. A cloud covers them all. The cloud goes away. It's just the dude left.

Then I would love it if they studied the concept of Transculturation: the process where one not only tolerates another culture, but allows oneself to experience another culture (or god forbid--blesses dickday--several cultures).

Is it all right for the landlord, to evict? If someone was destroying your house and you had invited guests, but some of the guests who felt, they had the freewill to do whatever their conscience allowed.

Would the landlord have to submit to the will of the freewillers, destructive behavior?

Sure you had freewill, You're invited to my house on one condition, if you can't agree to my terms, don't come or I'll ask you to leave. Find somplace else to party.

Some thinking the landlord a wimp, and wouldn't even think about evicting anyone especially if we threaten his other guests.

Maybe some of the guests are in the kitchen making some toxic mixture on the stove, which would injure others. When confronted by the landlord, they yell at the landlord, “Hey jerk, you invited us and then you expect us to behave.”

The landlord then tells the guests "did you not read the notice, unlawful conduct would not be allowed."

Some jerk in the crowd yells back "who do you think you are making the rules. Go usptairs and leave us alone we'll make our own rules"

Hopefully the rowdy guests would just leave quietly. Disappear and cause no more damage. Since they have freewill, maybe they could make themselves a new place to party? Having so much freewill it goes to their heads about how powerful they are. We don't need anybody. WE HAVE FREEWILL.

But I suppose the landlord will probably have to forcefully eject them, so his other guests can enjoy each others company, mindful of the owner’s rights.

Who is the Landlord of the Planet?

As people turn to gods of cruel design
Is it that they fear the pain of death?
Or could it be they fear the joy of life?

My old friend died a while back. Well, his self is gone but I feel that
whatever It is, love must be the driving energy of the universe because
love is still here.

Where I live I've been accosted many times on the street by individuals -- with the best of intentions, I'm sure -- earnestly inquiring if I've accepted Jesus as my personal lord and savior.

My answer: "Well, that's personal, isn't it?" is rarely accepted in the spirit with which it is offered. Among other things, these folks have no appreciation for irony.

If God is your co-pilot, does that mean you're not driving the bus?

Marx said religion is the opiate of the masses. "Whatever gets you through the night," sang Lennon.

I think I'd like some of whatever they're smoking.