What aspects of various religions concern you

[Anonymous]

Islam: That there isn't a centralized head or structure. It can be a positive to allow people to construct their own religious identities, but it's also a big negative because... it allows people to construct their own (crazyass) religious identities without any oversight at all.

Judaism: The idea of anyone as "chosen people" freak me the fuck out. Also, Israel (but any theocracy of any religious identity is concerning)

Christianity: The whole "hate the sin, and not the sinner" hogwash. It's an excuse for legitimizing hatred and hypocrisy. masked as care and concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Islam: That there isn't a centralized head or structure. It can be a positive to allow people to construct their own religious identities, but it's also a big negative because... it allows people to construct their own (crazyass) religious identities without any oversight at all.

Judaism: The idea of anyone as "chosen people" freak me the fuck out. Also, Israel (but any theocracy of any religious identity is concerning)

Christianity: The whole "hate the sin, and not the sinner" hogwash. It's an excuse for legitimizing hatred and hypocrisy. masked as care and concern.

Let's be frank. It isn't really "masked" at all.

[Anonymous]

The concept of religion in general fosters prejudice against those who don't share the faith. When something as intimate and as important as a relationship with a God, be it through salvation or whatever you believe, depends on being part of a specific group or behaving in a specific way, it can't help but lead to sectarianism.

[Anonymous]

Oh, why not?

atheism: sense of victimhood, sometimes justified and sometimes fabricated to make a point and/or justify being obnoxious

[Anonymous]

How is atheism a "sense of victimhood"?

In my opinion, anyone who believes some invisible superior being controls their destiny is playing the victim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really bothered when certain branches of Christianity turn it into a tribal thing, "follow us or you go to hell." Jesus did NOT preach that sort of judgement of others.

Signed, a Christian

Well, there is some scripture you should know beyond, "Judge not lest ye be judged."

Take a look at Chapter 5 of First Corinthians. Paul explains quite plainly that believers should separate (he uses the word "expel") from immoral people. He very explicitly puts this kind of decision directly in the hands of Jesus in verse four.

There is other new testament scripture detailing how believers should behave toward those who are serious sinners. To enact that behavior, one would clearly have to "judge" that person's behavior as sinful. I think the key is that Jesus does not think we should judge the "soul" of another, but it seems that it is OK, and in some cases mandated that we judge the actions of others.

In this age of moral equivalence there is much of a tendency to say that it isn't our place to judge others. St. Paul teaches otherwise. Most Christians believe the words written by Paul were divinely inspired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is atheism a "sense of victimhood"?

In my opinion, anyone who believes some invisible superior being controls their destiny is playing the victim.

It's the mindset, obviously. Just like you atheists are on here talking about the mindsets of various religions, we're talking about your mindset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bolded part means PP thinks (some) Christians excuse their own behavior believing that all will be forgiven. S/he has a point.

I don't want any religion dictating government policy. Believe what you will, but don't force your beliefs on everyone else.

Also, any Christian who buys into the idea that homosexuality is a sin needs to reread the New Testament OR admit they are just using religion to justify their homophobia.

Aren't Christians supposed to read the old testament too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me, certain mainline protestant religions have become so politically correct that they seem to be no religion at all.

YUP! At some point SOMEONE has to judge. I agree, and these religions seem dull.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me, certain mainline protestant religions have become so politically correct that they seem to be no religion at all.

YUP! At some point SOMEONE has to judge. I agree, and these religions seem dull.

the mainline protestants have slowly been paving the way to non-belief.

Thank you, mainline protestants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me, certain mainline protestant religions have become so politically correct that they seem to be no religion at all.

they are adapting to the times, like everything else. Soon they will be obsolete

[Anonymous]

the Catholic belief in transubstantiation bothers me.

It's so crazy that so many otherwise thinking intelligent people could accept this - and go nuts when they hear about a consecrated host being taken from a church.

They think the living Christ has been kidnapped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm really bothered when certain branches of Christianity turn it into a tribal thing, "follow us or you go to hell." Jesus did NOT preach that sort of judgement of others.

Signed, a Christian

Well, there is some scripture you should know beyond, "Judge not lest ye be judged."

Take a look at Chapter 5 of First Corinthians. Paul explains quite plainly that believers should separate (he uses the word "expel") from immoral people. He very explicitly puts this kind of decision directly in the hands of Jesus in verse four.

There is other new testament scripture detailing how believers should behave toward those who are serious sinners. To enact that behavior, one would clearly have to "judge" that person's behavior as sinful. I think the key is that Jesus does not think we should judge the "soul" of another, but it seems that it is OK, and in some cases mandated that we judge the actions of others.

In this age of moral equivalence there is much of a tendency to say that it isn't our place to judge others. St. Paul teaches otherwise. Most Christians believe the words written by Paul were divinely inspired.

Paul was helping to build the first Christian communities, and he was addressing issues like whether to require circumcision. While I do view him as divinely inspired in his work, I and many/most Christians don't give his words the same weight as Jesus' words recorded in the gospels. A bible literalist would take every word from Paul and give it equal weight, but literalism is rapidly losing sway where the Old Testament and Paul are concerned, as I'm sure you're aware.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The bolded part means PP thinks (some) Christians excuse their own behavior believing that all will be forgiven. S/he has a point.

I don't want any religion dictating government policy. Believe what you will, but don't force your beliefs on everyone else.

Also, any Christian who buys into the idea that homosexuality is a sin needs to reread the New Testament OR admit they are just using religion to justify their homophobia.

Aren't Christians supposed to read the old testament too?

Jesus was a Jew. But, in the short form: Jesus eliminated many OT rules, specifically rules about eating, but other rules when he said that the two most important rules were loving God and your neighbor.

[Anonymous]

OP, you're nothing if not ambitious, starting a thread that bashes ALL religions! I'm gonna make a guess here, that you're an atheist trying to have a little fun. Right?