Comments on: Man Crucifies Himself Every Good Friday http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/ Have faith in yourself Sun, 20 Jul 2008 07:40:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Kurt http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-186564 Kurt Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:24:12 +0000 http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-186564 Pete -- Measurement is half the battle, indeed. Pete –
Measurement is half the battle, indeed.

]]> By: Pete http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-186515 Pete Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:17:40 +0000 http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-186515 I had tried to edit my previous comment, but saving failed. Must have been an act of god. This is an edited and added-to version of the above. Some very interesting points throughout. I was raised a Christian, baptised, confirmed etc. Then I reached the age of about 12, and actually questioned the whole religion thing, and decided to take the route of science, reason, evidence, and fact. There are some very basic things here that I think religious folk completely miss. Surely the fact that there is more than one religion, points out that all religion is just a blind belief, and nothing more? If there was a god, he would want us all to know it, and make sure of it, and we'd all be uniform in choosing the same religion? People quote miracles as proof that god exists, like the time he saved that pope's life after an assassination attempt. You have to wonder why he didn't make the bullet miss him altogether. And quite honestly, it pisses me off how much undeserved credit god receives for other peoples work. Like the fact that it wasn't a miracle that saved the pope's life, it was the team of doctors using science and medicine to save his life. It's frustrating to me that people don't see the flaws in their beliefs. The man here crucifying himself each year because god made a miracle out of his wife actually giving birth to their child, is missing the point. His wife probably would have had the child anyway, without any pacts with god, without prayer. He is attaching religious meaning to something completely coincidental. Could he not see that childbirth can go either way? Good or bad? Regardless of our superstitious actions? Or the guy who commented before me about how god intervened and made him remember something he'd left at home, which then made him just miss a motorway accident. How about sheer coincidence, and nothing more? You're taking something random, and attributing it to god, as that's all you're able to see. There is a more simple answer, and that is coincidence. Religious people are all too quick to use god to fill the gaps in their understanding, instead of looking for themselves at the real, tangible evidence. I find it a real shame that particularly religious individuals really see this life as being actually pretty shit. They look forward to the perfect 'afterlife'. Really, what could ever be more beautiful than this life? More perfect? More incredible? Believing that there is better to come just cheapens it. Changes death into something to look forward to, instead of feeling natural fear. I think, actually, living every day worshipping, praying and repenting petty 'sins' is a pretty shitty life, and quite frankly, if I lived that way, I would hope to 'god' that there is something better. Instead of looking to god to fill my life with meaning, I have family, friends, real people, they make me happy. I have enough strength to live my one and only life. Yes the fact that when I die, that is it forever, scares the shit out of me, but that is something I can deal with. I don't need religion as a comfort. People really need to question what they think about life. Many religions shun open questioning. Say that it is disrespectful. It's not. They should encourage it, as surely the believer would come out the other side stronger, if they were still in fact a believer? Would you say you had a conservative child? a liberal child? No? Why? Oh, because they're not old enough to know, not just which they are, but the differences, and the choices available to them. Why then, do we label children by their parent's religion, when they quite clearly have had no choice, no freedom to question for themselves and form their own values? It seems to me desperate, that there is this whole 'catch them while they're young' idea. Are religious groups worried that children, if left with their own time to grow up and work out their own beliefs, will reject religion, and cause, after many generations, that religion to die out entirely? As rightly should have happened, if children were allowed the basic human right to decide for themselves a life-stance? The whole argument about knowing wind exists, even though it's invisible, and how that translates to god, is rubbish. We know wind exists because absolutely everyone in the world, and every living thing, can feel its effects. It is a real, measurable entity. Whatsmore, we know what causes it, as discovered through scientific research - the meeting of hot and cold air. As hot air rises, cold air is pulled around, thus creating wind. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind People say that jesus died for our sins and our salvation etc, but to me it appears he must have done a pretty shitty job. There is still sin and all the rest, because it's human nature. But surely if he died to save us, we wouldn't have to waste our time trying to repent for ourselves our sins? Thanks for reading. I have more to say, but I'm interested to hear peoples opinions. Read Dawkins. Pete I had tried to edit my previous comment, but saving failed. Must have been an act of god. This is an edited and added-to version of the above.

Some very interesting points throughout. I was raised a Christian, baptised, confirmed etc. Then I reached the age of about 12, and actually questioned the whole religion thing, and decided to take the route of science, reason, evidence, and fact.
There are some very basic things here that I think religious folk completely miss. Surely the fact that there is more than one religion, points out that all religion is just a blind belief, and nothing more? If there was a god, he would want us all to know it, and make sure of it, and we’d all be uniform in choosing the same religion?
People quote miracles as proof that god exists, like the time he saved that pope’s life after an assassination attempt. You have to wonder why he didn’t make the bullet miss him altogether. And quite honestly, it pisses me off how much undeserved credit god receives for other peoples work. Like the fact that it wasn’t a miracle that saved the pope’s life, it was the team of doctors using science and medicine to save his life.
It’s frustrating to me that people don’t see the flaws in their beliefs. The man here crucifying himself each year because god made a miracle out of his wife actually giving birth to their child, is missing the point. His wife probably would have had the child anyway, without any pacts with god, without prayer. He is attaching religious meaning to something completely coincidental. Could he not see that childbirth can go either way? Good or bad? Regardless of our superstitious actions?
Or the guy who commented before me about how god intervened and made him remember something he’d left at home, which then made him just miss a motorway accident. How about sheer coincidence, and nothing more? You’re taking something random, and attributing it to god, as that’s all you’re able to see. There is a more simple answer, and that is coincidence.
Religious people are all too quick to use god to fill the gaps in their understanding, instead of looking for themselves at the real, tangible evidence.
I find it a real shame that particularly religious individuals really see this life as being actually pretty shit. They look forward to the perfect ‘afterlife’. Really, what could ever be more beautiful than this life? More perfect? More incredible? Believing that there is better to come just cheapens it. Changes death into something to look forward to, instead of feeling natural fear. I think, actually, living every day worshipping, praying and repenting petty ’sins’ is a pretty shitty life, and quite frankly, if I lived that way, I would hope to ‘god’ that there is something better. Instead of looking to god to fill my life with meaning, I have family, friends, real people, they make me happy. I have enough strength to live my one and only life. Yes the fact that when I die, that is it forever, scares the shit out of me, but that is something I can deal with. I don’t need religion as a comfort.
People really need to question what they think about life. Many religions shun open questioning. Say that it is disrespectful. It’s not. They should encourage it, as surely the believer would come out the other side stronger, if they were still in fact a believer?
Would you say you had a conservative child? a liberal child? No? Why? Oh, because they’re not old enough to know, not just which they are, but the differences, and the choices available to them. Why then, do we label children by their parent’s religion, when they quite clearly have had no choice, no freedom to question for themselves and form their own values? It seems to me desperate, that there is this whole ‘catch them while they’re young’ idea. Are religious groups worried that children, if left with their own time to grow up and work out their own beliefs, will reject religion, and cause, after many generations, that religion to die out entirely? As rightly should have happened, if children were allowed the basic human right to decide for themselves a life-stance?
The whole argument about knowing wind exists, even though it’s invisible, and how that translates to god, is rubbish. We know wind exists because absolutely everyone in the world, and every living thing, can feel its effects. It is a real, measurable entity. Whatsmore, we know what causes it, as discovered through scientific research - the meeting of hot and cold air. As hot air rises, cold air is pulled around, thus creating wind.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind

People say that jesus died for our sins and our salvation etc, but to me it appears he must have done a pretty shitty job. There is still sin and all the rest, because it’s human nature. But surely if he died to save us, we wouldn’t have to waste our time trying to repent for ourselves our sins?

Thanks for reading. I have more to say, but I’m interested to hear peoples opinions.

Read Dawkins.

Pete

]]> By: Pete http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-186509 Pete Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:04:28 +0000 http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-186509 Some very interesting points throughout. I was raised a Christian, baptised, confirmed etc. Then I reached the age of about 12, and actually questioned the whole religion thing, and decided to take the route of science, reason, evidence, and fact. There are some very basic things here that I think religious folk completely miss. Surely the fact that there is more than one religion, points out that all religion is just a blind belief, and nothing more? If there was a god, he would want us all to know it, and make sure of it, and we'd all be uniform in choosing the same religion? People quote miracles as proof that god exists, like the time he saved that pope's life after an assassination attempt. You have to wonder why he didn't make the bullet miss him altogether. And quite honestly, it pisses me off how much undeserved credit god receives for other peoples work. Like the fact that it wasn't a miracle that saved the pope's life, it was the team of doctors using science and medicine to save his life. It's frustrating to me that people don't see the flaws in their beliefs. The man here crucifying himself each year because god made a miracle out of his wife actually giving birth to their child, is missing the point. His wife probably would have had the child anyway, without any pacts with god, without prayer. He is attaching religious meaning to something completely coincidental. Could he not see that childbirth can go either way? Good or bad? Regardless of our actions? I find it a real shame that particularly religious individuals really see this life as being actually pretty shit. They look forward to the perfect 'afterlife'. Really, what could ever be more beautiful than this life? More perfect? More incredible? Believing that there is better to come just cheapens it. Changes death into something to look forward to, instead of feeling natural fear. I think, actually, living every day worshipping, praying and repenting petty 'sins' is a pretty shitty life, and quite frankly, if I lived that way, I would hope to 'god' that there is something better. Instead of looking to god to fill my life with meaning, I have family, friends, real people, they make me happy. I have enough strength to live my one and only life. Yes the fact that when I die, that is it forever, scares the shit out of me, but that is something I can deal with. I don't need religion as a comfort. People really need to question what they think about life. Many religions shun open questioning. Say that it is disrespectful. It's not. They should encourage it, as surely the believer would come out the other side stronger, if they were still in fact a believer? Would you say you had a conservative child? a liberal child? No? Why? Oh, because they're not old enough to know, not just which they are, but the differences, and the choices available to them. Why then, do we label children by their parent's religion, when they quite clearly have had no choice, no freedom to question for themselves and form their own values? It seems to me desperate, that there is this whole 'catch them while they're young' idea. Are religious groups worried that children, if left with their own time to grow up and work out their own beliefs, will reject religion, and cause, after many generations, that religion to die out entirely? As rightly should have happened, if children were allowed the basic human right to decide for themselves a life-stance? People say that jesus died for our sins and our salvation etc, but to me it appears he must have done a pretty shitty job. There is still sin and all the rest, because it's human nature. But surely if he died to save us, we wouldn't have to waste our time trying to repent for ourselves our sins? Thanks for reading. I have more to say, but I'm interested to hear peoples opinions. Read Dawkins. Pete Some very interesting points throughout. I was raised a Christian, baptised, confirmed etc. Then I reached the age of about 12, and actually questioned the whole religion thing, and decided to take the route of science, reason, evidence, and fact.
There are some very basic things here that I think religious folk completely miss. Surely the fact that there is more than one religion, points out that all religion is just a blind belief, and nothing more? If there was a god, he would want us all to know it, and make sure of it, and we’d all be uniform in choosing the same religion?
People quote miracles as proof that god exists, like the time he saved that pope’s life after an assassination attempt. You have to wonder why he didn’t make the bullet miss him altogether. And quite honestly, it pisses me off how much undeserved credit god receives for other peoples work. Like the fact that it wasn’t a miracle that saved the pope’s life, it was the team of doctors using science and medicine to save his life.
It’s frustrating to me that people don’t see the flaws in their beliefs. The man here crucifying himself each year because god made a miracle out of his wife actually giving birth to their child, is missing the point. His wife probably would have had the child anyway, without any pacts with god, without prayer. He is attaching religious meaning to something completely coincidental. Could he not see that childbirth can go either way? Good or bad? Regardless of our actions?
I find it a real shame that particularly religious individuals really see this life as being actually pretty shit. They look forward to the perfect ‘afterlife’. Really, what could ever be more beautiful than this life? More perfect? More incredible? Believing that there is better to come just cheapens it. Changes death into something to look forward to, instead of feeling natural fear. I think, actually, living every day worshipping, praying and repenting petty ’sins’ is a pretty shitty life, and quite frankly, if I lived that way, I would hope to ‘god’ that there is something better. Instead of looking to god to fill my life with meaning, I have family, friends, real people, they make me happy. I have enough strength to live my one and only life. Yes the fact that when I die, that is it forever, scares the shit out of me, but that is something I can deal with. I don’t need religion as a comfort.
People really need to question what they think about life. Many religions shun open questioning. Say that it is disrespectful. It’s not. They should encourage it, as surely the believer would come out the other side stronger, if they were still in fact a believer?
Would you say you had a conservative child? a liberal child? No? Why? Oh, because they’re not old enough to know, not just which they are, but the differences, and the choices available to them. Why then, do we label children by their parent’s religion, when they quite clearly have had no choice, no freedom to question for themselves and form their own values? It seems to me desperate, that there is this whole ‘catch them while they’re young’ idea. Are religious groups worried that children, if left with their own time to grow up and work out their own beliefs, will reject religion, and cause, after many generations, that religion to die out entirely? As rightly should have happened, if children were allowed the basic human right to decide for themselves a life-stance?

People say that jesus died for our sins and our salvation etc, but to me it appears he must have done a pretty shitty job. There is still sin and all the rest, because it’s human nature. But surely if he died to save us, we wouldn’t have to waste our time trying to repent for ourselves our sins?

Thanks for reading. I have more to say, but I’m interested to hear peoples opinions.

Read Dawkins.

Pete

]]> By: GOD http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-179620 GOD Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:11:10 +0000 http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-179620 Now listen here all of you. Stop this pissing in my ear about who is right and who is wrong. The answer is simple - you are ALL wrong. Especially that Jesus guy and Mohammed (and dont get me started on that Joseph Smith Fraud). They just made it all up to try and look like friends of mine! Social climbers!! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a beach to relax upon on a far distant galaxy. Adios, Aufweidersehen and Good Bye for the next millenia or two. There will be no further prophecies until you all calm down a bit - you have my word on that. Now listen here all of you. Stop this pissing in my ear about who is right and who is wrong. The answer is simple - you are ALL wrong. Especially that Jesus guy and Mohammed (and dont get me started on that Joseph Smith Fraud). They just made it all up to try and look like friends of mine! Social climbers!!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a beach to relax upon on a far distant galaxy. Adios, Aufweidersehen and Good Bye for the next millenia or two. There will be no further prophecies until you all calm down a bit - you have my word on that.

]]> By: Kurt http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-179587 Kurt Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:14:50 +0000 http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-179587 Muslim boy -- May probability shine on your educated guesses within your exams (Good luck, in other words). I know you are not ready to answer this one yet, but I have a story and a question for you. It's a story I read in the magazine Omni, long ago; and a question which occurred to me then: A man is dying. He feels himself let go, and then finds himself in a bare room. He wonders, "is this all there is to the afterlife? One room, nothing and no one in it, for eternity? Is this hell?" Then he sees his mitochondria expanding and passing through his body. They ask, as they ascend into the point beyond and the man's body/mind begins to fade into nothingness, "What? You thought this was all about you?" I paraphrase, but closely; I no longer have that magazine . . . The question was this: Might there be a god that cares about the bacteria and the viruses, the very tiniest things? If so, the question of "purpose" in any individual life is problematic at best; that one may die because those 85 million bacteria need to live . . . Something to ponder . . . Muslim boy –
May probability shine on your educated guesses within your exams (Good luck, in other words).
I know you are not ready to answer this one yet, but I have a story and a question for you. It’s a story I read in the magazine Omni, long ago; and a question which occurred to me then:
A man is dying. He feels himself let go, and then finds himself in a bare room. He wonders, “is this all there is to the afterlife? One room, nothing and no one in it, for eternity? Is this hell?” Then he sees his mitochondria expanding and passing through his body. They ask, as they ascend into the point beyond and the man’s body/mind begins to fade into nothingness, “What? You thought this was all about you?” I paraphrase, but closely; I no longer have that magazine . . .
The question was this: Might there be a god that cares about the bacteria and the viruses, the very tiniest things?
If so, the question of “purpose” in any individual life is problematic at best; that one may die because those 85 million bacteria need to live . . .
Something to ponder . . .

]]> By: sidfaiwu http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-179379 sidfaiwu Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:45:40 +0000 http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-179379 Take your time, muslim boy. Good luck on tomorrow's exam. Take your time, muslim boy. Good luck on tomorrow’s exam.

]]> By: muslim boy http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-179325 muslim boy Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:42:37 +0000 http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-179325 sid my man u got ur mistaken... "If Allah knew we were going to sin before we did, we had no choice but to fulfill His prediction." hes not preicting anything, hes not forcing you to sin... you have the freewill to do so, but he is aware of your decision.. is it fair of him to punish you for a sin you have not committed? therefore this life is an opportunity for us to refrain from sin and prove ourselves worthy of the hereafter to ourselves... Ali Ibn Abi Talib was aware of his killer ibn muljim. infact ibn muljib was part of alis group initially, only later to go against him in the khawarij group.. Alis infalibilitya s an imam (this is a shia view), and his piety and closeness to Muhammed resulted him in Knowing whow as going to kill him.. But it would not have been fair for ali to Kill ibn mUljim because he had not caried out his crime yet... in the same respect, allah cannot punish us for a sin we have not yet commited nor rewar us for a good deed we have not carried out.. im slightly tired at the moment sid, i have an exam tmoro and just came back from playing football, give me til the weekend and hopefully i can give u a better answer.. My lord is mercifull.. sid my man u got ur mistaken…

“If Allah knew we were going to sin before we did, we had no choice but to fulfill His prediction.”

hes not preicting anything, hes not forcing you to sin…
you have the freewill to do so, but he is aware of your decision..

is it fair of him to punish you for a sin you have not committed? therefore this life is an opportunity for us to refrain from sin and prove ourselves worthy of the hereafter to ourselves…

Ali Ibn Abi Talib was aware of his killer ibn muljim. infact ibn muljib was part of alis group initially, only later to go against him in the khawarij group..
Alis infalibilitya s an imam (this is a shia view), and his piety and closeness to Muhammed resulted him in Knowing whow as going to kill him..
But it would not have been fair for ali to Kill ibn mUljim because he had not caried out his crime yet…
in the same respect, allah cannot punish us for a sin we have not yet commited nor rewar us for a good deed we have not carried out..

im slightly tired at the moment sid, i have an exam tmoro and just came back from playing football, give me til the weekend and hopefully i can give u a better answer..

My lord is mercifull..

]]> By: sidfaiwu http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-179276 sidfaiwu Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:22:49 +0000 http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-179276 Hello muslim boy, I hope your exams are going well. Our free will doesn't exist and there isn't a hereafter. Neither has been demonstrated. Furthermore, the idea of divine foreknowledge is incompatible with free will. If Allah knew we were going to sin before we did, we had no choice but to fulfill His prediction. Lastly, natural disasters, plagues, famine, birth defects, etc. are (usually) not the result of free will. Responsibilities for those kinds of evils fall squarely on Allah. After all, He has the power, knowledge, and will to eliminate those evils through His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence. Hello muslim boy,

I hope your exams are going well.

Our free will doesn’t exist and there isn’t a hereafter. Neither has been demonstrated. Furthermore, the idea of divine foreknowledge is incompatible with free will. If Allah knew we were going to sin before we did, we had no choice but to fulfill His prediction.

Lastly, natural disasters, plagues, famine, birth defects, etc. are (usually) not the result of free will. Responsibilities for those kinds of evils fall squarely on Allah. After all, He has the power, knowledge, and will to eliminate those evils through His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence.

]]> By: muslim boy http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-178956 muslim boy Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:40:40 +0000 http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-178956 "In the Name of Allah, the all-merciful, the most compasionate" ok exams nearly all done, hopefully after they are i can put a bit more effort... first thing is first, No merciful God (or Jesus in case) would want a human being to suffer for no reason... this man is inflicting pain upon himself because he thinks Jesus want him to.. God is aware of the past present and future, he is all-knowing.. HE WAS MERCIFUL ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU LIFE. he was merciful enough to give us the opportunity to prove ourselves worthy of being in heaven. God Knows when your gonna die and how your gonna die... it is not fair for us to begin putting commands forward and complaining about what we dont have.. "God your so evil..blah blah blah..." "Why are you doing this to me..blah blha blah..." and forgetting to thank him for what we do have.. if this world was all-good then our freewill would not exist and there wouldnt be a need for a hereafter... think about it.. “In the Name of Allah, the all-merciful, the most compasionate”

ok exams nearly all done, hopefully after they are i can put a bit more effort…

first thing is first, No merciful God (or Jesus in case) would want a human being to suffer for no reason…

this man is inflicting pain upon himself because he thinks Jesus want him to..

God is aware of the past present and future, he is all-knowing..

HE WAS MERCIFUL ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU LIFE. he was merciful enough to give us the opportunity to prove ourselves worthy of being in heaven.

God Knows when your gonna die and how your gonna die…
it is not fair for us to begin putting commands forward and complaining about what we dont have..

“God your so evil..blah blah blah…”
“Why are you doing this to me..blah blha blah…”

and forgetting to thank him for what we do have..
if this world was all-good then our freewill would not exist and there wouldnt be a need for a hereafter…

think about it..

]]> By: irishthunder http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-178790 irishthunder Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:58:06 +0000 http://religiousfreaks.com/2006/04/12/man-crucifies-himself-every-good-friday/#comment-178790 "Again God did not intend for us to die,for we were made perfect and in his image" But if there is a god and they are all-knowing and all-powerful, what kind of god would they be if they witnessed atrocities and did nothing? "It is a consequence of our sins,our disobidience towards God’s commands" Ahh...I always love hearing that, not only is it an excuse but also supposed to make everyone feel guilty. “Again God did not intend for us to die,for we were made perfect and in his image”

But if there is a god and they are all-knowing and all-powerful, what kind of god would they be if they witnessed atrocities and did nothing?

“It is a consequence of our sins,our disobidience towards God’s commands”

Ahh…I always love hearing that, not only is it an excuse but also supposed to make everyone feel guilty.

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