"Priest kicked me out of Mass because of Obama signs"

So is your understanding of context and implication. Sorry - but MB is correct.

 

thats fine have all the opinions you want of an organization that allows its leaders to rape children the cover it up by spending millions of dollars donated in good faith (literally), I am not defending religion here.

I am defending the statement that America is some kinda backwoods refuge for religious zealots and the rest of the world is in living the star trek world studying us.

 

Does europe include Italy?

Does religion exist in full force there?

How is he correct?

 

I don't think you'd have as much trouble getting your viewpoint understood if you'd quit overexaggerating every viewpoint you find uncomfortable to something more extreme than intended.

It's a bit, um, insulting.

 

I was doing that until someone came along and made an "overexaggerating" point about Europe.

 

Well, I do agree that left to its own devices, without a more secular government to check it, Christianity is more than capable of being a vehicle to carry out atrocities like radical parts of Islam is in the Middle East. But the very fact that America does have the government/upbring/history to temper such fanaticism in Christianity, I think, is what makes me think that religion in America is not "almost as perverted" as Islam is in the Middle East.

 

I already addressed this.

 

Once again I qualified my statement with almost. I think Islam in the Middle East is completely whacked. I just think that religion in the US is whacked in a different way. While they don't blow things up, they extort money and brain wash millions. There are people here that use religion in a way to push their agendas, many of which are less than honorable. Hell, even the commercials run by the 527's about abortion and the such during the campaign only had the impact that it did because of religion. And that's not even the really bad stuff.

I wish that I had a better way of conveying what I think about religion here as I know that this probably does not adequately answer your question. I just know from what I've seen of religion in Europe and it is NOTHING like the garbage that is here.

Sometimes I really hate getting into these threads because I know that there are truly good people that follow God, not religion, and I never want to offend those people. While we may have completely different opinions on the existance of God, I absolutely respect them and what they do. Mad Max this is specifically directed to you but I know that there are others. I know I have a terrible way of delivering what I think.

 

sorry what about spain then? or ireland?

unless you say money is a religion in USA then I seriously doubt there is a valid point to be made here.

 

You're contradicting yourself, I think.

If it's capable, but tempered, the religion is just as perverted.

The "tempered" bit is the real distinction, not the religion itself, i.e., you should be crediting our democratic and secular society, not some more enlightened version of monotheistic religion. Heck, that's the whole reason our constitution/bill of rights was written in that way.


No offense intended at all.

 

I forgot you are the guy who went to switzerland on vacation and saw that everyone there loved everyone else and took weekends off.

If the rest of the world had that much money then possibly they could also have the same outlook on life.

 

We are.

And try to contain your broad brush for all people who care enough about America to be critical of it.

 

Rhadamanthus/MasterBaiter: Ok, after reading your explanations, I can better understand your points. Thanks.

Also, I suppose I tend to think of this statement as more of a point of view, but you do have me considering that maybe it's the right one. Ok, back to lurking lest I contradict myself even more.

 

Too long, didn't read? Are you serious? Please read it, I am trying to explain my thoughts.

I think religion is mythos, yes.

However, I look around and see God in all things.

I just do not think man understands, nor has the capability to understand God, and the journey of life is the discovery of what God intends.

I do not for one second believe in the Bible, the Torah, the Koran, or any other religious book written from the view that it is actually from God.

Now a philisophical discussion of God is great...but I believe it has to be tempered with the reality that it is coming from a man's perspective which makes it inherently flawed.

I hope that clears up my stance a bit for you.

DD

 

If true, everyone in that church should have gotten up and walked out. Discrimination doesn't seem very Christian. Just another reason that I don't go to church.

 

the capacity to maintain dumbness is strong in this thread.

 

Someone should have stood up and confronted this heathen who calls himself a preist.

Jesus was tolerant, whether or not you believe in Christianity at least you can acknowledge that the teachings of Jesus Christ was not one of hatred and divisiveness.

There is no place for a bully pulpit...

That preacher is NOT a man of god.

DD

 

from wiki:
Politics is the process by which groups of people make various decisions. The term is generally applied to behavior within civil governments, but politics has been observed in all human group interactions, including corporate, academic, and religious institutions.

 

The opportunity was too perfect not to use that line.

I do see your point though. Their are plenty or churches (even religions) that are too much about money and less about what they claim to be about.

 

Ouch! As a devote Christian, with an independent mind. Its sad.... But so true!