Can someone explain religion to me?

[volsboy1]

Yea I have been to the John Hopkins&Mayo clinc about my Sezures.I have been to more doctors than anybody in my Family put together.I even have a device in my chest called a V.N.S. Therapy its like a pace-maker for my brain but it I still have sezures if I forget My meds.My Sezures are Very VIOLENT lucky for me there under almost total control and I know when there comming.The Doctors dont know why I have sezures they call it Idopathic.I just have to be on Meds all my life Depakote& Valium if I have a Aura which will stop it.My whole life has been very strange I have had Parnormal dealings with things I dont understand and never will most likey.Certain kinds of music and lights will trigger the feelings.The Doc made me list the type of Music I listen to(Enigma,Kitaro,Globus and others and I fit right in with there with others with this type.I was very shocked about how much we still dont know about the mind but for me I know the all this is a very tiny part of the whole and there is something bigger than all this.I have a very hard time with my professors telling me that all this happend life and other things by just time gasses and some lighting and water.I do know that the goverment knows things and won't tell.My uncle who died worked for D.o.e. at Oak Ridge Labs&and others across the nation.He knew things and would never tell but he did tell somethings when he was dying.Something about the Movie Close encounters and other things to slowly aclimate us to things.They fear another Orson wells panic.I alway wondered why he never went to Church with us and my Family was very Devout they even built churches and we were there all the time which was very hard when you have a 1000 plus acre farm to run.He knew to many things now that I think about it.Thats why I have SOOOO many questions about God and had such a terrible time when I was young cause why would he make me gay.For me I was born this way I have always known even when I was young and I have never been with a girl and (YUCK)never will.Then when I would go to church you would hear awful things about us.Thats one thing that bothers me they teach about love everbody and not to hate,but to me they hate everybody thats not them.They cant have it both ways they try though anyway.How does what somebody else does behind locked doors effect them.Even Jesus talked to whores and anybody and loved everybody and always taught LOVE.He never said terrible things about anybody even when they were Killing him.Look what we have today what path is right there are so many that think there right and everybody else is wrong and they judge when Jesus said judge ye not and get the log out of your own eye before the splinter in somebody else.

 

[oldhouseman]

I wonder

what the world would be like, as John Lennon said, with no religion...........

 

[rapunzel]

Since this guy is my hero

I would like all, who are interested, to share another little youtube moment with him. This is only a six minute snippet from a half hour presentation, which can be watched in its entirety on youtube also. It gets particularly poigniant towards the end.

I hope ya'll enjoy this and, perhaps, would like to make a comment or two?

cheers

rapunzel

 

[bajaespuma]

Oh Toggle, you DO care

"Cinnamon complected"!!! Perfect; I'm using that from now on. Describes the skin and the soul.

As for religion, here's a thought my Sister put in my head a while ago relevant to the insanity that's going on right now between the White House, its brainless supporters and its brainless foes (sing "Onward Christian Soldiers" to yourselves while considering this): Go forth, do exactly what your fathers tell you, have indiscriminate lots of children and send them forth into battle to kill the indfidels(i.e., the other guys). I agree with Steve, true spirituality and institutionalized religion have nothing to do with each other. The religions that are motivating the rainbow of assholes of the current world are only politics in sheep's clothing.

 

[vintagehoover]

Marcus Brigstock on religion...

Thankfully in this crazy world, we have people like Dawkins to add a little balance.

Here's a clip of a radio broadcast by comedian (and aetheist) Marcus Brigstock. Fans of Dawkins may enjoy this. Critics of Dawkins may not.

 

[gyrafoam]

I grew up in a typically American, mixed (secular/observant)Jewish family.
From an early age I learned that some things can be argued and some were sacrosanct.
We were taught the Exodus, and the miracles that provided, and the Revelation at Sinai (where G-D gave Moshe the Torah and mitzvos), witnessed by 600,000 Jewish males apart from women and children, i.e. the whole Jewish people. Our ancestors witnessed this great experience and transmitted this to their children and their children, from generation to generation to this day. There has never been a break or interruption in our history and tradition from the time of our first Patriarch Abraham.

Even during the times of the greatest persecutions, and even after the destruction of the Holy Temple, there always survived large numbers of Jews who preserved the text of the Torah and the traditions, so that chain has NEVER been broken.
At no time, even during the worst pogroms, massacres and the holocaust, were there less than millions of Jews faithfully maintaining this tradition.

So in spite of whatever arguments I can come up with----and to argue Torah and Talmud is endless-----Who and what I am and the history of my people is as ingrained in me as the instinct to breath. Its just who I am and I always will be.
Now, my life has taken me down some pretty rocky roads (as it has most people) and I've gained some new beliefs along the way.And I had some old beliefs "altered" a bit.

However, since I've gotten a little age on me, I have become acutely aware of the spiritual bond I have with G-D, and I find it is an essential part of my existance, that I do not want to be without. I may not have always recognized it for what it was---especially when I was younger----however now I feel I must remain "plugged in" to that spiritual connection.
Hope my prospective provides some useful insight to your question.

My two shekels.

 

[rapunzel]

Thanks for that Vintagehoover. Marcus kicks arse. I thoroughly enjoyed that. Though, I suspect that our American audience might not know what to make of him.

Gyrofoam,

Nothing should be sacrosanct - everything ought to be argued and discussed openly. Only then can we have real truth and honesty. Without truth and honesty nothing matters anyway.
What is sacrosanct to you has no meaning to billions of other people. Culture and religiosity are not innate, they are learnt and can be unlearnt.

Watch vintagehoover's link, if you haven't already done so. It pretty much covers the lot and you get to have a good laugh. ;o)

Cheers

rapunzel