The First STW Religion Poll

Happy clappy 1 here

It’s great

You should give it a go

Just to expand on my previous post,

I think where we’re going with this perhaps is a separation between the notion of a “god” and religion / religious texts. Because even if we agree that the Bible or [insert Good Book here] is a valuable source of life lessons, and we agree that some form of ‘god’ actually exists, the former is still a piss poor piece of evidence for the latter given that the accounts upon which it’s based are hand-me-down tales which are by human nature fundamentally unreliable.

What I mean by this is, for example, we still don’t really know for sure whether Robin Hood really existed. Our modern understanding is based on legends some 500 years old, which isn’t a world apart from the NT’s accounts of Jesus (and record-keeping has probably improved slightly in the intervening millennium). It’s not a great leap to see how there might have been a bit of embellishment along the way. Maybe Jesus is an amalgam of a number of people who have been nice to each other over the years, maybe he was a proto-Derren Brown whose parlour tricks amazed the largely uneducated populace. Over five centuries of word-of-mouth retellings it’s easy to see how rocking up to a handful of people armed with a packed lunch and a finger buffet could turn into the Sermon on the Mount.

I wonder idly whether what’s needed is a rewrite of the Bible. So we can have an updated, modern guide to life that’s in line with 21st Century thinking, laws and morals, but isn’t dependant on circular logic and a tenuous belief in the supernatural.

Write one cougar – we have free will after all….

Leave those who want to stick to their old fairy tales/pis poor stuff to their own devices

Everyone is happy

I don’t see why anyone needs to agree with it all.

Because if you don’t then it’s just another book. And if it’s just another book then you might as well live your life by the Jedi code or the Gospel According to Stan Lee, it’s equally valid.

And you could of course, but then if they turned up at work dressed as Spider-Man and some people started laughing at them, we’d have to afford them special privilege for balance. Dogs and cats, living together.

I think where we’re going with this perhaps is a separation between the notion of a “god” and religion / religious texts. Because even if we agree that the Bible or [insert Good Book here] is a valuable source of life lessons, and we agree that some form of ‘god’ actually exists, the former is still a piss poor piece of evidence for the latter given that the accounts upon which it’s based are hand-me-down tales which are by human nature fundamentally unreliable.

That’s the point I’ve been trying to make for years 🙂

I wonder idly whether what’s needed is a rewrite of the Bible. So we can have an updated, modern guide to life that’s in line with 21st Century thinking, laws and morals, but isn’t dependant on circular logic and a tenuous belief in the supernatural

Without wishing to insult in any way – I suspect that you are arriving at a point at which many other people who live and breathe this stuff their whole lives have already been through.

Because if you don’t then it’s just another book

Yes and no. The subject matter is quite weighty, and with respect to Stan Lee he doesn’t have three thousand years of intellectual thought on a variety of topics behind his works. As I said, even if you don’t believe it’s the literal word of God it doesn’t mean it’s worthless.

maybe he was a proto-Derren Brown whose parlour tricks amazed the largely uneducated populace. Over five centuries of word-of-mouth retellings it’s easy to see how rocking up to a handful of people armed with a packed lunch and a finger buffet could turn into the Sermon on the Mount.

Monty Python are ahead of you too. Life of Brian is not simply a piss-take, it does actually raise a lot of interesting points…

Write one cougar – we have free will after all….

The thought crossed my mind.

The Gospel According to St Molgrips, 11:15 – “Why can’t we all just get along?”

Because if you don’t then it’s just another book. And if it’s just another book then you might as well live your life by the Jedi code or the Gospel According to Stan Lee, it’s equally valid.

Given the scores so far, that is not far off the truth…

vickypea – Member
In response to the various comments about purgatory and burning in hell, they are things I’ve never heard said in Church or by any priest I’ve known. I don’t know which denomination teaches that, but my understanding of “hell” is absence from God. Nothing to do with burning in fire or terrible things happening to unbaptised babies.

You have taken out the fun!

How can there be no hell?

Without hell there is be no heaven vice versa.

Without death you have no life (as in living) vice versa.

Without light there is no darkness vice versa (no I ain’t talking about black hole in the universe but it is dark innit)

Think about it.

Okay, I am not from the Abrahamic faith so heaven and hell are just the norm in our understanding.

I am particularly interested in finding out the ways punishment are being carried out.

I want the details!

As a kid I read my aunt RC book where the book depicted plenty hell guards punishing people and I thought it was so wonderful to read them because it’s like reading an interesting story book …

What is your faith background, chewkw? I am curious?

molgrips – Member
What is your faith background, chewkw? I am curious?

Buddhist

I ain’t a saint and I am responsible for my own action.

If I get it wrong then I get it … no ifs or buts … no one will help me apart from myself.

For the none believers let’s bet … (I like betting this but it’s a sin I can handle I think)

If there is heaven or hell upon your physical body turning carbon and if you are in the afterlife can you keep shouting out STW to every passing “soul” so you can group together? Really remember this coz you only have a very short time frame to remember this. 😛

If I happen to walk pass then I shall say … how can I help?

4) Not interested and I know how to be a good person.

5) When religions lead to war and hatred.

Yes and no. The subject matter is quite weighty, and with respect to Stan Lee he doesn’t have three thousand years of intellectual thought on a variety of topics behind his works

By that argument, why aren’t we all worshipping the pantheon of the Ancient Greeks / Romans / Egyptians? They’re as old again.

Good question, the answer to which is in history books.

hat I mean by this is, for example, we still don’t really know for sure whether Robin Hood really existed. Our modern understanding is based on legends some 500 years old, which isn’t a world apart from the NT’s accounts of Jesus (and record-keeping has probably improved slightly in the intervening millennium). It’s not a great leap to see how there might have been a bit of embellishment along the way. Maybe Jesus is an amalgam of a number of people who have been nice to each other over the years, maybe he was a proto-Derren Brown whose parlour tricks amazed the largely uneducated populace. Over five centuries of word-of-mouth retellings it’s easy to see how rocking up to a handful of people armed with a packed lunch and a finger buffet could turn into the Sermon on the Mount.

I believe current thinking is that he’s either historicised myth or mythologised history.

By that argument, why aren’t we all worshipping the pantheon of the Ancient Greeks / Romans / Egyptians? They’re as old again.

We sort of are. Much of the Jesus story is (possibly) a rehash of older religion.

Frankenstein – Member
4) Not interested and I know how to be a good person.

Interesting. How?

😛

By dint of not being an inherent sociopath, I’d expect.

1. But not a huge fan of organised religion.

Cougar – Moderator
By dint of not being an inherent sociopath, I’d expect.

I just checked the definition of sociopath

“sociopath/?s??s??(?)pa?,?s?????(?)-/
noun
a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behaviour.”

That is not actually a sin if you have personality disorder … (madness?)
i.e. you have no control over yourself …

You’re all far more bonkers, than those that have faith in religion!

Must ‘ave a leek.

Was he some sort of Pharaoh?

Carry on 🙂

Cougar – Moderator
Was he some sort of Pharaoh?

What’s with Pharoah? Didn’t they like to kill each other?

I wonder idly whether what’s needed is a rewrite of the Bible. So we can have an updated, modern guide to life that’s in line with 21st Century thinking, laws and morals, but isn’t dependant on circular logic and a tenuous belief in the supernatural

Well it is a work of fiction so why not – sarcasm but the point is it has to have some meaning and really tell us about god or it is meaningless and so is any re write.
God’s law is NOT ineffable its infallible or how could we worship the think we dont understand?.Secondly God’s mind is not changed it is always correct. I suppose the Church could say we got it wrong for a couple of millennia but this time we are sure even though no define revelation was involved ….good luck with that one
Not going to happem but yes we are stuck with the morals of 2-4,000 years ago and its pretty outdated.

Without wishing to insult in any way – I suspect that you are arriving at a point at which many other people who live and breathe this stuff their whole lives have already been through.

I refer you to the point i made some time ago and also Dunning Kruger 🙄

Please highlight the great theologian thinkers who demand a re write…go on lets have a list – Jesus wept* – see what I did there…probably not but hey ho.

* shortest verse in the Bible as I am sure you knew.

5 – Not a fan.

THM – where are you quoting from? Can’t work out how to use iPad so can’t highlight and search. To be fair I am a bit of traditionalist so historically most communion services I go to are based on 1664. We now have service sheets, but when I used the whole book there was space in the service for three readings – one from the Old Testament, one from the epistles and one from the gospel. However, the first one has never been used in my experience. Haven’t followed liturgical development much, but the alternative forms of service may have different instructions. I do know worshipping using the ASB which I have at home is now illegal!

wonder idly whether what’s needed is a rewrite of the Bible

Needs a reboot by JJ Abrams I think.

4 normally
5 when religious beliefs kill good people

most communion services I go to are based on 1664.

To be fair, I’ve have a few communions to St Kronenbourg in my time as well.

Mefty, I claim no expertise but was surprised by your comment. From google I got to

https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/texts/the-calendar/lect/lectrules.aspx

Correct me if I got it wrong.

Reboot you say

How about the Matrix?

That was a typo or Freudian slip, should be 1662.

4 normally
5 when religious beliefs kill good people

And obviously:

THM – I saw that – I am confused as it conflicts with my experience – I will persecute our new gay vicar by asking him. To be honest this year I was half asleep on Easter Day because I went to the sunrise service.

😀

(1664 was funny too)

Started as a 1
Then a 2
Now a 4

1 although don’t like to call it religion/religious.

I’d be a 4 if it were’t for the fact that people use religion to justify doing so much harm.
So 5.

When’s the results out?

5