Quote:
Originally Posted by Yggdrasil
What's wrong is that that seemingly innocent affects us in several profound ways. That belief in paradise is the very definition of a bigoted, partisan farce. What, those who don't believe get to burn?? O RLY?
|
What's it to you that some people want to believe in a paradise/heaven? Furthermore, what's it to you that they claim non-believers will burn in hell? If it bothers you that much, why don't you just walk away?
Also I would probably avoid saying things like "o rly" in the more serious forums.
Quote:
|
As much good as the Christian religion has created, it has been used for extremely dire purposes.
|
What are these dire purposes you speak of?
Quote:
|
Once the Roman Empire collapsed, the Catholic Church established an absolute stranglehold over European society. ABSOLUTE. For an entire Millennium. The governing authority of Christianity has manipulated the blind faith of the common people to extract money, power, and even their lives.
|
1. Assuming what you are claiming (the manipulating to get money part) is true, I should think that not all of the priests/church authority, whatever its called involved were like that. I have read a few stories of saints/saintly people.
2. You are confusing practitioners of Christianity with Christianity itself.
Quote:
|
And if Jesus didn't exist, that's exactly what he is, a symbol. A fucking SYMBOL. I'd love to hear how people need symbols, though. If you intend to argue a lack of secular ethics, please see Zay's thread in My God.
|
Assuming that Jesus (as described by the Bible) didn't exist:
He, or what he symbolized, shows people "the way to be", for a lack of better phrase. Europeans followed his teachings for many many years and as a result had enjoyed reasonably stable societies.