The Arrogance of Christianity

[vazilizaitsev89]

as much as I hate quoting marx, he said it best "religion is the opiate of the masses"

[Yggdrasil]

Originally Posted by vazilizaitsev89

as much as I hate quoting marx, he said it best "religion is the opiate of the masses"

"If the shoe fits...."

[WritingANovel]

Originally Posted by vazilizaitsev89

as much as I hate quoting marx, he said it best "religion is the opiate of the masses"

Religion has its functions in a society. As much bad as it's purported to have done, it's also done a lot of good (probably enough to offset the bad).

I don't know what was going on in Marx' mind when he uttered that. But if I were to guess, I believe he was alluding to the fact that Christianity quiets the common people down so that they are content with their lot in life, and as such won't rise up against the elites/ruling class?

Originally Posted by Yggdrasil

"If the shoe fits...."

Not to be rude but you remind me of Slave of the Beast.

I would highly recommend that you try and have a point in your next post.

[WritingANovel]

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.

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?

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.

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.

[Yggdrasil]

Originally Posted by WritingANovel

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?

WAN, people do great things, terrible things, in the name of God, or of their religion. They impose they views unto others, they will exclude others out of society for not agreeing with them, they even go to war over this.

Originally Posted by WritingANovel

What are these dire purposes you speak of?

[See_above]

Originally Posted by WritingANovel

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.

The money part is absolutely true, WAN. Hell, I even remember my Catholic history teacher talk about this. Every Christian fief, duchy, kingdom and empire in Europe paid a 10% tribute to the Catholic Pope in Rome up to the Protestant Reformation. You think Catherine of Aragón was the only reason King Henry VIII broke with the Church?

Of course not all the priests were evil. They actually served good purposes during that time, such as the preserving of written language, and providing us with a system of musical notation. But the very core of the Church, the Oligarchy, if you will, was indeed very corrupt. Not only were they arguably the richest and most powerful men in the world, but they didn't even follow their own doctrines, they were repressive, and they were power-hungry.

Originally Posted by WritingANovel

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.

No, not this argument, WAN. Zay has already discussed secular ethics in another thread, and I'm not up for that. Back in those days, however, the funny thing is that almost the rest of the world was more advanced than Europe, and guess what, they weren't Christians.

At this time, Europe was extremely backwards. Technology was lost after the fall of the Romans, and it took 1000 years to catch up, thanks to a stranglehold by the Church. However, "pagan" Mayans in the Yucatan were already mapping the heavens, the Indians in the sub-continent were building Empires, and the Chinese were already shooting off guns, for god's sake. Guess the odd ones out...

[The Rudeboy]

Originally Posted by vazilizaitsev89

as much as I hate quoting marx, he said it best "religion is the opiate of the masses"

And Scientific Naturalism is the Alcohol.

EDIT:
Deciding on either religion or lack thereof of your own free will is the Marijuana.