Sunday School

Pat Condell has a few ideas about “Progressives“.

Thanks, Reg!

@RegTheFronkeyFarmer, thanks as always for a nice list of readings.  Something to expand the mind and sometimes reassure the critical thinker.

On yet another antigay child molesting pastor, I like Dan Savage’s statement.  “If kids got raped by clowns as often as they get raped by preachers it would be against the law to take your kids to the c…[Read more]

In my own mind I used to seperate belief in gods and belief in “woo” – astrology, tarot cards, homeopathy etc. but really they are all just different forms of magical thinking. I too find that many people who now define themselves as non-religious (as opposed to using the term “atheist”) can easily substitute another form of “woo” to replace their…[Read more]

Regarding:

“The Number of Americans with No Religious Affiliation Is Rising”

I can say I detect this in my daily life, however it is slight. I overhear less preaching. Someone at work was posting daily verses on their whiteboard; that has been stopped with a global email. However, I fear that nonsense conspiracy theory is the replacement. So…[Read more]

Strega wrote:

@davis and more specifically masochistic – the practice of self flagellation.

Indeed. And then of course…the most horrid masochistic move that some people under certain circumstances make: marrying someone you don’t like and having cold pleasureless duty bound sex…all very agonising and yet enjoyable…because God and Jesus and stuff.

Simon Paynton wrote:

I don’t see the appeal, or the logic, apart from “being like Christ”. Maybe some people just want to be a “martyr” in life.

Christ is not the most praiseworthy character in human generated fiction. Yes yes…he said some very progressive and kind natured things on the mount and he healed people with his magic and said kind…[Read more]

I have posted some of the deluded Filipinos over the years. I think it would be different if Jesus were around today.

Easter Spaghetti Pie…Approved by the FSM.

Since we just finished Easter season, I’m reminded of the annual Easter stories regarding Filipinos being nailed to the cross.  It comes up every year.   Link are old – I forgot to post them here.  Wikipedia.  It’s interesting, the official line of the Catholic Church is that they are against it, and the Dept of Health recommends tetanus shot…[Read more]

I think I get where it comes from: in ethics, we need to care about others as well as ourselves.  But some religious people think it means “instead of ourselves”.

Then there is “original sin”.

And “sex (outside marriage) is evil”, and “the flesh is worthless”.

It is the “unworthiness of the self” (my words) that is one of the worst aspects of any religion. Telling children they are born ill and then are commanded to become well by worshiping a non-existent god is child abuse. (Hitchens reference used). It is that aspect that makes it masochistic when continued into adulthood (and not a mature adulthood at that).

There’s a distressing current in “The Lives of the Sufi Saints” (going back around 1000 years) where The Self is completely unimportant, and not giving regards to the Self is seen as a virtue.  However, this doesn’t logically stack up, unless alms-giving is also seen as a virtue.  Maybe that’s just for saints.

There is no logic to it. It is all emotionally derived from the power of the delusion. Muslim and Hindus have similar “blood rituals” where they whip themselves to the point of hospitalization. They are seen as role models and holy men by their peers but to me they are all just deranged. Here are some (graphic!) images of Muslims praising another…[Read more]

I don’t see the appeal, or the logic, apart from “being like Christ”.  Maybe some people just want to be a “martyr” in life.

They may believe so but only because they are suffering from a mass delusion.

I’ve heard of people wanting to emulate the suffering of Christ.  Why would they do that?  I guess, in solidarity.

@Simon – I knew if I replied that I would be typing for hours and that would feel rather mass-o-christic in itself. In this case the picture painted (in red) a thousand words.

@Davis and more specifically masochistic – the practice of self flagellation.

Simon Paynton wrote:

In what way does religion require masochism?

Wow. Where to start. Let’s first go with Judaism, Islam and some Christians: chopping off foreskins and for some of the above a religious/cultural propensity for carving out girls vaginas with a knife. Though to be honest this is more a case of child abuse than masochism. Very few…[Read more]