Religion : some quotes...
Discussion
"The Jews, the Muslims and the Christians, They've all got it wrong. The people of the world only divide into two kinds, One sort with brains who hold no religion, The other with religion and no brain."
[b]Abu-al-Ala al-Marri, 10th century Syrian poet[/b]
"For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us."
[b]Charles Bukowski[/b]
"If we accept that there is neither a heaven or a hell, we renounce the idea of any power beyond the perception of science we then must accept responsibility for all we do in this life for there will be no form of atonement afterwards."
[b]Dominic Webb[/b]
"Fantastic doctrines (like Christianity or Islam or Marxism) require unanimity of belief. One dissenter casts doubt on the creed of millions. Thus the fear and the hate; thus the torture chamber, the iron stake, the gallows, the labor camp, the psychiatric ward."
[b]Edward Abbey[/b]
"For out of fear and need each religion is born, creeping into existence on the byways of reason."
[b]Friedrich Nietzsche[/b]
"When are we human beings gonna have a meeting? We took this god thing and ran to the god damn end of the earth with it."
[b]George Carlin[/b]
"If God did not exist, it would be necessary for man to invent him."
[b]Voltaire[/b]
[b]Abu-al-Ala al-Marri, 10th century Syrian poet[/b]
"For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us."
[b]Charles Bukowski[/b]
"If we accept that there is neither a heaven or a hell, we renounce the idea of any power beyond the perception of science we then must accept responsibility for all we do in this life for there will be no form of atonement afterwards."
[b]Dominic Webb[/b]
"Fantastic doctrines (like Christianity or Islam or Marxism) require unanimity of belief. One dissenter casts doubt on the creed of millions. Thus the fear and the hate; thus the torture chamber, the iron stake, the gallows, the labor camp, the psychiatric ward."
[b]Edward Abbey[/b]
"For out of fear and need each religion is born, creeping into existence on the byways of reason."
[b]Friedrich Nietzsche[/b]
"When are we human beings gonna have a meeting? We took this god thing and ran to the god damn end of the earth with it."
[b]George Carlin[/b]
"If God did not exist, it would be necessary for man to invent him."
[b]Voltaire[/b]
JagLover said:
"If God did not exist, it would be necessary for man to invent him."
Voltaire
A very interesting quote, showing the human need for religion in order to alleviate fear of dying.
I have never understood why people are fearful of dying in the first place, its a fact of life, you are born, you live, you die.
Karl Marx said:
... Religion is the general theory of this world, its encyclopaedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point d'honneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification. It is the fantastic realization of the human essence since the human essence has not acquired any true reality. The struggle against religion is, therefore, indirectly the struggle against that world whose spiritual aroma is religion.
Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.
The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo.
Criticism has plucked the imaginary flowers on the chain not in order that man shall continue to bear that chain without fantasy or consolation, but so that he shall throw off the chain and pluck the living flower. The criticism of religion disillusions man, so that he will think, act, and fashion his reality like a man who has discarded his illusions and regained his senses, so that he will move around himself as his own true Sun. . .
cotty said:
I have never understood why people are fearful of dying in the first place, its a fact of life, you are born, you live, you die.
As I contemplate the eternal void that awaits me at the conclusion of my life, I find myself envying those who believe in a life after death. For even if their faith is misplaced it may bring them some comfort.
scorp said:
I have never understood why people are fearful of dying in the first place, its a fact of life, you are born, you live, you die.
I think its more to do with the uncertainty of what happens to you after death, were does the 'soul' (or self-consciousness) go ?
Fine but even if they found out what happens they would still be unable to do anything about it.
I mean if your soul dies with the body there is nothing they could do to change this, so just accept that the worst case senario and it only gets better from there, whats the problem
The idea of nothingness is quite frightening. Read some Jean Paul Sarte (Nausea is a good start). Remember while you are alive you have no freedom, every action is forced upon by outside influences. It is only when you are dead that you are truely free of all compulsion.... just a shame you're not around to enjoy it 
Religion is definitely a swizz of the highest order; the only religion that I would have the slightest interest in is budhism, then again that's more of a philosophy than a religion oooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm "pting"
Religion is definitely a swizz of the highest order; the only religion that I would have the slightest interest in is budhism, then again that's more of a philosophy than a religion oooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm "pting"
another flavour for everyone...
Louis Pasteur the French philosopher said; <the gist of, anyway>
There are four options in life
1. You believe in God, God exists. You go to Heaven.
2. You believe in God, God doesn't exist. Nothing happens
3. You don't believe in God, God doesn't exist.Nothing happens
4. You don't believe in God, God does exist; You go to hell
Hence in strict logic terms, its illogical to *not* believe in God.
>> Edited by ed22 on Thursday 14th July 14:24
Louis Pasteur the French philosopher said; <the gist of, anyway>
There are four options in life
1. You believe in God, God exists. You go to Heaven.
2. You believe in God, God doesn't exist. Nothing happens
3. You don't believe in God, God doesn't exist.Nothing happens
4. You don't believe in God, God does exist; You go to hell
Hence in strict logic terms, its illogical to *not* believe in God.
>> Edited by ed22 on Thursday 14th July 14:24
MilnerR said:
Religion is definitely a swizz of the highest order; the only religion that I would have the slightest interest in is budhism, then again that's more of a philosophy than a religion oooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm "pting"
Zen and Taoism have quite a lot going for them imo but, as you say, are akin to philosophy more than rigidly structured religion.
Taoism is possibly the most sensible of all religions.
It concentrates on worshipping the only deity (in Taoist terms) that you can be absolutely sure that exists. You. It pays no heed to external gods and on that basis I see it as perhaps more of a moral code than an enforced fear based paradigm which one could exploit.
It concentrates on worshipping the only deity (in Taoist terms) that you can be absolutely sure that exists. You. It pays no heed to external gods and on that basis I see it as perhaps more of a moral code than an enforced fear based paradigm which one could exploit.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff