[ATLian]

>Atlian,
>Could you please do me a favour and highlight the post where
>you argued about religions talking of respecting each other
>and getting along, yet at the core of their respective
>beliefs, this is an imposibility?

Sure. The topic was "Of Religion and Respect", the link is

http://www.mashada.com/forums/index/...4000/index.php

and what I wrote is below:

############################################

I think that the phrase "Respect other peoples faith" is one of those empty hollow phrases, like "love your neighbor" or something like that. What happens if your neighbor is a child molester?

Kwanza, faith is basically absolute belief without an iota of evidence. As a rational intelligent human being, I refuse to respect the fact that you believe in this thing which you just cannot prove exists. It's tantamount to asking me to respect Santa or the Tooth Fairy.

Secondly, if you are a believer, you cannot respect a faith who's teachings are in direct contradiction to what your all-powerful all-wise and all-knowing deity has told you is the right thing. There's no way a monotheistic Christian can respect a Hindu's beliefs that there are 33 million gods.

Third, some religions hold to be sanctified things that are not held in the same level of sanctity by other religions. I don't believe that cows are sacred and holy like Hindus do, so I'd eat cow meat without a problem. I also don't follow the Islamic belief that pigs are filthy, in fact I love my sausages and pork chops. But by eating those two, I am in a way disrespecting the beliefs of the Hindus and Muslims.

Fourth, some beliefs are just ridiculous. I saw another documentary about this sect of Hindus up in the Himalayas who think rats are sacred. So the place is overflowing with rats - the temple, homes, shops, etc. Yaani they were showing guys praying and rats were walking all over them. Needless to say, the diseases in that part of India are too many to name. How can you expect one of us to go there and respect that?

Fifth - how can a Muslim respect the Christian faith if it calls him an infidel and a sinner who will slowly burn forever in hell just because he believes in something else. How can you respect the Inca faith when their deities demand human sacrifices and such.

Finally, I am allowed to "disrespect" everything you stand for that is tangible: I can bash your political party; I can talk smack about the team you support. Why can't I bash the one intangible thing ati just because you believe it's an almighty thing? It doesn't make sense.

I can go on and on, but bottom line is you can't just say "Respect other peoples faith" when there are so many dynamics at play that render it almost impossible. I think the statement should be more like "respect other faith's peoples". That's my 2 cents

[Beenie_gal]

personally i find it violent and fanatical..........but that is just my opinion!

[Americanized]

<<<I think that the phrase "Respect other peoples faith" is one of those empty hollow phrases, like "love your neighbor" or something like that. What happens if your neighbor is a child molester?>>>

Don't assume that just because you find it difficult to forgive, and not to pass judgment, that it is an impossible ideal.

Most world religions preach love, peace and tolerance. It is when man makes up a system of rules, regulations, and rituals that govern the practice of a particular faith (this is what is called religion) that corruption is allowed to enter the faith.

Religions are corrupted by man's greed for power and our biases and prejudice. Patriachial societies will include the supremacy of the man over the woman into the religion, even if the founder of the religion did not hold such a view.

Homophobia, xenophobia, racism, political ideology, and various forms cultural beliefs - right or wrong - are woven into the fabric of religion in order to achieve narrow, selfish goals.

I prefer to be spiritual, rather than religious. I may be Christian by faith, but I will not accept what I am taught by religious leaders blindly. God may be infallible, but man has introduced their own falliability and biases into the different faiths through religion.

I read the Bible, meditate on the Word, and make my own interpretation by comparing my understanding with what we are taught in Church.

[ATLian]

>Don't assume that just because you find it difficult to
>forgive, and not to pass judgment, that it is an impossible
>ideal.

Americanized,

now where on earth did you come up with the conclusion that I find it difficult to forgive? Tafadhali post whatever it is that made you think that.

I have a simple question - can you love somebody you don't know? Can you say you love some random pal in Cambodia who you know nothing about? Of course not! That's why I say that it's an empty meaningless statement!



>Most world religions preach love, peace and tolerance.

I beg to differ. God's first commandments are about INTOLERANCE - no other god but him is to be worshipped, and as shown throughout the Bible, those who worship other gods are viciously and violently put to death! As for peace, damn, I don't know what Bible you read. It's full of wanton violence and threats of eternal hell for those who are intolerant! I don't know about the love to because god's love is too conditional - you have do fulfil a heck of a number of requirements for him to love you enough to accept you in heaven. Anything less and you burn forever!

We actually need to thank man, not god, for the rules he made to save us from the wrath of god's followers. Imagine if stoning to death people who work on Sundays was still acceptable!!!



>Homophobia, xenophobia, racism, political ideology, and
>various forms cultural beliefs - right or wrong - are woven
>into the fabric of religion in order to achieve narrow,
>selfish goals.

I agree. Let's check out god in particular. He is so homophobic that he believes all gays should be killed, and he personally burnt down 2 cities full of innocent babies and children only because there were gays in those cities. God is also so xenophobic that he created everyone but he still had his "chosen" people, who he led on serious genocidal sprees over the years on other people unfortunate enough not to be "chosen". Read Leviticus and Deotoronomy to see the escess cultural laws that god gave to his people. So you are right - god wove all the above mentioned things into the fabric of religion in order to achieve his own narrow, selfish goals!

[Americanized]

Man, just go ahead and stone you some faggots! Hope it makes you feel better.