And God shall Smite me
Writing about web page http://www.winternet.com/~mikelr/flame37.html
I don’t really know whether to laugh or cry when I read fanatical religious beliefs. Some of the stuff that I’ve read on Warwick Blogs over the last week or so has been every bit as terrifying as the kinds of things that are reported as coming from the Islamic terrorists around the world.
The first time I read these kinds of blog entries I thought that the author was just trolling but then the awful truth strikes: there really are people who believe that: homosexuality is sin. Abortion is murder. Euthenasia is culling. But the real worry is that they believe these things not because they have come to this decision themselves, but because their church has told them what to believe. That’s the really frightening thing.
It must be nice to have a religion. To not need to make one’s own moral and ethical decisions, because God has made them for you. And of course, the church (of whichever religion you subscribe to) has interpreted God’s intent for you.
November 6th, 2004 at 11:23
COMMENT:
It is terrifying isn’t it? I think its the absolute certainty and good conscience that is so frightening. Once you have that kind of certainty and good conscience anything becomes possible. Hate can be bizzarely twisted into Love, Straightforward War into Holy War, etc. The prevalence of this sort of thing on the Warwick Blogs recently just proves to me that liberal education is never enough to combat ignorance, stupidity, bigotry, and hatred. Perhaps Electro Shock Therapy, Drugs, Therapy…..Buggered if I know (or is that a sin).
November 6th, 2004 at 11:39
That flame warriors thing is bloody hilarious. I seem to be somewhere between a Weenie and a Philosopher myself…
November 6th, 2004 at 11:40
Yes it is a sin.
Unless performed by a dinosaur cos they don’t exist in the Bible.
November 6th, 2004 at 18:25
No no no! No!!!!!
OK, but no! The idea is NOT (honestly, I’m not making this up!) repeat not that the church gives you all this stuff and you follow it. The idea is meant to be that you read the Bible and try to interpret it for yourself as best you can.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen very often. But it’s thanks to that I now have a sensible argument for why I don’t have to wear a hat, and why women should become ministers.
Anyways, it’s unfortunate, but it’s unfortunate because it’s true in a lot of cases.
I’m not shouting at you. I mean, that’s what it appears to be like. It’s just not what it’s meant to be like.
November 6th, 2004 at 18:34
Jill, all I can say is that it’s a shame that more people don’t have the same attitude towards their religions that you do.
November 6th, 2004 at 19:29
I really hope my blog post isnt one of the ones youre talking about.
November 6th, 2004 at 19:44
Amy: I think it would be rather a stretch to consider you to be a fanatic. You’ve evidently questioned what you’ve been presented with, and ended up with (in my view) a true belief, rather than the blind faith that seems to affect some people here.
November 6th, 2004 at 20:16
Thanks Sorry – easily insecure and its very exposing stating what you believe Ive found.
On a lighter note, you going on the atomic pub crawl?
November 6th, 2004 at 20:53
Jill, as I understand it, the whole ‘read the Bible and make your own mind up’ thing is not the Catholic way of doing things. Anyway, on a brighter note, Mark Higgins seems to have restricted viewing permissions on his blog, so the rest of us are spared it (although doubtless we will still be subjected to the utter drivel he’s writing in the Boar.
November 7th, 2004 at 03:38
Being incapable of adding anything useful to the debate at hand I will say that the link is absolutely brilliant.
November 7th, 2004 at 10:32
hmmm, scientists disagreeing with religion? what a shocker!! this has never happened before, has it?
this reminds me. when I was doing my A levels, I did a module in astrophysics for my physics class and you wouldn believe what happpened. since it was a multicutural class, there were these two staunch muslims who refused to accept anything to do with that class. the whole idea of millions of stars, galaxies, black holes and all that was so completely out of their ” moral and ethical” box, they could not cope with it. undoubtedly they failed…....and here I am, in warwick having the time of my life.
November 7th, 2004 at 17:52
Nice website. I rackon I’m usually a Lurker.
November 8th, 2004 at 10:48
I get very sad when the main thing that seems to be communicated about belief is extremism and aggressive, negative dogma dominated by a list of do’s and don’ts. For me it is about an amazing relationship, freedom, and grace – as Bono wrote: ‘Grace finds beauty in everything’
November 8th, 2004 at 11:45
Luke Parks – you say that “the whole ‘read the bible and make your own mind up’ thing is not the Cathoplic way of doing things” – I disagree, sorry. I am a Catholic; I had a traditional Catholic education. But all through my religious education at school (taught by a monk and some nuns) and during every discussion I’ve had with priests, it has never been suggested that I should do anything but question everything.
November 8th, 2004 at 16:49
If u really wana get confused, look at my blog – ‘What is free choice?’
CrAaAaAazZzZyY
Some cool ideas goin round people
It’s called “It’s a cod’s life”
Nice one
November 9th, 2004 at 21:25
“homosexuality is sin. Abortion is murder. Euthenasia is culling. But the real worry is that they believe these things not because they have come to this decision themselves, but because their church has told them what to believe.”
“And of course, the church (of whichever religion you subscribe to) has interpreted God’s intent for you.”
Wow. What gave you this marvellous insight about people’s beliefs?
November 9th, 2004 at 21:33
Actually, it was a series of posts that have since been deleted since I wrote this posts, from which I paraphrased as above.
November 9th, 2004 at 21:56
Sorry, my previous comment was a little hot.
I wasn’t so much talking about the homosexuality is sin, abortion is murder, etc. It’s more ‘the church (of whichever religion you subscribe to) has interpreted God’s intent for you.’
While there are certainly a lot of religous folk who believe ‘the Bible as interpreted by my church’, there are plenty more who are willing to think, debate and engage with people. I guess that’s my point.