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pyroclasticlux
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« on: September 17, 2008, 11:20:47 AM » |
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i figured this could be a good place for people to bounce ideas round, suggest media recommendations, or just waffle about when it comes to the 'God question.'
feel free to leave media reviews, too, with anything you see here & are familiar with.
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l'humour est culturel; le rire est universel
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pyroclasticlux
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« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2008, 11:36:51 AM » |
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i'd like to begin this thread by recommending two films. they are quite new and i'm sure are easily found at a rental store or library:
the first is a documentary called jesus camp. i like this film for a lot of reasons, not the least of which being its directorial objectivity. it showcases firm-believing (even fundamental) pentecostals going about their ways whilst integrating their religion whenever possible; conversely, the film includes a christian radio host who denounces such 'extreme' behaviour. everything in the film is presented as-is, leaving it open for interpretation, and the dialogue makes for great conversation. even the commentary sticks to neutrality, which is an amazing feat for anything of this nature.
whether watching in mixed company or simply alone, this film easily speaks to the viewer; and i think it's definitely a must-see for anyone believing in, questioning, or denouncing religion.
the second film is conversations with god, which presents itself as being based on a true story. a bloke going through the lowest period of his life finds himself actually conversing with God one night, and many subsequent nights, and records everything he is told; he publishes a book with God's words, and this film is carried on that premise.
whether you believe it to be true or not, i think the message is excellent. it's not particularly denomination-specific, from what i recall, which i think adds to its relatability.
if you've seen these, let me know how you feel about them! if not, i highly suggest a viewing.
and, as always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. 
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« Last Edit: September 20, 2008, 09:40:38 AM by pyroclasticlux »
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l'humour est culturel; le rire est universel
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pyroclasticlux
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« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2008, 09:34:29 AM » |
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i've two book mentions today that i figured would be fit to post:
the first involves 'the big two': religion and politics. it addresses the 'claim to christianity' by the political right and examines that bias. it also makes excellent arguments for democrats, using the very scripture republicans often quote to show that christianity doesn't have to be far-right-exclusive.
the author does tend to go on republican rants every so often, but the book is otherwise very good.
the book is how the republicans stole christmas by bill press and is, in my opinion, definitely worth a read for anyone, no matter what end of the spectrum they're on.
the second book mention takes a different approach to what we've discussed so far, but serves to 'balance the scale' a bit if we're trying to look at all possibilities:
it's the god delusion by richard dawkins, and is generally dismissed altogether by theists due to it's overtly atheist platform.
dawkins is a very forthright author and, as such, comes across as being quite intense. the book is, in some ways, 'the atheist bible', whereas it is rarely taken seriously by believers.
i think that, for theists, it can be used as a tool to understand the 'why's of atheism (if nothing else). it definitely provokes strong emotional responses from those all across the board, though i don't necessarily think of that as a negative; rather, i think it can be beneficial to one's theistic journey.
feel free to comment on these suggestions, or make your own! (=
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« Last Edit: September 20, 2008, 09:38:39 AM by pyroclasticlux »
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l'humour est culturel; le rire est universel
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The Sleeper
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« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2008, 01:32:04 PM » |
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i've two book mentions today that i figured would be fit to post:
the first involves 'the big two': religion and politics. it addresses the 'claim to christianity' by the political right and examines that bias. it also makes excellent arguments for democrats, using the very scripture republicans often quote to show that christianity doesn't have to be far-right-exclusive.
the author does tend to go on republican rants every so often, but the book is otherwise very good.
the book is how the republicans stole christmas by bill press and is, in my opinion, definitely worth a read for anyone, no matter what end of the spectrum they're on.
the second book mention takes a different approach to what we've discussed so far, but serves to 'balance the scale' a bit if we're trying to look at all possibilities:
it's the god delusion by richard dawkins, and is generally dismissed altogether by theists due to it's overtly atheist platform.
dawkins is a very forthright author and, as such, comes across as being quite intense. the book is, in some ways, 'the atheist bible', whereas it is rarely taken seriously by believers.
i think that, for theists, it can be used as a tool to understand the 'why's of atheism (if nothing else). it definitely provokes strong emotional responses from those all across the board, though i don't necessarily think of that as a negative; rather, i think it can be beneficial to one's theistic journey.
feel free to comment on these suggestions, or make your own! (=
I am not a fan of Dawkins, as he likes to mock people of faith. I have no problem with atheism, but I do not nonbelievers who mock believers. Perhaps I am a hypocrite, because I mock Scientologists...but we are all of us hypocrites, in some fashion or another. Blah. |
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Logged
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Okay, woke to a grocery list...
Goes like this:
Duty and death.
-Aesop Rock
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pyroclasticlux
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« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2008, 08:22:22 PM » |
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^ he definitely can turn on the condescension, which is surely a negative, but it at least opens up a new perspective. i think the key is to try to remain open, though that definitely isn't always easy. |
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l'humour est culturel; le rire est universel
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Scott
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« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2008, 12:48:12 PM » |
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^ he definitely can turn on the condescension, which is surely a negative, but it at least opens up a new perspective. i think the key is to try to remain open, though that definitely isn't always easy. You can't be open and devout at the same time. Religion isn't about being open to other ideas. On the contrary, it's about having predefined beliefs and answers to your questions as well as the questions of others. There's no room for your own thinking. |
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"The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing." -- Albert Einstein
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Scott
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« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2008, 12:53:19 PM » |
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i've two book mentions today that i figured would be fit to post:
the first involves 'the big two': religion and politics. it addresses the 'claim to christianity' by the political right and examines that bias. it also makes excellent arguments for democrats, using the very scripture republicans often quote to show that christianity doesn't have to be far-right-exclusive.
the author does tend to go on republican rants every so often, but the book is otherwise very good.
the book is how the republicans stole christmas by bill press and is, in my opinion, definitely worth a read for anyone, no matter what end of the spectrum they're on.
the second book mention takes a different approach to what we've discussed so far, but serves to 'balance the scale' a bit if we're trying to look at all possibilities:
it's the god delusion by richard dawkins, and is generally dismissed altogether by theists due to it's overtly atheist platform.
dawkins is a very forthright author and, as such, comes across as being quite intense. the book is, in some ways, 'the atheist bible', whereas it is rarely taken seriously by believers.
i think that, for theists, it can be used as a tool to understand the 'why's of atheism (if nothing else). it definitely provokes strong emotional responses from those all across the board, though i don't necessarily think of that as a negative; rather, i think it can be beneficial to one's theistic journey.
feel free to comment on these suggestions, or make your own! (=
I am not a fan of Dawkins, as he likes to mock people of faith. I have no problem with atheism, but I do not nonbelievers who mock believers. Perhaps I am a hypocrite, because I mock Scientologists...but we are all of us hypocrites, in some fashion or another. Blah. "But we are all of us hypocrites" is no excuse for being a hypocrite on purpose.  Google definition of 'hypocrite': a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives. Be true to yourself. :] |
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"The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing." -- Albert Einstein
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pyroclasticlux
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« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2008, 01:00:58 PM » |
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You can't be open and devout at the same time. Religion isn't about being open to other ideas.
....There's no room for your own thinking.
blam. there it is: the rope i keep tripping over. |
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l'humour est culturel; le rire est universel
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Scott
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« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2008, 02:39:32 PM » |
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You can't be open and devout at the same time. Religion isn't about being open to other ideas.
....There's no room for your own thinking.
blam. there it is: the rope i keep tripping over. Sorry - but religion isn't open for interpretation or cherry-picking if you're going to practice it the way it's intended to be practiced. HOWEVER, if you're going to make up your own religion that cherry-picks from other religions, go for it. That's your prerogative and you have every right to. There are tons of good things to pick up on from different religions and a lot of commonalities between them, namely the Golden Rule: "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." |
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Logged
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"The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing." -- Albert Einstein
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The Sleeper
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« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2008, 05:10:31 PM » |
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You can't be open and devout at the same time. Religion isn't about being open to other ideas.
....There's no room for your own thinking.
blam. there it is: the rope i keep tripping over. Sorry - but religion isn't open for interpretation or cherry-picking if you're going to practice it the way it's intended to be practiced. HOWEVER, if you're going to make up your own religion that cherry-picks from other religions, go for it. That's your prerogative and you have every right to. There are tons of good things to pick up on from different religions and a lot of commonalities between them, namely the Golden Rule: "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." That's the thing about religions though, who says what the correct way they are 'intended to be practiced' is? Whose decision is that, besides the person who is following that system of beliefs? |
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Logged
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Okay, woke to a grocery list...
Goes like this:
Duty and death.
-Aesop Rock
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pyroclasticlux
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« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2008, 07:50:33 PM » |
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HOWEVER, if you're going to make up your own religion that cherry-picks from other religions, go for it. That's your prerogative and you have every right to. There are tons of good things to pick up on from different religions and a lot of commonalities between them, namely the Golden Rule: "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." that's actually what i've been doing so far. i do still have that feeling that something is out there, but there are so many good points to so many religions (and so many negatives...), that i think it's kind of nice to be able to sort of 'make it my own'. (= i'm not about to start my own public denomination or anything, though. there will be no 'tara-ist' churches popping up anywhere.  |
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l'humour est culturel; le rire est universel
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I will only follow a God of Love
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« Reply #11 on: September 29, 2008, 08:06:22 PM » |
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I 'cherry pick' quite openly. why eat all the cherries, even the quite obviously rotten ones?
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Scott
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« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2008, 09:03:19 AM » |
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You can't be open and devout at the same time. Religion isn't about being open to other ideas.
....There's no room for your own thinking.
blam. there it is: the rope i keep tripping over. Sorry - but religion isn't open for interpretation or cherry-picking if you're going to practice it the way it's intended to be practiced. HOWEVER, if you're going to make up your own religion that cherry-picks from other religions, go for it. That's your prerogative and you have every right to. There are tons of good things to pick up on from different religions and a lot of commonalities between them, namely the Golden Rule: "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." That's the thing about religions though, who says what the correct way they are 'intended to be practiced' is? Whose decision is that, besides the person who is following that system of beliefs? Whatever sect you're a part of determines the way the religion is intended to be practiced. |
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Logged
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"The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing." -- Albert Einstein
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Scott
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« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2008, 09:07:08 AM » |
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HOWEVER, if you're going to make up your own religion that cherry-picks from other religions, go for it. That's your prerogative and you have every right to. There are tons of good things to pick up on from different religions and a lot of commonalities between them, namely the Golden Rule: "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." that's actually what i've been doing so far. i do still have that feeling that something is out there, but there are so many good points to so many religions (and so many negatives...), that i think it's kind of nice to be able to sort of 'make it my own'. (= i'm not about to start my own public denomination or anything, though. there will be no 'tara-ist' churches popping up anywhere. That's too bad. That might've been cool. You'd have all kinds of cool things for 'fundies' to be afraid of. "The new tara-ists are going to blow up America!" "We're sorry, we can't let you on the plane. You're a tera-ist." "A new religion has been tera-izing the United States!" Ok, maybe not but that would still be funny for like, a day .. or so. |
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"The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing." -- Albert Einstein
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Scott
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« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2008, 09:08:43 AM » |
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I 'cherry pick' quite openly. why eat all the cherries, even the quite obviously rotten ones?
Because the cherries are a ruse if the tree doesn't exist. Zing! |
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"The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing." -- Albert Einstein
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