The God topic

[LoathedVermin72]

Let me put it this way:

I tell you that the world is actually ruled by an invisible floating rabbit wearing a cowboy hat. You would call me insane and say that's ridiculous.

Now, flash forward 1000 years. Now, 70% of the population believes without hesitation that the world is actually ruled by an invisible floating rabbit wearing a cowboy hat. Is the assertion not still just as ridiculous?

[tommymtcom]

I'm not saying Christianity isn't nuts, just that it's part of our cultural heritage, which makes it easier (and more understandable) to believe. Scientology, on the other hand, is very clearly a load of bullshit made up by a con man. Someone being a Christian doesn't make me lose respect for them, but someone being a scientologist does.

Also, Scientology's story is definitely crazier than Christianity's:

Xenu (/ˈziːnuː/),[1][2][3] also called "Xemu", was, according to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who 75 million years ago brought billions[4][5] of his people to Earth (then known as "Teegeeack") in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes, and killed them with hydrogen bombs. Official Scientology scriptures hold that the thetans (immortal spirits) of these aliens adhere to humans, causing spiritual harm

CHRISTIANS LITERALLY WORSHIP A ZOMBIE! That's not off the chain insane to you?!

Like you just admitted, you understand/accept one over the other because it's been around longer. That's it. The fact that anyone actually literally believes in the stories of Christianity is bizarre to me. Faith is one thing, whatever. But if you believe a man died and came back from the dead then disappeared and might maybe probably come back one day and take some folks over to his place for a while before coming back for the others, I don't know what to tell you.

Most Christians are brain washed (for lack of a better term) from birth to believe what they believe. Tom Cruise made the decision to believe that scientology nonsense as an adult. Surely, that makes him more of a weirdo than the average Christian.

For the record, I agree with you and LV that Christianity is nuts. All I am saying is that it is more understandable to believe in Jesus than Xenu because it is such a huge part of our shared cultural experience.

[LoathedVermin72]

I'm not saying Christianity isn't nuts, just that it's part of our cultural heritage, which makes it easier (and more understandable) to believe. Scientology, on the other hand, is very clearly a load of bullshit made up by a con man. Someone being a Christian doesn't make me lose respect for them, but someone being a scientologist does.

Also, Scientology's story is definitely crazier than Christianity's:

Xenu (/ˈziːnuː/),[1][2][3] also called "Xemu", was, according to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who 75 million years ago brought billions[4][5] of his people to Earth (then known as "Teegeeack") in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes, and killed them with hydrogen bombs. Official Scientology scriptures hold that the thetans (immortal spirits) of these aliens adhere to humans, causing spiritual harm

CHRISTIANS LITERALLY WORSHIP A ZOMBIE! That's not off the chain insane to you?!

Like you just admitted, you understand/accept one over the other because it's been around longer. That's it. The fact that anyone actually literally believes in the stories of Christianity is bizarre to me. Faith is one thing, whatever. But if you believe a man died and came back from the dead then disappeared and might maybe probably come back one day and take some folks over to his place for a while before coming back for the others, I don't know what to tell you.

Most Christians are brain washed (for lack of a better term) from birth to believe what they believe. Tom Cruise made the decision to believe that scientology nonsense as an adult. Surely, that makes him more of a weirdo than the average Christian.

For the record, I agree with you and LV that Christianity is nuts. All I am saying is that it is more understandable to believe in Jesus than Xenu because it is such a huge part of our shared cultural experience.

So you'd rather someone be a brainwashed, unthinking conformist than a bonkers individual who thinks for himself, no matter how crazy his conclusions may be? At least the second one is more interesting.

[tommymtcom]

I'm not saying Christianity isn't nuts, just that it's part of our cultural heritage, which makes it easier (and more understandable) to believe. Scientology, on the other hand, is very clearly a load of bullshit made up by a con man. Someone being a Christian doesn't make me lose respect for them, but someone being a scientologist does.

Also, Scientology's story is definitely crazier than Christianity's:

Xenu (/ˈziːnuː/),[1][2][3] also called "Xemu", was, according to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who 75 million years ago brought billions[4][5] of his people to Earth (then known as "Teegeeack") in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes, and killed them with hydrogen bombs. Official Scientology scriptures hold that the thetans (immortal spirits) of these aliens adhere to humans, causing spiritual harm

CHRISTIANS LITERALLY WORSHIP A ZOMBIE! That's not off the chain insane to you?!

Like you just admitted, you understand/accept one over the other because it's been around longer. That's it. The fact that anyone actually literally believes in the stories of Christianity is bizarre to me. Faith is one thing, whatever. But if you believe a man died and came back from the dead then disappeared and might maybe probably come back one day and take some folks over to his place for a while before coming back for the others, I don't know what to tell you.

Most Christians are brain washed (for lack of a better term) from birth to believe what they believe. Tom Cruise made the decision to believe that scientology nonsense as an adult. Surely, that makes him more of a weirdo than the average Christian.

For the record, I agree with you and LV that Christianity is nuts. All I am saying is that it is more understandable to believe in Jesus than Xenu because it is such a huge part of our shared cultural experience.

So you'd rather someone be a brainwashed, unthinking conformist than a bonkers individual who thinks for himself, no matter how crazy his conclusions may be? At least the second one is more interesting.

I would rather neither, to be honest. I just feel one is more understandable than the other.

[LoathedVermin72]

I'm not saying Christianity isn't nuts, just that it's part of our cultural heritage, which makes it easier (and more understandable) to believe. Scientology, on the other hand, is very clearly a load of bullshit made up by a con man. Someone being a Christian doesn't make me lose respect for them, but someone being a scientologist does.

Also, Scientology's story is definitely crazier than Christianity's:

Xenu (/ˈziːnuː/),[1][2][3] also called "Xemu", was, according to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who 75 million years ago brought billions[4][5] of his people to Earth (then known as "Teegeeack") in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes, and killed them with hydrogen bombs. Official Scientology scriptures hold that the thetans (immortal spirits) of these aliens adhere to humans, causing spiritual harm

CHRISTIANS LITERALLY WORSHIP A ZOMBIE! That's not off the chain insane to you?!

Like you just admitted, you understand/accept one over the other because it's been around longer. That's it. The fact that anyone actually literally believes in the stories of Christianity is bizarre to me. Faith is one thing, whatever. But if you believe a man died and came back from the dead then disappeared and might maybe probably come back one day and take some folks over to his place for a while before coming back for the others, I don't know what to tell you.

Most Christians are brain washed (for lack of a better term) from birth to believe what they believe. Tom Cruise made the decision to believe that scientology nonsense as an adult. Surely, that makes him more of a weirdo than the average Christian.

For the record, I agree with you and LV that Christianity is nuts. All I am saying is that it is more understandable to believe in Jesus than Xenu because it is such a huge part of our shared cultural experience.

So you'd rather someone be a brainwashed, unthinking conformist than a bonkers individual who thinks for himself, no matter how crazy his conclusions may be? At least the second one is more interesting.

I would rather neither, to be honest. I just feel one is more understandable than the other.

Yeah, we certainly agree on the first part. But I do think there's something kind of interesting about how certain artists' egos lead them into strange religious territory. I kind of look at Tom Cruise's Scientology the same way I look at Kanye's Christianity - it strikes me like a somewhat insane artist needing something insane in order to create their best art and, therefore, become their best self.

[epilogue]

Most Christians are brain washed (for lack of a better term) from birth to believe what they believe. Tom Cruise made the decision to believe that scientology nonsense as an adult. Surely, that makes him more of a weirdo than the average Christian.

For the record, I agree with you and LV that Christianity is nuts. All I am saying is that it is more understandable to believe in Jesus than Xenu because it is such a huge part of our shared cultural experience.

That's what vermin and I are saying though. It's only more understandable to believe in Jesus that Xenu BECAUSE it is such a huge part of our shared cultural experience. If Scientology had come first and Christianity was the new craze you'd feel the same about Scientology as you do Christianity. That's the point here.

And, yes, Tom Cruise is a weirder than the average Christian. But he's also a way better actor than the average Christian too. So what are you gonna do?

[tommymtcom]

Most Christians are brain washed (for lack of a better term) from birth to believe what they believe. Tom Cruise made the decision to believe that scientology nonsense as an adult. Surely, that makes him more of a weirdo than the average Christian.

For the record, I agree with you and LV that Christianity is nuts. All I am saying is that it is more understandable to believe in Jesus than Xenu because it is such a huge part of our shared cultural experience.

That's what vermin and I are saying though. It's only more understandable to believe in Jesus that Xenu BECAUSE it is such a huge part of our shared cultural experience. If Scientology had come first and Christianity was the new craze you'd feel the same about Scientology as you do Christianity. That's the point here.

Well, I think LV was negating the importance of the shared cultural experience part, but yeah it seems like we agree.

Should we go back to talking MI now?

[E.H. Ruddock]

FYI, when I have time later tonight I'm taking all of these religious posts out of this thread and moving them to the appropriate N&D thread.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Bump for LV, joey, and tommy.

[tommymtcom]

Bump for LV, joey, and tommy.

We worked things out already, but thanks.

[Green Habit]

Funny, I was pondering whether or not to link to this article, and then I see this thread on the top. So I might as well just go for it.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... devil.html

[E.H. Ruddock]

Bump for LV, joey, and tommy.

We worked things out already, but thanks.

I was actually just bumping it so it would be easier to move those posts to this thread.

[Rangi Guy]

This is the thread I come to when I want to be reminded that I'm just a brainwashed, unthinking conformist - now I can get on with my day

[Kaius]

Sorry you have to put up with these jerks, Rangi. Beware the internet.

[nyquillyn]

Good read.

Arian Foster: 'I don't believe in God'

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13369 ... ieving-god

[Green Habit]

Good read.

Arian Foster: 'I don't believe in God'

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13369 ... ieving-god

Read that earlier, good stuff.

[darth_vedder]

Team

[BurtReynolds]

Team

Tommy was right and those other two guys are knuckleheads.

[BurtReynolds]

Speaking of mass delusion, looks like presidential election time is here.

[Strat]

Looks like ive been missing a good thread here!