I've been reading some heated words on subjects of open debate in this forum, all about who has the right idea about religion, and who thinks faith is good, or bad or whatever and all I can do is ask this question. If you make love the center of your religion, does any of the rest matter? Who died for which reason, or who's cousin was the truest prophet, or whether we've descended from apes, none of that matters in a philosophy that places love of the human condition above the principles of dominion. I hate to quote Deepak Chopra, but I saw him on television saying much this same thing. I will quote here from memory, so if its not quite right, then correct me. " I am always talking with young people, who are unsure about which religion is the right one, and I tell them to make Love the guiding principle in their lives, and then to take their time deciding." Or something to that effect. Can a philosophy based on love of the human condition succeed, or are we only allowed to believe in the unseeable? I will pass my love on to the other poor creatures who make me so mad, or hate me, or feel superior to me, or who would place me against the wall for execution...and this will not matter to them, but I will feel the energy created with the love I created out of their hate. And if you've ever turned matter into anti-matter, the power you generated was only 1% of the power generated by turning hate into love. Love all, Serve All. Toke on!
Am an 100% atheist and anti-theist and I can easily embrace this philosophy without supernatural warrant for it. Why do you need to be told what to do be some god? We know and understand love is grand, I don't need an ancient ideology, ripped off from another ancient ideology, to understand this. So much time and energy is wasted with this foolish piece of our infancy as a species. Can't we move on just like we have buried all the other gods and myths of the past? We all know it - Love everyone. Smoke pot. But don't brainwash children, and for fuck's sake don't hack off the foreskin on their penis cause you think God wants you to.
I agree, it completly doesn't matter which religion you choose as long as you let love be your guide. I think that there are some religions that have worse rules than others, but if love led you there, of your own free will, then which ever religion that is is right. As for hacking off foreskin, this is symbolic of keeping an open heart. God commanded that the children of isreal remove the foreskin, as a reminder to keep your heart open to God. So many people have closed off hearts, that God (love) can't lead them.
whoa, so in the name of love, jewish children are having their foreskins sliced and diced?! That sounds like a way for the ancient jewish priests to test how submissive their flock was. "Hey if we can get them the mutilate the penises of their infant kids, then we can get them to do anything!" Al - I know where you're comin from. The problem that many of the religions of the world preach their superiority, along with love for their own members. This can breed hate for the different. I have no problem with a philosophy teaching us to love one another. But there is no way I'll join a cult that preaches love. It never ends well. I gotta wrap this up, blah blah blah,,
Circumsision used to be done for health reasons. Plenty of other people besides the Jews have practiced circumcision. I look at it as a mark of God's influence on your life, that way no matter what you believe concerning the reality of him or not, you're at least forced to contemplate the question. Just me rationalizing my people though, probably not a real reason
I was just reading an all too familiar story in the USA, about yet another teenager with high-powered weaponry, venting his impotent fury on the general populace. Long story short, 9 dead, including himself, and at least 2 persons still listed as critical. I wish I could have had two minutes of his time before he started shooting. Not to restrain him, but to try one more time to give him enough hope to continue his efforts for one more day. Or at least to convince him to do himself in without the unnecessary deaths of his victims. This boy could have been my son, or brother, or cousin...and he thought that life was so hopeless, and meaningless that all he could do was commit atrocities, to try and hold some power before he admitted his own weaknesses and shot himself. I see this mindset everywhere I look today, young people who don't understand that time heals all wounds, and that vengeance is the last resort of the mentally bereft. How many hopeless killers must we see, before we realize the worthlessness of a culture of fear? I weep today for the victims of this man, but I also weep for this man, this boy in a man's body, who had no hope left, no dreams, no peace in his soul and worse still...he had nowhere to go with his pain where he wouldn't have been mistreated. I am sorry that we haven't realized the true value of all human life, no matter how shitty today might seem to some of us. Peace my friends, is the fruit of love, plant it in your garden and take good care of it, like a fine mother plant. And never give up hope, OK?
preach it bro. I don't agree with all of your conclusions as to why people lash out, but I'm behind the gist of your message 100 %. For me God is Love. I call him Jesus, and many others call the same God many other names. It doesn't make me any better or worse than anyone else, just different. Many religious zealots are so misguided in their behaviors. many religions have a history of anything but Love. I suppose this is the danger of accepting a faith because it is the thing to do, the way you want others to see you or any other reason that isn't from your heart. Peace
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6 TNIV As taught by Jesus: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12 TNIV "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love." John 15:9 TNIV
Yo man, I respect your need to let the truth shine through, but keep that shit in relevant threads. This is for expressing love, not hate.
May we quote you on that? Oh, wait, I just did... That reminds me of the name of my friends band. They're called "The GodWads". At least they were, I think they are defunct now, but what a great name, I almost died laughing when I first heard it. So, I see that foreskin is heavily on the minds of GC posters, mine is gone, I don't remember who took it, or if it was for religious reasons or just because my parents wanted to show off my unit for the future Mrs. Medicine. But she loves it now that the bleeding is over, and so do I. As the lead character in the movie ' Hedwig and the Angry Inch' says..." It's what I've got to work with." And to Saved Smoker, thank you for the quotes, I'd like to see quotes about all sorts of points of views on the subject. I will start with one from old Todd Rundgren, a singer I've always liked. He doesn't belong to any faith I'm aware of, but I love this song, you've heard it I'm sure, but did you listen to the lyrics? " Who knows why? Someday we all must die... We're all homeless boys and girls, And we are never heard! Its such a lonely,lonely,lonely world... People turn their heads and walk on by, TELL ME IS IT WORTH JUST ANOTHER TRY? Light of the world, set us free...LOVE IS THE ANSWER! Shine on us all, set us free...LOVE IS THE ANSWER! Tell me are we alive? Or just a dying planet? What are the chances? ASK THE MAN IN YOUR HEART FOR THE ANSWERS! And when you feel afraid...love one another! And when you've lost your way...love one another!" Almost makes you think it wasn't secular, but it is, despite being sung in churches all over the place. It is sung into the human mind, the only sacred ground I know of.
This is a good point... But so many kids and adults have the idea that you can only love those in your own religion. I am not sure where that has started but I see it a lot, somebody will ask me at work what I believe about religion and even though I shouldn't answer it, I tell them that I do not in fact believe in any form of religion. Then they hate my guts for my point of view, I wish they would love a little more and chill out with the hating.