Oh Lord. A religion topic.
*Takes a pinch of salt, holds nose.*
Why am I doing this why am I doing this why am I doing this
Sigh.
Ok, I can't help myself. Here we go...
A whole lot of tomfoolery concerning the use and meaning of the word/name "God".
The guy who decided that it was a great idea to refer to the God of Abraham (IE Yahweh, Jehovah, the Christian "God") as simply "God" was a fucking genius. Seriously. The question "Do you believe in God?" takes on a whole new meaning depending upon who's asking. Whos God? Yours? His? Any one in general?
That poll question is retarded, and you can't get any kind of an accurate answer out of it. I declare it bunk.
"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is."
I love Gandhi. Seriously, that dude has sooo many great quotes.
The big question is... are "Far to many people...' Christian?
D: Sensei-san, WHY!? You make me sad.
Especially since Christianity (or, at least, the Catholic flavor) is a quickly shrinking religion. And is quickly being replaced by a religion that out and out says "Convert or Die".
You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
-- Matthew 5:38-42
Ugh. I'll say this just once. Even IF the Bible was "Divinely Inspired"TM, it was still interpreted by, and written by, the creature that is Man. It is much easier to control a population that believes in the kind of self-sacrificing drivel above than the kind that believes something like... well, like this for example:
If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.
No power on earth can subjugate you when you are armed with the sword
Those who beat their swords into plowshares usually end up plowing for those who didn't.
I love those guys.
As to the Atheist/Agnostic argument. and Agnostic is one who does not recognize the divinity of a higher power, but does not take a stand on whether a greater power exists or not. And Atheist believes in nothing but his own smug sense of superiority. A tree, dirt, wind, or other worshiper cannot be an Atheist.
*Waits patiently for Exterminatus Extremus to hit thread.*