quote:
Originally posted by Agent_Orange:
some people dont have their minds made up whether there is or is not a God to worship. some of them just follow this idea"Well, I'm not sure if there's a God or not, but if there is, maybe I should pray. Just to have all my bases covered."
What can it hurt anyways? Sure, I found religion, I've seen it with my own eyes, and I'm only 16. Some people would call what I saw coincidence, but it was too exact for that. You dont have to believe in anything you can't fathom or except, but whats it hurt? Christianity never taught you to do anything evil or inhumane to people, mostly to be a good person and love God, why not "pray. Just to have all my bases covered."?
Well, that's not even a fraction of it. Religion has been behind many bloody conflicts in human history. In addition, religion has contributed much to misunderstanding of Humanity and Nature. I don't even know where to begin. Consider, to begin, how religious theology has contributed to much suffering in its hatred and fear of, among other things, human sexuality.
I have nothing against prayer in and of itself. But, if you're praying to a God which you know doesn't exist, than you may well end up finding many illogical reasons to actually start believing, you'll see signs, you'll convince yourself. I know this happens, I have seen it. The problem with prayer is that it can create hyper-suggestible states of mind...an ideal medium to imprint beliefs. Ignoring that possibility, than the other argument is that its a waste of your time. In the end, its not really prayer that I'm concerned about. As you point out religion, and prayer, can have positive effects as well, such as altruism.
What was your experience? I have a peculiar fascination with occult/mystical/"paranormal" experience, not as a dogmatic skeptic but as a matter of profound significance. As you should know, EXPERIENCE is something I'd put weight in.
Eryk, illogical quibble? Please, whereat?
My point about the Iraq war is that people were willing to digress the conventional bounds for what this board can be about. I would think that that is a possibility with this thread as well. It is a matter of your willingness to engage me in an argument about something which has deep significance for human potential. I'm always healing myself, because I'm always opening myself to mystery and growth.
