i believe that religion is not real. it man-made. i think that with so many different people from so many different countries speaking so many different languages couldn't all follow the same religion or the same god because not everyone believed in the same things. so they divided this religious belief (or beliefs) into Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Ba'hai, and so on. this is all fake, made-up stuff. like synthetic cloth. it's not natural. and again Christianity is divided into Catholicism, Protestantism, Roman catholicism, Anglican, Evangelism, and worst of all, those stupid Jehovah's witnesses who come knocking on your door and are desparate enough to preach all about God and how great he is. there are too many religions in this world, it can't possibly be natural. they all have these rules and covenants, half of which they don't even follow. all people following a certain religion have to abide by all the rules and requirements of that religion whether they like it or not. we are not allowed to be individuals. this is not religion, this is mayhem. Chaos. Bedlam. Religious disorder. where can we find real religion???

Exactly! I agree. Look at my signature, All religions have been made by men. There's a shitload of religions out there. How do you know the "correct" one? That's why I choose not to have one. I'm an Atheist. Religion has done some good things, but it has started a shitload of wars throughout history. People have slaughtered each other over their gods.

Dammit people, how many times do we puny mortals go through the paradox of "The chicken and the egg", "Man and Technology" and "Man and God"...

Did God make Man, or Man make God? Religion is a drug people use, to alleviate their lives. I use Religion-- I NEED religion-- why? Because it gives something to believe in. It is a fabrication of ideals that should be used, and there is always some grain of truth in every religious spiel. To not believe, to be atheistic, is all fine and good, just like being straight edge, but usually the atheists are the ones whose parents shovelled religious shit down their mouths (there are exceptions, though).

Our society is obsessed with escapism. There are always choices in this "mortal coil", (1)to progress and evolutionalize, (2)to lay stagnant and narrow-minded, (to be self-destructive and extinct, or (4) to escape. Most people follow escape, it's the best way, and is almost-always partnered with stagnation and narrow-mindedness.

The fact that religion seems to be man-made makes sense, simply because YOU ARE A (HU)MAN, are you not, Lucifer (despite the archaic, demonic terms of your name)? The known world is made of logic, and how human beings perceive what they come into contact with. Thus, everything seems to be man-made, everything that is part of the metaphor, and incorporeal, because we logicized it and are unsure whether the universe is empirical or sensory. Thus goes on the illusion of everything we hold dear.

What did the communists say? Religion is the opium of society . . .

Napoleon also said "What is history but a fable agreed upon?", the point being the man had some serious reality-skewed paranoid mental problems going on in his head.

As far as relying on quotes from Communists, don't go to far with it, they also though Communism would work.

Anywhoo, what was my original point going to be? Oh yeah.

Wow, you're an atheist. My, how rebellious. Good for you. Keep it up.

Of course religion is man-made. You think the same God invented Judaism, Christianity and Islam?


Here's my advice: believe in what you think is true.

Good advice (now if only people would follow it)
But don't forget we are all entitled to our own belief system, so don't shove yer beliefs down my throat (more good advice for the pushers)

note: that was not directed to anyone in particular, it was a general statement

Now if only parents didn't force their religion on their children...

I know we don't always agree Heathy, but I want you to know I have often, often, OFTEN dreamed of such a world.

I greatly agree with you on this. Religion is man made. Some humans believe they have to have something to believe in or they fall apart in the balance of life. I dont believe if there is a god or whatever, that he made about 100 different religions and there all right.
Either way we all have our own religion even though it has no name, we believe in what we want.
Parents arent right sometimes with enforcing children to believe in something when they really dont. To as what religion is right we will never know, but kan only guess or estimate. I by my parents was Roman Catholic once, then Satanist and back and forth with atheist.
I have nothing against anyones beliefs, they belong to the person who believes it and not my own. Thats my opinion.

that's what I'm debating in my head... and so far, it's pretty much winning... I think,, I dont know yet... I'M STIL DEBATING IT!!! ... this will never end

That's something I'm trying to figure out right now. I'm one confused individual. I've been to so many churches in my life it's down right scary.

And I'd really rather not put my child through any of that. Especially since the bulk of the churches here preach hate, and I will never EVER teach my child to hate anyone.

Personally, I feel it's important for a child to have some sort of spiritual base, but since this is my first, I am at a loss for what.

It's been a heyday as far as relatives go. Catholics and Charasmatics on one side, and Baptists on the other. (For those that don't know, Baptist's think Catholics are Satan spawn and Charasmatic's are cult leaders.)

Thank god all these people live far away from each other. Now if they will stop telling me I have to start going to church.

Ah, the parental unit's ultimate choice..... to baptize or not to baptize, that is the question before us here. I think that, depending on a parent's beliefs.... they should ultmately let the child decide when he/she is older. Granted, my parents did that but when I made my choice I kept hearing how I will go to Hell and I really should baptize my own children. How my mother made such a drastic mistake in not having me baptized.

Me, on the other hand, will not shove any belief system down my boys' throats. It will be totally up to them to make what ever choice they wish. As long as they don't go out and kill in the name of what ever they choose to follow. It really should be a personal choice.

Well, I didn't baptize (or christin in the catholic church, and yes I know it's spelled wrong), for the simple reason that I think it's utterly absurd that a child is born into the world with sin. That has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

Now the church our membership is with (that we haven't been to in 2 years because we don't like it) has something called dedication, where you dedicate to raise your child as a christian. Now I dedicate to raise my child as a good person. Someone who knows the difference between right and wrong, who is concerned for the welfare of others, but is also able to take responsibility for her own actions.

But I don't know if I would dedicate to raise her a christian. There are just too many extra rules that I don't agree with. Too many people believe that a christian is a hater, and I will never teach my child to hate. Just like I will never tell her there are some things she can't do simply because she's a girl. (God's I despise baptist churches).

I want my child to have a belief in god, and a strong sense of spirituality, but forcing it on her is certainly not the way to go. Then you end up with the rebellious freaks who have issue's and need to seek therapy.

I don't want her to grow up worried about whether or not she will go to heaven. I want her to motivated to make good decisions on her own. Not out of fear of what may happan in the after life.

I somewhat believe that religion is man-made, without mans..belief in that certain religion there is none at all. Just like a belief in a god, you have to belief it exists, even though there is no way to prove you right or wrong. Today, religion is somewhat forced on people. If yur not a certain religion , if you dont find I dunno..whats its called...salvation or something like that..you'll go to the Christian hell. I actually believe that Now in the present day.. religion is all about man, most of the people I used to go to church with are selfish and hipocritical. Love Everyone, they say, yet if you arent Christian, you are nothing to them. and if you do confront them.. their belief is almost shoved down your throat!