Ironically, that is the exact perception I have of religious preachers. I guess it depends on your point of view.
Yes absolutely correct - both sides of the debate could be said to take the same stance. In reality though it comes down to who has the biggest 'guns' (or biggest 'God' I guess in their own minds) at their disposal... a constraint in itself, surely? That kind of thing still runs through from the days of Saladin vs the Crusaders - a confrontation of deities which many insist even now underpins the conflicts still present in our modern World, but thesedays waged over oil or strategic acreage. If you can make such a statement of course that in itself shows an healthy ability to step back and assess all sides, rather than being corralled by one's conditioning and opinions of ones' peers doesn't it? If the separation of Church from State was ever a good example of why this is important - which was really the point of the Oklahoma Atheist vid - then I don't think there's a President of the US or a Prime Minister of the UK or Aus who'd choose to confront or displease the religious lobby - it's too full of different opinions (for that, you might as well read 'passives' and 'radicals' I think - I didn't use the word 'loonies' please note.) Besides, money talks much louder than any Missionary, Imam or proselytiser I've ever come across - which is probably why groups like the Catholic Church, The Mormons, The Seventh Day Balloonists etc put such an emphasis on acquiring the stuff... and LOTS of it.
I think if you are able to acknowledge the depth of diversion from true Godhead any old Tom Dick or Harriet can achieve in the name of religion then you shouldn't take what's said here as being 'offensive' really - but you can take what's said here as a strong vocalisation of frustration, anger and despair directed at those who insist that their interpretation of religion, deity and all that goes with those concepts should always be held in reverence, held up as examples of how to live one's life or rolled-out as excuses to wage war or propagate injustice to serve their own overt or covert agendas. Look - If you were thirsty, I'd give you a cup of water. If you were hungry I'd give you food. If you were in distress, I'd innately without any sense of reward due or moral superiority on show, try to comfort you. If you were in danger I'd try to help you avoid that predicament in any way I could. If you were injured I'd try to give you immediate aid as best I know how. If you were in the gutter through no fault of your own, I'd try to lift you up. If you were on the edge of a building in despair, I'd try to talk you from off that ledge. These are just examples which some cynics here would no doubt call trite or cliched - but they're true. I've been in many situations where friends - and strangers - have been in extreme difficulty, and I've done my best to help, sometimes successfully, sometimes not - but the point is that someone - anyone - makes these efforts isn't it? Most people might say 'well those are mighty Christian things to do' - but the truth is they aren't - they're innate to our species. Compassion, generosity of heart, concern and a willingness to help are NOT exclusively Christian, or Islamic, or Buddhist, or Hindu - they're the kind of responses which were in us long before anyone decided to form any kind of 'church'. They are human values - and universal - since we as a species learned that preserving and fostering relations is a good thing when we were still living in caves. Of course, when someone else tries to invade our cave or disadvantage us or our own for their gain, then you know to suspend extending these 'human' values in their direction - it's very basic stuff... If you can get your head around that concept of self-reliance in terms of morality & religious regulation then you'd not see anything here as 'hate' or in the least offensive - it's just that we now live in a World which is FULL of people who don't know how to - or can't because of their peers/culture/conditioning/societal expectations - think for themselves. The global population has exploded in the last four hundred years - and those archaic stories, put into books cobbled together because it suited those in control are just that - they are totally archaic. Incidentally, you must see the similarities in the context of the prophets & architects of the modern money markets don't you? We're told why a fiat system of exchange is good - that free markets are the be all (and end all, possibly) of everything that's important or should be to us monetarily? How is the Church of Globalised Transnational business any different? Penetration, dominance, control - and very good marketing (if you don't believe you never will be 'one of us' or access Heaven/Paradise!) - or be 'valid' - in exactly the same way that today we are herded to consume by those commercial 'churches' - and if we don't conform we are socio-economically cast out into the peer pressure driven wilderness because we are then deemed to be 'invalid' consumers?! These new 'churches' must control us - in the same way religious churches have sought to dominate us for centuries... It's all about CONTROL - of minds, men and money. Those Golden Arches - Man, they're a big draw, eh? Same old, same old then. How is this different to other forms of 'religion'? Answer - it isn't - it's no different at all, and equally you must be able to see that enormous injustice, inequality, distortion and miscreance are created - because we are flawed - and prone to f$cking-up, being corruptible, being avaricious, selfish & greedy. Please don't be offended - just give as much of a nod & a wink to those who don't share your personal views - and you'll soon see that there is no wilful offensiveness there - just more truth to consider. Btw - anyway, you don't need a church affiliation or scripture group to know God, if that's what you choose to believe in - that's just what you thought you were supposed to believe.
Had a quick glance. First thread that caught my eye was: "How come nobody is smuggling paper gold? " I'll stick with the socialists, hard rightists, libertarians, humanists, and free thinkers on SS I think.
