I don't arrive at this decision lightly. I've always thought that there was a value in religion in the hope that it brings to people. But I'm reaching a conclusion at the moment that the detrimental effects and lies and farcical bullshit that forms the centre of pretty much every religion far outweigh any positive effect.

So cmon, throwdown: anyone want to defend religion? I guess I'm over simplifying it a bit, but meh. I used to think that all the mysticism and the claptrap that reinforces it was there because people were stupid, but now I'm thinking people are stupid because of having it drilled into them. I mean, if you're taught to believe the stuff in Leviticus and Revalations makes sense, your definition of "makes sense" is going to be warped from Day One.

Buddhism.

Now you tell me why Buddhism's bad.

I don't know that much about it ... Taoism? (If anyone can further educate me on this that would help. haha)

__________________
don't you think every kitten figures out how to get down
whether or not you ever show up

whats wrong with Jedi?

.,

I'm a little sketchy on the details, but as I understand it, karmically, if you're a complete shitbag, the worst that happens to you is that you're reincarnated as a rock. Would I be right in thinking that?

buddhism basically tells people to stop complaining, because everything happens for a reason, right?

So? Most religions do that. The only one I can think of that doesn't is Catholicism, which actively encourages you to complain, then tells you everything happens for a reason.

but isnt the very idea of buddism that life is pain, and pretty much every carnal thing you do will make it harder for you to reach nirvana/not being reincarnated anymore? i could be wrong, its been ages since i had classes in this.

anyway, to me budism honestly sounds as bad as the condemnation of sins by every other religion, in the way that they all promise salvation if you follow these strickt rules and everyone who fails to follow them is damned to hell/reincarnation/whatever.

Another gripe with Buddhism:

I cannot imagine what nirvana/oblivion might be like.
I can imagine what being reincarnated might be like.
The latter sounds pretty good; the former might be good.
So do I take the money, or open the box?

Finding out what it's like to be a rock, knowing that if I am a good rock I'll get to be something else afterwards, holds much more appeal than nirvana, as I don't even know if I'd even like it and it is presumably forever.

good thread topic

i can't really defend any religion, i don't believe there is one that isn't "full of shit" to some degree

i think i could probably "defend" one form of satanism or another if i took the time to fully research it

i like the concept of belief in oneself

Well basically you’re here and you’ll stay here until you can leave – by generally being a nice person, not pissing anyone off, consuming only what is replenishable and having a terrible haircut. You’re not punished for doing anything bad cos it doesn’t get much worse than living on earth – so being bad just means you’ll come back and start all over again – which is probably going to happen to most here on KR before we even start.

I’m too not sure about the scalable effects of being bad - say like if you’re really bad you’ll come back as – like amoeba or something, and if you’re really really bad you’ll like come back as like Diablo or something – but generally it’s a very peaceful religion and doesn’t tend to be followed by people hell bent on converting you or people too interested in the fact that you’re not one of them.

That's the weird thing, Buddhists tend to be nice people, which, when you consider the scope that their religion offers them not to be, is quite surprising really.

i'd like to see you defend this aspect in particular if you could

how can one believe strongly in something that, quite frankly, has obviously been pulled out of someone's ass?

i guess that goes for any religion, really

Curious from someone who in this very thread has said..... Satanism tends to be populated by prepubescent eastern European kids with hygiene problems and no friends – which I have major issues with.

Mind you I couldn’t defend comic book religions like Satanism anymore than I could Catholicism which has changed the face of this planet and billions of people in it for the last 2000 years. They’re both as farcical as each other.

so ya can't answer my question or what?

you'll notice i haven't defended satanism, as i said i don't know enough about it to do so

who cares about who populates a religion?

we're not being asked to defend that

i like the concept of belief in oneself as i said

there's nothing about that concept that appears to have been pulled out of someone's ass to me, i think it makes sense

again, though, i don't know enough about satanism to defend it at all, i mentioned it off-hand

but you claimed to be able to defend buddhism

which you've failed to do, apparently on the basis that i mentioned satanism

nice

Self-belief gives the world paladin.

that's a valid point, actually

probably works out pretty good for paladin himself though?

the self-belief aspect i mean

satanism is like social darwinism and a sad excuse to try to justify being a selfish cockface
and im not to big on carnality either

but at the same time ascribing to is only effectively serves to allow yourself to be the bitch getting fucked on the lower level
but its all good so long as someones below you on da lada right
altho the mocking christianity thing is funny the rituals and all

i like the tao id never ascribe to anything except well
THAWNGUANITY

i don't really understand how being selfish is worse than claiming to be "selfless"

don't we all really have our own best interests at heart?

isn't "selflessness" an illusion?

even most selfless "acts" are self-serving in one way or another

a couple of weeks ago i bought a homeless guy on the street a couple of burgers from mcdonald's

i did it to help him out; i also did it because it made me feel good