Should Faith/Religion Have Such a High Value In Our Society?

[lambsy_uk]

I'm not here to trample all over people's faith/beliefs but to ask if/why such beliefs should hold such high value in our society?

So where am I comming from? Well we can freely question almost anything in our society/lives; morals, political beliefs, actions and reactions, motivations, interactions, foreign policy, education, welfare, how we raise our children, law and order and so on..........

However we are positively discouraged from questioning people's faith/beliefs/religion! We are also actively encouraged to accommodate and allow for people's religious beliefs, and this is the bit that really irks me! Why is it that if something is done in the name of a religious belief/practice then we are expected to accept it with little fuss where if any other excuse were used we'd be up in arms?

We endure arguments of whether animal rights should take precedence over religion, whether saving the life of a child should take precedence over their parent's beliefs, should freedom of expression take precedence over religious sensitivities?

For me you may as well base stuff on the football team you support;

"I can't comply with the company dress code because I'm a United fan and therefore I must be allowed to wear a United shirt at work."

As far as I'm concerned this is no more ridiculous than anything done/not done in the name of religious beliefs!

So why do religious beliefs hold such high status and is it right that they do?

[lambsy_uk]

Still the real question remains with me. Forget about whether god exists etc., etc........ We know fait and religion exist and so I ask again, why should we afford them such high status in society? Why should we consider them to be 'Untouchable'?

I do believe all religious faiths should be treated equally; with equal contempt!

I believe our laws and practices should in no way be influenced by religion. We can take religion into consideration when considering certain practices or codes of conduct but these should be a consideration that takes its place, not one that trumps all others!

[bankhaunter]

It's curious how many Christians think the Gospels are eyewitness accounts even though some parts of them couldn't possibly be and I wonder how many dismissed all that he said once they realised he was a muslim.

Biblical history is quite fascinating once learned without it being bent to fit events as told in the Bible

[bankhaunter]

I do believe all religious faiths should be treated equally; with equal contempt!

I have no more respect for a person's belief in a god than I would for their belief they were abducted by aliens, both are equally as valid.

It's what people do with it that matters, actions not words, I respect a church group that gives the homeless somewhere to stay with no strings attached but I have no respect for those who go on jaunts to Africa to hand out bibles.

[tommy.irene]

---

@**bustysinclaire** wrote:

---

@**forum-decorum** wrote:

We had a good Watchtower study today.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2014603

What Is the Role of Women in Jehovah’s Purpose?

---

My apologies. I posted the above with the wrong ID:smileymad:

---

Do you really believe all that.. Another man made story.

[tommy.irene]

female CNN journalist heard about a very old Jewish man who had been going to the Western Wall to pray, twice a day, every day, for a long, long time. So she went to check it out. She went to the Western Wall and there he was, walking slowly up to the holy site. She watched him pray and after about 45 minutes, when he turned to leave, using a cane and moving very slowly, she approached him for an interview. "Pardon me, sir, I'm Rebecca Smith from CNN. What's your name?" "Morris Feinberg," he replied. "Sir, how long have you been coming to the Western Wall and praying?" "For about 60 years." "60 years! That's amazing! What do you pray for?" "I pray for peace between the Christians, Jews, and the Muslims." "I pray for all the wars and all the hatred to stop." "I pray for all our children to grow up safely as responsible adults and to love their fellow man." "I pray that politicians tell us the truth and put the interests of the people ahead of their own interests." And finally "I pray that everyone will be happy". "How do you feel after doing this for 60 years?" "Like I'm talking to a Brick wall and wasted 60 years of my life!"

[**bustysinclaire**]

---

@tommy.irene wrote:

---

@**bustysinclaire** wrote:

---

@**forum-decorum** wrote:

We had a good Watchtower study today.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2014603

What Is the Role of Women in Jehovah’s Purpose?

---

My apologies. I posted the above with the wrong ID:smileymad:

---

Do you really believe all that.. Another man made story.

---

Yes Tommy, I really do.

I have researched and studied a lot of information, statements and what I believe to be an abundance of facts and come to the conclusion that it isn't man made stories, I have not just sat back and taken anything as true without question, mine is not a blind faith.

[cee-dee]

ALL the stories are Man-made.

Show me one, just ONE story that isn't Man-made?

If Man, wrote it down after ages spent recounting it, how is it not Man-made?

Man can say anything he chooses, whether it's true or false is open to question.

If something can be proved beyond doubt, it's true.

If it cannot be proved beyond doubt, believing such a story is a matter of belief/faith.

[merehazle]

---

@**bustysinclaire** wrote:

---

@tommy.irene wrote:

---

@**bustysinclaire** wrote:

---

@**forum-decorum** wrote:

We had a good Watchtower study today.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2014603

What Is the Role of Women in Jehovah’s Purpose?

---

My apologies. I posted the above with the wrong ID:smileymad:

---

Do you really believe all that.. Another man made story.

---

Yes Tommy, I really do.

I have researched and studied a lot of information, statements and what I believe to be an abundance of facts and come to the conclusion that it isn't man made stories, I have not just sat back and taken anything as true without question, mine is not a blind faith.

---

Hello busty. 

Well isnt science man made?   Would you agree that science is searching for God? 

I support science over religion and I'm an athiest. I just hate all the oppression on the right to use one's brain that has occurred in the name of God. I love Greek mythology, although I don't believe in it. But then, in the history of the U.S, I doubt there was much oppression on higher thinking in the name of Zeus and Athens, was there?

BTW I think your last five words has assured further comment. But I might be wrong? 

Thank you. I might be back later this evening. 

[tommy.irene]

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Pope-Francis-condemns-evil-pastors-who-force-people-away-from-Churc... They must be losing money.

[saasher2012]

Busty, there you have your proof that it's man made,
It's a privilege is it that women bear children?
Yes well we all know if men had to give birth there would be no more humans! lol.

[ronnybabes]

..... or a lot less fuss....

runs for shelter........

[saasher2012]

YER avin a larf aint yer! Most men are dying when they get a cold! lol.how would they cope with piles & varicose veins & that's before the hard work starts. lol.

[tommy.irene]

---

@saasher2012 wrote:
YER avin a larf aint yer! Most men are dying when they get a cold! lol.how would they cope with piles & varicose veins & that's before the hard work starts. lol.

---

I remember putting Deep Heat on piles..they never came back.. that was 20 years ago.. 

[upthecreekyetagain]

---

@bankhaunter wrote:

It's curious how many Christians think the Gospels are eyewitness accounts even though some parts of them couldn't possibly be and I wonder how many dismissed all that he said once they realised he was a muslim.

Biblical history is quite fascinating once learned without it being bent to fit events as told in the Bible

---

[bankhaunter]

I remember putting Deep Heat on piles..they never came back.. that was 20 years ago.. 

But have you stopped parking your butt in buckets of cold water by now?

Whilst I wouldn't for a moment suggest childbirth might not be, to say the least, uncomfortable, it is well documented that woman like being a martyr, it's a useful form of control.

The interesting thing is the reason why, could it be that for countless generations woman have, directly or indirectly, faced the biblical teachings that they are subservient to their husbands and are using the small martyrdoms that have been bred into them as a form of fighting back?

[bankhaunter]

It would be typical that anyone of Fox news would find it incredible unbiased studies could ever be undertaken, they just can't evisage it being done.

As for being the stupidest interview, it does have some strong contenders, for example Bill O'Reilly claiming that the tides going in and out cannot be explained.

I would like to ask Reza if Jesus was so important at the time and the Romans were so good at documentation, why is it that none seemed to mention him at the time, one would think somewhere he would appear, in a letter perhaps.

[**bustysinclaire**]

---

@saasher2012 wrote:
YERavin alarfaint yer! Most men are dying when they get a cold!lol.how would they cope with piles & varicose veins & that's before the hard work starts.lol.

---

I hope you are not insinuating I have piles and varicose veins.

lol

[upthecreekyetagain]

---

@bankhaunter wrote:

I would like to ask Reza if Jesus was so important at the time and the Romans were so good at documentation, why is it that none seemed to mention him at the time, one would think somewhere he would appear, in a letter perhaps.

---

Reza did talk in one of his interviews about a record that does exist written by a Roman scribe - if I can find it I'll post the link for you.

[**bustysinclaire**]

---

@merehazle wrote:

---

@**bustysinclaire** wrote:

---

@tommy.irene wrote:

---

@**bustysinclaire** wrote:

---

@**forum-decorum** wrote:

We had a good Watchtower study today.

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2014603

What Is the Role of Women in Jehovah’s Purpose?

---

My apologies. I posted the above with the wrong ID:smileymad:

---

Do you really believe all that.. Another man made story.

---

Yes Tommy, I really do.

I have researched and studied a lot of information, statements and what I believe to be an abundance of facts and come to the conclusion that it isn't man made stories, I have not just sat back and taken anything as true without question, mine is not a blind faith.

---

Hello busty. 

Well isnt science man made?   Would you agree that science is searching for God? 

I support science over religion and I'm an athiest. I just hate all the oppression on the right to use one's brain that has occurred in the name of God. I love Greek mythology, although I don't believe in it. But then, in the history of the U.S, I doubt there was much oppression on higher thinking in the name of Zeus and Athens, was there?

BTW I think your last five words has assured further comment. But I might be wrong? 

Thank you. I might be back later this evening. 

---

Hello merehazle.

I don't believe science is man made. All scientists are doing is discovering and trying to understand what God has already created. Some things they get right and the Bible will back them up and other things for example, the formation of the universe and planet earth they think they know what has really occurred but their interpretations of their findings are way off.

Take for instance the big bang, scientists have been able to figure out what it was and reconstructed it. That is all it was a reconstruction, God had already done it. (and no, I am not saying God's big bang was the begining of evolution)

We were made with a fantastic vital organ the brian, we were meant to use it, at the moment we only use about 2/3rds of our brain. In this limited system we live in and the fact that mankind is dying makes the use of it somewhat restricted. Those restricitons will soon be removed, we have so much more potential where our brains capabilities are concerned.

Greek mythology is just a collection of stories, obviously I don't believe in it either.

[bankhaunter]

Science is a process designed by man to explain the natural world, it puts forth hypothesises which are tested by experiment and observation which is checked by peer reviews, if they pass they become theories.

Religion just explains things by 'God did it' and that's permanent, unchanging, science on the other hand adjusts theories if new information is discovered.

Why did the 'Big Bang' have to have a god as a cause, where is the evidence for that, it's just another unproven assertion, I could just as easily say it was caused by fairies, that would be equally as valid.

Some things they get right and the Bible will back them up

The Bible backs up no science, any similarity is just coincidence, all that happens is people have simply gone through it to find bits that simply look vaguely as though there is a connection and interpreted that as backing up.

A former director of the Vatican observatory puts it very well, I quote "The Scriptures are not teaching science".

We were made with a fantastic vital organ the brian, we were meant to use it,

But not to question faith or belief, if we do that and come to the wrong conclusion, we get punished for it, apparently.

Greek mythology is just a collection of stories

And so is the Bible.