What do you Believe??? (Religion)

[The Sisko]

23 hours ago, Renegade7 said:

 

I'm glad you posted this, because I was about to look in to them.

 

The commercials are still helpful in opening dialog concerning what Jesus was "like" versus constantly trying to ban stuff because "Jesus wouldn't like it".

 

Still a net positive, i guess, but It's like finding out the Koch Brothers donate tons of dollars to PBS in reverse...😒

Not exactly. For whatever reason, the Koch Foundation donates to NPR, a news outlet diametrically opposed to much of what they believe(d) in. OTOH, Hobby Lobby dude is trying to do what some religions, sects, and cults do, *COUGH* JDubs *COUGH* Nation of Islam *COUGH*, i.e., the old bait and switch. They get you in with the soft sell, "Yeah, it's all about love, altruism, and puppies - pretty much the same as the religion you grew up with, or in the case of the NOI, your ancestors practiced." Then, once you're in, they gradually introduce you to the full "truth" of their beliefs.

 

The one way I could see them being similar is that both are probably just doing it to buy positive sentiment for their respective brands.

[Renegade7]

52 minutes ago, The Sisko said:

Not exactly. For whatever reason, the Koch Foundation donates to NPR, a news outlet diametrically opposed to much of what they believe(d) in. OTOH, Hobby Lobby dude is trying to do what some religions, sects, and cults do, *COUGH* JDubs *COUGH* Nation of Islam *COUGH*, i.e., the old bait and switch. They get you in with the soft sell, "Yeah, it's all about love, altruism, and puppies - pretty much the same as the religion you grew up with, or in the case of the NOI, your ancestors practiced." Then, once you're in, they gradually introduce you to the full "truth" of their beliefs.

 

The one way I could see them being similar is that both are probably just doing it to buy positive sentiment for their respective brands.

 

That's exactly what it is, with an emphasis on "their beliefs".

 

I'm convinced a lot of people hide their bigotry behind their religion and think no one notices...secular society has been caught on to this.  But Jesus saying "love thy enemy" ( https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.6.27-38.KJV%23:~:text%3D27%2D38%20KJV-,But%20I%20say%20unto%20you%20which%20hear%2C%20Love%20your%20enemies,them%20which%20despitefully%20use%20you.&ved=2ahUKEwjnwaC-8KX9AhWhKlkFHQljCusQFnoECBUQBQ&usg=AOvVaw3p7Lz1ru44IVT9mL9trnlH)  is not something you hear nearly as much as "Jesus hates this or that".

 

So I'm ready to see more dialog on topics like that, even if they get caught with their pants down on their actions not matching their words, verses like that are in the Bible for people to read for themselves.  Organized Christianity's as we know it only hope for survival, imo, is to come back to what made it so popular to original converts, not trying to scare people into.  

Edited February 21, 2023 by Renegade7

[CousinsCowgirl84]

22 minutes ago, The Sisko said:

Not exactly. For whatever reason, the Koch Foundation donates to NPR, a news outlet diametrically opposed to much of what they believe(d) in. OTOH, Hobby Lobby dude is trying to do what some religions, sects, and cults do, *COUGH* JDubs *COUGH* Nation of Islam *COUGH*, i.e., the old bait and switch. They get you in with the soft sell, "Yeah, it's all about love, altruism, and puppies - pretty much the same as the religion you grew up with, or in the case of the NOI, your ancestors practiced." Then, once you're in, they gradually introduce you to the full "truth" of their beliefs.

 

The one way I could see them being similar is that both are probably just doing it to buy positive sentiment for their respective brands.

The way I see it, “even though you’re the scum of the earth, Jesus gets you, and you can be clensed by accepting Him” it’s not a message of tolerance. Jesus was a dirty immigrant, but he put his faith in god. Jesus didn’t like hypocracy,  but he put his faith in god. Jesus was persecuted, but he put his faith in god. 
 

You might be a dirty immigrant, you might be a victim of abuse at the hands of the church, you might be persecuted by the church for getting an abortion, being gay, whatever, but put your faith in god won’t you, and you can still be forgiven.
 

So no, I don’t think it is a message about tolerance. It’s a message about believing in god despite whatever heresy you practice.

Edited February 21, 2023 by CousinsCowgirl84

[The Sisko]

4 minutes ago, CousinsCowgirl84 said:

The way I see it, “even though you’re the scum of the earth, Jesus gets you, and you can be clensed by accepting Him” it’s not a message of tolerance. Jesus was a dirty immigrant, but he put his faith in god. Jesus didn’t like hypocracy,  but he put his faith in god. Jesus was persecuted, but he put his faith in god. 
 

You might be a dirty immigrant, you might be a victim of abuse at the hands of the church, you might be persecuted by the church for getting an abortion, being gay, whatever, but put your faith in god won’t you, and all that be forgiven. So no, I don’t think it is a message about tolerance. It’s a message about believing in god despite whatever heresy you practice.

Dirty immigrants? Heresy?

[Renegade7]

@CousinsCowgirl84 there's pessimism, then there's underestimating the significance of what looks like open admission to a losing strategy so trying a "new one". 

 

Metrics, polling, and other statistics all point to an increasingly secular future.  If organized religion is ever going to get its **** together it has to start somewhere.

 

 

[CousinsCowgirl84]

7 hours ago, The Sisko said:

Dirty immigrants? Heresy?

I am talking about the meaning of those commercials. Not my feelings.

[Fergasun]

The Christian message is that all have fallen short and cannot receive salvation via birthright or marriage.  It's a call to humility, repentence and forgiveness. 

 

Jesus said and did a lot of things but he synthesized the Old Testament commandments to two commandments:  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and understanding" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." 

 

I can't remember if they played one or two ads... but the one that sticks out to me was the one that had photos of people yelling at each other, particularly I thought they used January 6 rioter picture (they flashed so quickly I really couldn't tell the source).  I just remember thinking that the ad was poorly done and I didn't come away with the message of "Love your neighbor as yourself." 

 

A better ad would have been for people to go watch the TV series "The Chosen" which I think is a powerful representation of the New Testamemt. Understand they have taken a lot of liberties to fill in some of the backstories... and I know at the moment the "church" as a whole hasn't coalesced around an anti-anti-LGBT position... understandable after centuries of persecution and doctrine against homosexuality.  

[Jabbyrwock]

7 hours ago, Renegade7 said:

If organized religion is ever going to get its **** together it has to start somewhere.

 

The best place for it to start would be for it to grow up and stop playing with its imaginary friends.

[China]

Religious 'Nones' are now the largest single group in the U.S.

 

When Americans are asked to check a box indicating their religious affiliation, 28% now check 'none.'

 

A new study from Pew Research finds that the religiously unaffiliated – a group comprised of atheists, agnostic and those who say their religion is "nothing in particular" – is now the largest cohort in the U.S. They're more prevalent among American adults than Catholics (23%) or evangelical Protestants (24%).

 

Back in 2007, Nones made up just 16% of Americans, but Pew's new survey of more than 3,300 U.S. adults shows that number has now risen dramatically.

 

Researchers refer to this group as the "Nones."

 

Pew asked respondents what – if anything – they believe. The research organization found that Nones are not a uniform group.

 

Most Nones believe in God or another higher power, but very few attend any kind of religious service.

 

They aren't all anti-religious. Most Nones say religion does some harm, but many also think it does some good. Most have more positive views of science than those who are religiously affiliated; however, they reject the idea that science can explain everything.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Renegade7]

Quote

Most Nones believe in God or another higher power, but very few attend any kind of religious service.

 

This jus screams a growing rebuke of organized religion...which in its current form is frankly necessary to have any chance at fixing it.