Hey 2020hindsite, not meaning to be disrespectful - but you are tending to be overtaking this forum with copying quotes and references from all over the net.
How about your own opinions rather than inundating us with quotes from all over the internet.
Would really love to hear what's on your mind - most of us are pretty good with Google as well.
Roland, You're not being disrespectable m8
I have given them before ( we are up to post #800 odd lol), can't expect you to check back.
Here's a poem I wrote pretty much sums it up.
https://www.aussiestockforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=82450&highlight=christian#post82450
Let's say I'm a pantheist - fancy word (in my case) for a lover of Mother Nature - where you get your Words worth
Made a point of checking out Lakes District in UK when I was there many years back now.
"And I have felt a presence that disturbs me with the joy of elevated thought".
I really liked that website I just found for "World Pantheism". (I'm also learning all the time ok? - I also enjoyed hearing Dougals Adams - and agreed with most of what he said - if I hadn't've agreed I'd probably have said so).
Followers include Sagan, Hawking , even Einstein etc - good enough for them good enough for me.
Einstein is often misquoted btw as being religious o rrather that he believes in God. - but he has clarified specifically that he does not believe in God as such, unless God is loosely used for Nature / merging into laws of physics etc.
On social front, that website on Pantheism acknowledges that people get strength from religion- and merges a bit of "religion" with atheism - (you'd have to read that post) - to get the best of both worlds.
Religious commandments? I just wish there was more emphasis on "lead me not into temptation" and less on "forgive us our trespasses". Leads to mountains of hypocrisy if you ask me. I believe that "an honest woman is the noblest work of "god", and an honest man is a close second". Let the ladies come first as they say
I believe Jesus lived, gave some great gigs up on the Mount etc - made a lot of sense with the principle of forgiveness. Trouble is only the Amish seem to practice his teachings if you ask me. More chance of an atheist following Jesus teachings than Fred Nile if you ask me.
And sure I believe people get strength from religion - the moslem prisoners were the most difficult to brainwash in Korean war days (so we were told in the Army anyways lol- then again we were told a heap of bull**** as well).
I happily use a concept of Heaven to comfort someone who has lost a relative etc. Heck if they believ in it you'd be cruel not to encourage them in that moment of grieving. But I have nil zilch expectation of actually ending up in Heaven - or Hell for that matter. Heaven is now here on Earth imo.
I initially thought that religion was responsible for most of the wars, but having started a thread to investigate exactly that i.e. the cause of many wars, I probably reckon it's at most 50%. Still, some present wars that would "go away" without the concept of "my god is better than yours" might include the Israel / Palestinian situation, Pakistan / India hostilities that flare up every now and again - Irish situation - where the UK army used to get warservice credits for service on home soil!! . Although the origins to the rish situation are religion, they go back such a long way that you'd have to say it's probably cultural these days I guess.
Certainly I'm very symapthetic to Dawkins - prodigious author, speaks in understandable terms, fantastic educator, Professor for Public Education in Science or whatever - who is trying to educate the USA away from the Adam and Eve thingo - "meme" or whatever, although I notice that Dawkins doesn't like the term meme much now. The US Bible Belt - and indeed right across the USA have decided to go backwards on the science education vs religion thing. And it doesn't look good for the world's biggest superpower to be dumbing down like that. (imo).
Watch this if you're interested in that lead. check out from the 4m30s mark to the end (8m 50s). They believe they came from Adam and Eve.
I can't stand Hovind. I love Carl Sagan. I can't stand the ridiculous nonsense that the bible gives ideas about use of the pill, and condoms - hence imo the Pope is directly responsible for massive man and woman-slaughter (if not damned nearly murder). Likewise homophobia allegedly found in the pages of the Bible. - absolute bs imo.
Extremism in the moslem faith has obviously gone off the deep end, what with people thinking they blow themselves up and end up with 70 odd virgins in heaven forever sheesh.
I spent many years in Asia , and I have a saffron Buddhist robe round here somewhere (and the odd poem yet again) . Tons of respect for Buddhists - until they start branding some kid the reincarnation of some Super Duper Dalai Lama etc etc
But as for loving nature ... I sure do, always have
https://www.aussiestockforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=90703&highlight=jaywalk#post90703
Don’t follow me, I'm lost,
Especially when I stand in ferns, Just where the creekbed gurgling turns, The soulfood that my heart so yearns
And I am left engrossed.
Don't follow me, I'm drunk
Intoxicated by the sound, Of Mother Nature all around, And Buddha chanting through the ground
the mantra of a monk.
Don’t follow me, I stray,
My puppy tugs, her eyes are glowed, She's chasing leaves back up the road, The next life she'll be frog, me toad -
If Buddha gets his way.
Im sorry if these rude retorts
Have caused offence - on second thoughts..
By all means walk with me - but know
That "lost" is standard "Way-To-Go".
By all means walk with me - and yes,
I'm lost, and love it I confess,
I kneel at Nature's altar… blessed,
And (when I'm lost)… caressed.