Can a religion be "evil?"

T

tlatchaw

Not dead yet.
Let's cool down a few degrees here, shall we? While I appreciate that we all want to help this youngster find the Lord, beating him/her over the head isn't going to get it. He/She is searching for his/her spirituality and Catholic School has been a real turn off. Fine.

Filth, a time of falling away in faith is pretty normal to my experience, and experimentation with stuff that others find creepy and odd has an appeal to each of us at certain points in our lives (heck, I went through a Wicca phase too about 20 years ago). I could tell you similar horror stories like the ones you've read already, but you don't seem to want to hear that.

Please just remember something? Remember that God loves you and that Jesus Christ is ready to accept you warts and all. Nothing you can do is beyond his ability to forgive when you repent for your sins and genuinely give your heart to him. This might sound a little odd, but forget about religion and study the Bible. (sounds contradictory, don't it?)

God's Holy word is a great set of instruction, strength and inspiration in life. Jesus is a Holy and patient savior and will be waiting for you when you are ready. Just don't wait too long, nobody knows what day will be their last.
 
fantasyillusion

fantasyillusion

...fear...me...
Originally posted by Hessian
Thanks Willie for bringing us back to the thread...:biggrin:

Related question...I can sort of understand the Palestinian anger at israel and the US...especially if they only hear what is being spewed by the Radical Clerics...thus they turn to suicide bombs on teen agers and blowing up school busses. We recoil in shock and ask...why are they so angry???????

Well, here we have an example among us...13 years old, so angry and bitter, listening to the most hostile garbage available and nihilistic....living in a country that is open, abundant, blessed, wealthy, and yes free...so of the two scenarios offered:

Which ballistic anger is harder to comprehend? and what caused it?...This was the same repugnant anger that was spewed at Columbine >>why?
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dont get me started on Columbine... comparing the anger of Columbine to Filth, here, are two things... Filth just seems to be rebelling against a religion that she doesn't understand and those who she always knew to have the answers, no longer do... I did the same thing (however my situation was a bit different)... she's looking for the answers to questions and instead of getting a hardcore answers she's told to look it up herself...

Filth, what type of questions aren't you getting questions to? I'd love to try and help... i do apologize for my rudeness yesterday I have a tendancy to get angry when I dont eat, but no excuses...

anywho...

The anger spewed out at Columbine was becasue of the killers unability to handle the pressure of constant teasing and bullying... in a way, i understood them but i in no way condone them killing...

just like the group who beheaded the PA man, there are extermests of any group and/or religion... you have the fire and brimstone christians who go around thumping people on the head with their bibles preaching "You're going to hell unless you repent... NOW!!" and there are the islamic extremists who blow up busses of innocents... there are the extremests wiccans who dress up like vampires and get fangs capped over their teeth and drink the blood of their neighbors goats... in every aspect there are extremists and because human nature is human nature and we have free will, there will always be people who believe they are more right than the next and should do whatever it takes to get their views chocked down your throats...
 
Tonio

Tonio

Asperger's Poster Child
Originally posted by fantasyillusion
just like the group who beheaded the PA man, there are extermests of any group and/or religion... you have the fire and brimstone christians who go around thumping people on the head with their bibles preaching "You're going to hell unless you repent... NOW!!" and there are the islamic extremists who blow up busses of innocents... there are the extremests wiccans who dress up like vampires and get fangs capped over their teeth and drink the blood of their neighbors goats... in every aspect there are extremists and because human nature is human nature and we have free will, there will always be people who believe they are more right than the next and should do whatever it takes to get their views chocked down your throats...
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I agree. It's funny to hear death metal and black metal branded as "nihilist" when the end-of-the-world stuff in the Bible and in the Left Behind series is just as necromaniacal. Almost like, "Yippee, Armageddon is here! Hey honey, let's go out on the porch and watch the sinners writhe in agony as they head toward their eternal damnation. Serves them right!"
 
fantasyillusion

fantasyillusion

...fear...me...
Originally posted by Tonio
I agree. It's funny to hear death metal and black metal branded as "nihilist" when the end-of-the-world stuff in the Bible and in the Left Behind series is just as necromaniacal. Almost like, "Yippee, Armageddon is here! Hey honey, let's go out on the porch and watch the sinners writhe in agony as they head toward their eternal damnation. Serves them right!"
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Left behind isn't about "sinner paying" but about what it'll be like, when the day comes when Christ returns.

im going way :offtopic: but

If you like the sound of heavy and goth metal, check out ChristianHardRock.Net - to me: music isn't bad, the lyrics make it that way... i was listening to said station earlier and a co-worker, who is VERY roman catholic, asked me "how can you listen to this filth?" and I was like "do you know what this is?" and of course she was like "no" and I was like "its Christian Hard Rock" and she was like "oh" and walked off...
 
sleuth

sleuth

Livin' Like Thanksgivin'
Originally posted by Tonio
I agree. It's funny to hear death metal and black metal branded as "nihilist" when the end-of-the-world stuff in the Bible and in the Left Behind series is just as necromaniacal. Almost like, "Yippee, Armageddon is here! Hey honey, let's go out on the porch and watch the sinners writhe in agony as they head toward their eternal damnation. Serves them right!"
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Have you actually read the Left Behind series? :confused:
I don't remember anyone saying anything in it remotely similar to "Yippee, Armageddon is here!"

Whether or not you agree with it, it's actually, if you would read even just the first two books, quite riveting and fun reading.
 
F

Filth08xXx

Guest
I'm not purposelly rebelling against the Christians just because I can- It's because I do not agree with everything the church says, and the Christian way of life isn't the type of lifestyle my family & I lead in the 1st place, and I do not inted to later on in life. I think I'd be better off not "being" a certain religion at all, just going with the flow and just knowing there is some infinite being...somewhere...:confused: Anyways, the church cannot tell us Where God came from, if Adam & Eve really existed, What proof is there that signifies the real existance of heaven & hell, etc. I know heaven isn't a "place"...it's more of a state of mind...most of the Bible stories are parables, ways of teaching, os it dosn't mean it's necessarily true, etc. I do not belive that the consecration is real, just merely a representation of the blood & body of Christ. I have been attending Catholic school since the 3rd or 4th grade, so I've learned a lot and passed my final exam with a 95%, so Its not like I never pay attention and don't know what the f!ck I'm talking about...I've read all of the Book of Revelation, Gospel of Matthew, John & Luke, and I've dealt with Genesis, too. And some of Wisom/Psalms/Job/Dueteronomy. <~~~~ All part of special assignments for each quarter of the school year. Wica really fascinates me right now, and I'd like to take care of that fascination until something else comes up, because with me, nothing is forever except for love, and that's all. :coffee: uhh all this reading makes me drowsy...seriously...
 
K

Kain99

Guest
Filth I haven't read this thread so I have no idea who is saying what but.... I'll add my two little cents. Choices like Wicca can be dangerous as they can lead you further from God. If people are reading you the riot act, it's because they care about you.

I'm guessing that you are pretty young and that this is just a phase you need to go through for whatever reason... Do what you have to do but always keep God close to your heart.

God is not responsible for the failings of the Church and neither you nor He should pay for it. :wink:

Love Your friend and the Mommy of three Teens,

Kain
 
SmallTown

SmallTown

Football season!
Wicca has its place in society. Much like anything else, you get from it as much as you put in to it. When I was growing up, I looked at Wicca as more of a "way of life" than a religion. Afterall, Kain, your facial cleansing routine came from there :bubble:


When I was still naive about their "religion", I made the comment about them being devil worshippers. They were quick to point at that the devil was my entity (christian) , not theirs.

Going way off of the PC track here, but the freaks of the world tend to migrate towards wicca. Not because of what Wicca is, but because Wiccans are generally very accepting of others (maybe cult-like to lure new members??) When they are rejected by the different christian beliefs, they sooner or later wind up giving Wicca a try. It certainly won't kill you being a Wiccan, I say give it a try and see what you think.
 
K

Kain99

Guest
Originally posted by SmallTown
Wicca has its place in society. Much like anything else, you get from it as much as you put in to it. When I was growing up, I looked at Wicca as more of a "way of life" than a religion. Afterall, Kain, your facial cleansing routine came from there :bubble:
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I was trying to support Filth and let her know that we all have the same questions and doubts.

I wanted her to know that it is natural to steer off course and try new things when you get to be her age. I did add the advice that she should never let go of God.

Life's journey is rough. Sometimes, you just want to scream! I think it's important to stand together.

BTW I'm keeping the facial. :wink:
 
Tonio

Tonio

Asperger's Poster Child
Re: Boy...talk about bringing the thread back in.

Originally posted by Hessian
Way to disregard PC Gene!
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Hessian, I'm surprised to see you give credit to any heavy metal band on any subject. I had assumed you were like my uncle, who's convinced that rock music is some conspiracy to convert kids to Satanism.
 
Hessian

Hessian

Well-Known Member
Life in the 70's...

Tonio...I went through Public Highschool in the 70's...I remember the Stone's tour, the Disco hits, the Cars, Boston, and Kiss...etc.
I was not adverse to pop rock but the acid bands drew the lowest forms of life and the fanaticism of the fans proved it: I recall thinking...man, They are really LOST( Rejected parents, drugs, sex, drop-outs...generally losers.) Gene did that movie with Tom Selleck about the robots gone psycho...(he was very convincing in that role!) (Runaway)...
Awareness does NOT mean endorsement. (not sheltered...:rolleyes: )

Back on subject:
I believe if we face another attack with mass casualties...and the press does what it is fond of doing (showing cheering mobs of rag-wearing sweaty bearded slum dwellers)...we will see even more of America wake up and say: NOT all religions are equal..and some are outright evil....
Sadly, they will have to be shocked into that awareness instead of learning it on their own (perhaps they have absorbed too much of the progressive liberalism of "can't we all get along??:bawl: ")
 
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Tonio

Tonio

Asperger's Poster Child
Originally posted by sleuth14
Have you actually read the Left Behind series? :confused:
I don't remember anyone saying anything in it remotely similar to "Yippee, Armageddon is here!"

Whether or not you agree with it, it's actually, if you would read even just the first two books, quite riveting and fun reading.
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I was trying to make a joke. And I tried reading the first installment. Yes, it had some compelling elements, but I couldn't stand the authors' seeming hostility toward Judaism. Stuff like the financiers plotting behind closed doors, and random chapters of former Jews discussing their conversions as if they were recovering from insanity.
 
J

Josimmon

New Member
I would like to add a comment on the whole Wicca thing. I too was raised in a Christian home. My family was Protestant. No “name” for it, it was either Catholic or Protestant and we were Protestant. I too was drawn to “Wicca” but was afraid of it because I too was told it was “devil worshipping”. As an adult I started my quest to find my path. I went to Catholic churches, born again Christian churches, Baptist churches, Jehovah Witnesses to just name a few. None of them felt right.

About ten years ago, I re-visited Wicca. Not as an easily influenced teenager but as a grown adult with experience. There are many aspects to Wicca that I do not agree with but the basic concepts are worth reading up on. I am not Wiccan but what I call myself is Pagan. I believe in the Native American, Druid and Celtic based older religions rather then the new ones. I am not un-happy. I am not spiritually empty but much fulfilled. No Christian religion has given me the peace that my Pagan path has given me.

If any Faith or Religion makes you a better person by making sure you do not harm anything and you volunteer all the time to try to make this world a better place then it is the right one for you. What I don’t like is when people push their beliefs on to you and try to tell you, that you are wrong. As with all religions, there are good and bad people and they can do bad things.

I had a friend that was a devoted Muslim. She would have never hurt anyone in the name of her religion or for any other reason. She worked on a crisis hotline and helped hundreds of victims. She used her religion the way it was taught to her and helped people, not harm them. My experience has shown me most Christians devote themselves to their church and their faith only. They do not help people of other faiths or animals or the environment. I have worked with people with “un-specified” faith or a non-Christian faith who have helped me with cleaning up the broken souls of victims or helping an injured animal. My opinion is if Christians would walk the path that Jesus did; this country would be a much happier place.
 
T

tlatchaw

Not dead yet.
Originally posted by Josimmon
My opinion is if Christians would walk the path that Jesus did; this country would be a much happier place.
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The whole world would be better. We all have to remember that our behavior is the only Bible that most people will ever read.
 
Toxick

Toxick

Splat
Originally posted by Tonio
I was trying to make a joke. And I tried reading the first installment. Yes, it had some compelling elements, but I couldn't stand the authors' seeming hostility toward Judaism. Stuff like the financiers plotting behind closed doors, and random chapters of former Jews discussing their conversions as if they were recovering from insanity.
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If'n you want to read a good Eschatology story, without the preaching and (perceived) prejudice, I'd like to point out The Christ Clone Trilogy.


It's written for a secular audience (i.e. minimum preaching), and honestly, it's one of the best trilogies I've ever sunk my teeth into.

The first book is full of political intrigue - the second is kind of Sci-Fi-ish, and the third one is just dark and disturbing. But they are tied together very nicely - the characters are fully realized, instead of the cardboard cutout characters and characatures that fill the pages of Left Behind.

Oh - and there isn't any anti-semetic overtones (except for the prophecied state-sponsored anti-semetism espoused by the AntiChrist and his minions). A good portion of the characters are Jews - and stay that way, and are not portrayed negatively.

http://www.selectivehouse.com/tcct.htm
 
Ehesef

Ehesef

Yo Gabba Gabba
Re: Re: Can a religion be "evil?"

Originally posted by MZuchick
Don't think anything could change my Personal Opinion about Islam.

Mike
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Thats sad. You should really have more of an open mind about things. :lmao:
 
M

MZuchick

Guest
Re: Re: Re: Can a religion be "evil?"

Originally posted by Ehesef
Thats sad. You should really have more of an open mind about things. :lmao:
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Why should I be open minded about Islam? I'm Christian not muslim.. I believe in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit One God not the god of Islam..

For me to not refute or deny Islam with all my ability because for me it would be grave error to do anything less.

Mike
 
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