More religious stupidity

[Dis]

Why is religion so screwed up? On the surface, it looks like it would be a good way to keep people's spirits up, but then crap like this happens. What really amazes me is people have any respect for religion at all. Yes I know there are a lot of good people in the business (I consider it a business as they do make money), there are quite a few bad ones.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=071126020302.uui452z9&show_article=1

Long story short, they almost blind a girl through an exorcism.

This appears to be Maori, I'm not familiar with them. Perhaps someone from New Zealand can enlighten this situation? I'm not fully confident in the breitbart website, I think they might be a conservative website.

It isn't one of the "big" religions, but that doesn't make it right. Though some people would have you believe questionable actions performed by very small minority groups is okay, I disagree.

[SlowwHand]

So you decide, based on a religion of which you have no knowledge, do condemn religion in total?
That's good thinking.

[Dis]

maybe I'll respect them more if they don't stop taking in money

[SlowwHand]

I guess if the congregated in the woods instead of a building, they wouldn't need money. My church doesn't get money from you, so what do you care?
Alter your statement.

[Dis]

They get a tax free exemption. That's what really bothers me.

These churches are some of the finest buildings in some neighborhoods. They shouldn't need such extravagance. They preach against it, but they do it themselves. They should be happy congregating in shacks with no ac.

[Blake]

I assure you, this is not typical behavior for Maori. Anywhere you go, you can find people who are simply much more insane than average, this is simply an example of that.

BTW I don't think it has anything to do with religion, just personal/family* spiritual practices.

The difference???

UMM. Basically, no religion would associate with them .


* but Maori do have big extended families...

[SlowwHand]

I don't have a problem with the subject, I just take exception to the way it's presented.
All I can talk about is my church, and my church works on a struggling to meet the wolf. It does all it can on missionary work, which means building houses and things, not coming and knocking on your door and bothering you. We figure, when you figure out it can be easier on your spirit, here we are.

[Admiral]

When you think about it, the ordinary or typical work of a religious institution would rarely get any press outside of the local community. I mean, what editor would say look at a story called "church food drive lessens pangs of hunger in cold winter months" and say, there's a front-page story. Rather, the stories about religions and religious institutions that do get reported are the ones when these institutions behave in an atypical fashion. So, we get a distorted view of what religious people do/believe because we are assumed to view them in a positive light.

[Ninot]

Admiral has a very valid point!

[Dis]

true.

As I said, they start out with good intentions. I have been thinking about death recently (some of you know why), and it is comforting to think there might be life after death. I think many religions were created so people don't fear death quite as much. It is comforting in a way.

but I believe they (I'm mainly talking about Islam and Christianity) have become corrupt. Especially Christianity. The catholic churches have been corrupt for years, we all know that. But the protestant churches are no better.

[Japher]

Religion will always be foulable since it is an invention of man. That doesn't, however, mean that the underlying basis for them, nor their intentions, are wrong.

The church I belong to isn't perfect, but they mean well and it is comforting to be a part of it.

Personally, I don't think it's wrong that they get tax exemptions. The money I put in to the church better serves the community than it would in my hands or the government's hands. For some churches this may not be the case, but I think that is more the exception then the rule.

Some churches need to be large, to hold a large congregation. Some need to be fancy to lure in those who are greedy or drawn to such ostentatious displays. But, even the Catholic church had the like of St. Francis Assisi who practiced modest living. The Great Commision was to go forth and share The Word to all, not just to those you cared to talk to or those who would look to modesty for guidance when they had no modesty.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Dis
maybe I'll respect them more if they don't stop taking in money

Okay, so like its Wed before Thanksgiving, and weve never been to the interfaith service our synagogue participates in with the local Presby and Methodist churches, and we decide to go. Its held at the local Presby church.

Its very nice, even if its basically a Protestant service with the reference to Christ and the NT removed, and lots of stuff about America and Thanksgiving thrown in, though our Rabbi did give the sermon. But its good, we are there to experience something different, and we all were together as a community, etc, etc, brotherhood, ecumenicalism, G-d Bless America, yadda yadda.

So then they pass the collection plate. Now Synagogues dont DO that, we charge membership dues, we name parts of the building after donor, we do fund raisers, but we DONT pass a hat during services. You CANT on Shabbat or holidays, since handling money is forbidden. On weekday services it IS traditional to make donation, but its usually done by dropping some coins into a "Tzedakah (charity) box" AFTER the service is over. And its definitely optional.

Theyre passing for the local food bank, a cause I support, so Id LIKE to give.

Now I hardly had any cash on me, neither did QOTM. "Do you think I can put change in?" "NO, we dont want Jews to look cheap" So I toss in two dollars, the only bills I have on me, and hope the goyim dont notice.

[DinoDoc]

NO, we dont want Jews to look cheap"

[Jon Miller]

My church runs missions, disaster releif, development, hospitals, schools, colleges, and more all over the world.

I see nothing wrong with the collection plate being passed every service (and if there are multiple services, than multiple times). I do take exception to the times when the person doing the offratory attempts to 'guilt' the members into giving their tithe and offerings.

I don't see why it should be taxed when habitat for humanity and other such things aren't taxed. And if charity became taxed, you would see a lot less charity be given in america.

Note that this doesn't mean I think it is right to use government dollars to pay for religious run charities.

JM

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
My church runs missions, disaster releif, development, hospitals, schools, colleges, and more all over the world.

I see nothing wrong with the collection plate being passed every service (and if there are multiple services, than multiple times). I do take exception to the times when the person doing the offratory attempts to 'guilt' the members into giving their tithe and offerings.

I don't see why it should be taxed when habitat for humanity and other such things aren't taxed. And if charity became taxed, you would see a lot less charity be given in america.

Note that this doesn't mean I think it is right to use government dollars to pay for religious run charities.

JM

I got no problems with the collection plate custom, and didnt mean to imply I did.

I also got no problems with using guilt to raise funds.

I was just a little flummoxed with a custom I wasnt familiar with. Like if this was something we did all the time, I'd have at least remembered to stop by the ATM for some cash.