Christianity vs. Paganism, and other Religions

[SETH]

we need more diverse and serious topics.

I thought I'd throw this one into the mix.
I know it is dangerous to discuss politics, religion, and sex. But, we cannot exist on Spam alone.

I am all for religious freedom myself. whatever turns you on, believe it. As long as the belief harms nobody or anything, I think it OK. I was baptized a Baptist a few years ago, but have not went to church lately. I just try to do the best I can. treat people fairly and obey the laws.

[stratoplayer]

well, we had a topic like that not too long ago, it got sidetracked into creationism but i though it was enjoyable (trolls regardless)

well, im athiest, but i dont mind if anyone else expresses their belief as long as they are not trying to convince me of anything or they start to annoy (if it is something i consider moronic that really stretches my patience) but i do have a code of ethics so im not all that of a heartless bastard

[Equinox]

Well, I do believe that there's a God somewhere in my cat's ass, but I don't care because supposely, he gave us free will, and so, I choose not to workship him.

After all..."there's no pain for the dead"

I think that Gods are selfish...

But I, just like our friend stratoplayer have code of ethics and mine is really strict.

...Wait...I'm sarcastic....does that makes me a heartless bastard?

Hope so.

[elvenrhapsody]

Pagan here!
Yay!

[Stealth]

I don't think I need to say once again that I'm atheist; most people probably know that by now.

[Miguel_Ricardo]

Danger topic indeed

just try (yeah TRY) to show some respect to others.... @Equi: you could just say you don't beleive in him, I dunno ppl sometimes get really pissed off if you talk like that

[Equinox]

Nah, I've done before...and I'm still alive.

U know, before u came here, we had couple of topics like this -there was this stupid one created by myself - and no.

Besides, I haven't find anyone -here- that don't think similar to me.

And, I think everyone knows I respect everyone's opinon, and so, I should get respect too.

And I don't think this topic means any danger, 'we' are grown ups.
And if someone does not repect my or anyones opinion, that person should not get attetion.

And right now I'm just talking too much.

[browneyedgirl]

I'm like Seth except I was a Church of Christ member once.
Now, I am more or less a Cynic who thinks there might be a higher power. Or not?
I just try to live the Golden Rule. Thats enough religion for me. It keeps me out of trouble&on good terms with people in the real world.
And I find Paganism very fascinating--I wish I had more time to study it!

[browneyedgirl]

http://www.crystalinks.com

This is a Great New Age&Modern Religion site. I discovered it 2 years ago&still have not covered all of it. Some of the info is Far-Out, but basicly it is very interesting reading!

[Dragon]

Im Agnosic, i belive there is a highter power, not sure its the God everyone talks about, but id like to have proof before i belive anything else.
Im also an avid believer of Karma.

[browneyedgirl]

Yes, Karma exists. Cause&effect. You reap what you sow. You get what you order. Of course, that is true. No good deed goes un-noticed, and no evil goes un-punished. All this is the truth&the cog that makes the gears of the universe turn&flow as it should, and must....

I have always called such, simply, "The facts of Life&Reality".

[Equinox]

Well, I don't believe in Karma itself, but, yeah, if u don't lock ur house, duh! u'll get robbed.

I mean, there's not science in that...

But I have my own way of Karma:

"If u give, You have to get in return"

Called it, the 1st philosophy of the Equinism.

[Dave]

huh.. well actually i'm catholic, but i don't believe in god, and i haven't been to curch since four years i think, since i had my holy communion..

i think i'll leave the catholic curch when i'm 18
i don't like that most children are baptized when they are young and when their parents want them to be baptized.. my brother is 7 now, and my mother wants him to choose his way alone when his old enough, but my father's family are all catholics, and so for him it's sure that my brother has to be a catholic, too
well, i don't like that way of thinking..

i don't believe in the christian god, and i don't know if i believe in some higher creature.. perhaps i have to be older to think about these things

[stratoplayer]

not really cuz age only reveals less of what you hold dear now, which is what matters imo...

anyway, kudos for your mom by letting your brother chose

[SETH]

mama, why don't you shut up sometimes.

cause and effect. yes. If you do not clean your room, no allowance! I know all about that shit.

[MetalAngel]

Paganism for me! Believing in Nature rules!!!

[TrialByFire]

I was raised Catholic. Now I am still a christian but don't follow any type of church. I am republican and a metalhead. YEAH!!!!! \m/\m/

[Neorave]

As far as I know, I'm pretty much the only Lutheran here (at least, the only Missouri Synod Lutheran on this board). I could argue the big differences between Paganism and Christianity, but I won't be starting any flames tonight.

[NeonVomit]

I guess I broadly classify as a Christian. Don't ask me to go into specifics though. Sadly, Christianity has caused more death and suffering than any single other cause in history (Islam is trying hard to catch up bodycount-wise however)

[TrialByFire]

More than the black death, that almost killed off half of Europe's population?

but never mind, I don't feel like going into a debate about this. Tends to make the head spin too fast. lol

[NeonVomit]

More than the black death, that almost killed off half of Europe's population?

but never mind, I don't feel like going into a debate about this. Tends to make the head spin too fast. lol

No debate. Just look up the Crusades.

[Stealth]

Yes, Karma exists. Cause&effect. You reap what you sow. You get what you order. Of course, that is true. No good deed goes un-noticed, and no evil goes un-punished.

I don't believe in karma. I can name lots of people who got away with a perfectly happy life and no punishment after having done very bad things.

@Dave: If you don't believe in god, then by definition you are not catholic. Catholicism without god does not exist.

[TrialByFire]

yeah, but we should also look at pagan occupation. Such as the Babylonians (originally had Byzantines, but realized my mistake), The Roman Empire(before Chrsitianity was integrated), Sumerians, The Mongols, The Huns, etc etc etc. So to blaim things alone on Christianity does not really give any justice. Either way, I don't let things that happened hundreds of years ago dictate how I feel about my own religious feelings.

[TrialByFire]

Not to mention that the Ottoman Empire we're not so squeaky clean either. The ones that were in Jerusalem at the time.

[TrialByFire]

Oh shit, speaking of the Crusades I have to get a tape ready. I have been waiting weeks for the show that is coming on the history channel. This is a must have for the history collection.

[Paschendale]

I guess I broadly classify as a Christian. Don't ask me to go into specifics though. Sadly, Christianity has caused more death and suffering than any single other cause in history (Islam is trying hard to catch up bodycount-wise however)

I have to say something about this because I see this comment all the time and it is really really annoying. Did you know that the very term "Crusades" was unheard of during these wars? This is a modern term that was originally used to define the wars between Christian Europe and Turk/Mongol Islam, later the term was used to describe ANY and ALL military war between Europe and non-chrisitans.

And here is a thought.....What actually started the wars? Do you know any of the history? Was it all in the name of Christianity in order to convert? I think not....there was actually "reasons". And no conversions were even attempted in the Crusades against Islam. I believe the motives were all about keeping ones own territory, AND free trade without getting raided on the way.

So in this respect would it be safe to say that if one is a Socialist you should say something like "sadly, Socialism has caused more death and suffering than any single cause in history?" aka Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, purges, holocaust, pograms, and genocide in general...

Better yet maybe we should just shoot for if you are a German, Italian, or Russian you should be ashamed because so much death in Europe (oh lets ball park it at about 70,000,000 in the last century) by these factions.

Trialbyfire made excellent points. MANY non christian "world dominate motivated" wars have been fought. Romans, Greeks, Mongols, Assyrians, Babylonian, Egyptian, Huns, Viking raids ect...

And god only knows how many have died in the Middle East terroist plight and bombings.

[Paschendale]

btw, I am Judeo/Christian, old and new testament King James Bible, non denominational. And damn proud of it!

[htcdude]

I'm a Christian, though everyone knows that alreay, just one question, what's the difference between Paganism and Wiccan?? I 've never really looked into them much.

[NeonVomit]

Off the top of my head, Paganism can be said to be anything that is pre-Christian. It does not refer to any one religion or set of beliefs. Wicca is a religion in itself, mostly based on nature-worship. I could be wrong however.

[Beast_Pete]

I used to be a catholist, but after going to a primary school for 8 years, which is an ökumenikus (ecumenical) school, I realised that there's no real difference between "believers" and nonbelievers. The only main difference is, that most of the "believers" try to act, as if they were so nice and good people, while they are even worse, because they are weasels. I really dislike this kind of humans. The real believers are in fact very nice people, I like them, but fact is, it's really hard to have a topic with most of them. But there are always exceptions, I don't need to say it I bet.

Now I'm a free soul. I don't have belong to any Church, but I'm not an atheist either. I don't say God exists, nor that he/she doesn't. I don't find any sense in fighting between the two theories, as both are impossible to prove.

But I believe, that if we try to help each other, we can live happy. Try to be healthy in both spirital and physical way, that is also very imposrtant.