Anyone non-religious here? Please be nice!

[OccamsTazer]

A couple Heinlein quotes about the matter that hopefully will make you giggle.

"History does not record anywhere at any time a religion that has any rational basis. Religion is a crutch for people not strong enough to stand up to the unknown without help. But, like dandruff, most people do have a religion and spend time and money on it and seem to derive considerable pleasure from fiddling with it."

"God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent-it says so right here on the label. If you have a mind capable of believing all three of these divine attributes simultaneously, I have a wonderful bargain for you. No checks, please. Cash and in small bills."

"God split himself into a myriad parts that he might have friends.” This may not be true, but it sounds good--and is no sillier than any other theology."

Here's the rest of the collection. Most of them not about religious stuff, just a collection of sayings that are brilliant and wonderful.
http://www.angelfire.com/or/sociologyshop/lazlong.html

 

[MoSo]

I read a lot of Heinlein as a kid, but his later books, where he became obsessed with big-breasted twin red-head women and cats were more than I could tolerate. An awful lot of his stuff doesn't translate well out of the 50s and 60s, it's too rooted in the "then."

 

[OccamsTazer]

Drunken, rambling Heinlein is still better than most authors are at their best

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

What constitutes a religion?....
...A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.

This one just does NOT work for me. I guess I really am non-religious, then, because I do not follow anyone else's teachings. I may read them and agree or disagree, but they are opinions and, as such, still belong to someone else--they are not mine.

I am content to go my own way. I don't ask anyone to take the same path as me and will not be pressured into following their path. I like my own way, thank you.


Rusty​

 

[EweSheep]

I like your post, Prettiest Frog....it is very thoughtful and food for the mind!

Rusty, that is a good example! You do not have to follow anyone's thesis but it sure does not hurt reading them!

Ghandi, anyone?

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Quote:
I could have sworn that I posted something about Gandhi, but then realized it was a PM to someone. This is what I shared with her...
I am more at peace reading anything by Gandhi than any biblical teaching. Gandhi said (roughly paraphrasing, "I was raised Hindu, but cannot claim any one religion. For, if I did, it would disparage those true and lovely friends I have in every other religion."

 

[EweSheep]

thank you for the correction of spelling!

Gandhi, I do not know enough about him or what his teachings are. All I know he was an old man who had followers like some sort of God or Dalai Lama (sp) kind of guy. I know he is not related to the President Gandhi of India who she met her untimely death and I think her son was assasinated as well. Not sure of their religion either.

Gandhi sometimes makes sense and other times, he confuses me. I just do not know or read enough about him. I do remember vaguely that I watched a movie about him, with the actor Ben ????last name. It has been so long ago and I do not remember anything except for the actor.

 

[thaiturkey]

Quote:
Have a look at this link about the Anglo Saxon language. Note the literary connections and the long words. Fascinating stuff:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A695478

Not a single swear word!

Note in this link the origins of the Anglo Saxon language (Old English). You don't need to learn Latin after all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English

If you are interested in the culture of the Anglo Saxons (including the runes) you could join this group:

http://www.tha-engliscan-gesithas.org.uk/

And, getting back on topic, here's something about the religion of the Anglo Saxons:

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/saxons/religion.htm

Perhaps non-religious myths are as mischievous as religious ones. It's enough to make you swear!

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Quote:
that's because Gandhi was human. every one of us is confusing sometimes. his basic tenets were that of non-violence to create change, but much of the change he caused was not due to the type of thinking he was trying to instill. that's probably not making any sense, but it's beyond the scope of my post. I'll send you links if you want to read further on it.

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
Whew! Glad I'm not the only one!

maryk117 :

Maybe people are just generally argumentative...my manager and I had a "debate" today about eggs. She was trying to tell everyone that only (and always) fertilized eggs have "blood spots" in them and that's how you can tell they are fertilized...

City-folk! She should see the blood spots on my pullet's eggs. I've never had a Roo. I'd like to see her explain that!

Quote:
Good Point!

Quote:
*Sigh* I miss the Bay Area!

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I used to think that too when we lived in the Bay Area! Here in reno... Well, let's just say there aren't as many open-minded folks to attract. I still manage to attract a few though and the others that show up in my life? Well, I just assume that the Universe has led them to my door because I am so capable of explaining how beautiful diversity, understanding and acceptane can be!!!

No I don't swear at them. Never when I'm teaching and never when I don't know someone extremely well.

Kismet your Mother may be right!

When it comes to the extent of my vocabulary I can't seem to win no matter what I do. I love words and the effect they have when you are telling a story etc. Some people have accused me of being "uppity" and using "big words" that the average person can't understand and others have corrected my english (typically my sentence structure).

I tend to think that my vocabulary skills are fairly average, so yes, I may resort to a colorful word or two as a shortcut when I wish to make a point or relieve stress (like the "concrete block on the toe" example given earlier). In school, including college, my skills were much stronger in Math and the Sciences than they ever were in the Language Arts.

I'd love to comment on the reactions of "Creationists" during classes on evolution, since I taught science for a few years, but you all covered it pretty well! It's funny and sad all at the same time.