I don't understand the desire to question other peoples faiths and I don't understand why people who claim no faith like atheist/agnostic people find it necessary to to even join the questioning. If someone has faith then let them because it is generally a good thing.
I did not question anyone's faith here, so, please, do not interpret it that way. What I questioned was people claiming moral high ground in that their religion is perfect because their church is pure. We all know that no organized religion is pure. It is simply against human nature for that to be the case. Church doctrine is shaped by internal politics. All churches, not just one or the other. I doubt anyone needs examples. Even though i could give at least one on every single religion.
What I will question though, is your claim that faith, of any kind is "generally a good thing". As a "non-believer" I have found that, in most cases, that is not the case. The faith is never just faith, it is the belief that your way is better than my way. and to that end, we see threads like this one. We see abortion clinic murders. We see anti-gay websites. We see planes flown into buildings. We see the 700 Club calling all Muslims out as violent hate mongers. And we see a Mormon presidential candidate shunned by his own party based on his religion. We see the Spanish inquisition. We see splinter groups molesting children. All in the name of faith. But athiests? We are the worst of the bunch, we get it from EVERYONE, even though I have the same morals as most people do, and sometimes even consider myself to be more "moral" than many religious people in some instances. I am against abortion and think divorce should be tougher. Most peo0ple i know are Catholic, pro-abortion and pro-divorce... go figure. Even my father.. he is a devout Catholic. Yet, his wife (my mother) had an abortion while they were married, and yes it was his child and he knew about it, and 20 years later, he divorced her.
People love to quote scripture. But it seems one of the more important ones is left by the wayside. "Judge not lest ye be judged" and "let he who is without sin cast the first stone". The act of judgement from people of faith, is rarely, if ever, from the hope of saving someone else. It is, as human nature dictates, an act of superiority. Even the act of "saving" someone, by converting them, is frequently applied vainly. (See Pope Ratzenberg (sp?) converting the Mulsim man in public). It really comes down to the old "You are wrong and I am right" argument, which is pride. Religion has the unique ability to satisfy 2 of the 7 deadly sins. and often, we can add a third in wrath, since a good many people, of all religions, get inordinately angry and hateful towards those of other persuasions, or those who do not comply with their moral code (such as homosexuals and genetic engineers).
to these ends, I do not judge any of you based on your faith(s). You have every right to pursue your faith in the manner you see fit. But do not judge me, or others, who do not share those beliefs. Judge yourself, first, and last, and only. You will not have to answer to your God based on my faith, only your own. we, as human beings, should only sit in judgement of each other based on human law, and only when appointed to do so by our duly elected government. (IE: jury duty) And even then, our judgement should be tempered by the laws we have enacted to protect each other, from each other...
oh crud, I started rambling... i better cut this off or I will wind up writing a book. Maybe two. Seriously, I can go for days. Rats, I am doing it again....
