Since we've gotten told to stop talking generally about religion twice in the Homosexuality and Religion thread and were told that, if we want to talk generally about religion, we need to make a new thread, I have made a new thread.
Full disclosure: I am an agnostic atheist and anti-theist, but I'm very interested in theology and religion.
Mod Edit: All right, there are a couple of ground rules here:
- This is not a thread for mindless bashing of religion or of atheism/agnosticism etc. All view points are welcome here. Let's have a civil debate.
- Religion is a volatile subject. Please don't post here if you can't manage a civil discussion with viewpoints you disagree with. There will be no tolerance for people who can't keep the tone light hearted.
- There is no one true answer for this thread. Don't try to force out opposing voices.
edited 9th Feb '14 1:01:31 PM by Madrugada
Lost in Space
Eyeholes, silly. Also, still off-topic.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Humans have a history of finding it difficult to empathise with the faceless masses.
This is biting pro-veil on the ass, because everyone advocating it just looks like a faceless blob of fabric.
For the first time in a long time, Haitian Vodou practitioners are allowing museums to showcase some of their traditional artifacts to help better celebrate and educate people on their faith and help them understand the different sects!
I wish I could go!
"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur
Oh, I should hit that up while it's here.
Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
Do so! I would love to vicariously live through you! 
It's only about 3 miles away. Not a bad trip. I've walked it when the weather is nice.
Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
Pope says evolution and Christianity go together!
Francis said the beginning of the world was not “a work of chaos” but created from a principle of love. He said sometimes competing beliefs in creation and evolution could co-exist.
“God is not a divine being or a magician, but the Creator who brought everything to life,” the pope said. “Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve.”
And in other good news:
Mormon faith admits founder had a 14 year old bride, young even for then
Other writings posted in the past couple of years have addressed sacred undergarments worn by devout members; a past ban on black men in the lay clergy; and the misconception that Mormons are taught they'll get their own planet in the afterlife.
The new article about Smith's wives during the 1830s and 1840s in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo, Illinois, comes about 10 months after the church acknowledged polygamy was widely practiced among its members in the late 19th century.
"As a collection, these are remarkably revealing articles, continuing the new open and transparent philosophy of historical writing," said Armand Mauss, a retired professor of sociology and religious studies at Washington State University.
The information will be surprising to many Latter-day Saints who either didn't know or were encouraged to dismiss speculation as anti-Mormon propaganda, Mauss said.
HGW XX/7
Relephant:
edited 28th Oct '14 1:16:09 PM by Achaemenid
Schild und Schwert der Partei
A nice butterfly
I thought catholicism did not have a problem with evolution? Is that new and am I really that out of the loop?
It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
It's just a case of underlining and bolding the point, I believe.
Mikon :3
I'm reminded of this poorly done animation that claims to represent the totally not exaggerated details of the LDS faith. I'd post but I would not want to offend. You can find it on You Tube, I'm sure.
@The Pope's statement on evolution: considering recent events, it seems like an attempt to emphasize a way in which the Catholic hierarchy is progressive over ways in which they definitely are not.
edited 28th Oct '14 2:08:16 PM by Morgikit
A nice butterfly
Just seems like a moot point for the catholic pope to treat that subject. But hey. Cheers.
It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
Pope Francis has been trying really hard to get the Catholic Church on the path of happiness and embracing love. Many Protestants earn their following from being die-hard creationists and all the fundamental bullshit that goes with it. Quite a few Catholics agree.
This is another step in him trying to just help Christians get their shit together.
Also, it's helping break some stereotypes since the Catholic Church and science haven't always had a good reputation.
"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur
A nice butterfly
John Paul II did the same of speaking out against the evolution/catholicism thing though, did he not?
It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
Probably. Francis is just being more explicit.
"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur
A nice butterfly
I fear that, if anything, those idea are going to set the crazy protestants even further away from wanting to do anything with the catholic church. But then again, the really really crazy ones? I do not think anything could ever make them approach anyone else.
Mind you, that's just the extreme cases though. Like the WBC and stuff.
It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
Doesn't matter really. The Catholics are still an influential and important political body with a massive population.
If nothing else, Pope Francis is laying a heavy example for Protestants to compare themselves too. And I honestly don't think he is doing any of this except because it's the Christian thing to do. So kudos to Francis.
"Psssh. Even if you could catch a miracle on a picture any person would probably delete it to make space for more porn." - Aszur
A nice butterfly
Yeah Francis has been pretty cool so far. I hope something good comes forward along with it, instead of just being interpreted as a direct confrontation to some people.
It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
V
On the subject of Established Churches:
Archbishop of Canterbury condemns politicians who view immigration as a ‘deep menace’
Impossible Gender Forge
I was seeing some upset people regarding the recent papal announcement, particularly this:
Visiting from the Hoag Galaxy
That's an...odd...statement to make. "God is not a magician." Sure, the idea is that He doesn't do cheap tricks. But "God is not a divine being?" What?
Oh, just looked up the definition. "Of, relating to, or proceeding directly from God or a god". So, by that definition, God is not divine since presumably He didn't make Himself, but any action God takes is by definition, divine. That's kind of weird.
edited 28th Oct '14 7:46:12 PM by Zendervai
Not Three Laws compliant.
Is it just an awkward translation? I assume the Pope's original statement is in Italian or something...
NOT THE BEES
No, but Catholics often are, especially in places like the US or Africa where we have so much cultural bleedover from crazier Protestant denominations. My Catholic grandmother for instance straight-up didn't believe me when I told her the Vatican was okay with evolution, that her Bible is not an accepted translation, or that her Adventist pamphlets are saying a whole lot of things we're supposed to consider very, very heretical.
Yep. It's an awkward translation and what he meant was something more along the lines of an angel or something like that.
Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
Strapping bombs to faces is the future of terrorism. However, it's still in the development phase as it makes it hard for the bombers to see where they are going.