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
personally i think the Egyptians are the best
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza
Nah: not a single place, but... Saharan rock art. Some of it probably makes the pyramids look like bright, young things.
United Earth
Those are some cool album covers.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
holy shit! those are as old as the Göbekli Tepe
Bumbleby is best ship. busy spending time on r/RWBY and r/anime. Unapologetic Socialist
There's the sub-Saharan lot, as well. Some of the motifs are startlingly similar to the better-documented Saharan ones.
However... some things the south does older. Check out Blombos. Ritual or not, it's about the oldest place we've got that shows we were doing far more than cutting and eating a long, long time ago.
It was a place of ritual for thousands of years before Homo sapiens hit Europe. Religious or not, it's something. Oh, and those cross-hatches? Still popular in African art... heck, the ancient Egyptians got millage out of similar patterns in similar colours.
edited 4th Dec '15 3:54:10 PM by Euodiachloris
Angor Watt should not be overlooked.
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
The leader of the Global Movement of Moderates claims that "controlling" Shia Muslims and other non-Sunni schools of thought was required to develop Islam in Malaysia. Yes, these people call themselves the Global Movement of Moderates. This is why "moderation" is hardly ever taken seriously in practice...
edited 6th Dec '15 7:34:29 AM by Krieger22
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
A nice butterfly
User has been banned for this post.
It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
United Earth
I remember back when "Palestinian Moderates" was code for "Folks Who'll Bend Over For Israel".
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
I'm a little late to the "pretty buildings" topic, but when it comes to Constantinople, I'll take the Cathedral of Sts. Sergius and Bacchus (a.k.a. "the little Hagia Sophia"): it's smaller than Hagia Sophia, but much better proportioned.
United Earth
Wierd. On map, HS
◊ seems a lot neater than its counterpart.
◊ Either way, the photographs don't do it justice.
I'm more of a Blue Mosque
◊ fan myself. But it wouldn't exist without its predecessors.
edited 7th Dec '15 8:08:17 AM by TheHandle
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
First time in this thread.
In regards to Shinto, do they have something similar to the Christian Ten Commandments?
I'm not sure, but they almost certainly have a phrasing of the Golden Rule, because it's found in all major religions.
This is a signature.
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Not really. The State Shinto has tried to codify the amorphous blob, but the thing about Shinto is that the practice and expectations vary from shrine to shrine, sect to sect as well as between the various regions of Japan.
And, then there's Folk Shinto: the stuff that just bumbles along pretty much ignoring most authorities trying to mess with it. 
Short answer: Shinto has guidelines that are subject to change within context, not commandments.
So it has nothing against adultery?
Avoid serious sins such as lying, murder and adultery. Generally avoid anything that increases "impurity" of mind, body and spirit. However, as said above there's no real moral code or dogma.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
United Earth
Yeah, I find the sexual aspect of "purity" very annoying. It's certainly more... hygienic. Less risky, epidemics-wise. But, you know, people should just get their shots and use protection.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
But all those fluids and other...things. Eewww.
Hilariously scatological the creation story of Japan is.
edited 10th Dec '15 3:03:54 AM by TerminusEst
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
United Earth
I dunno, plenty of people eat their own boogers and don't have their self-esteem drop because of it.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
But it's their own. Can't trust other peoples bodies.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
The purity thing probably came about when there wasn't reliable medicine and protection.
Or you know, don't touch dead people or blood (anything nasty really) as you might get sick. Even with reliable medicine, people don't go out and try to get themselves infected. Usually.
edited 10th Dec '15 3:29:56 AM by TerminusEst
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Outside of a chemical context, most definitions of purity are just meaningless drivel.
A nice butterfly
Which religions forbid people of their religion to marry people of other religions?
It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes
edited 4th Dec '15 2:45:18 PM by Euodiachloris