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EvC Forum ⇒ Social and Religious Issues ⇒ Faith and Belief ⇒

Heretics - Reverend Carlton Pearson

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Author Topic:   Heretics - Reverend Carlton Pearson
ringo
Member (Idle past 442 days)
Posts: 20940
From: frozen wasteland
Joined: 03-23-2005

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Message 5 of 50 (365160)
11-21-2006 1:40 PM 		Reply to: Message 4 by Dan Carroll
11-21-2006 12:42 PM

Dan Carroll writes:
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"If there's no Hell, what's the point of this whole religion?"
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The point of most religions is to keep the flock on the straight and narrow.
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That can be for the good of the flock or for the good of the shepherd. It can be done with a stick (threat of hell) or a carrot (promise of heaven).
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Funny that most religions don't think of appealing to reason: stay on the straight and narrow because that's the best way for all of us to get where we're going.
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This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by Dan Carroll, posted 11-21-2006 12:42 PM Dan Carroll has not replied
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 Message 7 by anastasia, posted 11-21-2006 5:12 PM ringo has replied
  
ringo
Member (Idle past 442 days)
Posts: 20940
From: frozen wasteland
Joined: 03-23-2005

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Message 10 of 50 (365200)
11-21-2006 5:34 PM 		Reply to: Message 7 by anastasia
11-21-2006 5:12 PM

anastasia writes:
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When you (Ringo)say 'straight and narrow' it sounds like the road is the end in itself, and heaven is the 'carrot' that is held out to people to trick them onto the road.
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Why do you suppose there are so many commandments about what we should do in this life? If all we want is to be "close to God", the commandments are redundant. Why don't we all just die as soon as possible and get to our "real" goal?
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Is religion (God, heaven, hell) all a trick created by man to trick people into behaving?
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Often, yes.
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If so, what is the aim in getting people to behave?
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Sometimes the aim isn't to get people to behave, but to cash in on their misbehaviour. I have suggested before in other threads that the primary purpose of the levitical sacrifices was to feed the priests. I have also suggested that the rules and regulations were set up in such a way as to be impossible to obey - to ensure a regular supply of barbecued ox.
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So any attempt to remove the punishments is considered heretical by the orthodox.
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Going to heaven is not just a place in some realm, it can also be a state of union with God. The opposite extreme is fear of eternal seperation from God, which is thought to be 'hell' in itself.
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We've had some recent threads on what people think heaven will be like. The way most religious people describe it, it would be hell.
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This message is a reply to:
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 Message 11 by Chiroptera, posted 11-21-2006 5:48 PM ringo has not replied
  
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