That's one reason that I don't like organized religion...I'm not talking about faith...but religion so I hope I'm not offending anyone here.
It reminds me of another forum that I like... Audiogon where about 4-5 years ago some guy came on there and said that Jesus literally came to him (in a vision of course) and gave him a "recipe" for making his cables. He got the smackdown so hard that the thread was finally deleted and his cables were referred to as "Jesus Cables"
Yeah...his company thrived of course as you can see but I gotta say...I wonder if Jesus also told him to charge prices like this
yeah...you read those prices right...look at the retail prices also.
When I lived in Huntington Beach there was a new age "church" across the street from where I lived. A girl who I was dating at the time talked me into attending a Science of Mind class. Our instructor told us that we could create wealth by visualizing/praying for bags of money, Mercedes, etc.
Everyone was so pumped because this was the early 90's and house prices had dropped by 30% from their 1989 peaks and everyone was cash strapped.
And several years later....a new bigger/better Bubble formed and well, here we are.
When I lived in Huntington Beach there was a new age "church" across the street from where I lived. A girl who I was dating at the time talked me into attending a Science of Mind class. Our instructor told us that we could create wealth by visualizing/praying for bags of money, Mercedes, etc.
Everyone was so pumped because this was the early 90's and house prices had dropped by 30% from their 1989 peaks and everyone was cash strapped.
And several years later....a new bigger/better Bubble formed and well, here we are.
It is simply divine....
Was that a Unitarian Church per chance? I attended a service at one of those back in the early 90's with a friend, and the "Pastors" sermon was all about how "The Lord Wants you to be Rich"....but "first you have to give us money"
I just want to say that the types of "churches" mentioned in this thread make me sick.
I say this as a believer--one who realizes that a depressing majority of churches these days are more concerned with the expansion and prosperity of "the church" than they are about what it means to be like Jesus.
Religion doesn't have the best track record throughout history.
I agree. Jesus himself wasn't a fan of Religion. Notice the way he treated the Jewish religious leaders of his time.
One thing humanity excels at is taking good concepts and turning them around for selfish gain and the ruin of others. Capitalism is another great example.
Religion has historically been used to justify murder, war, and torture.
Spirituality on the other hand is eternal truth that stresses the aspects of positive living and service to others.
Here is a quote outlining the recipe for world peace:
If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.
Note that the root cause of today's chaotic world is the lack of people (especially leaders and those in positions of power) who satisfy the first condition...
While Christopher Hitchens isn't exactly always the barometer of all things logical, he is a master of the English language, and when he wants to wield a hatchet, he is masterful.
Even when he went off the deep end re: supporting military invasion of Iraq, his rhetoric was pyrotechnic. One of the best professional contrarians there is.
IMHO, when he's hitting the nail on the head, as he is in G.I.N.G., it's great stuff
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Burying a statuette of St. Joseph on the property will help speed the sale of a home.
That's one reason that I don't like organized religion...I'm not talking about faith...but religion so I hope I'm not offending anyone here.
It reminds me of another forum that I like... Audiogon where about 4-5 years ago some guy came on there and said that Jesus literally came to him (in a vision of course) and gave him a "recipe" for making his cables. He got the smackdown so hard that the thread was finally deleted and his cables were referred to as "Jesus Cables"
Yeah...his company thrived of course as you can see but I gotta say...I wonder if Jesus also told him to charge prices like this
yeah...you read those prices right...look at the retail prices also.
Talk about a fool being born every minute
And across the street in another church, they were thanking God that prices are coming down!
The Lord doth work in mysterious ways . . .
Everyone was so pumped because this was the early 90's and house prices had dropped by 30% from their 1989 peaks and everyone was cash strapped.
And several years later....a new bigger/better Bubble formed and well, here we are.
It is simply divine....
Was that a Unitarian Church per chance? I attended a service at one of those back in the early 90's with a friend, and the "Pastors" sermon was all about how "The Lord Wants you to be Rich"....but "first you have to give us money"
Then they passed the offering plates around.
I say this as a believer--one who realizes that a depressing majority of churches these days are more concerned with the expansion and prosperity of "the church" than they are about what it means to be like Jesus.
My opinion is similar to the one in this blog post.
It makes me sick.
"Though we may know Him by a thousand names, He is one and the same to us all."
"One's own religion is after all a matter between oneself and one's Maker and no one else's."
"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
"A religion that takes no account of practical affairs and does not help to solve them is no religion."
"I reject any religious doctrine that does not appeal to reason and is in conflict with morality"
"If I had no sense of humor, I would long ago have committed suicide."
-Gandhi
Religion doesn't have the best track record throughout history.
One thing humanity excels at is taking good concepts and turning them around for selfish gain and the ruin of others. Capitalism is another great example.
I wonder what Thomas Jefferson would have to say about our republic if he were alive today?
Well...if we didn't lynch them first, they would probably bitch-slap every last one of us and tell us how wrong we all are.
Myself included.
Spirituality on the other hand is eternal truth that stresses the aspects of positive living and service to others.
Here is a quote outlining the recipe for world peace:
If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.
Note that the root cause of today's chaotic world is the lack of people (especially leaders and those in positions of power) who satisfy the first condition...
Check out "Letter To A Christian Nation".
Even when he went off the deep end re: supporting military invasion of Iraq, his rhetoric was pyrotechnic. One of the best professional contrarians there is.
IMHO, when he's hitting the nail on the head, as he is in G.I.N.G., it's great stuff
http://www.amazon.com/God-Not-Great-Rel ... 0446579807
I don't have the faith gene, but with this post I mean no offense to those on this forum who are following their feelings. To each his own.