Now I don't normally give a flying <deleted> about people who cling to their comfort blanket Linus style so I am gentle with people of strong religious beliefs but I just saw a piece on CNN where the "Democrats" are trying to appeal to the "religious right".

I think it's time for a backlash.

I nominate , for crimes against humanity :

1 The Catholic pope for

1a Condemning innocent women to certain death by forbidding them to insist their HIV positive husbands use condoms.

1b Sheltering and covering up for his paedophile employees.

2 Muslim clerics everywhere for

2a Generally relegating women to the level of third class citizens

2b Exhibiting their attitude to freedom of religion by passing a death sentence on anyone who wants to leave their faith.

I'll get round to the rest later (I'm researching the burning of women by hindus).

Any suggestions or nominations ?

Ironically, I think political parties that have no abiding principles save for garnering 50% of the vote, and who don't care who's ass they ksis to do it, are part of the problem. People seem to seek some kind of constancy in their institutions, ######ed up though they may be. Between the politics and the religion, it's a race for the bottom.

As for your nominations, I think the Vatican I believe has no policy on condoms with respect to HIV. I think they're coming around to acceptance in their decades late fashion. The preist pedophilia issue is indefensible.

As for the muslims I would add genital mutilation, cricifixion, stoning and amputation as being particularly strong actions against their flock.

As for Indian "bride burning", I'm not aware that it is related to Hiduism, but is more an evil economic practice involving dowrys I believe.

I am reading Richard Dawkins' book 'the god delusion' at the moment

I have been an Atheist all my life , so it's not going to convert me :-) , but it has some interesting stories concerning famous Atheists so far.

I am a Kayoist.

So are most of you.

I am a Kayoist.

So are most of you.

Only on Red Nose Day.

The two worst human traits.

1. Manipulation by those that can.

2. Blind subservience by those that can't.

I follow my own path thank you.

Now I don't normally give a flying <deleted> about people who cling to their comfort blanket Linus style so I am gentle with people of strong religious beliefs...

I must admit FS, that reads like a sentence from someone who's really tolerant.

Please be gentle with me, I am just a simple man clinging to my security blanket, I am obviously a deeply sad individual who needs a belief in God to alleviate my own self inadequacies.

Throw a rock in the air and you will hit someone guilty, why look for them.

I understand your frustration, though. I want a stronger secular influence in my country. What I want more then anything is moral, reasonable intelligent people running things and voting, regardless of what fairytale tucks them in at night. Weed out the fundies who ruin everything for everyone else.

Sometimes people do horrible things in the name of religion and sometimes the leaders of a religion (the Pope, etc.) do horrible things. It's important to remember that people do these things and not the religion. We know people are bad. That doesn't mean that bad people believing in a religion makes religion bad. I'm sure athiests do bad things like murder as well. So I guess that means I shouldn't believe in athiesm, right?

I often find the reasoning of athiests to be the most close-minded of all. I'm not saying this of all, but it has usually been the case when I've talked with athiests. The most logical course? Agnosticism.

Oh yes oh yes! God exists! I am going to jump from the 20th floor now and see if God is going to save me.

I tried hard many years studying in a catholic school to believe in those fairy tales they teach but failed. They don't make any bloody sense! Can someone please turn me to be religious? I fear really that my soul won't be saved! Every religious person tried to hide away from me when confronted by me! Every bloody person!

I am quite amazed that there are actually so many people in this world with an IQ problem.

Oh yes oh yes! God exists! I am going to jump from the 20th floor now and see if God is going to save me.

I tried hard many years studying in a catholic school to believe in those fairy tales they teach but failed. They don't make any bloody sense! Can someone please turn me to be religious? I fear really that my soul won't be saved! Every religious person tried to hide away from me when confronted by me! Every bloody person!

I am quite amazed that there are actually so many people in this world with an IQ problem.

IQ problem that makes them believe in a religion, or an IQ problem that means they just don't get the meanings and lash out instead at those who do?

I'm founder, highpriest and so far only member of the First Church of Hedonism.

Disciples wanted. PM me for more!

The current (for not much longer ) Prime Minister of Australia tried to mix state with religion. He appointed a prominent church leader as Governor-General of the country.

When it transpired that he (like many of his ilk) was involved in coverups in the church it ended badly for both.

The PM then went for the much safer option and replaced him with a former commander of the SAS.

Now I don't normally give a flying <deleted> about people who cling to their comfort blanket Linus style so I am gentle with people of strong religious beliefs but I just saw a piece on CNN where the "Democrats" are trying to appeal to the "religious right".

I think it's time for a backlash.

I nominate , for crimes against humanity :

1 The Catholic pope for

1a Condemning innocent women to certain death by forbidding them to insist their HIV positive husbands use condoms.

1b Sheltering and covering up for his paedophile employees.

2 Muslim clerics everywhere for

2a Generally relegating women to the level of third class citizens

2b Exhibiting their attitude to freedom of religion by passing a death sentence on anyone who wants to leave their faith.

I'll get round to the rest later (I'm researching the burning of women by hindus).

Any suggestions or nominations ?

dont forget the witch hunts

I am not a believer in a registered religion, but I do know I have Gods and angels.

I do wonder, if you are an atheist, what you think you are going on to when you die? Dust? Do you get scared on your deathbed? Well, guess you don't know that yet. I think spriritualism is an important component of life.

I suppose we all have some form of a security blanket. I can remember the local C of E God botherer writing on the school blackboard during religious instruction, once a compulsory subject in schools... "There are no atheists in foxholes!" and offering it for discussion, which at least was more interesting than dissecting the the Nicaean Creed.

I suppose religion has a great deal to do with fear, fear of dying, fear of being alone (Abide with me?) and of course fear of God.... "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 1:7).

I quoted the bible to one of the board Christians a while back in General which enraged him to the point he ended up banned; in his hissy fit he declared all adult male non Christian Farangs in Thailand to be here for the sole purpose of scre#ing prepubescent girls which resulted in his sudden departure. Bye bye smilodon, sceadugengen make short work of sabretooth tigers.

Oh yes oh yes! God exists! I am going to jump from the 20th floor now and see if God is going to save me.

I tried hard many years studying in a catholic school to believe in those fairy tales they teach but failed. They don't make any bloody sense! Can someone please turn me to be religious? I fear really that my soul won't be saved! Every religious person tried to hide away from me when confronted by me! Every bloody person!

I am quite amazed that there are actually so many people in this world with an IQ problem.

Well if someone jumps from a 20th floor there's more than a good chance that they will die regardless of whether they bekieve in god or not! So why would you expect God to save you? Maybe your problem is that you tried to believe in the fairy tales rather than the truth. And why, to use your wording, do you want someone to turn you to be religious? This is your own choice based on your own studies!

Then you wrote "Every religious person tried to hide away from me when confronted by me!" What sort of religious people you been hanging out with man?!?

One last point, IQ has nothing to do with faith and spirituality!

Oh yes oh yes! God exists! I am going to jump from the 20th floor now and see if God is going to save me.

I tried hard many years studying in a catholic school to believe in those fairy tales they teach but failed. They don't make any bloody sense! Can someone please turn me to be religious? I fear really that my soul won't be saved! Every religious person tried to hide away from me when confronted by me! Every bloody person!

I am quite amazed that there are actually so many people in this world with an IQ problem.

Well if someone jumps from a 20th floor there's more than a good chance that they will die regardless of whether they bekieve in god or not! So why would you expect God to save you? Maybe your problem is that you tried to believe in the fairy tales rather than the truth. And why, to use your wording, do you want someone to turn you to be religious? This is your own choice based on your own studies!

Then you wrote "Every religious person tried to hide away from me when confronted by me!" What sort of religious people you been hanging out with man?!?

One last point, IQ has nothing to do with faith and spirituality!

As he doesn't relate his effect on non-religious people halitosis and body odour can not be ruled out.

I am not a believer in a registered religion, but I do know I have Gods and angels.

I do wonder, if you are an atheist, what you think you are going on to when you die? Dust? Do you get scared on your deathbed? Well, guess you don't know that yet. I think spriritualism is an important component of life.

This whole angel phenonomon (spelling- can't be bothered looking it up) seems to be a very north american thing these days. Going a step further than a belief in an all powerful and knowing diety, many now believe they have their own personal little supernatural bodyguard to look after them. (When I think of angels I always get a vision of John Travolta with a set of wings ) That goes quite a bit past what I'm ever likely to believe in!

As an athiest I think when I die I will be firstly meat, and eventually dust. A scary thought, but I'm not going to invent, and believe in, other places or lives just to alleviate my fears.

I agree, this fear is monumental for some, and a belief in something further is needed to get past the truth of death. There is good reason why most church goers are aged. Perhaps someone could explain why they are predominately women?

I am not a believer in a registered religion, but I do know I have Gods and angels.

I do wonder, if you are an atheist, what you think you are going on to when you die? Dust? Do you get scared on your deathbed? Well, guess you don't know that yet. I think spriritualism is an important component of life.

This whole angel phenonomon (spelling- can't be bothered looking it up) seems to be a very north american thing these days. Going a step further than a belief in an all powerful and knowing diety, many now believe they have their own personal little supernatural bodyguard to look after them. (When I think of angels I always get a vision of John Travolta with a set of wings ) That goes quite a bit past what I'm ever likely to believe in!

As an athiest I think when I die I will be firstly meat, and eventually dust. So it's the beef section in the Tesco/Lotus for you when you pop your clogs.A scary thought, but I'm not going to invent, and believe in, other places or lives just to alleviate my fears.

I agree, this fear is monumental for some, and a belief in something further is needed to get past the truth of death. There is good reason why most church goers are aged. Perhaps someone could explain why they are predominately women?Rumour has it that women and gay men have male angels

Rumour has it that women and gay men have male angels[/color]

Haven't heard that term for them before. I presume they're still battery powered.

Rumour has it that women and gay men have male angels[/color]

Haven't heard that term for them before. I presume they're still battery powered.

I do remember an English comedian who explained the difference between male and female police officers.

The female ones had batteries in their truncheons.

I am not a believer in a registered religion, but I do know I have Gods and angels.

I do wonder, if you are an atheist, what you think you are going on to when you die? Dust? Do you get scared on your deathbed? Well, guess you don't know that yet. I think spriritualism is an important component of life.

This whole angel phenonomon (spelling- can't be bothered looking it up) seems to be a very north american thing these days. Going a step further than a belief in an all powerful and knowing diety, many now believe they have their own personal little supernatural bodyguard to look after them. (When I think of angels I always get a vision of John Travolta with a set of wings ) That goes quite a bit past what I'm ever likely to believe in!

As an athiest I think when I die I will be firstly meat, and eventually dust. A scary thought, but I'm not going to invent, and believe in, other places or lives just to alleviate my fears.

I agree, this fear is monumental for some, and a belief in something further is needed to get past the truth of death. There is good reason why most church goers are aged. Perhaps someone could explain why they are predominately women?

Interesting post OC. The notion of angels has been around since the beginning - ie they were there at creation (if you believe in a creation). The belief in angels being 'guardians' is a later concept. So yes, I believe in angels doing God's will, however, I don't believe that I have an angel keeping me from all harm. Otherwise I'd have to believe they were on a coffe break when I had my motorbike accident (or a whole host of other life threatening things I have done). Or, on a much more serious note, I have just found out that a friend of mine is in a coma and on life support, he fell down while playing with his kids in the park, they are switching things off today and have no idea what's going to happen, so I'd have to ask about a guardian angel who would let that happen to a young man with a wife and children?

Truth is that a belief in God or angels is not a 'rabbits foot', shit happens!

Not universally true is the aged attendance at church meeting, the average age in my church is just over 30. The reason, I think, for the larger number of women, is that women are more spiritual than men. I hope that's not too controvertial!

FS, in your OP you forgot the Catholic Church for forcing many, many children on the poorest members of society, by refusing to allow birth control or abortion. At least those in Catholic countries - so that's the PI, most South & Central American countries, Ireland (oops!)...

You know, there have been atheist nations already. They just substitute political dogma for scripture. That cost about 60 million people their lives in China, about half that in the Soviet Union.

FS, in your OP you forgot the Catholic Church for forcing many, many children on the poorest members of society, by refusing to allow birth control or abortion. At least those in Catholic countries - so that's the PI, most South & Central American countries, Ireland (oops!)...

Actually I didn't forget the Papists , they were #1 on the list , but not on the basis of population control. If you are trying to make a point you do well to start with the most outrageous situations you can find which for me was the women whose husbands drive trucks on the "aids highway" and dally with prostitutes at every stop yet some f*cking bishop says their husband shouldn't use a condom anyway when he comes home because it would be "immoral".

Why you say Ireland (oops) ?

Yes I am Irish , though the last time I lived there you were playing with barbie dolls.

I do think ( impressions from the outside) that they may have made some progress.

FS, in your OP you forgot the Catholic Church for forcing many, many children on the poorest members of society, by refusing to allow birth control or abortion. At least those in Catholic countries - so that's the PI, most South & Central American countries, Ireland (oops!)...

I most certainly would not be had that not been the case. Some may find that a bolstering argument.

Oh yes oh yes! God exists! I am going to jump from the 20th floor now and see if God is going to save me.

I tried hard many years studying in a catholic school to believe in those fairy tales they teach but failed. They don't make any bloody sense! Can someone please turn me to be religious? I fear really that my soul won't be saved! Every religious person tried to hide away from me when confronted by me! Every bloody person!

I am quite amazed that there are actually so many people in this world with an IQ problem.

Well if someone jumps from a 20th floor there's more than a good chance that they will die regardless of whether they bekieve in god or not! So why would you expect God to save you? Maybe your problem is that you tried to believe in the fairy tales rather than the truth. And why, to use your wording, do you want someone to turn you to be religious? This is your own choice based on your own studies!

Then you wrote "Every religious person tried to hide away from me when confronted by me!" What sort of religious people you been hanging out with man?!?

One last point, IQ has nothing to do with faith and spirituality!

Well if people tell me that pigs can fly and his dick can touch the sky and I believe it, what would you think of my IQ?

It was catholic priests, catholics and christians I spoke to. What they can tell me is to have faith! Just believe! <deleted>!

We were forced to read BS in those fairy tale books where they say the red sea divided. How can anyone believe anything like that? Why study physics, chemistry and biology anymore?

Oh yes, I remember, I was actually from a too poor a family for those fathers and brothers to even give a flying ass. Their eyes see money only!

Anyone can prove God here?

I'm staying out of this one...

Oh yes oh yes! God exists! I am going to jump from the 20th floor now and see if God is going to save me.

I have a feeling that you are confusing a, ' A Leap of Faith', with stupidity, something that, in my opinion God would even agree with Darwin in this case, regarding natural selection.

I tried hard many years studying in a catholic school to believe in those fairy tales they teach but failed. They don't make any bloody sense!

Sometimes, these stories need a little dissecting and require further thought.

Perhaps Lazarus was miraculously brought back to life, or perhaps, just perhaps, Jesus was also a gifted healer and brought him back from a near death experience using Mouth to Mouth or CPR, it is your choice or not, whatever the case may be.

It might just be a good story that a Minstrel decided to sing and carouse on his tour of the Middle East, but then maybe not!

ligious? I fear really that my soul won't be saved!

( I cut a piece of that ) If you do not believe, I guess it wont bother you.

Every religious person tried to hide away from me when confronted by me! Every bloody person!

It would appear that you have never met myself or Suegha then, although I accept I do not have Suegha's commitment or discerning capacity of intellect.

I am quite amazed that there are actually so many people in this world with an IQ problem.

Hmmmm, do I read in this that if anybody disagrees with you, is of low I.Q. Which in itself is proof of limited intelligence.

Good Luck, I wish you well.

Moss