Which God?

[SaintB]

I would worship the god that accepts everyone for who they are, the god that cares about its creations, and pities its poor misguided creations. I would worship the god who cries out in anger when is children lash out at each other for no reason and blindly battle over matters of little importance, I would worship the god who remembers that it gave its creations free will and so will not interfere. I would worship the god who gave us the cunning, the knowledge, and the ability to solve our own damn problems, and wishes the best for everyone and quietly feels sorry for how reckless and self destructive we are.

There aint much evidence that a god like that exists though.

[Ifreann]

I would worship the god that accepts everyone for who they are, the god that cares about its creations, and pities its poor misguided creations. I would worship the god who cries out in anger when is children lash out at each other for no reason and blindly battle over matters of little importance, I would worship the god who remembers that it gave its creations free will and so will not interfere. I would worship the god who gave us the cunning, the knowledge, and the ability to solve our own damn problems, and wishes the best for everyone and quietly feels sorry for how reckless and self destructive we are.

There aint much evidence that a god like that exists though.

I nominate myself for the position.

[SaintB]

I would worship the god that accepts everyone for who they are, the god that cares about its creations, and pities its poor misguided creations. I would worship the god who cries out in anger when is children lash out at each other for no reason and blindly battle over matters of little importance, I would worship the god who remembers that it gave its creations free will and so will not interfere. I would worship the god who gave us the cunning, the knowledge, and the ability to solve our own damn problems, and wishes the best for everyone and quietly feels sorry for how reckless and self destructive we are.

There aint much evidence that a god like that exists though.

I nominate myself for the position.

Well if you want to apply I will first need to see an application as well as a resume that outlines your experiences as a divine power and an essay that states why you think you are the most qualified. I also require at least 60 character references from your apostles and of course a formal outline of your divine policy... in 10 sentences or less.

[Our Lady GaGa]

Well, back to the topic... nessuna altra stella eccellente, friends.

[Kamsaki]

I'm really tired of this fucking persecution complex some of you guys have. You suffer for your faith? How? You're the goddamn majority in this country, and most western ones. How is that suffering? How is that hard? You find affirmation and acceptance of your spiritual choice everywhere.
...
So don't give me bullshit about how it's so fucking hard to be a Christian. It isn't.

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

But if it's not a wholly ridiculous thing to say, Christianity done right should be the hardest way of life physically possible. Why? Because it mandates total selflessness, activism against the dominant power in defense of the weak, a disregard for material possession, the surrender of personal and religious pride, an unrelenting optimism concerning the human spirit and a devotion to a God who you have no authority to demand anything of, and probably wouldn't give it to you if you asked him.

If these kinds of religious flag-wavers weren't such hypocrites, espousing their world-views for their own self-interest and sucking the rest of the world dry with their active promotion of the western culture of consumption, then they might have a point.

[Milks Empire]

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

In the western world, absolutely. Not so much in some places (but those places are few and far between).

[Callisdrun]

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

In the western world, absolutely. Not so much in some places (but those places are few and far between).

Indeed. I'm mainly referring to Christians in the Americas and Europe.

Certainly they don't have the same ease of worship everywhere. Christians in places like Iraq, or Egypt, and in that whole region I have a lot of respect for, because for them, it often is very difficult to practice their faith.

[Milks Empire]

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

In the western world, absolutely. Not so much in some places (but those places are few and far between).

Indeed. I'm mainly referring to Christians in the Americas and Europe.
Certainly they don't have the same ease of worship everywhere. Christians in places like Iraq, or Egypt, and in that whole region I have a lot of respect for, because for them, it often is very difficult to practice their faith.

The Christian community in the Holy Land/Palestine/Israel has all but fled. Egyptian Christians face a lot of de facto persecution. The person who directed the afterschool program married a Copt. From what her Coptic husband said, Mubarak doesn't really bother them, but the local Muslims are less predictable.

[Callisdrun]

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

In the western world, absolutely. Not so much in some places (but those places are few and far between).

Indeed. I'm mainly referring to Christians in the Americas and Europe.
Certainly they don't have the same ease of worship everywhere. Christians in places like Iraq, or Egypt, and in that whole region I have a lot of respect for, because for them, it often is very difficult to practice their faith.

The Christian community in the Holy Land/Palestine/Israel has all but fled. Egyptian Christians face a lot of de facto persecution. The person who directed the afterschool program married a Copt. From what her Coptic husband said, Mubarak doesn't really bother them, but the local Muslims are less predictable.

I would probably flee, too, in the face of constant death threats and such.

I also find Coptic Christianity quite interesting, partly because it uses the Coptic language.

[Muravyets]

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

In the western world, absolutely. Not so much in some places (but those places are few and far between).

Indeed. I'm mainly referring to Christians in the Americas and Europe.
Certainly they don't have the same ease of worship everywhere. Christians in places like Iraq, or Egypt, and in that whole region I have a lot of respect for, because for them, it often is very difficult to practice their faith.

The Christian community in the Holy Land/Palestine/Israel has all but fled. Egyptian Christians face a lot of de facto persecution. The person who directed the afterschool program married a Copt. From what her Coptic husband said, Mubarak doesn't really bother them, but the local Muslims are less predictable.

It's true that Christians get a hard time of it in places like the Mid-East, Africa and China. But in places like the US, Christians have it made. Yet American Christian rightwing fundamentalists hardly let a day go by without complaining about how oppressed they are. Meanwhile, few of them lift a finger to help their Christian brethren in hostile areas. I'm thinking of words for that, but they're all rude. In any event, it's just one of the reasons I can't stand listening to that martyr nonsense from American Christians.

[Milks Empire]

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

In the western world, absolutely. Not so much in some places (but those places are few and far between).

Indeed. I'm mainly referring to Christians in the Americas and Europe.
Certainly they don't have the same ease of worship everywhere. Christians in places like Iraq, or Egypt, and in that whole region I have a lot of respect for, because for them, it often is very difficult to practice their faith.

The Christian community in the Holy Land/Palestine/Israel has all but fled. Egyptian Christians face a lot of de facto persecution. The person who directed the afterschool program married a Copt. From what her Coptic husband said, Mubarak doesn't really bother them, but the local Muslims are less predictable.

It's true that Christians get a hard time of it in places like the Mid-East, Africa and China. But in places like the US, Christians have it made. Yet American Christian rightwing fundamentalists hardly let a day go by without complaining about how oppressed they are. Meanwhile, few of them lift a finger to help their Christian brethren in hostile areas. I'm thinking of words for that, but they're all rude. In any event, it's just one of the reasons I can't stand listening to that martyr nonsense from American Christians.

Agreed in full.

[Callisdrun]

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

In the western world, absolutely. Not so much in some places (but those places are few and far between).

Indeed. I'm mainly referring to Christians in the Americas and Europe.
Certainly they don't have the same ease of worship everywhere. Christians in places like Iraq, or Egypt, and in that whole region I have a lot of respect for, because for them, it often is very difficult to practice their faith.

The Christian community in the Holy Land/Palestine/Israel has all but fled. Egyptian Christians face a lot of de facto persecution. The person who directed the afterschool program married a Copt. From what her Coptic husband said, Mubarak doesn't really bother them, but the local Muslims are less predictable.

It's true that Christians get a hard time of it in places like the Mid-East, Africa and China. But in places like the US, Christians have it made. Yet American Christian rightwing fundamentalists hardly let a day go by without complaining about how oppressed they are. Meanwhile, few of them lift a finger to help their Christian brethren in hostile areas. I'm thinking of words for that, but they're all rude. In any event, it's just one of the reasons I can't stand listening to that martyr nonsense from American Christians.

Agreed in full.

Indeed, indeed.

[Abdju]

The Christian community in the Holy Land/Palestine/Israel has all but fled. Egyptian Christians face a lot of de facto persecution. The person who directed the afterschool program married a Copt. From what her Coptic husband said, Mubarak doesn't really bother them, but the local Muslims are less predictable.

That's true. The government is secular at heart. The NDP came to power on a nationalist and anti-colonialist platform, and didn't support a religious agenda. But amongst the population, the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood has been both rapid and far reaching, and that makes the situation on the ground for the Copts very unstable. Though the government itself isn't interested in an anti-Copt agenda, they are afraid of the MB, so tend to sweep the whole thing under the carpet for fear of a religiously driven backlash against themselves. In some ways, the Copts situation is a reflection of government strength.

I would probably flee, too, in the face of constant death threats and such.

I also find Coptic Christianity quite interesting, partly because it uses the Coptic language.

I agree, though the sect in itself of minor interest from my perspective (lives of Egyptian saints can be worth reading up on), but the language is by far the Copts greatest single gift to the the world. It's a tragedy that the language was allowed to decline so drastically before revival was attempted.

[Urstania]

I dont believe in a "god" but I do believe in higher intelligence that we could never comprehend just like a microbe living inside us could not comprehend its living inside something bigger.

I believe the experiences and layers of life are infinite right down inside atoms where we see sub atoms and inside a subatom we see more smaller atoms working inside it. then it zooms out to a larger microbe, even larger until its an insect, then an animal, then there is the human layer of life and then there are the intelligent species out there and then there is the planetary experience of life and existence, and then the sun and then outside the sun is the galaxy and then outside the galaxy is the universe which contains more galaxies and outside the Universe is probably something bigger containing multiple universes and outside something bigger and bigger.....

Its like the universe was born in the big bang, it will live for so many amount of years (what happens in between is its life like everything living inside it is the collective consiousness). Eventually the universe will eventually die But the universe also gave birth to Galaxies.

Galaxies contains billions of solar systems and stars. Universes are formed (born) and live for so many amount of years and will eventually die but the galaxy gave birth to star systems.

Star's (suns) are formed/born and give birth to planets. the Sun will live for a few billion years and will eventually die.

The Earth and other planets were created by the sun. they are born and will live inbetween the space until they die

The earth and some planets also gave birth to smaller organism living within the earth, them being plants, animals etc

The animals living on earth gave birth to smaller things until we get to the point where we have micro-atoms.

Existence and reality is infinite and I believe when you die you just go to experience existence and reality on another layer, always learning and existing, learning every possable truth until learning the entire experience of a Universe, until in your next incarnation you are born in the big bang and you ARE a universe and you will do what you can in the laws of physics you control to form galaxies and planets, just like the galaxies formed the suns and juyst like when the sun was born it could of used what it could, manipulating its laws of physics to create the solar system it walked.

Just like earth is doing what it can in the laws of physics to keep itself going

Consiousness of the planet - "hmmm those fucken humans are like a virus, ill just create the conditions for a massive hurricane there to kill a couple, melt the ice caps a bit so they get a hint and perhaps I wont ask the galaxy to send a meteor this way to kill them"

Consiousness of the sun - "hmmm I think when I give birth to earth Ill make sure it will have the conditions for life, I'll make sure its protected from major meteor attacks by having shield planets like jupiter and the Earth's moon etc"

Consiousness of Venus - "I saw what destruction living beings did to mar's and now what its doing to earth, ill just heat the fuck up so no life can live on me using the conditons and pysics I have to work with"

[Minrothad]

But if it's not a wholly ridiculous thing to say, Christianity done right should be the hardest way of life physically possible. Why? Because it mandates total selflessness, activism against the dominant power in defense of the weak, a disregard for material possession, the surrender of personal and religious pride, an unrelenting optimism concerning the human spirit and a devotion to a God who you have no authority to demand anything of, and probably wouldn't give it to you if you asked him.

That's not even going into the hardest part of Christian teachings -- turning the other cheek. If someone does something bad to you, the only appropriate response is 'I forgive you.'

Just one reason why it's impossible to run a nation on Christian principles. It was never really intended for that.

[Tokos]

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

In the western world, absolutely. Not so much in some places (but those places are few and far between).

Many places in the western world Christianity does not at all dominate by any stretch of the imagination.

[Bottle]

NSG is a community which can be very disproportionately vitriolic to Christians, I'd find it hard if I really was a devout Christian to engage with this community for instance.

I've never had an issue. Of course, it helps that NSG is actually a community which is disproportionately vitriolic to Christians who are assholes about it. If you aren't, no-one tends to give a damn apart from a few trolls.

Exactly. I don't think I've ever had an issue with you, or with Smunkee when she was a christian...

Millions of gallons of this.

There are plenty of Christians on NSG who I have interacted with for (literally) years without ever being vitriolic about their beliefs.

It's not the Christianity that's the problem, honestly, it's that some Christians seem to think that being Christian should be like a free pass to act however they want. They think they should be able to act in ways that would be considered rude in any other context, but because they invoke Jesus nobody should get to be upset with them. They think they should be able to say and do things that would get anybody else punched in the face, but as long as they say/do them in the context of being Christian then it's all good.

The Christians I get along with are the ones who view their Christianity as a reason to behave better, not as an excuse to act worse.

[Bottle]

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

In the western world, absolutely. Not so much in some places (but those places are few and far between).

Many places in the western world Christianity does not at all dominate by any stretch of the imagination.

Feel free to list these "many places."

We'll wait.

[Tagmatium]

You're absolutely right to call him on it. Christianity is easily the most pampered and spoiled religion on the face of the earth; it's members the safest and its dominance pretty much assured.

In the western world, absolutely. Not so much in some places (but those places are few and far between).

Many places in the western world Christianity does not at all dominate by any stretch of the imagination.

Feel free to list these "many places."

We'll wait.

It's the nasty liberal atheist places where the Muslims are taking over, of course.

[Tokos]

The UK, especially England (the existence of a state church notwithstanding - it really doesn't mean shit in the real world)
Scandinavia
The Low Countries, it could be argued

Statistics like "70% of English are Christian" are meaningless as well. I could fly the raven flag and make blóts to Woden, but I'd still be considered Catholic on paper.

[Bottle]

The UK, especially England (the existence of a state church notwithstanding - it really doesn't mean shit in the real world)
Scandinavia
The Low Countries, it could be argued

Statistics like "70% of English are Christian" are meaningless as well. I could fly the raven flag and make blóts to Woden, but I'd still be considered Catholic on paper.

So even though Christians hold the majority in every one of those countries that you listed, that doesn't count?

What, exactly, would be required for it to count in your eyes?

[Minrothad]

Many places in the western world Christianity does not at all dominate by any stretch of the imagination.

Feel free to list these "many places."

We'll wait.

At a guess... the middle of mosques and synagogues? Inside Buddhist temples?

While Christianity does not have a presence there, it will remain an endangered minority.

[Allbeama]

How many Hail Satan's does it take before y'all get in the Spirit?

[Tagmatium]

Statistics like "70% of English are Christian" are meaningless as well. I could fly the raven flag and make blóts to Woden, but I'd still be considered Catholic on paper.

It's because we seem to be a lot more laid back about the whole religion thing, which I think is brilliant. We still get nuts from every end of the spectrum, but I love the fact that politicians have to think twice before mentioning God, lest the electorate think they're crazy.

[Bottle]

Many places in the western world Christianity does not at all dominate by any stretch of the imagination.

Feel free to list these "many places."

We'll wait.

At a guess... the middle of mosques and synagogues? Inside Buddhist temples?

While Christianity does not have a presence there, it will remain an endangered minority.

And, sadly, this is actually a better answer than the one Tokos gave.