My neighbors tell me that, if christianity didn't tell you that you're a sinner and guilty of something -- not sure exactly what -- then it wouldn't have expanded so successfully and, also, lots of people might be happier and others left unpersecuted.
What do you think?
I'm certainly no expert, myself!
I didn't check yet, so I ask you now: do you live in some foreign country, or do you, like me, live here in Spain?
qwurky / david
I see this in one of your responses: "Christianity always makes me think of the Roman Empire. Did the Roman Empire ever fall? I think not."
Tell me, what does Gibbon's work, "The decline and fall of the Roman Empire| deal with?
Has he made a mistake of some kind, not having known you?
-- Time for the second part of my siesta now (which is the most vital part!) -- so I'll come back later!
Thanks for your input!
David
If you fear something enough, it motivates or otherwise influences all of your behaviors accordingly. The person who fears heights avoids the upper floors of tall buildings. He'll never work on Wall Street though he might have been a hugely successful investment banker. Never visit or live in the mountains, the Grand Canyon, board a cruise ship or airplane, depriving himself of tremendous natural beauty and spiritually enriching experiences. A person fearing pain will avoid many things - intimate personal relationships, for example, and hence, might ultimately stymie the family environment he/she might have created or beyond that, the legacy of children (who I'm told, can bring significant joy to their parents in their age). Fear of failure kills the creative urge. Fear of death ultimately pollutes the joy of life. Fear of damnation drives one to abandon many key elements that make up his humanity, and in my humble opinion, leads to acts of desperation, self-destructive life choices and in its worse cases, predatory practices. Consider the priest who preys on a child. The minister who skulks off once a month with a rent boy. Closet alcoholics, drug abuse, violent outbursts, even child molestation is far more commonly found among the "faithful" than is accurately reported. The tighter the lid, the greater the explosion.
Now. Imagine living without fear for a moment. Really train your mind on the possibility. The more one thinks about it, the more it seems like a wonderful phantom - hard to grasp initially, harder yet to hold on to and exceedingly difficult to internalize. But so, so attractive, isn't it? I believe we can get there with practice. I certainly intend to.
Now, the $$$ question. Would religion find fertile soil in such a mindset? Without fear, would there be any need for religion?
You sure instilled a deep response to a rather simple question. I didn't take the time to read all of the responses. I might get around to it…someday. For right now the answer is a big whom-ping YES!
The fear of not having a place for your soul in heaven is all that is needed to motivate people.
I'll stop here just so I don't get on my soapbox but it looks like I agree with a few people here.
Atheist Unite!!!
StF
I read all this... difficult to answer everybody.
Just Bruce resumed quite well the question, I could add some explanation about how Christianity was built -one of my fave is studying history of religions, that helps understand lots of inhuman behaviours, like how Hitler was so successful- but that would be a long heavy text...
Well, lets say that Christians are a 2000 year old sect that succeeded...
Fools (someone here would also say "nuts", LOL), for me are people that dont take what they're told for granted and try to find their own answers. Fools are people who doubt.
Are we all fools here?
A certain Russian writer (sorry I have a blank regarding the name) was sent to gulag because he was considered to be deviant, and in that place he realised that he was not the only one, and therefore maybe the fools were the others, the so called "normal" ones.
Same in our societies, to be a fool is not to be a nice consumer-tax payer-TV addict-God fearing and trusting person?
Therefore I feel lucky to be a fool...
I have been wrong before, especially before café.
Will examine your message if and when I come to complete consciousness, OK?
Hasta luego!
David
Xata club has replied to qwurkyLess known writer.
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