It seems to me it's pure luck as to what religion one would choose. If you were born in the States, it's a pretty good chance that you would be born into a Christian home or at least a Christian community. Born in India I bet you might become Hindu. What I'm saying is not to many convert from what they were born into. So for one religion to claim to be the one that will do the trick, and all the others are nothing but a cults, and lead nowhere but to Hell is sort of annoying don't you think ? It reminds me of the Clans of days gone by. Either you are part of my Clan or you are the enemy. Republicans and Democrates are are a great example of this. My Football team is the best team in the world and all others stink. Be True to your school. My Country is the best Country in the Universe.
Originally posted by buckkyI think the covertion is 30% in America. So out of 300 million people that is about 100 Million.
It seems to me it's pure luck as to what religion one would choose. If you were born in the States, it's a pretty good chance that you would be born into a Christian home or at least a Christian community. Born in India I bet you might become Hindu. What I'm saying is not to many convert from what they were born into. So for one religion to claim to be the on nd all others stink. Be True to your school. My Country is the best Country in the Universe.
Originally posted by karoly aczelStill being born into a christian doesn't make you a christian or any other religion you are born into. So technically it should be at 100% convertion.
So why does any of this matter?
It just highlights the habituation that most people are subject to from birth. To do something truly origonal/spiritual will require the adept to "go inside" . Any outer classifications are arbitary and of not much consequence.
"It seems to me it's pure luck as to what religion one would choose..."
The word 'choose' is out of place.
You are not given a choice.
You get babtised when you are just weeks old.
They then feed you with pretty stories about Jesus and God when you are young
and if you are nice you go to heaven so there must be a hell.
They have these beautiful churces with stained glass windows and statues
with sad and serious faces. You are totally overwhelmed.
Then the man tells us all the dead are going to rise, we sing songs
about slaying our enemies and everything is all Bright and Beautiful.
You are encouraged to get married to have children to get them babtised
and then feed them the stories you were force fed.
You have no choice.
(I want to unbabtise myself, how do I go about it and how much does it cost?)
Originally posted by greenpawn34They have to roast you above a bonfire...
(I want to unbabtise myself, how do I go about it and how much does it cost?)
But what is the point if you are not religious? "Unbaptizing" only feeds the religion.
Anyway I doubt you find a priest who will lend you a hand.
Anthropology shows that most societies have a consistent set of beliefs that embraces economic social and family life together with a cosmology - a story about how things come to be as they are. That's a big package to unload. Maybe the topic to focus on is the process of losing a faith, which for many people is traumatic. It not only requires huge adjustment internally, but also social adjustment and social pressures. Most religions offer a fairly comprehensive set of beliefs and practices, often psychologically important, so that the loss of faith can be disturbing and take many years to complete. When people are stressed they will revert to the solutions that soothed them in childhood.
It would be as difficult for a Christian to experience the intensive poetry of the Koran as it would be for a Muslim to appreciate the intense experience of Catholic liturgy, for example. All the little and large fables and aphorisms that get people through the day are packaged up for them as the religion of their birth.
"But what is the point if you are not religious?"
I was not given a choice.
I might have wanted to become a Muslim. Who knows?
I can remember it like it was yesterday.
I was quite happy 10 days old in a nice cosy cot.
Suddenly I'm wrapped in an itchy blanket and this man with
hairy nostrils splashes water in my face.
10 days old and suddenly I cannot marry a Hindu woman or
anyone outside my religion.
It's not fair. All the Christian women in my neck of the woods are plug ugly.
Originally posted by finneganI am not sure where this fits into what you are saying, but Zambia was converted to Christianity in a relatively short space of time. Most people still retain much of the cultural beliefs though.
Anthropology shows that most societies have a consistent set of beliefs that embraces economic social and family life together with a cosmology - a story about how things come to be as they are. That's a big package to unload. Maybe the topic to focus on is the process of losing a faith, which for many people is traumatic. It not only requires huge adjustm ...[text shortened]... te. When people are stressed they will revert to the solutions that soothed them in childhood.
Originally posted by Hand of HecateI find this misogynist remark offensive.
Throw a bible over their face and do 'em for Jesus.
What a misogynist truly loves is the shallow image of women that exists only in one’s mind and is illustrated in society in such things as pornography or mainstream media that espouses that fantasy. The hatred is directed at real women, for not living up to a misogynist’s expectations of women being easy to control.
Tolerating this type of remark condones violence against women on many levels.