Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Gemma Therese · 05-28-2003, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by keyser_soze
I watch it daily. Good stuff.

Wow -- we have something in common!

Gemma Therese

Pyrrho · 05-28-2003, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rational BAC
I guess you all know that the Inquisition happened an AWFUL long time ago.

It is not like any Christian (Catholics included) today believes anything even close to the same way that the Inquisitors did. Give it up. Happened a long time ago. As did the Crusades. Time goes on.

Christianity has learned and transformed for the better through the ages.

(I wonder sometimes about Islam though. --from current events)

Try reading it again. (I even added emphasis in the original post to help people like you get the point, but I guess Christian beliefs act as an impediment to reading skills.) Do you believe that Burger's classmate lived a long time ago?

Pyrrho · 05-28-2003, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sullster
What has been done by Catholics and Catholicism in its history is an appalling record of murder and terror, but as Rational BAC wisely points out, it happened a long time ago. There will be no burnings at the stake or inquisitors pulling out your arms from their sockets these days.
....

And why is it that the Catholic Church stopped doing such things? And do you, like "Rational BAC", imagine that Burger's classmate lived a long time ago?

Please read my posts with greater care before you criticize them.

Gemma Therese · 05-28-2003, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pyrrho
I guess Christian beliefs act as an impediment to reading skills.)

You'll certainly gain a lot of respect from theists with childish comments like that.

Gemma Therese

Pyrrho · 05-29-2003, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sullster
The Catholic Church in the USA is in deep trouble. It is reeling from the consequences of the priest abuse scandal. It is torn by internal dissension from the disagreements between conservatives and liberals. It is not getting new young priests to join and very many Catholics no longer are practising.

For us atheist/agnostics, this would seem a good thing. Yet I want to claim that it is not. The religious impulse is something that seems part of the human brain's hardwiring and very many are attracted to it.

All the sects of the christian religion are with us and intertwined with our society whether we like it or not. For me, the Protestant Fundamentalists pose the greatest danger to free thought, reason, science and the rights of non-believers than do the Catholics. Catholic priests are well educated and Catholic schools and universities advocate learning and do include science, even evolution.

Catholicism is full of ridiculous other-worldly irrational nonsense and rituals which make us laugh out loud. But, if Catholicism falls away, many of its believers could be drawn into the clutches of absolutist fundamentalism. The traditions of decent education found in Catholic schools could be replaced by fundy bible schools in many areas. We free thinkers could find ourselves confronting more fundamentalism than ever.

I think your concerns are unfounded for two reasons. First, Catholics are not a monolithic group; there are extreme liberal Catholics, as well as extreme conservative Catholics. There is little chance that the former will convert to a Protestant fundamentalist religion, and the latter type are already fundamentalists, just fundamentalist Catholics instead of fundamentalist Protestants. Second, the reason the Catholic Church is not perceived as a great danger in the U.S. is because most Americans are not Catholic, and many Protestants don't like Catholicism (to put it mildly). The Catholic Church exerts a profound influence in many countries, and it encourages governments to not allow freedom of religion to the people (Italy is a good example of this, as it is difficult for certain groups to be recognized as a religion there).

Hubble head · 05-29-2003, 01:09 PM

I don't think the catholics were ready for the Ashcroft/Bush gang to allow the press to have open season on the pedophile priests but if that actually did happen, even though it was because they were fundy-boys themselves, it was a good thing.

Maybe its time the Catholic church dries up and blows away in the tradition of all the other religions of the world.

Eventually, they all go the way of Zeus and Imohtep. Orthodox was prior to Catholicism and its all but dead. Someday it will be impossible for people to push irrational beliefs of our world on others and will be the beginning of the death of religion. (I hope)

05-29-2003, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pyrrho
The Catholic Church exerts a profound influence in many countries, and it encourages governments to not allow freedom of religion to the people (Italy is a good example of this, as it is difficult for certain groups to be recognized as a religion there).

Well freedom of religion is a dumb idea because if heaven is for Catholics only who would want to belong to a religion that not only wants your loyalty but demands enormous sacrifices and in the end leaves you stranded in the paradox "sinful yet saved" with the hope that things will get better after you die. Doesn't that sound rather silly (to put it mildly)?

05-29-2003, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hubble head

Maybe its time the Catholic church dries up and blows away in the tradition of all the other religions of the world.

I think Ascroft, Bush and America will blow away a hundred times before the Catholic Church will fade away. You seem to forget that the Catholic Church has Truth on its side and that is why she is the envy of the world and no amount of brown-nosing will change that.

05-29-2003, 09:58 PM

Hello sullster, I know you had a heart in there someplace. First you want to take all their money, then you want to castrate them all and now you need what is left of them to protect you and the rest of America from marauding fundies.

I have a better idea. If you feel "cold" why don't you just let them zap you and you'll be "lukewarm" like the rest of them. That way you wouldn't need any freedom and you might even help put the rest of America on fire.

Hubble head · 05-30-2003, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Amos
I think Ascroft, Bush and America will blow away a hundred times before the Catholic Church will fade away. You seem to forget that the Catholic Church has Truth on its side and that is why she is the envy of the world and no amount of brown-nosing will change that.

Forget the Catholics have truth??? Catholic and truth in the same sentance, jeez I laughed so hard I fell out of my chair. Thank you for my morning laugh.

I agree they will out last Bush & co. but America? Hmmm, doubtful. We still have another 70-100 years of power left in our engines -even if they're misfiring a little right now we'll get het overhauled soon enough.

And who is brown nosing?

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05-29-2003, 01:09 PM	#26
Hubble head Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Corn rows Posts: 4,570	I don't think the catholics were ready for the Ashcroft/Bush gang to allow the press to have open season on the pedophile priests but if that actually did happen, even though it was because they were fundy-boys themselves, it was a good thing. Maybe its time the Catholic church dries up and blows away in the tradition of all the other religions of the world. Eventually, they all go the way of Zeus and Imohtep. Orthodox was prior to Catholicism and its all but dead. Someday it will be impossible for people to push irrational beliefs of our world on others and will be the beginning of the death of religion. (I hope)

05-29-2003, 09:58 PM	#29
Amos Guest Posts: n/a	Hello sullster, I know you had a heart in there someplace. First you want to take all their money, then you want to castrate them all and now you need what is left of them to protect you and the rest of America from marauding fundies. I have a better idea. If you feel "cold" why don't you just let them zap you and you'll be "lukewarm" like the rest of them. That way you wouldn't need any freedom and you might even help put the rest of America on fire.

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