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from Beets Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 15:52 (Agree/Disagree?) alright so all christian bashing or assumed christian bashing, aside. I have entirely forsaken christianity. The Bible is very interesting, highly sexist, yet interesting. I was ready to live out my life as an Agnostic but then I found this cult. Yes I said cult. It's called Shambhala and it's Buddhist. Anyway it totally opened up my eyes to the way that I viewed cults. These people are free. I mean they're not perfect but neither do they claim to be. They love life and have respect for almost everything. I am not trying to advertise for them or even say that they are like the perfect society. I am not a part of Shambhala but I love their way of life. I love the peace that it gives me when I meditate and what was the most amazing thing that I found was that they do not have deities. They dont pay homage to any god, gods, goddess ect. I dont claim to be an expert on buddhism but what I found in it is so different than any other religion including christianity. It is truly an amazing way of life. I still hold my indepence as far as religion goes but if I ever did chose any sort of religion buddhism is totally for me. Beets (reply to this comment)

From Dani Wednesday, May 12, 2004, 09:08 (Agree/Disagree?) I can hear mum and dad 'where did we go wrong'. (reply to this comment)

from neez Saturday, February 07, 2004 - 18:34 (Agree/Disagree?) You actually made a good point about ppl trying other religions besides christianity. I wonder if you've actually studied any others? After all "If Christianity is all you know then how do you know it's true when you haven't tried anything else?". Me taking up christianity would be like a guy getting out of jail, & immediately applying for a job as a warden at that same prison(we'll say criminal records don't exist). But I'm sick of christians with matyr complexes. You don't want to know, you just want to defend. So much time & energy wasted on something that is completely & utterly irrelevant in real life. & I'll ask you to kindly accept any listed beliefs above without discrimination and without protest. Ta (reply to this comment)

From Wolf Sunday, February 08, 2004, 01:34 (Agree/Disagree?) "If Christianity is all you know then how do you know it's true when you haven't tried anything else?". I’m going to answer from a theoretical perspective, because I have studied other religions to some degree: If you follow a specific diet and it works for you, why should you try 100 other diets? Now, saying the other 100 diets are full of shit would be bigotry, but there’s nothing wrong with sticking to the one that does the trick for you. Though I am a Christian myself, I dislike the attitude that Christianity is the only “true” religion. I also think there is no need for a middle man between God and an individual. (reply to this comment)

From Joe H Monday, February 09, 2004, 15:05 (Agree/Disagree?) My mom lost 40 lbs thanks to Phen-phen. Unfortunately, it had also caused her blood pressure to skyrocket. Some people lose a ton of weight on the Atkins diet and then discover that their arteries are clogged with LDL cholesterol. I guess I'm suggesting that religion, like diet, needs to be subjected to a rigorous amount of skepticism and scientific inquiry. Or we could just get out of our fucking SUVs and walk around once in a while! :) (Walking is the only thing I believe in these days)(reply to this comment)

From Mydestinyismine Sunday, February 08, 2004, 21:39 (Agree/Disagree?) Religion has alot more implications in ones life then dieting. I understood what angle you're comin from though. But from another perspective, if you're Christian you shouldn't believe another religion is better for someone else. I could be wrong but isn't Christianity believing that Jesus is the son of God and he's the only salvation? How can you be Christian but not believe it's the only "true" religion? If you're buddhits or muslim then yeah, you don't have to believe it's the only "true" religion because they're all prophets under God. One thing all major religions have in common is passing on the truth to others. How can you do this if you don't believe it's the best for everyone? (reply to this comment)

From Wolf Monday, February 09, 2004, 09:45 (Agree/Disagree?) Actually, for some people dieting has more implications than religion :-) I’m not 100% sure of anything when it comes to religion. But my current belief goes something like this: Jesus is the way to redemption; without his reconciliation, a person faces punishment for the consequences of sin in their lives, and reward for the good deeds they’ve done. So yes, people are better off with him, but can get by with other religions as well. Perhaps the chief difference is motivation: individuals will place emphasis on the behavior that their belief system rewards. Let’s please not get into a discussion about this…(reply to this comment)

from merrily Saturday, February 07, 2004 - 09:18 (Agree/Disagree?) I don't really care what people believe or even if they believe. I have found out on this site if you have any religion at all esp. if you are a Christian people react in a negative way. In the Family we were taught to discriminate. We didn't like Jews, Churchs, black people were cursed and a host of other various people were looked down upon. Out here I have learned tolerance and I wish others on this site accept what I believe. I am not trying to convert you. I am not giving you my testimony. All I am asking you is to accept my belief without discrimination and without protest. thank you. (reply to this comment)

From Albatross Saturday, February 07, 2004, 09:56 (Agree/Disagree?) On this site, if you have any opinion at all, it is open for questioning and attack. It is not just the religious who get picked on...they just seem to be the most sensitive.This is a fairly open forum, which means that if you come here expressing an opinion, you should not be surprised if it is called into question. If you are hoping for your beliefs to be accepted without "discrimination and protest", there are perhaps other sites better suited for such mutualy affirming interaction. I have difficulty accepting the argument that to question the veracity of another's beliefs is in some way intolerant. I believe in fact, that there is nothing wrong with a healty dose of skepticism. Why do you wish others on this site to "accept what you believe"? (reply to this comment)

From merrily Saturday, February 07, 2004, 12:05 (Agree/Disagree?) I do not see very many people "expressing their opinion" over someone's lack of belief. However Christians on this site are viewed with intense dislike and often hatred. I welcome anyone to exchange views with me in a logical adult way but don't attack what I believe simply because of your childhood. I do not need people to agree with my beliefs or affirm them in anyway I am secure in what I belive. I don't see any other group besides christians openly mocked or belittled and belive me I have looked. I feel that in order to interact with each other we need to start with a little more acceptance a little less criticism.(reply to this comment)

From banal_commentator Saturday, February 07, 2004, 14:16 (Agree/Disagree?) You are very right merrily. But I am sure you can understand one of the factors why christians are disliked on this site (and that is because TF is based on Judeo-christian ideology). I implore all the good people of movingon.org to not confuse TF with or think that one deserves equal scorn as the other. I am sure most other christians also view TF as a crazed sex cult. Having said that, christians are idiots. (reply to this comment)

From Joe H Monday, February 09, 2004, 15:24 (Agree/Disagree?) Too right, youth! I believe it was H.L. Mencken who said "We must respect the other fellows religion,but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart"(reply to this comment)

From frmrjoyish Saturday, February 07, 2004, 13:47 (Agree/Disagree?) I think you're just proving Albatross's point about Christians being hyper sensitive. There are perhaps one or two individuals on this site that regularly mock or belittle Chrisitian beliefs, aside from them, most people on here do respect everyone's right to their own belief. Skeptisism and questioning, however, are not mocking or belittling. In TF we were taught to accept everything with unquestioning obedience and loyalty, esp. when it came to religious practices or beliefs. Well, your in the real world now and while you have the right to your beliefs, how strong are they if they can't stand up to a little questioning and debate? If your basic theology can't stand up to critisism, how strong is its foundation? You know what they say about a "castle made of sand"!(reply to this comment)

From banal_commentator Saturday, February 07, 2004, 14:10 (Agree/Disagree?) Very well said joyish. As contemptuous as I am for christians, I have common decency not to say it. (reply to this comment)

from Sir Rantalot Friday, February 06, 2004 - 05:41 (Agree/Disagree?) Oh no, let's not start this again... A tip: Use (reply to this comment)

From Elle Friday, February 06, 2004, 16:14 (Agree/Disagree?) If her question bothers you so much, why bother to comment?(reply to this comment)

From Sir Rantalot Friday, February 06, 2004, 16:21 (Agree/Disagree?) You're so sharp and witty, i'm impressed! Instead of questioning my motives for spending 20 sec to reply to this topic, why don't YOU use the damn search engine? I believe you'll find this topic has been beaten to death, repeatedly.(reply to this comment)

From farmer Friday, February 06, 2004, 21:53 (Agree/Disagree?) Ok, it has been beaten to death (some feel "it" more than others)...yet there's often some kind of "resurrection" ; ) My assumption: with some it's a genuine question & the solution could be to email answers in order not to appear boring to the rest??Yes & the searchengine reveals, that a vast subject as the one addressed above will most likely not very well be covered here...a google-search among other things could help on top of it.(reply to this comment)

From Sir Rantalot Friday, February 06, 2004, 05:42 (Agree/Disagree?) The search engine...(reply to this comment)

from Sir Rantalot Friday, February 06, 2004 - 05:41 (Agree/Disagree?) Oh no, let's not start this again... A tip: (reply to this comment)

from Sir Rantalot Friday, February 06, 2004 - 05:41 (Agree/Disagree?) Oh no, let's not start this again... A (reply to this comment)