Phew! Read the whole thread - some weren't easy 
I don't really fall into any of the discussed categories, I'm an agnostic.
Quite a few will read that as atheist, a few others will call it scared to take a stance (preemptive rebuttals are fun). I think religions are fine, it's the 'organized' part that gives me problems. Teachings of the historical religions' founders are almost exclusively positive, IMHO. The problem is, they are taught by man, and men's interpretations of 'what they really meant'.
There was a line here somewhere about a passage of the bible being metaphorical, yet many insist that the bible is exclusively literal - it all happened just like at says. The universe in 7 days, even though there was no light, hence no 'days' for the first few.
My point is: it's not the religious teachings that are bad, it's the way many in positions of religious power bastardize their own teachings to advance their personal agendas.
I like the status quo right now (as far as the separation of church and state goes). I'm not surprised that many don't. At least I don't get arrested for feeling different than the majority-elected grand pooh-bah. That's what I think the founding fathers had in mind - protect the minority from an oppressive majority.
Everyone have a great day,
Shawn Filbey
I don't really fall into any of the discussed categories, I'm an agnostic.
Quite a few will read that as atheist, a few others will call it scared to take a stance (preemptive rebuttals are fun). I think religions are fine, it's the 'organized' part that gives me problems. Teachings of the historical religions' founders are almost exclusively positive, IMHO. The problem is, they are taught by man, and men's interpretations of 'what they really meant'.
There was a line here somewhere about a passage of the bible being metaphorical, yet many insist that the bible is exclusively literal - it all happened just like at says. The universe in 7 days, even though there was no light, hence no 'days' for the first few.
My point is: it's not the religious teachings that are bad, it's the way many in positions of religious power bastardize their own teachings to advance their personal agendas.
I like the status quo right now (as far as the separation of church and state goes). I'm not surprised that many don't. At least I don't get arrested for feeling different than the majority-elected grand pooh-bah. That's what I think the founding fathers had in mind - protect the minority from an oppressive majority.
Everyone have a great day,
Shawn Filbey
