As long as I can remember, I’ve always been a doubter.
Since I’ve been an adult, I’ve had the nagging feeling that religion in general, and organized churches in particular, have caused more harm than good. At the very least, I’ve felt that in the modern age, they’re a bit backwards and unnecessary.
...
What I’m looking for is religious leaders (pastors, priests, imams, rabbis, etc.) who preach something that I consider to be ethical and moral, using the following criteria:
Being good to your fellow human.
...
Help your community
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Be good to yourself
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Good and timely advice
...
Not through grace. I know that Christians like to talk a lot about grace, but I’m talking about deeds. I’m looking for a religious institution that encourages good deeds.
I’m going to visit a religious place or two each weekend, and write about my experiences.
http://doubtingmark.wordpress.com/scorecard/
http://doubtingmark.wordpress.com/2013/ ... park-ward/
Interesting Exercise
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_subgenius
- _Emeritus
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Interesting Exercise
Seek freedom and become captive of your desires...seek discipline and find your liberty
I can tell if a person is judgmental just by looking at them
what is chaos to the fly is normal to the spider - morticia addams
If you're not upsetting idiots, you might be an idiot. - Ted Nugent
I can tell if a person is judgmental just by looking at them
what is chaos to the fly is normal to the spider - morticia addams
If you're not upsetting idiots, you might be an idiot. - Ted Nugent
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_just me
- _Emeritus
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Re: Interesting Exercise
I really enjoyed reading those blog posts. It is an interesting exercise, especially for an unbeliever.
I like his religious scorecard. I can't believe how low some of them score!
I like his religious scorecard. I can't believe how low some of them score!
~Those who benefit from the status quo always attribute inequities to the choices of the underdog.~Ann Crittenden
~The Goddess is not separate from the world-She is the world and all things in it.~
~The Goddess is not separate from the world-She is the world and all things in it.~
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_Fence Sitter
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Re: Interesting Exercise
Wouldn't it be wonderful if churches encouraged their membership to occasionally attend other services? It would go a long way in helping people gain an understanding why other people believe differently.
Maybe a national "Attend another church" week?
Maybe a national "Attend another church" week?
"Any over-ritualized religion since the dawn of time can make its priests say yes, we know, it is rotten, and hard luck, but just do as we say, keep at the ritual, stick it out, give us your money and you'll end up with the angels in heaven for evermore."
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_subgenius
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Re: Interesting Exercise
Fence Sitter wrote:Wouldn't it be wonderful if churches encouraged their membership to occasionally attend other services? It would go a long way in helping people gain an understanding why other people believe differently.
Maybe a national "Attend another church" week?
our family occasionally finds an excuse to visit other wards, just for a perspective change.
most of us have attended other churches before
Seek freedom and become captive of your desires...seek discipline and find your liberty
I can tell if a person is judgmental just by looking at them
what is chaos to the fly is normal to the spider - morticia addams
If you're not upsetting idiots, you might be an idiot. - Ted Nugent
I can tell if a person is judgmental just by looking at them
what is chaos to the fly is normal to the spider - morticia addams
If you're not upsetting idiots, you might be an idiot. - Ted Nugent
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_sleepyhead
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 137
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Re: Interesting Exercise
I noticed he didn't attend the salvation army church. I wonder what score they would have gotten.
May all your naps be joyous occasions.
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_Dr. Shades
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Re: Interesting Exercise
Subgenius:
For clarity's sake, you aren't the author of the posts at the other end of those links, right?
For clarity's sake, you aren't the author of the posts at the other end of those links, right?
"Finally, for your rather strange idea that miracles are somehow linked to the amount of gay sexual gratification that is taking place would require that primitive Christianity was launched by gay sex, would it not?"
--Louis Midgley
--Louis Midgley
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_Bazooka
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Re: Interesting Exercise
subgenius wrote:Fence Sitter wrote:Wouldn't it be wonderful if churches encouraged their membership to occasionally attend other services? It would go a long way in helping people gain an understanding why other people believe differently.
Maybe a national "Attend another church" week?
our family occasionally finds an excuse to visit other wards, just for a perspective change.
most of us have attended other churches before
...and how does that change your perspective? Been to one Mormon ward, been to 'em all.
That said, with the Book of Mormon, we are not dealing with a civilization with no written record. What we are dealing with is a written record with no civilization. (Runtu, Feb 2015)
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_subgenius
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Re: Interesting Exercise
Bazooka wrote:...and how does that change your perspective? Been to one Mormon ward, been to 'em all.
hardly
Seek freedom and become captive of your desires...seek discipline and find your liberty
I can tell if a person is judgmental just by looking at them
what is chaos to the fly is normal to the spider - morticia addams
If you're not upsetting idiots, you might be an idiot. - Ted Nugent
I can tell if a person is judgmental just by looking at them
what is chaos to the fly is normal to the spider - morticia addams
If you're not upsetting idiots, you might be an idiot. - Ted Nugent
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_subgenius
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 13326
- Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2011 12:50 pm
Re: Interesting Exercise
Dr. Shades wrote:Subgenius:
For clarity's sake, you aren't the author of the posts at the other end of those links, right?
i have no patience for scorecards...
Seek freedom and become captive of your desires...seek discipline and find your liberty
I can tell if a person is judgmental just by looking at them
what is chaos to the fly is normal to the spider - morticia addams
If you're not upsetting idiots, you might be an idiot. - Ted Nugent
I can tell if a person is judgmental just by looking at them
what is chaos to the fly is normal to the spider - morticia addams
If you're not upsetting idiots, you might be an idiot. - Ted Nugent
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_Dr. Shades
- _Emeritus
- Posts: 14117
- Joined: Mon Oct 23, 2006 9:07 pm
Re: Interesting Exercise
subgenius wrote:i have no patience for scorecards...
In that case, please be sure to give the original author attribution as such.
Thank you.
"Finally, for your rather strange idea that miracles are somehow linked to the amount of gay sexual gratification that is taking place would require that primitive Christianity was launched by gay sex, would it not?"
--Louis Midgley
--Louis Midgley