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Religion is responsible for more deaths than anything else in history.
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<p>No. Religion is the EXCUSE for more deaths than anything else in history. There is a VERY big difference.</p>
<p>Hitler could have chosen anything to start his war, and he didn't only persecute Jews. He didn't only choose those who didn't follow his "religion". He also persecuted gypsies, homosexuals, and those with physical and mental disabilities, for a start. </p>
<p>No war is fought JUST because of religion. That is simply the excuse people give to try and "justify" it.</p>
<p>@HisGraceFillsMe, I understand that you cannot have one without the other. I am saying, the New Testiment is more crutial to the Christian, because it is more modern. For example, in the Old Testiment, slavery was not condemed, but in the New Testiment it is. Also, the "Old Testiment" God was unarguably more cruel and unforgiving, while in the New Testiment God was kinder and willing to forgive the sinners. There might not be "contradictions", but there are irregularieties thoughout. </p>
<p>However, I will not get in a Christianity Debate with you. Even though I have been raised Catholic/Episcopalian and endured 7 years of Church and Sunday School every week, I am no match for someone who has studied it all hard-core like.</p>
<p>@Coolphreak, as HisGraceFillsMe said, they are the two most common "religions", or anti-religions, that are practised by high schoolers. Also, I would define Islam, Judism, and Chritianity all as "religions+philosophies+one god" while the others are "religion+philosophies." However, the defininition of religion could me a set of common beliefs and morals or the same thing, but with a God. It all depends on the definition.</p>
<p>I never said the bible asks for blood. I simply said that religion's open ended hypocritical nature is easy to manipulate. Christianity in general has spawned war (as has every religion). I believe faith is something special to each person and I don't appreciate someone telling me I am wrong because a bunch of roman priests decided that they knew the word of God</p>
<p>XD I don't mean to start a debate. Just sharing my POV. </p>
<p>nbnyc44-I am not going to debate with someone who is determined to see Christianity as "hypocritical and easily-manipulated."</p>
<p>I am, however, going to warn you that yours is a deeply insulting stance and that you could at least TRY to respect the religion you seem so intent on putting down.</p>
<p>I am a Roman-Catholic-Unitarian-Universalist-Buddhist hybrid.</p>
<p>My mom is Jewish and my dad used to be Roman Catholic. I was raised Jewish until around first grade, at which point my parents were like, "What the heck, let's baptize them all!!" I've attended Catholic school since fourth grade, but sadly the Catholics in my area really don't get what their faith is about. They come off as more fundamentalist than Roman Catholic. I agree with the spiritual doctrine, which is why I was confirmed, but a lot of the anti-gay, socially conservative stuff I'm not liking so much. (I'm mostly straight but right now I have a girlfriend, so yeah.) </p>
<p>We discovered our local Unitarian Universalist church about a year and a half ago and it's been wonderful! There's no creed, just a covenant, so the majority of my youth group friends are actually atheist or agnostic. Basically, we believe there are many paths to truth and you're free to seek your own path. The Unitarian Universalist Association is actually running a campaign in Time Magazine now and one of the ads says "Find us and ye shall seek." I love it there.</p>
<p>And Christian does not equal "Bible Is Infallible Word Of God." Many denominations view the creation stories symbolically, for example. Yes, stories... Genesis has two, as someone mentioned before.</p>
<p>So yeah - long post, eh?</p>
<p>@HisGraceFillsMe: Have you lost a loved one to religious propaganda?</p>
<p><em>Sigh</em> Have any of you actually READ both of them, or do you just know that there are two and so they must be different?</p>
<p>They're not. They're the same story two different times. One just emphasizes the creation of man and what happens after said creation.</p>
<p>Really now. Read the Bible before you make these arguments.</p>
<p>nbnyc44: actually, yes I have. And the chip on your shoulder against the EVIL religion is not going to bring them back, nor is acting like I can never understand you. Thanks.</p>
<p>I agree with HisGraceFillsMe, when he says that you should respect Christianity. However, it is true that it is easily manipulated, as is every religion. Christianity is know to be very ambiguous and has been had parts removed to make it fit people beliefs. It can be view literally or figuratively, or perhaps a strict guideline or a mere suggestion on how to live one's life. Though I don't find it as hypocritical as you say, at least if you follow the Bible; some people go against the Bible, making them hypocrits, but the Christanity hypocritcal.</p>
<p>Then how can you stand by and watch the crap that spewed by men like Bill O'Reilly and others who simply make Christianity right and nothing else matters?</p>
<p>HisGraceFillsMe, not everyone has to be an expert when it comes to religion to see the differences, which there seem to be.</p>
<p>Because I know that they are wrong, and that they are not true Christians. </p>
<p>However. America is not a theocracy, and still stands for freedom of speech. I don't have to like what they're saying, but they're free to say it. </p>
<p>Besides...I believe in forgiveness. Does it still hurt? Yes...very much so. But that doesn't mean that I can't forgive people who are wrong. I believe in loving and praying for my enemies. Do I always succeed? Heck no. But I do try.</p>
<p>rmadden-they don't have to be experts, but a basic biblical understanding would be nice.</p>
<p>^^^ I don't. I ignore them. Standing around is very easy, but it take a lot of effort to ignore someone who is dissing your actions and beliefs.</p>
<p>^Also an excellent point.</p>
<p>Being angry is easy. Rising above it to forgive and ignore is very difficult.</p>
<p>When you don't know any science, you believe in God.
When you learn a little science, you don't believe.
When you know a lot of science, you believe in God once more.</p>
<p>I know HisGraceFillsMe. Most people think the Bible is made up a guy who saved some animals and Jesus and bigotry.</p>
<p>So cultural jew here. I don't believe in god; declared myself an atheist right before 6th grade.</p>
<p>But i do go to services. I love services. They're so spiritual and pretty... yeah. But only at progressive, egalitarian, queer-friendly synagogues.</p>
<p>^ Lol, your name sound kinda jewish for some reason.</p>
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<em>Sigh</em> Have any of you actually READ both of them, or do you just know that there are two and so they must be different?</p>
<p>They're not. They're the same story two different times. One just emphasizes the creation of man and what happens after said creation.</p>
<p>Really now. Read the Bible before you make these arguments.
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<p>Seeing as I took an entire course entitled "Hebrew Scriptures," I think I am perfectly capable of making these arguments. There are distinct differences in the two stories -- the creation of Eve, for example.</p>
<p>I'm Christian, but not to much orthodox, some of my beliefs may conform more to the beliefs of our founding fathers, so kinda Deism. It's pretty complicated and probably won't be summed up with a single defining word.</p>
<p>From skimming some of these posts, I get the feeling that atheists, Christians, agnostics, etc...do not understand the other side but are just saying ridiculous stuff by totally misconstruing the other side and attempting to disprove/prove and attack because of one thing or something they do not know...</p>
<p>of course, I'm a hypocrite - I don't study religion and I don't know...but I don't go making comments like "how can you believe in religion X when factor Y!!!" or "how can you be an atheist when Miracle X happened" without actually having looked into the issue or beyond anything.</p>