Brent

^ You could, like, NOT get emails. You opted in. Sorry I know that was a difficult concept.

you?

ok

Uhh why

You guiz talk too much

Hi d00dz

I don't support straight marriage.

I just thought I'd let you know. Merde-head.

Merde means shit in French

When Famous Old Painters with full vocals is a #1 single I'll stop arguing with people.

My username is meaningless. It was a username assigned to me by my school. Duke Nukem is a once-popular but now failed video game series. Not to mention that it's stupid, but you spelled it wrong. It's a testament to failure, poor grammar, atrophy, and lifelessness. You ELECTED for it to be stupid. Mine is stupid because it's simply meaningless. Pick your poison. Oh, wait, I guess you have.

Ehhhh....there's some pretty good arguments against religion. But that's not what the thread is about. And with that I'm getting off the computer. :escaping:

UGH U GUIZ Y :angry: You missed the point kinda, but I appreciate the input, and I know you were tired, so here's a waffle :waffle: You're weird, Lory, but I like you. Agreed on the depression, but it's not fair NOT to have religious sympathy. TO be honest, EVERYONE, including you, has a religion. Atheism counts, agnosticism counts. It's a set of beliefs on a power, whatever that belief is. Therefore, by definition, your post is oxymoronic. However, that's a cheap shot, I know. While I'm not religious in the least bit, really, I think that religion does a lot of good. Like Kiame said, Christians are wholly good people: They're just smacked with a label because it's easier to quantify people because of said label on something that defines them. The benefits of churches outweigh the cons. They do a ton of charity work. It provides an outlet for people to become good: So what if this "God" is fictional? It's done a lot of good, as a social network, as a moral epicenter, and as a rehab-like presence. I think without modern religion we would be worse off, assuming ancient religion also existed. I know, I know, and I got that point, so sorry to make you repeat it. I just can't help but be an optimist here. Maybe I am actually an optimist or maybe I just want this guy to find the spiritual nirvana he consistently struggles to inch toward. You missed the point again. He shouldn't have to deal with the "extremely bad" because it shouldn't HAVE to come from faith. And religion is voluntary. So why not dismiss it?. That's not the point of religion. If it is: Why are YOU religious? If anything "extremely bad" comes from religion: Fuck that. Not worth it. THAT's what people are saying here. He elects to place himself in a position to be ridiculed. I really do believe that religion, whether true or not, is a good thing on a personal level (not necessarily a global scale...but that's not the discussion). And you are correct in saying that people shouldn't attack it for not believing it. Religious people could use the same fallacy. _ Keep in mind, people, that the man is happy, truly. I can tell. He realizes that he's in a shitty situation. I don't think it's fair to attack his religion because there are a ton of worse people who are more religious. Religion, as a whole, has improved this guy's life. I know that he's super depressing or whatever, but he radiates optimism. This is why I found him inspirational. I think that it the reason for my posting the story (though I kind of knew it would turn into this). That's why I repeated myself under Reilly's post.

^ Well, those polls are essentially just relative to the registered Republicans voting in caucuses and primaries and stuff: Not the general populous. I think Kiame has a point. One that I don't care to go into because when I get into politics I don't go to sleep. :escaping:

^ I know :disappointed:

^ I stand by my statement but I think it really applies to what Christianity has become in a Western culture. I shouldn't have used a broad statement encompassing all religion in all areas. That was careless on my part. Religion as an institution, whether it contains a million, a billion, trillion, quadrillion, quint-whatever amount of people, though, is largely silencing of those people. For example, my government represents me, but it's not necessarily reflective on how I feel about how things should be run. That's how modern society is organized, like it or not. I don't like being labeled as X or Y but I am because there's no other way to sociologically quantify mass amounts of people within a rational realm of thinking. It's just the way it works. There's no running from the fact that faceless bodies (whether they be governmental, institutional, organizational, religious, what have you) silence individualistic opinions. And when that faceless body forms a specific opinion ("HOMOSEXUALITY IS BAD" or "FOLLOW THE SPAGHETTI MONSTER" or "DON'T KILL PEOPLE"), the members of said institution follow that omniscience. Whether it's traditionally good or bad. Given that, mass amounts of people who follow that will trust the benevolence of that body. It's the way it works. I realize that most Christians (which is what we're talking about here) are not hateful people, but they do believe that gay people go to hell. Why? Because the Bible says so. No questions asked. That's why I believe it's destructive with little logic. No, I should not have applied it to all religion. That's a my-bad. And while the overwhelming majority of religious people are good people, they still are grouped together and labeled. The good thing about Western modernity is that you CHOOSE to have that label or not. Which is a good thing. Also hi Kiame :wacky:

^ Eh, you're just mad at me for talking bad about MJ.

I'm a libertarian. I agree with Republican fiscal issues. I think the government should be very small. HOWEVER, lately, I have refused to vote Republican on the grounds that a lot of their platform is centered around bigotry: An outdated doctrine that more and more people are dismissing as bullshit. Republicans need a re-assessment. Their social platform is too dated. HOWEVER, when voting for the federal government, we're choosing a person to run FISCAL issues, not social ones. The federal government's job doesn't encompass that. That's why when dumbasses like Michelle Bachmann come up and say "GUYZ IM GONNA OUTLAW GAY MARRIAGE LOLOLOL" it's stupid because she has no such power. Idiot. I usually vote Republican for federal office because generally they have a better, more prosperous fiscal setup. And, seeing that it's essentially a fact that by getting that far in politics, you're a douchebag, it doesn't matter because the American government is set up to minimize damage by said bigots and morons. I always vote Democrat for state government because the way they set up fiscal barriers works well for local state governments, but not international commerce. Plus, social change occurs on a state-by-state basis. That's why X number of states allow gay marriage and Y amount doesn't. The only exception I'll make to this rule is if a genuinely BAD person is running. Like, I wouldn't vote for Bachmann because she's a fucking bigot. I don't need hateful people representing my country. Most Republicans aren't that bad in the social realm. But Palin/Bachmann/Santorum are. Ron Paul FTW

Damn dude. You got it figured out. I was thinking the same thing, actually. Not as technical, though. I also had a discussion with someone a couple weeks ago about how the story of Christ can be applied to many other people. Most notably, Martin Luther King Jr. He essentially died to protect the rights of a large group of people: A martyr, if you will. I don't think this guy is that, though. I think he's just a battered spirit that won't give up. His journey is not one for other people (in realizing his homosexuality); it is one of self-enlightenment. Therefore, it is not like the story of Christ. Basically, though, he's given up. However, he's still touching people, like myself. He's truly inspirational to me, and I won't be forgetting his story as one of human perseverance over bigotry, hatefulness and unwarranted oppression.

Oh, it's definitely depressing as fuck. I just think it's awesome he still has faith. What a quality spirit. Like I've said, it's not whether the goal is pointless. That's moot. The idealistic willpower is what matters. The shit that he's had to wade through, to make it where he is (which arguably isn't that great), is hella depressing. He essentially failed at life's constant battle to be oneself. Which totally sucks: Because in the end, isn't that all anyone really wants?

kbailol

I do not hate you madam. I believe an embrace is in order on this fine evening. :hug:

I no h8 u

She's just the worst.

Anna sux