Whose "Faith" is Right?

Hey Rev Sue:

The word and reality of cognitive dissonance has surfaced its ugly head again. That this movement originates in Texas is no surprise to me. 400 years of a contrived caste system will continue to yield only more of itself and ideals. Texas and conservative are synonymous when it comes to anything social.

Dr. Jeremiah Wright's powerful sermon, "Ain't Nobody Right But Us," agrees with everything you have said in this blog. Perhaps the code word for all of this is that old culprit Manifest Destiny. It's a shame that whenever I want to feel a sense of justice, I will watch the original Heat in the Night movie--when officer Tibbs slaps the bigoted baron back--I am healed if only for a moment. Art imitating life does provide some relief.

Unfortunately, we are experiencing backlash from an election that has created a paradigm shift that conservatives will never accept--even if it's the best back-to-school address I've ever heard. I remain prayerful and hopeful that Pharaoh will get over himself and see the new hands that write on the wall.

Ozzie Smith

Right answer to what? That’s my point. Because you make up some question doesn’t mean you can’t make up the answer too which is what you are doing. Christianity is wrong on so many scientific questions I realize it’s wrong for the most part. That’s middle ground. Helping the poor is good, thinking god made the earth and then a world wide flood is not only bad but wrong scientifically. You can make claims about how to be right with the tooth fairy but since the tooth fairy is unfounded it doesn’t matter. Atheism simply acknowledges there is no evidence for any gods. They are fairy tales and not thinking about them doesn’t help or hinder me at all. Right, the basic fact is someone way before xianity made up a story and gave credit to their imaginary friend, god. Then later risen savior gods became popular and Horus and Mithra were born. Constantine liked Christianity better and some men sat down and picked which 66 books made the bible and Constantine declared xianity the official religion and Mithraism died off. The reason we can leave religion off of our history is because it had little influence. If you can show me how atheism is wrong go for it. It’s not about debate, it’s about presenting facts and you have next to none in the bible beyond a few tribes/cities. Children can make up their own mind but unless you tell them the truth they won’t realize xianity is plagiarized mythology. Md457@hotmail.com

771979 wrote:

Muslims believe in, "The best in this world as well as in the Hereafter." We are instructed in the Quran not to veer to extremes but adhere to ummatum wassatun (middle path) and refrain from excess of any kind and 99.99% earnestly strive to attain this middle ground, which is the most fertile ground in which to practice our Deen as Allah intended for us and lead a morally correct life: an Islam of peace, compassion, mercy, tolerance and justice for all. Islam is an entirely tolerant religion. Islam says tolerance is the only basis for peace in a society and where tolerance is absent, peace will be non-existent.

___________________________________---

Sounds like the Muslims we all know and love who high five and won't renounce their murderous terrorists.

Delusion is not just for Christians anymore.

My mother went to college in the US, and was intrigued by the labor movement. Cesar Chavez reached out to Askenazic Jewish labor unionists, and they did respond, as he so often declared. As a result, my mother, a Sephardic Jew, of course, met Chavez, helped organize the lettuce boycott. She has her journals from those years, brought them back to Iran with her, brought them from Iran here, when we fled, like so many other Iranian Jews, in the night.

Cesar Chavez.

Indeed, because religious beliefs are so closely held, they provide a thorny problem for designers of curricula. There is the additional political question of who gets to control what is said about each religion.

However, ignoring religion, since it has such a large impact on our history, is a poor solution as well.

TxAtheist,
What do you mean “because there is no right answer contrary to your view that xianity is true”. Of course there is a right answer. Either Christianity is true or it isn’t. There isn’t any real middle ground here. They make claims how to be right with God. You either have to believe them or not. The same is true for Islam, Hinduism, Atheists or any other religion. That is why people should have some knowledge of them and understand what they believe or not believe.

I think you keep changing what the subject of this blog is. There really isn’t any question about truth here. Debating true religion is a much bigger question and, in my opinion, is not best discussed in a blog. We’ll save that for another time. The question here is about educating people on the basic facts of history and religion. The current situation leaves most students ignorant of most religions and their large influence on our country’s history. I don’t believe ignorance helps anyone and these subjects should be covered to give our students balanced education. If you really believe that your beliefs are true, you should also be an advocate of truth. In the end, this should only allow you to expand your views.

I also think you put too much stock in debate. I really don’t think there are true winners in debate, and even if there are, that doesn’t change one’s mind. We could pack a room full of people with 2 different opinions and have a debate between the 2 most skilled and knowledgeable. In the end, we would probably have very few people change their minds, and they would probably switch from both sides. Debates don’t share all of the facts ever, and the most successful debaters mostly work more on emotion than hard facts. I would also keep in mind many of the many persuasive people used their gift for evil and not good. If someone truly cares for you and the truth, they will allow you to make up your own mind and not insult you.

Hi

So, you want first to discuss the "Criterion of a true religion", that is quite OK. Please start a discussion on this topic.

I believe all the revealed religions i.e.,Judaism of Moses,Hinduism of Krishna, Buddhism of Buddha, Zoroasitianism of Zoroaster, Chirsitianity of Jesus (not chiristianity of Paul), Islam of Muhammad were all true religions originally unless and untill their followeres misunderstood their founders; that needed a revival.

I love Jesus and Mary as mentioned in Quran.

Thanks

I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim

Kert asks" Great, the best way to figure out what faith is true, is to ignore the debate in our public education. Does that makes sense to anyone?" Yes, because there is no right answer contrary to your view that xianity is true. You wanna bet it's bs that many ideas in the bible are scientifically false? You beat Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins in a debate and we will accept your religion is true. Heck, you can't beat me cause Genesis is false on many counts. md457@hotmail.com

The bible and having faith does not hurt the children, it's the people who use it to support the abuse that hurt the children.

Great, the best way to figure out what faith is true, is to ignore the debate in our public education. Does that makes sense to anyone?

There is always a debate in education what should or shouldn't be taught; that isn't an excuse for not teaching. While religions and Christianity have differences, they actually have more similarities. This is part of the education, if you are smart. Many people think all Christians are the same. In fact I have never met 2 that believe the exact same thing. You could at least start there and let people know the options. Ignorance isn't a substitue for debate.

Just a quick correction. There is one religion out there that makes no claims to a monopoly on truth: Unitarian Universalism. It is an abiding part of the UU creed to let each individual make his or her own spiritual journey as part of a welcoming community.

NOW TO 771979, the reason xianity is challenged is because it's about time. Access to knowledge and challenging that knowledge is just a few key strokes away whereas 100 years ago books were accessible as long as they were the books that got burnt. Until muslims accept criticism of their mythology your claim it's a religion of peace is not true, ask Theo Van gogh. Hereafter? Sorry, that's a fairy tale concept. Which faiths do you want taught? Yours and will you acknowledge muhammad was a pyscho that ordered beheadings as well as being a pedophile with aisha? If so, great. There is absolutely no need for religion in order to have values which is exactly why religion is counterproductive. You want tolerance and then claim we need religion. No, you may need that crutch, I don't. md457@hotmail.com

We Muslims believe in, "The best in this world as well as in the Hereafter." We are instructed in the Quran not to veer to extremes but adhere to ummatum wassatun (middle path) and refrain from excess of any kind and 99.99% earnestly strive to attain this middle ground, which is the most fertile ground in which to practice our Deen as Allah intended for us and lead a morally correct life: an Islam of peace, compassion, mercy, tolerance and justice for all. Islam is an entirely tolerant religion. Islam says tolerance is the only basis for peace in a society and where tolerance is absent, peace will be non-existent.

Christianity has never been under so much pressure and attack from the atheists, antagonists and secularists that its survival as a viable faith looks bleak. Particularly in the West, Christianity has nearly become an abandoned religion; and its adherents have lost trust in its credibility and ability to lead its followers to a morally correct existence. It has become a thing of the past as can be seen from its empty churches and its followers preferring materialism, capitalism and secularism in its place.

Christianity has never been under so much pressure and attack from the atheists, antagonists and secularists that its survival as a viable faith looks bleak. Particularly in the West, Christianity has nearly become an abandoned religion; and its adherents have lost trust in its credibility and ability to lead its followers to a morally correct existence. It has become a thing of the past as can be seen from its empty churches and its followers preferring materialism, capitalism and secularism in its place.

I believe that children must be taught different faiths in the schools with the emphasis that none is superior to others. We must find common grounds, common terms and similarities in various scriptures and convey the true message of Almighty God, Allah and Bhagwan etc to the young so that they do not grow up with prejudices, hate and discriminate against others' faiths. Without religious values and teaching a society can not distinguish between sin, haram, halal, good and bad. We are all born with the 'moral within' and should encourage our children to explore and enhance it in their ego.

Susan Smith has all of us pegged including me, I'm not without bias or completely objective. However, my solution is to teach the bible and then ALSO teach why many, many parts are impossible scientifically so as not to have the kid thinking there was a world wide flood during man's era, that a ark carried 2 of every kind, that women came from a rib etc. NOW TO 771979, the reason xianity is challenged is because it's about time. Access to knowledge and challenging that knowledge is just a few key strokes away whereas 100 years ago books were accessible as long as they were the books that got burnt. Until muslims accept criticism of their mythology your claim it's a religion of peace is not true, ask Theo Van gogh. Hereafter? Sorry, that's a fairy tale concept. Which faiths do you want taught? Yours and will you acknowledge muhammad was a pyscho that ordered beheadings as well as being a pedophile with aisha? If so, great. There is absolutely no need for religion in order to have values which is exactly why religion is counterproductive. You want tolerance and then claim we need religion. No, you may need that crutch, I don't. md457@hotmail.com

Muslims believe in, "The best in this world as well as in the Hereafter." We are instructed in the Quran not to veer to extremes but adhere to ummatum wassatun (middle path) and refrain from excess of any kind and 99.99% earnestly strive to attain this middle ground, which is the most fertile ground in which to practice our Deen as Allah intended for us and lead a morally correct life: an Islam of peace, compassion, mercy, tolerance and justice for all. Islam is an entirely tolerant religion. Islam says tolerance is the only basis for peace in a society and where tolerance is absent, peace will be non-existent.

Christianity has never been under so much pressure and attack from the atheists, antagonists and secularists that its survival as a viable faith looks bleak. Particularly in the West, Christianity has nearly become an abandoned religion; and its adherents have lost trust in its credibility and ability to lead its followers to a morally correct existence. It has become a thing of the past as can be seen from its empty churches and its followers preferring materialism, capitalism and secularism in its place.

The best in this world as well as in the Hereafter." We are instructed in the Quran not to veer to extremes but adhere to ummatum wassatun (middle path) and refrain from excess of any kind and 99.99% earnestly strive to attain this middle ground, which is the most fertile ground in which to practice our Deen as Allah intended for us and lead a morally correct life: an Islam of peace, compassion, mercy, tolerance and justice for all. Islam is an entirely tolerant religion. Islam says tolerance is the only basis for peace in a society and where tolerance is absent, peace will be non-existent.

Christianity has never been under so much pressure and attack from the atheists, antagonists and secularists that its survival as a viable faith looks bleak. Particularly in the West, Christianity has nearly become an abandoned religion; and its adherents have lost trust in its credibility and ability to lead its followers to a morally correct existence. It has become a thing of the past as can be seen from its empty churches and its followers preferring materialism, capitalism and secularism in its place.

I believe that children must be taught different faiths in the schools with the emphasis that none is superior to others. We must find common grounds, common terms and similarities in various scriptures and convey the true message of Almighty God, Allah and Bhagwan etc to the young children so that they do not grow up with prejudices, and to hate and discriminate against other faiths. Without religious values and teaching a society can not distinguish between sin, haram, halal, good and bad. We are all born with the 'moral within' and should encourage our children to explore and enhance it in their ego.