Religion

[Nice]

NOTE: I have also edited the post i made before

Dogfood: I don't give a shit about 'sin'. What a presumptuous judgment to make about all rich people, too - are all the poor virtuous, and all the wealthy monstrous? That seems too simplistic, and it is not a belief that religious people should endorse. What matters is the misery and sadness in our lifetime, not after we die. This belief in punishment/reward after death is what perpetuates inequality in human society - and believe me, similar versions exist in Hinduism and Buddhism.

Confirmation bias. I've seen too many crippled, sickly, poor people in my life who've prayed and begged and died despite all their greatest efforts. And I see many privileged shits like myself who thank God rather than society/their parents for their happiness.

If there is a being that created our universe, it left a long, long time ago and no longer controls our lives. People control our lives. Makes much more sense than believing that anything as insignificant as humans on a tiny planet in an average-sized solar system in a colossal galaxy actually have any profound impact in the long-term.

Exactly, you dont give a shit that's why it's difficult to debate with someone like you. Those that pursue wealth are greedy and they pursue it for luxury, which is a "no no" according to bible. Those that become wealthy because they had luck or invented something are definetly not greedy bastards, as long as they dont spend all their money on luxury and for themselves. And also not all poor are angels, obviously.

" What matters is the misery and sadness in our lifetime, not after we die." No it doesn't, not for a religious person. A religious person is going to worry about after life because that lasts forever and is eternal.

According to bible, God gave us free will so we obviously have control of our lives, all the way till our death, it doesnt say anywhere that we are hand puppets to God, not even in the Bible.

But that isn't my argument. If a person wants to believe in God and Heaven and all that, he can do so and I won't judge him. My beef is with religion - the system. There are countless (almost literally) examples of the Church extorting its patrons or deluding them into committing unspeakable acts in the name of religion. Yeah, I'm talking about the crusades here - the mere fact that the system in official capacity not only endorsed such actions but according to Catholic beliefs that endorsement actually came from God. Right? Aren't Popes God's interpreters here on earth? How is the system not broken if men, who are supposed to be God's representatives, can officially sanction sin on such a large scale? These contradictions, along with many many many others, should be enough to make you doubt your beliefs. Why not cut out the middle man, and instead of believing men who you have no reason to think truly represent God, and just believe in your own God? One who doesn't make you arbitrarily jump through hoops and be at the mercy of an easily exploitable system?

Yup, crusades. I'm going to throw the most obvious answer in here. Free will. If God was to smite every single man that does wrong and claims that it's in his name then really what would be the point of our lives. Just puppets under the threat of God. Crusades is a popular topic to discuss and debate even just among religious people, and the simple answer is that God gave us lifes, and he also allowed us to treat our lifes and others just the way we ourselves want. Those that choose to put God and his teachings away from their lives will have their wish granted even afterlife because they wont deal with God then just as they didnt want to in life.

Oops i strayed a bit didnt i?
I DONT deny that the church was corrupt, it definetly was but just because it was corrupt more than 600 years ago does it mean that it will always remain corrupt? And once again even though i follow most catholic teachings i dont agree with others so you're kinda talking to the wrong person because in my personal opinion and philosophy, the vatican is in no way "supreme" and i'm not bowing my head down to what they say i should, i bow my head down to what i believe is right.