Happy British Muslims

[DavidF]

@CzarJunkie you forgot the big one IMHO - "Control". IMHO all religion is about control. The only way I really differ from CZ in opinion is that I really don't care if anybody does devote their life or even part of their life to worship a "god". Just doesn't bother me at all. As a group they can do some good but alas as a group they can do some pretty awful things. I include all religions in that statement.
The one thing that annoys me is how rich and powerful some of these religions are. I lived in Canterbury for a while and the property that was owned by the church there was super expensive to rent/let and their bottomless pit of cash is pretty sickening ....and yet still the pewter plate comes out every service...marry me Pay UP....christen me PAY UP.....bury me....PAY UP.....it truly is a captive market. Yet you don't see "much" of this vast wealth being diverted to the poor and hungry.....nope they would rather have a fundraiser for that sort of thing.
But apart from the cash side of things...i am an each to their own kind of person.

[TAR]

I think, IMO that gods were created by man because of fear from the unknown. And if you need to pray to a god to help you through life, makes you weak minded.

But if that's what you believe then that's up to you, live and let live. Everyone has their right to an opinion, Just don't try to convert me.

[MsDG]

This whole thread disgusts me. You western men with your perverted sexual desires. How dare you share video of Muslim women dancing in a sexual way!

Mods, please replace the original video with this more decent Halal version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0c9DWVuOHI#t=99

(note - the guy at 0:45 looks slightly homosexual to me, however without further evidence I shall let it slide)

[swiggy]

My view on religion has always been each person to his own. As long as it doesn't try to actively deny me my views of the world then everyone has the right to believe what they want.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[Robbo]

We ain't here by chance or accident, The Aliens are mentioned in the bible.. The Nephilim.

[burner1]

I've seen good things done in the name of religion and likewise, bad things done in the same vein. Imo, it's ultimately down to the person whether it's something they agree or disagree with. Personally, IF religion were true, there would be only one.

The reason I personally don't agree with it is simple... it's like 'accents': you're born in Liverpool, you'll most likely end up speaking like a scouser. You're born in the deep regions of Bible belt America, you're hardly going to hear the calling from Mecca.

[BigBird]

There is good and bad in all religions and here are happy and oppressed people in all religions.

I'm not religious but if it enhances your life by having something to believe in then it has to be a good thing because it makes you happy. Some people find it as a way to cope with grief. Religion is only bad when it is used as an excuse to oppress people or to take money from people as a form of blackmail, "if you want to get into heaven give us your money". If they didn't use religion they would find some other excuse.

Follow your religion but don't let it rule your life by stopping you doing things you enjoy. If you have a God then wouldn't he want you to be happy even if it meant bending a rule or two. A God that takes away your freedom to live your life as you want to is a dictator not a God. And you don't have to prove anything to your God by starving yourself for days or giving money. He knows you believe because he is apparently 'all knowing'. And your God is not going to save you or steer you through your path in life because that would be interfering instead of making you a better person by letting you learn from your mistakes.

I love it when Jehovah witnesses knock my door. They leave with a new outlook on life. (">

[macmilm]

IF religion were true, there would be only one.

You been watching the Matrix ??

They leave with a new outlook on life. (">

I'll bet..... It would shock me to see a 23 stone welsh bloke in a gimp suit !

[BigBird]

You been watching the Matrix ??



I'll bet..... It would shock me to see a 23 stone welsh bloke in a gimp suit !

Told you before...Don't knock it till you've tried it. Managed to get one for Baarbra as well. (">

[Lighty]

My own personal opinion on religion is that its fuckin mental, makes no sense to me (Personally) has been the cause of most wars and from my own experience almost got me killed in Ireland in '92 because I "wasn't" a Catholic , the rat poison in my brew that day didnt agree with me. Obviously being a none religious (or none anything for that matter) kinda guy i dont know the ins and outs of it all, but to believe in the faiths that they talk about and the magic man in the sky with the big white beard and then laugh off Father Christmas and the tooth fairy stinks to me of double standards. If one is believable then the others are equally as believable, Ive said it before but for me (Again Personally) the bible just seems to me like one woman's lie that got seriously out of hand. Thats (personally) how i feel on the subject.

Oh and as for the videos, theyre quite funny some of em.

[Bald Bouncer]

Be a way better world if all these people who spend so much time, money, praising and praying to the 'God' they believe created this earth and all it's creatures spent the time and money caring for it instead.

I think religion if it makes the person happy and improves their quality of life then it is good for them, I don't believe any religion preaches war and persecution of ones fellow man but we see and can't deny the reality that this is so often the result. Would the world be a much better and safer place if there was no religion I think it would but then again people will always find a reason to kill each other so I could be wrong, all I do know is that to quote Steven Weinberg “With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.”

[GTI]

the cause of most wars

Bit of a data dump, but I believe its important to destroy this fallacy once and for all.
The three volume Encyclopaedia of Wars lists 1,763 wars as having been waged over the course of human history. Of those 1,763 wars, only 123 have been categorised as being religious in nature (which is 6.98%).

The remaining wars were caused by the following reasons

- Independence
- Territorial gain
- Economic gain
- Civil Disturbances

Furthermore, if you were to list the top 10 wars in terms of recorded casualties, you will again find that none were related to religion.

62,000,000 - World War II (1939-1945)
36,000,000 - An Lushan Rebellion (756-763)
30,000,000-60,000,000 - Mongol Conquests (13th century)
25,000,000 Manchu conquest of Ming China (1616-1644)
20,000,000-50,000,000 - Taiping Rebellion (1851-1864)
17,000,000 - Timur Lenk's conquests (1370-1405)
15,000,000 - World War I (1914-1918)
10,000,000-25,000,000 - Second Sino-Japanese War (1931-1945)
5,000,000-9,000,000 - Russian Civil War (1917-1921)
3,800,000 - Second Congo War (1998-2004)

There are plenty of things you can use to attack religion and religious people, but mass killing on a genocidal scale is not really one of them. In fact some of the cruellest and most vile mass murderers in history were self proclaimed atheists (or Paganists).

Joseph Stalin - 42,672,000
Mao Zedong - 37,828,000
Adolf Hitler - 20,946,000
Chiang Kai-shek - 10,214,000
Vladimir Lenin - 4,017,000
Hideki Tojo - 3,990,000
Pol Pot - 2,397,0003

Do we therefore conclude that atheism is evil or are broad brush generalisations only applicable to religion?

[Bald Bouncer]

Bit of a data dump, but I believe its important to destroy this fallacy once and for all.
The three volume Encyclopaedia of Wars lists 1,763 wars as having been waged over the course of human history. Of those 1,763 wars, only 123 have been categorised as being religious in nature (which is 6.98%).

The remaining wars were caused by the following reasons

- Independence
- Territorial gain
- Economic gain
- Civil Disturbances

Furthermore, if you were to list the top 10 wars in terms of recorded casualties, you will again find that none were related to religion.

62,000,000 - World War II (1939-1945)
36,000,000 - An Lushan Rebellion (756-763)
30,000,000-60,000,000 - Mongol Conquests (13th century)
25,000,000 Manchu conquest of Ming China (1616-1644)
20,000,000-50,000,000 - Taiping Rebellion (1851-1864)
17,000,000 - Timur Lenk's conquests (1370-1405)
15,000,000 - World War I (1914-1918)
10,000,000-25,000,000 - Second Sino-Japanese War (1931-1945)
5,000,000-9,000,000 - Russian Civil War (1917-1921)
3,800,000 - Second Congo War (1998-2004)

There are plenty of things you can use to attack religion and religious people, but mass killing on a genocidal scale is not really one of them. In fact some of the cruellest and most vile mass murderers in history were self proclaimed atheists (or Paganists).

Joseph Stalin - 42,672,000
Mao Zedong - 37,828,000
Adolf Hitler - 20,946,000
Chiang Kai-shek - 10,214,000
Vladimir Lenin - 4,017,000
Hideki Tojo - 3,990,000
Pol Pot - 2,397,0003

Do we therefore conclude that atheism is evil or are broad brush generalisations only applicable to religion?

I tend to agree with you that it can be a bit of a fallacy but this data is really intellectually dishonest and concentrated on a narrow band of definition to prove a point and if you examine several of the wars you find religion did play a very large part weather it be for propaganda purposes, identification of the enemy or the underlying reason the war started rather than the excuse.

[CzarJunkie]

On this particular point I agree with GTI. Wars are usually about resources. However, as I alluded to in a previous post, if all the energy and resources dedicated to religion had been instead dedicated to the pursuit of truth and knowledge we'd be living in world where energy, food, medicine and all the resources we need would be abundant and cheap. Therefore, very little reason for War.

If these archaic belief systems were introduced today they would be regarded as barely more than dangerous cults.

[macmilm]

I think the most corrupt thing about religion and this isnt targeted at any one specific religion as a few are guilty, is the priests/elders/clerics or whatever blessing the troops before battle ?!?!?
WTF, would any peace loving God want his followers out murdering fellow human beings !!!!

The lyrics of a song about corruption come to mind "Praise The Lord & Pass The Ammunition"

I do agree with GTI though that we are currently led to believe that most wars are a result of religion which clearly is not true.... Greed is the main factor here disguised behind whatever bullshit reason they choose to hide it !

[consoles]

I personally hate the thought of religion, Born Catholic but certainly never followed.
You have to drag me kicking an screaming to attend a wedding at church, as for funerals, I've attended 1 out of 8, I leave my respects and remembrance in my not how some church dictates.
I have nothing at all against any religion and have a wide range of friends from various religious backgrounds, all of whom accept my feelings as I do theirs.

I believe I get from this life what I make, and when I die that's it gone only remembered by what mark I left behind (pretty much fuck all as it goes at the moment) but I live a happy life have a great family, absolutely no debt (unless you call council rent a debt) have a decent car all the gadgets I want when i want one, kids so far doing fantastic at school/college.

All of this and religion has not played one part, oh and I refuse to get married too (dodging this for 20 yrs so far) as this to me is another form of religion and if I'm honest fucks marriages up I cant think of one friend who hasn't been married and divorced "apparently one of the two changes after marriage"?

So I say Who gives a fuck what other people think about you or you're religion live life how you want to live it and look after your family to the best of you're ability, you can then lay to rest knowing YOU did your best.

Consoles

[wijit]

When our Islamic friends do nothing, they are isolating themselves. When they do this, they are accused of forcing religion on us, or questioned why bring religion into it. Why can't we just look at it as some people who feel they get blamed for the actions of a few, who then got together and made a video to bring a smile?

[Zangetsu1]

Well said mate.

[macmilm]

Well said mate.

wild stab in the dark here but I'm guessing you've not read your welcome PM ?!?!?!?!

[blaggard]

Well said mate.

he's been here a few days, hasn't particularly overdone it so far. .