Bill Maher: God/Organized Religion, yes or no

[3GamesToLove]

Greg's comments in here read like a 14-year old who has just become aware that not everyone believes in God.

[greg775]

Greg's comments in here read like a 14-year old who has just become aware that not everyone believes in God.

When it's 16 of 18 people not believing, that does astound me a bit.

[Jenksismyhero]

When it's 16 of 18 people not believing, that does astound me a bit.

 

I'm not really sure why. We've become less and less religious over time. Church scandals and extremists haven't really given religion a good name the last few decades. Communities used to be based around their local church, but that's not the case anymore. Churches and congregations are dying. Literally, the audiences are just old people in a lot of places. Once they go, the Church will too.

 

edit: and others have said, you're on a message board on the internet. Members here are mostly "young," mostly affluent liberal people, i.e., the ones most likely to not be religious.

Edited August 26, 2015 by Jenksismybitch

[CrimsonWeltall]

edit: and others have said, you're on a message board on the internet. Members here are mostly "young," mostly affluent liberal people, i.e., the ones most likely to not be religious.

 

Don't forget "white" and "male" two other demographics that tend to be less religious.

[greg775]

I'm not really sure why. We've become less and less religious over time. Church scandals and extremists haven't really given religion a good name the last few decades. Communities used to be based around their local church, but that's not the case anymore. Churches and congregations are dying. Literally, the audiences are just old people in a lot of places. Once they go, the Church will too.

 

edit: and others have said, you're on a message board on the internet. Members here are mostly "young," mostly affluent liberal people, i.e., the ones most likely to not be religious.

It's interesting to me. I hope everybody votes so we see if it's mostly those who do not believe.

[Y2Jimmy0]

I'm not really sure why. We've become less and less religious over time. Church scandals and extremists haven't really given religion a good name the last few decades. Communities used to be based around their local church, but that's not the case anymore. Churches and congregations are dying. Literally, the audiences are just old people in a lot of places. Once they go, the Church will too.

 

edit: and others have said, you're on a message board on the internet. Members here are mostly "young," mostly affluent liberal people, i.e., the ones most likely to not be religious.

 

 

Yes exactly. There are many people who would vote yes. Most of them can't turn a computer on though. Dammit. There I go offending people again.

[BlackSox13]

When it's 16 of 18 people not believing, that does astound me a bit.

Why? You yourself estimated there would be an 85% non-believer and 16/18 is 88% so you really should not be surprised. You did a good job on your estimation.

[greg775]

Yes exactly. There are many people who would vote yes. Most of them can't turn a computer on though. Dammit. There I go offending people again.

That is offensive if you meant it. So you and those who don't believe are so smart and we are the hick buffoons who believe in the all knowing man in the sky God. A lot of intelligent people believe ... Jimmy Carter who is the definition of true faith.

[Kyyle23]

Why is Jimmy Carter your baseline of religious arguments, greg?

[Rowand44]

Why is Jimmy Carter your baseline of religious arguments, greg?

Isn't he everybody's?!?

[greg775]

Why is Jimmy Carter your baseline of religious arguments, greg?

Couple of reasons.

Jimmy Carter is one of the greatest Americans ever. No hint of scandal. Never a hint of inappropriate behavior. One of the most amazing humanitarians of all time.

Not only that ... he is brilliant. I don't know how many books he's written, but he is intelligent, classy, wonderful human being.

 

He has a news conference to tell the world the cancer has spread to his brain. I could print some of his quotes but basically he said he was fine with whatever happens. He didn't push God on everybody but when the reporters asked him stuff he gave honest answers saying God is in charge of this.

To have such a BRILLIANT person, remarkably smart person believe in God, the image of the man upstairs amid the clouds, how can I not use him as an example of proof that it is not ludicrous to believe there is an all powerful GOD in charge of us all?

 

Jimmy Carter is THE epitomy of greatness and class. And he believes. I wish him the best as he battles this cancer

[Kyyle23]

Couple of reasons.

Jimmy Carter is one of the greatest Americans ever. No hint of scandal. Never a hint of inappropriate behavior. One of the most amazing humanitarians of all time.

Not only that ... he is brilliant. I don't know how many books he's written, but he is intelligent, classy, wonderful human being.

 

He has a news conference to tell the world the cancer has spread to his brain. I could print some of his quotes but basically he said he was fine with whatever happens. He didn't push God on everybody but when the reporters asked him stuff he gave honest answers saying God is in charge of this.

To have such a BRILLIANT person, remarkably smart person believe in God, the image of the man upstairs amid the clouds, how can I not use him as an example of proof that it is not ludicrous to believe there is an all powerful GOD in charge of us all?

 

Jimmy Carter is THE epitomy of greatness and class. And he believes. I wish him the best as he battles this cancer

 

I know of a brilliant man named Stephen Hawking who does not believe in God, and to this day he works on finding out the mysteries of the universe despite a debilitating illness. How can i not use him as an example of proof that it is not ludicrous to believe that there is no all powerful GOD in charge of us all?

[StrangeSox]

Isaac Newton devoted much of his life to alchemy--proof that alchemy is real.

[JPN366]

I hope there is a God, but I'm not banking on it. I guess that makes me agnostic.

[BaseballNick]

I was raised catholic and basically went through the motions of accepting it as truth because that's what church tells you, and as a kid, I didn't know any better. I questioned some things regarding the religion in HS, and had some really terrific theology teachers who told me that the things I questioned came down to my faith in the religion and divinity. When I stepped back and looked at it - essentially as an outsider for the first time instead of accepting the religion as truth or fact, that's where things fell apart for me. Simply accepting things "just because" didn't work for me. That combined with the intolerance of so many people, and the structured beliefs of a group that had found itself upon an all-forgiving figure struck me as extremely hypocritical. The main idea or concept that I took from religion is to treat people as I would want to be treated, and I've found that I live that way more devoutly than do a lot of the hardcore religious fanatics in my life.

[Rowand44]

I hope there is a God, but I'm not banking on it. I guess that makes me agnostic.

I certainly don't want there to be a god like the one that is portrayed in the bible.

 

And I'm an atheist.

Edited August 28, 2015 by Rowand44

[ron883]

When it's 16 of 18 people not believing, that does astound me a bit.

People who use internet forums tend to be more atheist/agnostic imo. Generally a younger crowd, but also a crowd that is more apt with the internet. You can easily find arguments that expose the bulls*** that is organized religion with a simple google search. The internet spreads the knowledge.

Edited August 28, 2015 by ron883

[SnB]

I went through 12 years of catholic school.............hell no, I don't believe in god.

[kevo880]

I've been trying to think of what i believe at this point in time for a while now, and I'm still at a point where it's tough to say what I believe. I was raised Catholic until the age of about 12 when my parents decided they had enough and left the Catholic Church. We checked out different Christian churches in the area before settling on one that is non denominational. I went to church regularly throughout high school, but haven't gone aside from Christmas/Easter since. My in-laws are a very Catholic family with Spanish/Mexican background and were not happy at all that we had our wedding outside of the church. We are getting to the point where we are discussing having kids, but we haven't decided if we are going to raise them in the church or not. In my opinion, since neither one of us really consider ourselves Catholic at this point then I think it would be a bad decision to get our child baptized and raised in the Catholic Church, but my wife is a people pleaser and I could see her wanting to do that just because it would make her family happy...

 

Anyways, over the years I have become more and more of a skeptic. I like the idea of there being a God and want to believe in Jesus, but like others have said, it's difficult to just believe that stuff because you were raised to just believe it and not really question it. I really don't like organized religion at all. I think it was a way to put fear into people that get them to do what was wanted at the time. Like others have said as well, I think turning to religion was an answer to things people didn't have answers to.

[iamshack]

I believe religion was created in a lot of ways to explain the un-explainable. I don't believe anyone will ever have the true answer of how we all came to be, so religion helps bridge that gap, because as a society we need answers to everything( I don't think that's a bad thing).

 

I also think it helps a tremendous deal in dealing with death. My mother was not a religious person at all but when she was on her last years dealing with cancer, she got more religious and I believe it was a way for her to be more comofortable with what was coming in a very short time. And there is nothing wrong with that.

 

I've always said if religion, or anything for that matter helps you get through the day, makes you feel better about yourself and isn't harmful to yourself, why would you deny yourself of that? I don't have to believe in a higher power to not understand why people enjoy it being part of their life.

 

I consider myself a skeptic and think the original idea of "God" is incredibly far fetched, but I would also hope there is something more to life after we die. Doesn't mean I believe in God.

Perhaps, but it seems to be utilized to control the uneducated masses today. The Catholic Church, for instance, preys on the poor in underdeveloped countries, selling them on an idea that, given their reality, is fairly difficult for them not to buy. "Jesus will take you to paradise!" Meanwhile, on earth, give us what little you have because it's your only chance at reaching the promised land. And oh, btw, you're not allowed to use birth control, so have a bazillion children and sell them the same nonsense.

 

 

[JPN366]

I certainly don't want there to be a god like the one that is portrayed in the bible.

 

And I'm an atheist.

 

I don't think anybody on this Earth has any actual concept of God. So I doubt any form of religion would even come close to getting it right, if there is a God. Christians, especially in the south, basically go against the basic tenets of their religious beliefs by the way they treat people who aren't like them. Jesus would accept everyone, southern Christians wouldn't dare. Living down here, you'd think Obama, Caitlyn Jenner and any openly gay person were the most evil people on the planet. It makes me sick.

 

I was raised Catholic, I realized it was a joke when I was 13.

 

I work at a global Catholic television network, good job security.

[JPN366]

Tyler Flowers is hardcore Catholic by the way.

[greg775]

I don't think anybody on this Earth has any actual concept of God. So I doubt any form of religion would even come close to getting it right, if there is a God. Christians, especially in the south, basically go against the basic tenets of their religious beliefs by the way they treat people who aren't like them. Jesus would accept everyone, southern Christians wouldn't dare. Living down here, you'd think Obama, Caitlyn Jenner and any openly gay person were the most evil people on the planet. It makes me sick.

 

I was raised Catholic, I realized it was a joke when I was 13.

 

I work at a global Catholic television network, good job security.

Why did you realize it was a "joke" at 13. I don't think it's a joke at all. I believe in Communion and most things in the Catholic faith.

[JPN366]

Why did you realize it was a "joke" at 13. I don't think it's a joke at all. I believe in Communion and most things in the Catholic faith.

 

It's all ridiculous mantras and pointless rituals given way too much supernatural qualities. Catholics believe Jesus is actually present in the communion wafer and the wine, instead of just treating it as symbolism like it should be.

[greg775]

It's all ridiculous mantras and pointless rituals given way too much supernatural qualities. Catholics believe Jesus is actually present in the communion wafer and the wine, instead of just treating it as symbolism like it should be.

But we make a big deal out of the fact it is real, not symbolism. In fact it is the whole reason we have Catholicism and Mass.