The Harm Done By Religion

[SHaYap]

Went through eight wives and more than a few mistresses... Hard work this Fidei defensor or 'Defender of the Faith' stuff... 

Quote

Defender of the Faith is a phrase that has been used as part of the full style of many English and later British monarchs since the early 16th century. It has also been used by some other monarchs and heads of state. Wikipedia

~

 

[+Hammerclaw]

10 minutes ago, The_Phantom_Stranger said:

400 years ago. We can all read now.

Only a third to a half of people are readers--people who like to read. The rest range from functionally literate, barely literate to mostly illiterate. Most critics reviewing movies based on books, rarely bother to read the books.

[The_Phantom_Stranger]

6 minutes ago, Hammerclaw said:

Only a third to a half of people are readers--people who like to read. The rest range from functionally literate, barely literate to mostly illiterate. Most critics reviewing movies based on books, rarely bother to read the books.

This is one interpretation of the Parable of Talents in Matthew 25. We have been given the book and the ability to read it, but some people bury it and don't read it for whatever reason. Even people who belong to the Faith, or by example a movie critic who doesn't read the book. According to the parable God favors those who read the book and gained even more religion, than those who were afraid to read it and will have even less religion than they started with. They are, "Wicked and slothful servants."

Parable of Talents

[+Sherapy]

1 hour ago, The_Phantom_Stranger said:

You might be confused. In the 40 Buddhist meditations there are meditations such as meditating on the image of a whole town filled with corpses or meditate on soldiers beating the corpses. The Dalai Lamma is a reincarnating Buddhist warlord. Violence and death are a universal constant.

Then there is MBSMT (Mindfulness Based Stress Management Therapy that utilizes meditation as a tool as a way to cope with life’s stressors which isn’t focused on violence and death as a constant or universal. 
 

Edited November 10, 2021 by Sherapy

[SHaYap]

Gyalwa Rinpoche is just another make believe messianic Jesus wannabe getting rich on the gullible cultists trying to create an ill gotten haven on earth ...

Quote

https://wealthygorilla.com › dalai-la...

The Dalai Lama's Net Worth (Updated 2021) - Wealthy Gorilla

 

4 Oct 2021 — As of 2021, Dalai Lama's net worth is estimated to be roughly $150 million. Early Life. Dalai Lama was born on the 6th of July, 1935, in Takster ...

~

 

[+Hammerclaw]

12 minutes ago, The_Phantom_Stranger said:

This is one interpretation of the Parable of Talents in Matthew 25. We have been given the book and the ability to read it, but some people bury it and don't read it for whatever reason. Even people who belong to the Faith, or by example a movie critic who doesn't read the book. According to the parable God favors those who read the book and gained even more religion, than those who were afraid to read it and will have even less religion than they started with. They are, "Wicked and slothful servants."

Parable of Talents

If you believe in that sort of thing. I'm too old for Sunday School. I believe in deity, but I don't limit myself to two thousand year old concepts.

[Will Due]

36 minutes ago, The_Phantom_Stranger said:

This is one interpretation of the Parable of Talents in Matthew 25. We have been given the book and the ability to read it, but some people bury it and don't read it for whatever reason. Even people who belong to the Faith, or by example a movie critic who doesn't read the book. According to the parable God favors those who read the book and gained even more religion, than those who were afraid to read it and will have even less religion than they started with. They are, "Wicked and slothful servants."

Parable of Talents

 

Here's something to keep in mind about parables.

 

"Jesus was a teacher who taught as the occasion served; he was not a systematic teacher. Jesus taught not so much from the law as from life, by parables. (And when he employed a parable for illustrating his message, he designed to utilize just one feature of the story for that purpose. Many wrong ideas concerning the teachings of Jesus may be secured by attempting to make allegories out of his parables.)

 

 

[+Desertrat56]

8 hours ago, larryp said:

But yet your breathing.

That is an incomplete sentence  ...your breathing... ?     

[onlookerofmayhem]

1 hour ago, Desertrat56 said:

That is an incomplete sentence  ...your breathing... ?     

Larry never learned the difference between your, you're and yore.

[+Hammerclaw]

9 hours ago, XenoFish said:

No, you hammer on and on about how others are inferior to you. Just like a Bible thumper does. How unenlightened they are. You express a form of toxic spirituality. 

Of course we're free to believe whatever we wish. So long as it agree with the likes of others such as yourself. 

You could have worded that better.

[XenoFish]

2 minutes ago, Hammerclaw said:

You could have worded that better.

Probably. 

[+Sherapy]

2 hours ago, Will Due said:

 

Here's something to keep in mind about parables.

 

"Jesus was a teacher who taught as the occasion served; he was not a systematic teacher. Jesus taught not so much from the law as from life, by parables. (And when he employed a parable for illustrating his message, he designed to utilize just one feature of the story for that purpose. Many wrong ideas concerning the teachings of Jesus may be secured by attempting to make allegories out of his parables.)

 

 

Will, is this from The big Blue Book? 
 

In your own words, what is the point of the quote, in other words, what are you trying to say? 

[lightly]

....speaking of The harm done by religion. . .it's very sad how much division, hatred, and homicide people bring upon themselves because of their varying beliefs !   There have been  'holy' wars ..for god's sake!!   .    But still, it's much easier to blame religion than human nature! ?   We can't seem to discuss  religion ,or anything else?   without hurting each other's feelings.  ..which is one of the big no no's in any religion worth it's salt! ?    I would rather be wrong all day long than talk down to anyone...believer or unbeliever.    But that's because I'm an exceptional human being. 

 

[+Desertrat56]

48 minutes ago, lightly said:

....speaking of The harm done by religion. . .it's very sad how much division, hatred, and homicide people bring upon themselves because of their varying beliefs !   There have been  'holy' wars ..for god's sake!!   .    But still, it's much easier to blame religion than human nature! ?   We can't seem to discuss  religion ,or anything else?   without hurting each other's feelings.  ..which is one of the big no no's in any religion worth it's salt! ?    I would rather be wrong all day long than talk down to anyone...believer or unbeliever.    But that's because I'm an exceptional human being. 

 

No one hurts someone else's feelings, people choose to get their feelings hurt, just like offense, it is never given, always taken.   Yes, some people can be mean, purposefully mean, but if you choose to be hurt by that (not talking physical) then you need to examine what your expectations are.   If the expectation is to be respected and someone doesn't, that is their problem, not yours.  I know it seem harsh, but people need to get a grip on what is real and what isn't.  A stranger should never be able to cause you emotional pain, if they do it is pain you already have and they have just brought your attention to it.  I am not talking about anger, but about what we call "getting our feelings hurt".   

Now I do have to admit I have a trigger from that phrase, because of a corporate incident and because I was taught that we are all in charge of our own feelings.

Edited November 10, 2021 by Desertrat56

[lightly]

That makes a lot of sence Desert.        I guess I'm too sensitive...I feel sad when others feelings are hurt.   I'm always surprised when people seem to do it on purpose!!  But, It's a story as old as mankind ..some people seem to believe they can be  'elevated' by putting someone else  down.  Of course it never works.  

[+Desertrat56]

1 minute ago, lightly said:

That makes a lot of sence Desert.        I guess I'm too sensitive...I feel sad when others feelings are hurt.   I'm always surprised when people seem to do it on purpose!!  But, It's a story as old as mankind ..some people seem to believe they can be  'elevated' by putting someone else  down.  Of course it never works.  

I feel bad too, but I also see too often that the person who gets their feelings hurt has unreasonable expectations, or is very insecure and needs external validation.  I have also seen a lot of people make things up to be offended about, which is a similar indication of insecurity, but with more of a need for attention than someone who gets their feelings hurt and doesn't mention it to anyone.

An example of the latter is my sister being upset because of something my clueless, bulldozer brother said.   He was not directing it at her, he was telling a story that   he was asked to do something he didn't want to do and he said no.  But he qualified it with something that my sister took personally.  

Another example make me mad because it is so stupid.  Our bosses boss showed up at our team building group and said she knew our jobs were hard and she was there to ask us what could be done to make it easier.   No one said a word for a few  minutes (they knew her better than I did) and I was sitting next to her.  I stated some things I thought would make things easier, which opened the door for everyone else to speak.  When everyone had their say we sat and looked at her and finally she responded with "You all have hurt my feelings."    I nearly fell out of my chair at such an inappropriate response.  And I know she saw by the look on my face that I thought she was a total idiot.  There was no way to respond to such a childish statement.   I still can't figure out why she got her feelings hurt when we were just making suggestions in response to her question.

[+Liquid Gardens]

1 hour ago, Desertrat56 said:

No one hurts someone else's feelings, people choose to get their feelings hurt,

I understand what you are saying with the examples you provided, but overall no I don't think people 'choose' to get their feelings hurt any more than people choose to feel pain, people just choose how to respond to it by examining their expectations as you noted, etc.  Sure we're all 'responsible' for our own feelings but that doesn't mean then that the problem with bullying, kids or adults, is all on the bullied and their 'chosen feelings' for instance.  

[+Desertrat56]

4 minutes ago, Liquid Gardens said:

I understand what you are saying with the examples you provided, but overall no I don't think people 'choose' to get their feelings hurt any more than people choose to feel pain, people just choose how to respond to it by examining their expectations as you noted, etc.  Sure we're all 'responsible' for our own feelings but that doesn't mean then that the problem with bullying, kids or adults, is all on the bullied and their 'chosen feelings' for instance.  

I think bullying is similar but not the same as people getting their feelings hurt.   It may start out as feelings getting hurt, which gives the bully what he/she wants and becomes a habit of both the bully and the bullied.  Sometimes it escalates and sometimes it doesn't.   If kids were taught to just stand up to bullies, a lot of that would go away.

[+Liquid Gardens]

1 minute ago, Desertrat56 said:

I think bullying is similar but not the same as people getting their feelings hurt.   It may start out as feelings getting hurt, which gives the bully what he/she wants and becomes a habit of both the bully and the bullied.  Sometimes it escalates and sometimes it doesn't.   If kids were taught to just stand up to bullies, a lot of that would go away.

Agreed, and 'bullying' is probably too general a term and example since that a lot of time includes the physical and not just words. 

I agree that there is such a thing as 'too sensitive' although I try to not apply that to situations beyond my experience unless it's some kind of really out-there example, but I try to hold my tongue/keep my skepticism when women, racial minorities, LGBTQ people, Jews, etc, complain about something that hurt their feelings, because I'm not in any position to really understand or assess that because I'm fortunately not a part of any 'minority' (other than Jimi Hendrix freaks).  I think some criticism of people in these groups by 'the majority/privileged' stumble into this problem also:  as soon as their position on something is based on 'what is it like to be a woman/black/gay in America' for example, then I've usually lost any basis for criticizing it, since it's absurd to think I know hardly anything about what it's like to be a person within any of those groups.  

[+Desertrat56]

23 minutes ago, Liquid Gardens said:

Agreed, and 'bullying' is probably too general a term and example since that a lot of time includes the physical and not just words. 

I agree that there is such a thing as 'too sensitive' although I try to not apply that to situations beyond my experience unless it's some kind of really out-there example, but I try to hold my tongue/keep my skepticism when women, racial minorities, LGBTQ people, Jews, etc, complain about something that hurt their feelings, because I'm not in any position to really understand or assess that because I'm fortunately not a part of any 'minority' (other than Jimi Hendrix freaks).  I think some criticism of people in these groups by 'the majority/privileged' stumble into this problem also:  as soon as their position on something is based on 'what is it like to be a woman/black/gay in America' for example, then I've usually lost any basis for criticizing it, since it's absurd to think I know hardly anything about what it's like to be a person within any of those groups.  

I was taught to think differently about people than a lot I grew up with.   My mother read me and my brother the riot act for staring at a boy with a different color skin.  We weren't, and we were so young we didn't understand her ire, but later it made sense.  It was a problem she had, noticing too often people's differences and reactions to other's differences.  She hated that people were treated differently for things that had nothing to do with who they were as a person.   In fact, when I was in the army there were two incidents I remember my views being so far off from everyone else's.  One was in the pay line when 3 women who found it funny to verbally bully women from a different skin tone than they had and picked me.   I grew up where "honkey" meant "wannabe cowboy".   So when I stood up to them and was called a "honkey b****" I took offense and took a step closer saying "we are both wearing the same boots so if I am a honkey so are you."   I know how crazy that was now, but at 18 I had no clue.  I just saw the look of confusion  on the woman's face and her friends pulling her back muttering "she crazy, don't mess with crazy people".   The other was when I was talking to a woman who I had met when she was 5 and I was 7 and I had classes with her sister in junior high.  We were in Germany and we were talking about people we knew in common.  She asked about a group of people and I said, "no, I never hung out with those kind of people".  She bristled and asked "what to you mean?"  My answer was "people who ran in large groups.  I was a nerd, I liked the library where it was quiet."   The way I said it I know she thought I was being "racist" because she is hispanic and I am not, but it never occurred to me that people don't understand that not everything is about race, (which doesn't exist in reality, we are all human).   I am not perfect but I think if more people had the attitude that we are all human first and any other judgements need to be made on attitudes and behaviors instead of ancestry or looks we would all be a lot happier.

Edited November 10, 2021 by Desertrat56

[+Hammerclaw]

1 hour ago, Desertrat56 said:

No one hurts someone else's feelings, people choose to get their feelings hurt, just like offense, it is never given, always taken.   Yes, some people can be mean, purposefully mean, but if you choose to be hurt by that (not talking physical) then you need to examine what your expectations are.   If the expectation is to be respected and someone doesn't, that is their problem, not yours.  I know it seem harsh, but people need to get a grip on what is real and what isn't.  A stranger should never be able to cause you emotional pain, if they do it is pain you already have and they have just brought your attention to it.  I am not talking about anger, but about what we call "getting our feelings hurt".   

Now I do have to admit I have a trigger from that phrase, because of a corporate incident and because I was taught that we are all in charge of our own feelings.

What is that, desert stoicism? Most people can't turn their feelings on and off like that. I certainly wouldn't want to. I've nurtured the capacity to accept and deal with that kind of pain. No pain, no gain and emotional endurance builds a strengthened psyche. To each their own, of course, but I never hide from the challenge.

[XenoFish]

9 minutes ago, Hammerclaw said:

Most people can't turn their feelings on and off like that.

People mask them. 

[+Hammerclaw]

2 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

People mask them. 

Yes, but most can't mask them from themselves, just present a stiff upper lip.

[XenoFish]

Just now, Hammerclaw said:

Yes, but most can't mask them from themselves, just present a stiff upper lip.

True, but it also comes down to perspective. Some are overly emotion, normal emotional, low emotion, or sociopaths. Plus a person might actually have to care what someone thinks to be emotionally hurt by another. 

[+Hammerclaw]

Just now, XenoFish said:

True, but it also comes down to perspective. Some are overly emotion, normal emotional, low emotion, or sociopaths. Plus a person might actually have to care what someone thinks to be emotionally hurt by another. 

I worked with the public, most of my life, and was on the receiving end of hurtful abuse from imperfect strangers, many times. I was angered to the point of almost beating the crap out of several of them but maintained control. Being good to nice people always left me vulnerable to the not so nice ones. I'd absorb the abuse and move on, but it never ceased to rankle me and I never ceased being open, honest and pleasant with nice people. They were worth any pain I endured.