Most Annoying Non-x-tian Religion

[MesaGman]

one could also rationalize that Yan is represented by the dark suit archetect, and yin the unbalancer is the granny oracle unbalancing the equation. So that there is equlibrium.

[Rev R]

Well they do get through a couple of the Noble Truths over the course of the film, then it degenerated into this pile of esoteric babble covered by a rip off of a John Woo pistol opera.

 

The script was a philosophical Rorschach test. Still, a crap movie. Almost as bad as the one where Kea-neo played Gautama (the wacky god-man version...because a dude with an idea doesn't appeal to Americans).

[SWIM]

speaking of Jedism, that gets on my nerves too, because of the Dogma.... as revealed by playing Knights of the old Republic.. Jedis have a code, yet Obiwan accused Anikin of "only the Sith deals with absolute", but Jedis have codes.

 

But a character in Knights 2, Kreia wanted no alignment just the force. Like my issue is why do people need labels, why can't they be people. I guess I have this Anarchist mentality, of Lazier faire.... Libertarianism. yea that's it, that seeps in there.

That was one thing I didn't understand about Star Wars, either. Like Obi Wan said that only the Sith deals with absolute, yet Obi Wan himself is a moral absolutist and in fact the majority of the Star Wars characters are moral absolutists. When you think about it, the only Star Wars character who is in fact not absolutist is Darth Vader, who ironically is a Sith. >>

 

 

See what happens when humans make up religions, like in the movies...

 

Wait.. They are like that in *real* religions.... Hmmmm could all religions "possibly be made up then????" lol DOH!!!

[Legion]

I want to be a Hindu prince.

I’ll call myself Gautama.

I’ll ride a nice new horse.

That’s right!

I’ll ride a nice new horse

And talk about suffering.

I’ll talk about attachment!

I’ll talk about impermanence.

Oh yeah! Oh yeah!

I want to be a Hindu prince.

I’ll talk about eight right ways!

I’ll wear fancy robes

And eat a lot food.

But above all things

I’ll ride a nice new horse.

[Neon Genesis]

My vote for most annoying non-xtian religion has to go to Islam. Whenever Osama bin Laden occasionally releases a new video, it always shows just how little history the man knows or if he does know history, just how good at lying he is as he tries to paint anyone who disagrees with him as ebil bad guys and act like he's some sort of noble saint. Islamic terrorists committing suicide bombing because they believe they'll get 72 virgins in the afterlife shows enough proof to me how blind faith while throwing away all critical thinking and reason can be dangerous yet Christians continue to act like dying for a cause automatically makes you noble and proves that your cause is true no matter what the cause is in spite of recent events. Islam's treatment of women and homosexuals is just inhumane and words cannot express how disgusted I am by it. It's like Islam takes everything you hate about Christianity and makes it ten times worse. I admire moderate Muslims' attempts to make Islam a more peaceful religion, but they're kidding themselves if they think Islam is a peaceful religion when the Koran blatantly commands its followers to kill all unbelievers. I just fail to understand why moderate Muslims act so surprised when people abuse their "peaceful religion" when the Koran is ripped off the bible which also commands its followers to kill all unbelievers. You'd think since Islam is so obviously ripped off the bible, that it would be the easiest to see through the bullshit, yet people continue to eat it up without using critical thinking. I just can't understand why people continue to buy into Islam when it's so obviously a sham.

[MesaGman]

Well they do get through a couple of the Noble Truths over the course of the film, then it degenerated into this pile of esoteric babble covered by a rip off of a John Woo pistol opera.

 

The script was a philosophical Rorschach test. Still, a crap movie. Almost as bad as the one where Kea-neo played Gautama (the wacky god-man version...because a dude with an idea doesn't appeal to Americans).

 

>>> They could have cut it at part 1, a perfect ending to the story is neo flying off like Superman, because he knows how to move around the matrix, but then they threw in those ape mechs with the machine guns at the end.

[Mysteries' Child]

I said "Other," though actually it's a 3-way tie between Judaism, Islam, and the whole NeoPagan umbrella thingie.

 

Judaism and Islam for, basically, the same reasons I'm utterly irked with Christianity. "We're right! We're right! We hold the copyright on being right!"

 

NeoPaganism for all kinds of, mostly personal, reasons. I don't appreciate all the times I've been called a "dirty Christian spy" for stating that I don't believe in using the law to make the morons shut up and go away. I don't appreciate the fact that they/we (I do, after all, consider myself Pagan) do as much backbiting as the Baptists, if not more. I don't appreciate the flat-out denial that people can and do co-opt their label for harmful purposes (though that behavior seems to be fading). I don't appreciate the fact that a liberal political stance is almost as much of a requirement for being a Real Pagan as a conservative political stance is for being a Real Christian. I guess, in general, I'm contemptuous of the fact that so many of them despise Christianity while acting so very much like, well, the very worst of Christians.

 

I've even actually had more than one Pagan tell me, and I quote, "Our Gods are real, and theirs are not!" GRRRRR!! Look in the mirror!!! If you despise a behavior so much, strive not to emulate it.

[Guest Zenobia]

I don't appreciate the fact that they/we (I do, after all, consider myself Pagan) do as much backbiting as the Baptists, if not more. I don't appreciate the flat-out denial that people can and do co-opt their label for harmful purposes (though that behavior seems to be fading). I don't appreciate the fact that a liberal political stance is almost as much of a requirement for being a Real Pagan as a conservative political stance is for being a Real Christian. I guess, in general, I'm contemptuous of the fact that so many of them despise Christianity while acting so very much like, well, the very worst of Christians.

 

I've even actually had more than one Pagan tell me, and I quote, "Our Gods are real, and theirs are not!" GRRRRR!! Look in the mirror!!! If you despise a behavior so much, strive not to emulate it.

 

I totally relate to what you are saying... I'm "pagan" also - but I use that label very loosely. I'm amazed at how hypocritical some pagans can be and it blows my mind how hurtful they can be, especially when they supposedly believe the creed of "harm none"...

 

This is the primary reason I am mostly a solitary practitioner. Everyone seems to think they have discovered the ONLY way to practice paganism, and if anything - being open minded has taught me that there are an infinitesmal ways to approach it, so I just don't understand how some people can be so narrow.

 

The other thing I hate is people who get all hypocritical about "karma." Some of them actually think that if something bad happens to you, then you must have done something to bring it on to yourself. But you know, living 42 years has taught me that sometimes SHIT JUST FREAKIN' HAPPENS. It isn't because I was Hitler in a past life, or because I killed bugs when I was a kid, or because I argued with my parents when I was little...

 

A woman who thinks she is "psychic" -you know the kind? - recently told me that my husband's life-threatening heart condition is basically MY FAULT because I'm not a good enough witch. WTF? Where do people get off?

 

Then there are the kind who are so fatalistic, they believe that "if it's meant to be, it's meant to be" - which totally goes against the concept of FREE WILL. Where do they get this whole predestination trip? I don't see a lot about predestination in my studies, so where do they come up with it?

 

Grrr..... I wish more pagans could just retain the open mind that brought them to paganism in the first place. Unfortunately, IMHO, the belief systems aren't nearly as flawed as the people who subscribe to them.

[Vomit Comet]

I just can't understand why people continue to buy into Islam when it's so obviously a sham.

 

Lack of education, literacy, etc. Things we take for granted in this country even though on average we're measurably more dumbed down than Europeans and East Asians.

 

If you look at Lebanon, the swingin' decadence that takes place in the city of Beirut puts Amsterdam to shame. The fanatical hicks out in the countryside are the ones who made Lebanon a hell. Turkey? Same thing. The western urbanized Mediterranean half is pretty much like Europe. The eastern half is backwards and reactionary, like an Islamic Texas. Iran? Same thing. The educated young folks in Tehran desperately long to live like Europeans. It's the poor illiterate folks that support the regime there. Afghanistan? Same thing. The educated cosmopolitan upper class largely relocated to Orange County, California, as a result of the Soviets coming in and flattening everything. The Taliban, on the other hand, are comprised of the illiterate sons of tribal goatherders.

 

Of course, somebody always goes and points out that Osama was a rich kid and that the 9/11 hijackers were middle class. But how many nutjobs who orchestrated the atrocities in the Middle Ages were among the educated elite? Consider also that American extremists like the Weather Underground were by-and-large from affluent backgrounds and typically attended elite universities. Like the Bolsheviks, groups like the WU saw themselves as an elite vanguard that were trying to mobilize the masses. Look at what the Bolsheviks accomplished. The Islamists' record has thus far been a bit more spotty, thankfully, but then the Islamic World is much more fragmented than latter day Tsarist Russia was.

 

The masses in America = 'Silent Majority' that thought the WU and other such groups were nuts. The masses in latter day Tsarist Russia = seriously disgruntled workers in the big cities, along with the military. The masses in the Islamic world = fragmented and diverse as all hell; most just want to live the mellow good life; in hot spots like Iraq, Palestine, and elsewhere, though, the poor and desperate folks put religious assholes into power while supporting violent fanatics as if they were modern day Robin Hoods.

[Grandpa Harley]

A woman who thinks she is "psychic" -you know the kind? - recently told me that my husband's life-threatening heart condition is basically MY FAULT because I'm not a good enough witch. WTF? Where do people get off?

 

Isn't it tempting to punch someone like that between the eyes and then ask 'You didn't know that would happen?'

[Neon Genesis]

Lack of education, literacy, etc. Things we take for granted in this country even though on average we're measurably more dumbed down than Europeans and East Asians.

I can understand why Muslims in foreign countries like Iraq might buy into Islam but then even in the U.S. and the UK you have moderate Muslims who insist that, "oh those people blowing themselves in the name of Allah aren't "real" Muslims, Islam is really a peaceful religion." Yet you'd think that with all the bombings and mass genocide going on in the name of Allah and how the Koran blatantly commands to kill all unbelievers would give at least moderate Muslims who live in countries like the U.S. and UK a clue. Just recently I read an article about this gay Muslim guy (I don't have the link on me and I forgot his name) doing a documentary film about how great Islam is. The whole time reading about it I can't help but think about all those gay people being executed by Islamic terrorists in countries like Iran in the name of their religion yet people continue to defend Islam as being "peaceful." Why not just acknowledge Islam is a sham and go off and create their own "peaceful" religion if that's all they want? It just makes no sense to me.

[Thurisaz]

...even in the U.S. and the UK you have moderate Muslims who insist that, "oh those people blowing themselves in the name of Allah aren't "real" Muslims, Islam is really a peaceful religion." Yet you'd think that with all the bombings and mass genocide going on in the name of Allah and how the Koran blatantly commands to kill all unbelievers would give at least moderate Muslims who live in countries like the U.S. and UK a clue.

 

Same thing as with the jebus cult. If you approach the dogma coming from the direction of modern civilization and human rights, "naturally" it becomes "unmistakably clear" to you that all those verses (whether in babble or horror-an) that call to kill and commit other inhuman acts are "of course" unimportant compared to those verses that call for compassion and mercy.

 

If you approach the dogma from the diametrically opposed direction... you get 911 and the like. And the verses calling for mercy will look just as alien to you as the monstrous verses would have looked in case #1.

 

"Christianutty/Is-lame is not what they say it is"? It is all of it. That's exactly the problem with both cults - they are everything and nothing, you just need to pick the right verses. If someone says "I'm a christian/muslim", by itself this means exactly nothing.

[Guest eejay]

I had to say muslim, even though many annoy me. Most religions have their quirks and all, but muslims continue to come to this country (even though they hate our western values, and us in general), and then expect us to change our laws and policies to kiss their fucking ass. What sucks is we're allowing them to do it. Oh...the poor muslim women want to wear their coverings for a driver's license picture...we can't disnoner them now can we? Oh...another poor muslim woman wants a segregated gym in college because she can't workout if there's a man in there. I don't know, but when I was in Indonesia (one of the companies I flew for, had a plane based there some years back and I was kind of forced to go), I was not allowed to drive or go anywhere without an escort. Yet I was there to fly a fucking airplane for Texaco. The people in Indonesia conveniently 'lost' my security clearance and I wasn't allowed to fly. I had a difficult time getting out of there, and the stories that were sent back home were bizarre. I thought I would be able to return to my regular job, but was forced to resign, because I was 'accused; of dancing naked in a hangar. Yeah right!!!! Fuck them assholes!!! What pisses me off is that I did no such thing, and it bothered me tha the company even took their word for it. As far as I'm concerned most religion sucks, but I think muslims really take the cake.

[hereticzero]

They all make me want to rend my clothing from the stupidity of the religion.

[Guest Zenobia]

Eejay... wow... what a story. You know, this is off-topic, but isn't the flying industry sexist as hell anyway?? I mean, sure it is slowly changing, but still most folks picture pilots as "men." A couple years back we were flying to Vegas and I noticed the pilot was a young, blonde woman - and I remember being surprised. Then I felt like slapping myself!

 

A book you may want to read if you haven't already - Promised the Moon. It is the story of the Mercury 13. No, not the Mercury 7 like in The Right Stuff. The Mercury 13 were all women, who quit their jobs to take part in an "experiment" for NASA to see if women could be astronauts. They put the women through exactly the same tests as the men, and the women were not only able to do everything as well, but in many cases their scores were superior - especially the psychological tests. However, President Johnson just couldn't stand the idea of women going into outer space so he scrapped the idea. Great book.

 

My sister is also a pilot. You go Grrls!!

 

**edited to include link to book.

[Guest eejay]

Eejay... wow... what a story. You know, this is off-topic, but isn't the flying industry sexist as hell anyway?? I mean, sure it is slowly changing, but still most folks picture pilots as "men." A couple years back we were flying to Vegas and I noticed the pilot was a young, blonde woman - and I remember being surprised. Then I felt like slapping myself!

 

A book you may want to read if you haven't already - Promised the Moon. It is the story of the Mercury 13. No, not the Mercury 7 like in The Right Stuff. The Mercury 13 were all women, who quit their jobs to take part in an "experiment" for NASA to see if women could be astronauts. They put the women through exactly the same tests as the men, and the women were not only able to do everything as well, but in many cases their scores were superior - especially the psychological tests. However, President Johnson just couldn't stand the idea of women going into outer space so he scrapped the idea. Great book.

 

My sister is also a pilot. You go Grrls!!

 

**edited to include link to book.

I've heard of the story, but don't think I actually read the book. Will definately look it up though. Thanks!

[MQTA]

I think islam is by far the worst. The cry an cry "we not violent!" swear it up and down. But the asshats have more suicidal loonies then any other currently today!

 

For what, 72 virgins? LOL does it even specify they will be human? Might end up with 72 virgin sheep...

 

72 NUNS

[MQTA]

The Truth and Reality of our existance is Boring, so Religions and Opinions are all we got to try to spruce up what nobody really Knows anyway.

 

The Truth is we're all on our own, can pretty much do anything we want unless/until it kills us, or someone else prevents us from doing what we do by force or guilt. Nobody flesh or magic can Make us DO anything, they may be able to try to influence us, but our Doing is OUR doing and Cause/Effect rule the day.

 

So as far as I care, people can believe what they want, but if You're gonna Blow Yourself Up if you don't like what someone else believes, then THAT is the most Annoying of all.

 

So Islam tops my list. All the others can just blow hot air and idle idol threats.

[Mysteries' Child]

I don't appreciate the fact that they/we (I do, after all, consider myself Pagan) do as much backbiting as the Baptists, if not more. I don't appreciate the flat-out denial that people can and do co-opt their label for harmful purposes (though that behavior seems to be fading). I don't appreciate the fact that a liberal political stance is almost as much of a requirement for being a Real Pagan as a conservative political stance is for being a Real Christian. I guess, in general, I'm contemptuous of the fact that so many of them despise Christianity while acting so very much like, well, the very worst of Christians.

 

I've even actually had more than one Pagan tell me, and I quote, "Our Gods are real, and theirs are not!" GRRRRR!! Look in the mirror!!! If you despise a behavior so much, strive not to emulate it.

 

I totally relate to what you are saying... I'm "pagan" also - but I use that label very loosely. I'm amazed at how hypocritical some pagans can be and it blows my mind how hurtful they can be, especially when they supposedly believe the creed of "harm none"...

 

This is the primary reason I am mostly a solitary practitioner. Everyone seems to think they have discovered the ONLY way to practice paganism, and if anything - being open minded has taught me that there are an infinitesmal ways to approach it, so I just don't understand how some people can be so narrow.

 

*gasp* A kindred spirit!!! In that respect anyway...

 

Certainly a lack of covens/circles/what-haves in the area and a general aversion to group practice aren't the only (or even the main) reasons I, also, am for the most part Solitary. I'll figure Divinity out on my own, thanx. Got away from people telling me how to relate to it once already.

 

The other thing I hate is people who get all hypocritical about "karma." Some of them actually think that if something bad happens to you, then you must have done something to bring it on to yourself. But you know, living 42 years has taught me that sometimes SHIT JUST FREAKIN' HAPPENS. It isn't because I was Hitler in a past life, or because I killed bugs when I was a kid, or because I argued with my parents when I was little...

 

Uh-huh. I don't think anyone really understands karma, return, whatever they're calling it this week. I dunno-- I can't quite criticize. I've tried, and failed, to explain it to quite a few people. Including myself.

 

A woman who thinks she is "psychic" -you know the kind? - recently told me that my husband's life-threatening heart condition is basically MY FAULT because I'm not a good enough witch. WTF? Where do people get off?

 

Fuck 'er. The only voice she hears is that of her own attitudes. Very probably.

 

Then there are the kind who are so fatalistic, they believe that "if it's meant to be, it's meant to be" - which totally goes against the concept of FREE WILL. Where do they get this whole predestination trip? I don't see a lot about predestination in my studies, so where do they come up with it?

 

I don't know exactly. My old Teacher was one of that type. I think I taught him better, eventually *lol*. I do believe in some measure of destiny-- that there are certain points in a person's life that they will get to almost no matter what. But I also believe in a great deal of free will in the intervening spaces, free will in how you come into those situations, free will in choosing how you react to those situations...

 

That's a lot of free will.

 

Grrr..... I wish more pagans could just retain the open mind that brought them to paganism in the first place. Unfortunately, IMHO, the belief systems aren't nearly as flawed as the people who subscribe to them.

 

Guess it comes back to what happens to every other religion. Guess people want to know they're right this time. I dunno. I remember it being very uncomfortable to have to wonder about the nature of truth and what is right instead of just finding a new Truth and a new way to be (Copy)Right. I can understand people wanting to avoid that feeling. It sucked. Many cigarettes were smoked and many donuts eaten (and more because driving 30 miles to the particular donut shop kept me from screaming than because we liked donuts that much) while I tried to come to grips with the idea of things like truth and reality being fluid and elastic.

 

Can understand it. Can't, however, say it's the right thing to do. I did not enjoy a great deal of the mental work. I have, however, enjoyed and benefitted from the fruits of it immensely.

 

But, by and large-- Yeah, believe whatever helps you up and out of bed in the mornings. Just don't try to force others to subscribe to it-- like by legislating its sole validity, or blowing up people who don't.

 

Not too crazy about brainwashing your kids, either-- I mean, check the freakin' fruits, folks-- but I'm still not sure where to draw the line between "teaching" and "indoctrination."

[Guest Zenobia]

Hi Mysteries Child... yeah you're right it just comes down to the people themselves. Like I say most religions are just a cocktail of a few truths mixed with a lot of bullshit, and they make people drunk and then they do all kinds of stupid... but then they do choose to drink it down in the first place, lol...

 

I turned to Paganism because it wasn't a "religion" really, although yeah some people do turn it into one sadly... but it was a way I could still have some of my Spiritual needs met.

 

I know a lot of pagans, although I do practice mostly by myself and don't belong to any covens ATM. The pagan community in our area is very small but it is growing... we live in a very "provincial" backward little city run mostly by Catholics, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, with every other kind of xtian you'd never hope to meet in between.

 

Pagans are mostly in the closet here, although I am very open about it and scare the bejeebers out of people at work There is one pagan couple we really like - they are a priest and priestess and they performed our wedding ceremony which was extremely un-traditional but very beautiful and not weird or stupid or slapped together if you know what I mean. Anyway they are just really down to earth but very "magickal" also... They also practice what they preach. I wish there were more like them. Unfortunately it seems most of the others are of the following categories:

 

1. Can't distinguish reality from fantasy... wear SCA "garb" to the mall, etc...

2. Pagan for shock value only, mean-spirited and nasty to be around and claim to be into "black magic" etc

3. Too Spiritual For You, the kind that eat-live-breath eastern religions or whatever and look down on others who are not as "knowledgable" as they think they are

4. Left xtianity but still retain the attitudes. Very judgemental and still have xtian ideas about punishment, hell, etc...

5. "I See Dead People" - pretend psychics who claim to know all your dead relatives but clearly, never met, think they have psychic powers but clearly do not, etc

6. Flavor of the Week - the FLAKES who change their belief system every other day. Don't invite them over for dinner, they will flake out last minute.

 

LOL... I feel like I'm being judgemental myself to think this way... but really, those types of people annoy me to the point I can't stand to be around them. I know very few "witches" who I want to associate with. I just wish they were more realistic and dependable, lol...

[SilentLoner]

Islam

[jackbauer]

Islam sucks from what I hear about it, but scientology is becoming a greater pain in the ass every day, especially on youtube, and what sucks is it comes in many different disguises. Atleast one can distinguish Christians the moment they start talking about Jesus, but the scientologists like to hide behind other spiritualities or even real science from what I can tell.

[Guest recoveringXchristian]

I voted for Scientology, although I would put Mormonism at a relatively close second and Jews for Jesus as a distant third. Jews for Jesus partly for it's ridiculousness and partly for its cult-like indoctrination process on college campuses.

[Guest recoveringXchristian]

I would put Mormonism at a relatively close second

 

btw, I realised a lot of people consider LDS a christian religion, but I consider it a cult.

[Guest Zenobia]

I would put Mormonism at a relatively close second

 

btw, I realised a lot of people consider LDS a christian religion, but I consider it a cult.

 

I consider all of christinsanity to be one giant cult.... all the religions like LDS, etc, are just little mini-cults. LOL.

 

BTW we did have a separate poll for christian religions... but it dropped off the first page of topics.