This film is based off a true story, but also this is a typical example of why people become Christians. A classic story
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Shantanab-Lone-Voyager — 13 years ago(April 08, 2012 03:29 PM)
The basic teachings of all major religion is the same, and a distressed man/woman can follow any one of them resulting into a "Deliverance"I fail to see why you're biased towards a particular one.
I'm an atheist ( In the sense I don't particularly follow the superficial rigorousness of any Religion whatsoever. I don't believe that praying in front of a crucifix, or inside a church, mosque or temple, uttering some per-defined words can bring me closer to the so called "God" ) - but I do believe in the strength and purity of one's inner mind and soulbut that's got nothing to do with "Religion" and is mostly based on self-realization.
Happiness is only Illusion -
jacarec — 13 years ago(April 09, 2012 10:41 AM)
"all major religion is the same, and a distressed man/woman"
Not at all. Some religions say you can live a life of chaos and that will bring you closer too God (hindu). Or, just follow this impossible set of rules and you will be fine (Jewish). Or cover your women up and you can have multiple wives (Muslim) I fail to see how any of that can help anyone who is in distress.
"I don't believe that praying in front of a crucifix, or inside a church, mosque or temple, uttering some per-defined words can bring me closer to the so called "God"
Funny thing is, I don't believe that either. Neither did Jesus.
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Shantanab-Lone-Voyager — 13 years ago(April 09, 2012 03:14 PM)
Not at all. Some religions say you can live a life of chaos and that will bring you closer too God (Hindu). Or, just follow this impossible set of rules and you will be fine (Jewish). Or cover your women up and you can have multiple wives (Muslim)
I am not quite aware of Jewish customs and so I will not comment on that
But none of the original scriptures of Hindu religious texts (Vedas ) mention what you presented there (quote something if possible to justify that), I believe you've confused what the original religious texts tried to teach with the preachings of some extremist religious groups.
I believe religions should be like a moral guide that leads it's followers to attain serenity, without handing out multiple unnecessary rulesbut alas that's not the case for any of them.
Hindus religion puts great emphasis on attaining spiritual tranquility via special meditative practice called "Yoga" (I'm sure you've heard the name), which means unification of body and mind in a calm manner - Hindus does not live a life of "chaos" to be closer to god, actually just the opposite.
As for the veil issue :
http://middleeast.about.com/od/religionsectarianism/f/me080209.htm
And polygamy is a very old cultural concept and was practiced in most parts of the world in ancient times, not only by Muslims.
I fail to see how any of that can help anyone who is in distress.
Again I want to emphasize that no religion is better than the other, I believe Hindus and Muslims will disagree with you over this. Why do you persist in believing that only "Christianity" is the only solution? I thought even bible spoke of religious tolerance.
Funny thing is, I don't believe that either. Neither did Jesus.
I don't know whether today's "Christianity" can be attributed to Jesus solely - because it has evolved so much after his death!
Happiness is only Illusion -
jacarec — 13 years ago(April 09, 2012 05:05 PM)
Hindu's believe one must choose a path that will lead them to the one/creator/god. All paths lead to the one. So through my travels, I asked the question to a Hindu"If all paths lead to the one?" "What if I chose a path to be violent"..He said.."If that leads you to the one, then so be it"But even without him answering me , the logic of "all paths" lead to the one is flawed.
"I believe Hindus and Muslims will disagree with you over this".
lol,Of course they would.
"I thought even bible spoke of religious tolerance".
I think you're mistaking, not be violent towards someone, equals acceptance. The bible clearly points out, not to be violent or attack someone for any reason. But, the very notion of being called a Christian, is based off the fact you don't subscribe to other religions. In the day's of the bible, there were thousands upon thousands of religions, cults, multiple god worship, etc. And what showed that you were a true believer of Christ was that one did not subscribe to any of those. The real question though is why? Why would one need to reject all those other religions and schools of thought?
"I don't know whether today's "Christianity" can be attributed to Jesus solely - because it has evolved so much after his death!"
Again, not so. The different schools of thought that come into conflict today with Christianity, has always been around, it was well documented in both the old and new testament. "Nothing new under the sun"..The reason being is because man will always be man. Man is a selfish, arrogant creature at times, so the same fallacies that plague man then, still so today. But there were and always will be true believers, and that will never change. The Romans tried to wipe out Christianity, Russians, Muslims tried (and continue to try to this day) but they were unsuccessful, and Christianity still thrives and will continue.
Side note, I am not saying that every person who is Russian or muslim etc , wants to kill christians, no i was just simply recounting history and the truth of things. And also just because someone claims they're christian doesn't make them so, even Jesus said as much. Trust me,there are plenty of evil, no good scum bags on the inside of "church" as well. -
entropyISdead — 13 years ago(June 14, 2012 01:46 AM)
"The bible clearly points out, not to be violent or attack someone for any reason"
Yet you're praising the main character of this movie as being a testament to the power of christianity. My god, you people. lol -
Korios — 13 years ago(August 31, 2012 01:41 AM)
Omg, that was far more than enough ignorance and fact/history distortion I can absorb in one day If I had read further I wouldn't have bothered before.
The "I am Christian, not a Catholic" line was the icing on the cake. So is catholicism a separate religion now? Since when? Are Baptists, Protestants and Greek Orthodox believers separate from Christianity as well? If so then who is a real Christian (like you)? Please, enlighten me.
sig. start:
The term "suspension of disbelief" was coined by LOLW, the League of Lazy Writers. -
jacarec — 13 years ago(September 29, 2012 05:37 PM)
I haven't responded in a while on here, but I felt I needed to after reading what you wrote Korios.
Korios said.
"I am Christian, not a Catholic" line was the icing on the cake.So is catholicism a separate religion now? Since when? Are Baptists, Protestants and Greek Orthodox believers separate from Christianity as well?"
First I must give a hardy laugh. HA HA HA HA HA HA.
Now I usually try not to laugh, but the fact you felt you were so rightwhen you're sooo wrong. Maybe you're a young kid who doesn't know any better. Oh well.
Question.why do you think they're called Protestants..(dramatic pause)Its because they are/were Protesting against the Catholic churchget it? Protestant/Protest. So yes, they are separate. You never hear someone say I am a Catholic Christian right? And if a Catholic is a Christian why are they calledCatholic? Shhh don't answer research for yourself.(and no its not about semantics, its about history, look it up).
That should've been taught in at least 8th grade.
Just for future reference you don't know everything, so tone done your arrogance, because my laughter turned to sorrow for you because you did not know this. -
jacarec — 13 years ago(April 28, 2012 12:15 PM)
No I don't. I think some people on both sides get confused on that. The bible doesn't say how old the earth is. So too be honest I don't know. I know certain people make claims they know. Some times it's 2 million years old, sometimes its 200 million, depending on who you talk to. But then I read stuff about the coral reef that totally contradicts the million year old earth.
So I am just being honest, I have no clue how old the earth is, I wasn't there during its formation, and there isn't enough out there too say for sure how old it is. And before you jump down my throat, hardcore atheist evolutionists have told me the same.(as far as not enough for it too be conclusive). -
atheismwon — 13 years ago(June 10, 2012 04:26 PM)
We already won kid. We won thousands of years ago. Its just taken this long for the mind virus most people are infected with to start to finally be cured.
The internet has already started to do this with lightening speed. I'm certainly glad that those people changed their lives though. Whatever crutch they needed to lean on to get them through whatever it is is great.
It won't change the fact that gods are a figment of people's imagination since by definition gods are magic and magic cannot exist in our reality.
Nothing that is alleged to be supernatural can exist.
At all.
Ever.
Period.
And no amount of talking to yourselves at your precious indoctrination centers on Sunday mornings will EVER change that fact. Believe what you wish of course. It is your right. But don't beep tell me that its real. It isn't. -
atheismwon — 13 years ago(June 10, 2012 04:45 PM)
As loud and proud card carrying blasphemous Atheist Heathen I know that the power of people's delusions will ultimately do more harm then good and the sick diseased evil vile disgusting cancer that it truly is will eventually be educated out of my primitive species forever and till the end of time.
But it really was a nice change of pace to see and infected person actually try to do some good with it for a change.
I loved this movie actually.
I still laugh at you people every single god damned day though. I still hold out the hope that you people will be cured. -
BluLuBoyle — 13 years ago(June 17, 2012 09:40 PM)
I still hold out the hope that you people will be cured.
By what divine intervention would we all be "cured"?
Since you have so brilliantly theorized the non-existence of God (I'm sure this was deduced through empirical wisdom), how would the absence of a higher being create an atmosphere for curing sheep like us of our intrinsic desire to worship God??
I'm sure, much the way institutionalized hysterics laugh at the people they see through the metal bars, you do in fact laugh at "us".
Comforting, were you to actually share my beliefs, i would then feel truly f*@ked. -
Korios — 13 years ago(August 31, 2012 02:29 AM)
Hey, ow, wait a minute mr Atheist. A while ago I attacked jacarec on his "arguments", yet statements like yours are no better than his, they are just as extreme and dogmatic. Why? Because the universe can neither be a black nor white, theologically speaking. Just like in every day life it never works like that.
I too find the notion of an ominopotent, omniscient and belevolent Supreme Being that sent his Son to earth to "save" us just a ludicrous as you do. No, this is a fairy tale, it is one of the few things I am 100% certain in this life.
Yet going to other extreme and ruling out any possible hint of spirituality, supernatural activity or "magic" as you call it, is just as absurd.
"Nothing that is alleged to be supernatural can exist. At all. Ever. Period. Ever". This stamement gives birth to plenty of problems :
a)How can you possibly make such a bold prediction about the future?
b)How do you define magic? Do I need to remind you Arthur Clarke's third law?
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
c)How do you define supernatural? If for example in a few years latent ESP abilities like telekinesis are discovered in humans and made possible to control and massively replicated, does that count as supernatural or not?
My own beliefs lie closer to pantheism, a "watered down atheism", as Richard Dawkins has called it. Yet I am mostly a skeptic. I need first to see and then believe. I have certain reasons and evidence to believe that my views about the universe are closer to the Truth. My flirt with true atheism lasted very little due to the above empirical evidence. As for the universe I firmly believe that it is still "unaware", lacking conscience or sentience, trying to make sense of itself through its fragments of conscience, the only known of which are US. I believe it is heading towards a singularity. Some like Ray Kurzweil believe that tech & science will do that for us. I think that technology will have a supporting role on this and that the singularity will be spawned by ourselves (for more on this take a look at Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's concept of "Omega Point").
sig. start:
The term "suspension of disbelief" was coined by LOLW, the League of Lazy Writers.