In an interview in the 80s, Jacque Fresco was asked what does he think about Christianity. His reply was as brilliant as it was elegant - I think it's a great idea. When will people start applying it?
I share this view and I think it applies on every major religion of system of belief in the world. Great on paper, kinda not so by the Book in the real world...
On the basis if this, we will separate theists into two groups - theists and fake theists. I will also evade the idea of including another group of theists that one might call pure or basic theists. These would include people that believe that there is a higher power, a god of some sort but didn't need the institutions or books to follow Its' great work. Amongst these people are Newton, Darwin, Einstein and others. They believe in a higher power, personalized it and didn't care about the silly institutions or customs.
Theists - I shall define them as those that believe in a higher power, higher reason of what ever form and that do follow a holy book or holy institution as they should. This means that if they follow soteristic religions such as Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, they shouldn't even ponder about raising their hand to harm someone else. They shouldn't lie, steal, kill, crave or what ever that religion stands for. Judaism is a bit conflictive here, but I leave it to the reader to learn why. Hint: God asks for no mercy many times over in the Old Testement.
They are faithful, they want you good and won't care if you pick a different path from theirs.
If anyone spots them anywhere, please report this joyful news!
Fake Theists - Followers of many religions by name and symbols and not much else. These are people that don't understand the true message of their saviours and instead think that they are under the mandate of heaven that allows them to slaughter everyone who doesn't agree with them. Crusades, inquisition, witch hunts, slaughters between Shia and Sunni (see Bahrein today) and all that. Under the flag of their own and only right cause they march everywhere, disregarding the messages of their own prophets and are fuelled by the fear that if there is something else in the world apart from their idea that maybe, just maybe, they aren't right! We know them, we see them, and if we are faithful, we won't admit we are as they are ;)
Atheists and anti-theists are most probably come tomorrow. Until then, let me hear your opinions about these two groups I defined so far.
I share this view and I think it applies on every major religion of system of belief in the world. Great on paper, kinda not so by the Book in the real world...
On the basis if this, we will separate theists into two groups - theists and fake theists. I will also evade the idea of including another group of theists that one might call pure or basic theists. These would include people that believe that there is a higher power, a god of some sort but didn't need the institutions or books to follow Its' great work. Amongst these people are Newton, Darwin, Einstein and others. They believe in a higher power, personalized it and didn't care about the silly institutions or customs.
Theists - I shall define them as those that believe in a higher power, higher reason of what ever form and that do follow a holy book or holy institution as they should. This means that if they follow soteristic religions such as Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, they shouldn't even ponder about raising their hand to harm someone else. They shouldn't lie, steal, kill, crave or what ever that religion stands for. Judaism is a bit conflictive here, but I leave it to the reader to learn why. Hint: God asks for no mercy many times over in the Old Testement.
They are faithful, they want you good and won't care if you pick a different path from theirs.
If anyone spots them anywhere, please report this joyful news!
Fake Theists - Followers of many religions by name and symbols and not much else. These are people that don't understand the true message of their saviours and instead think that they are under the mandate of heaven that allows them to slaughter everyone who doesn't agree with them. Crusades, inquisition, witch hunts, slaughters between Shia and Sunni (see Bahrein today) and all that. Under the flag of their own and only right cause they march everywhere, disregarding the messages of their own prophets and are fuelled by the fear that if there is something else in the world apart from their idea that maybe, just maybe, they aren't right! We know them, we see them, and if we are faithful, we won't admit we are as they are ;)
Atheists and anti-theists are most probably come tomorrow. Until then, let me hear your opinions about these two groups I defined so far.
14 comments:
i have nothing against theistst but i am non religious myself
Same as Bhopz. I consider myself an atheist.
Religion (in my opinion) is just a way of justifying actions, good or bad.
I feel that a lot of people now a days are fake theists, they claim they are Christians but don't go to church or really follow the doctrine at all, just wear the cross necklace and do whatever.
i believe i a higher power, although logic still dominates. :)
Well, I'm Agnostic. I like to think that there's a higher power somewhere but I'm not so ignorant as to say "Eff you!". Ha.
I think it's more about the individuals and where you can base your generalisations on the 2 types of Theists, as you aptly put it.
Either way, made me contemplate it for a while at least... So thanks for the post! :)
I am atheist ;)
In today's world of lot of people bend and mold their religion on how they see fit. They know their religion's rules/guidelines but most still tend to do whatever they want. Great read.
There's something different between believing in a God or Gods, and following the rules and precepts of an organized religion system.
I think organized religion is just a system to control people. Specially illiterate, fearful people from the middle ages (talking about catholicism now particularly). Now it's a bit more irrelevant and thus the rise of atheism.
i believe most of this stuff was fabricated using confusing language and many possible scenarios so the people spreading it can spread it according to their own agenda, which is why you have so many 'fake-theists'
religion is tldr, you either give up to the mainstream or just get tired of the debate. my opinion :D
Anti thiest here!
Interesting post.
Since I'm under the totalitarian regime of my parents, I go to church every week, attend youth group, and all that stuff.
Maybe you can say that I'm a theist.
I believe that there's a god, but I don't really have the energy or enthusiasm necessary to go "huzzah!" over wine and wafers.
Also, you're a great writer. (Y)
That was an interesting read. And I'm saying that from a position of an agnostic ("lazy atheist").
However I have to disagree with the statement, that things such as crusades, etc... are inspired by fake theism. I think that they are just an expression of a violent side of human nature. A side that has alway been there. Religion or misunderstood religion is used just to cover the real, basic inspiration for violence. And in other cases political doctrines or even humanitarian ideas can serve the same end.
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