[MD] New Model Army, Mystic(DQ) Experience, and Religion (SQ) as Power

[Stephen Hannon]

[Arlo]
The "Church" professes that the only path to salvation is through accepting
the divinity of Jesus Christ (as do all "churches" of their respective
"saviour"). Do you believe this?

[Steve H]
This is one place where I think the church goes wrong, and it makes us
look ignorant to other religions around us.  They like to compare
religion to a path, while this is not a necessary comparison to make.
I prefer comparing ideals (Intellectual Quality) to the path and
religion (Social Quality) to a vehicle travelling that path.  So I
believe Christianity is a vehicle for me to slavation, and the best
one for me.  But that doesn't mean that I don't respect other people's
beliefs, or that I don't want to learn about other religions.  I once
went to a meditation class and learned some of the characteristics of
Buddhism, and it was fascinating!  If you believe in a different
vehicle to salvation, that's fine with me.  None of us can profess to
know for sure.

[Arlo]
"In the image of man" I read to mean the human-deity worship that precisely
is worshiping Christ. If your "God" is not tied to specific orthodox
doctrine, why call yourself a "Christian"?

[Steve H]
Because I believe that Christianity is the best vehicle to slavation for me.

[Arlo previously]
It is in the "statification" of these mystic experiences that the "church"
becomes more important than the "message". One spends more time worshipping
"Jesus" than actually doing what he suggests.

[Steve H]
That's because they are afraid of losing their salvation.  I don't
understand those people.  There is more to a religion than an offer of
salvation.  But a good point nonetheless.

[Arlo]
No one is condemning spirituality. If you've found it via Christianity,
hey, all power to you. Personally I find its metaphor weak in relation to
other explanatory myths. Its focus on the masculine, for example, is sad.
Buddhism, for example, I consider much more powerful metaphorically, as do
I many of the indigenous myths used by peoples that see them as part of the
world, inhabited throughout by The Godhead. But that's just me.

[Steve H]
And that's fine with me.  I do find the act of prayer an uplifting
experience, but that's just me.  I think this is finally getting
somewhere.  In return for the New Model Army lyrics, here are some
Ziggy Marley lyrics.  I don't feel the need to tattoo the chorus on my
arm, but that's just me.

Ziggy Marley: "Love Is My Religion"
Love is my religion, Love is my religion, Love is my religion
I'll take you to the temple tonight

All my days I've been searching, to find out what this life is worth
through the books and bibles of time I've made up my mind
I don't condemn, I don't convert, this is a calling have you heard
bring all the lovers to the fold, cause no one is gonna lose their soul

Love is my religion, Love is my religion, Love is my religion
hey you can take it or leave it, and you don't have to believe it

I don't want to fight, hey let's go fly a kite
there's nothing that we can't cure, and I'll keep you in my arms for sure
so don't let nobody stop us, free spirits have to soar
with you I share the gift, the gift that we now know oh oh oh

( Chorus )

Well I'm done searching now, I found out what this life is worth
not in the books that I find, but by searching my mind
I don't condemn, I don't convert
this is the calling have you heard, bring all the lovers to the fold
no one is gonna lose their soul

( Chorus )

I think the world needs more of this right now.

[dmb]
I believe my position has been unreasonably exaggerated here.
But I agree that killing all the religious people could be interpreted as
intolerant. Good point. Wish I'd thought of that.

[Steve H]
Well obvisously I was exaggerating!  So long as I can have my beliefs
peacefully, I'm okay.  I plan on being a Catholic and being tolerant
of other religions and of atheists and being an intellectual and
talking about the MOQ and doing it with the same dignity for the last
however long I've been on earth.

Regards,
Steve H

On 8/2/06, david buchanan <dmbuchanan at hotmail.com> wrote:
> Stephen Hannon said to DMB, Arlo, etc.:
> ...But the Inquisition?  It's a problem inherent within the Church!!!!!  So
> we must destroy, destroy, destroy the Church!!!!!  Let's kill all the
> theists!!!!!! Get rid of every remnant!!!!  ..., none of it means anything
> anymore!!!!!!!!  Don't ask questions about things you don't know, don't even
> wonder about things you don't know!!!!  It's all POINTLESS!!!!!  Is there a
> God?  Is there an afterlife?  There is no EVIDENCE for these things, what a
> FOOL you are for asking!!!!!!!  The Church is incapable of change and is
> devoid of value!!!!!  Only SCIENCE can lead us anywhere!!!!  The Church is
> meaningless!!!!!!! But aren't we being intolerant by killing all the
> religious people? Of course not, this is PROGRESS!!!!!!!!!!
>
> dmb says:
> I believe my position has been unreasonably exaggerated here.
>
> But I agree that killing all the religious people could be interpreted as
> intolerant. Good point. Wish I'd thought of that.
>
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