On 27 Jan 2008, at 03:28, Robert Seeberger wrote: > > On 1/26/2008 8:47:30 PM, William T Goodall ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > wrote: >> On 27 Jan 2008, at 02:27, Robert Seeberger wrote: >> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "William T Goodall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> >>>> Just ban all religions. That would solve the problem. >>>> >>> >>> That might be a reasonable response if Scientology were in fact a >>> religion. >> >> What makes you think that it isn't? >> > > Considering your point of view on all things religious, this could be > a difficult discussion. So if you consider The Church Of The Jedi or > Pastafarianism to be bonafide religions, then there is no point in us > wasting our time.
1) The intent of the founder of a religion is not part of the definition of whether it is or is not a religion for very obvious reasons: a) We can't know the real intent of the founder. b) Discussion of religion degenerates into attacks on the character of the founders rather than the practices of the religion. 2) Whether the founder of a religion was a fraud who made it up for selfish purposes or a genuinely insane person with voices in his head is neither here nor there - the religion is the same sick nonsense either way. 3) An inscrutable god might choose a false prophet to deliver true religion. Since inscrutable gods do those kind of things :) 4) Just because a religion is made up as a joke and everyone knows it doesn't mean it's not a real religion e.g. Discordianism. Being *actually true* can't be part of the definition of religion for obvious reasons. a) *At most* one religion can be true, yet there are thousands of religions. > > If you do indeed draw a line between organizations with origins that > arise from actual faith and those who are scams perpetrated for > various reasons when defining religions then we might have something > to discuss. So Christianity is a scam because of the existence of greedy lying televangelists and mega-church pastors? Or it's not a scam despite them since some people genuinely believe it? But some people genuinely believe Scientology too. Subtleties Maru. -- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." ~Voltaire. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
