I remember spending a greater part of my childhood wanting to conform. This sub-conscious trait that is embedded in all of us somehow shone through with a particular ferocity in me. Maybe it was because I was an Albanian immigrant from Kosovo attending a predominately white English primary school? Now, I don't want to create a false impression of complete unacceptance by my peers and social class in London, but the voice that uttered the words convincing me I was odd, or a misfit, always spoke to me.
We would go clothes shopping with whatever money we had saved and I would always be the one skimming through the stores looking for apparel that somewhat resembled that of the majority at school. My parents, the ever loving pair that only wanted the best for me, naturally granted my wishes. They knew, of course, the maze I was in but figured it's something everyone goes through at some point or other. It probably is. *fingers crossed*
Where I'm going with this is that, as humans, we build self-esteem and create those feelings of worth by comparing ourselves to others. Even in the most confidant, out-going of individuals, all it takes is a careful look and the trait becomes apparent. We will do anything to climb the social ladder and come ever closer to a goal of ultimate self-love, something that is unfortunately unreachable. We will always want more.
This notion controls the masses like sheep being tended to by a Shepard, or cattle being directed by a farmer. It is ever more obvious in politics, social behaviors and, my personal favorite, religion. "Argumentum ad Populum" is an argument that concludes a certain proposition to be true because many or all believe it to be so. It contends that "if many believe so, it IS so".
If you recall my previous post, this was a very strong reason for my research binge over the past year. I would think to myself, "There must be SOMETHING in this whole thing if some 30% of the world believes in it." I simply couldn't shake the feeling that they had some piece of information I didn't, some formula I had missed out on in school during my years of attempting to fit in or some secret truth I would only discover if I looked hard enough. So, I looked.....
Upon looking I found, as well as a vast expanse of facts and figures, that just because all my friends where wearing the new and trendy soccer shoes on a rainy day, maybe this wasn't the best idea. Maybe a billion people were wrong about something, lets say their idea of God, and only a handful were right. Maybe.
Now, this is NO way led me to believe what I believe. It served no other purpose in my spiritual journey than freeing me from the shackles of social acceptance and conformity. It served as a liberating force detaching me from something that plagued my mind into following my peers much like sardines do theirs.
To indirectly quote Bill Maher, "Eat shit people! 20 million flies do it. Why not!?"
Why, Elird... is this... the ultimate truth? The driving force behind all our short/long lived obsessions, passions, life goals?
ReplyDeleteI'd like to know your opinion on the extent this phenomenon takes control over our lives. Like, do we "follow the heard" on every issue concerning our lives, or just the facetious ones, the ones we have to share details of while sipping morning coffee/eating lunch/hanging out with friends/family/etc.
Why would conform to the general population trend on such a personal issue like religion? Something so many people are so protective over, something that is such a key part of the way we view and live life?
Hello, friend. First I would like to make the clear, VERY clear, distinction between religion and a personal belief in God. Religion today has become more of a way of life. A trend, if you will. People get so wrapped up in the way of life a certain religion encompasses that they will very rarely change or think over why it is they believe once they are older.
ReplyDeleteI mean, think about it. A child is born with Muslim parents. He/she attends mosque with them and socializes with other friendly Muslims. He/she reads the quran and discusses what it says with friends, other Muslims most likely. From an early age a kid thinks all NORMAL and rational people will believe what he does coz those are the only people he's been exposed to. And on the rare occasion he's met a non believer, his parents will be quick to remind him that they will perish in hell and are simply wrong.
Its funny, the general phenomenon of conformity that dominates in society is brought about by the inner circle of family. Religion doesn't like diversity or hearing other peoples opinions, discussing things subjectively and possibly accepting it may be wrong. It denotes FREE THINKERS and spits in the face rationality.
If my whole family and every "sane" person I've known in my life is particular religion, why should i be any different!? I CERTAINLY don't wanna burn in hell or give up the way of life that only comes w this people. So, i'll just go with it....
Elird says:"If my whole family and every "sane" person I've known in my life is particular religion, why should i be any different!?" My answer to that is: You should be able to understand for urself whether or not a religion is true but, sadly, not many people in today's world actually take the time to look at religions and compare/try to understand them. Those people, in my mind, are simply afraid to commit their lives to God, or they don't want the responsibility of actually living a life dedicated to Him. But as for the people who are seeking truth in religion and want to commit their lives to God, such as urself Elird, we need to understand what true religion is. And I believe this is a pretty good way of putting it: True religion is a relationship with God, not a set of rules that we should follow, and not ritually based. Now every religion has rules and rituals that are to be followed. In true religion, however, the rules and rituals are observed out of gratitude that God has had mercy on us and has forgiven us of our sins, not because human works can earn us a spot in heaven. Now it’s a known fact that Biblical Christianity has rules(do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not lie, etc.)and rituals(water baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper / Communion) to obey. However, Biblical Christianity, unlike every other religion in today’s world, as gotquestions.org puts it, believes that: “Observance of these rules and rituals is not what makes a person right with God. Rather, these rules and rituals are the RESULT of the relationship with God.” We see clearly that in Biblical Christianity, ONLY by the grace of God we are saved, and not by any works that we do. This in itself is starkly different than any other religion in the WORLD, and for that alone, is worthy of scrutiny. So I, being a Biblical Christian(aka: Protestant Christian), openly ask u Elird, to scrutinize the Bible TOGETHER with me, so that I may help to answer your many questions and doubts concerning the Bible and its teachings. I am not by any stretch of the imagination saying that I can or will come up with an answer that u will like, nor do I claim to know all of the Bible, BUT, I will challenge YOUR understanding of the Bible and its teachings within, and even(dare I say) change ur interpretation of certain verses. The decided “battlefield” for this quest to find truth, however, I put in your hands whether its to be here, on msn, over the phone, or in person.
ReplyDeleteNathan says, "You should be able to understand for urself whether or not a religion is true" <<< I AM taking the time. Thats the point of this blog. My parents were also nice enough to let me mature and make up my own mind without influecing and indoctrinating me w their beleifs.
ReplyDeleteNathan says, " In true religion, however, the rules and rituals are observed out of gratitude that God has had mercy on us and has forgiven us of our sins, not because human works can earn us a spot in heaven" << Enough apologetic blabber and contradiction (you just made one, btw). Christianity IS like pretty much every other religion on earth. This new age idea of a relationship has come about as defense mechanism after years of attack from logic and rationality. It says the same thing any religion does, just in a nicer way to make christianity "Seem" better. Its not.
Nathan says, "Observance of these rules and rituals is not what makes a person right with God. Rather, these rules and rituals are the RESULT of the relationship with God.” <<< Apologetics, not a valid point in defending christiantiy.
Nathan says, " I will challenge YOUR understanding of the Bible and its teachings within, and even(dare I say) change ur interpretation of certain verses." <<< my fingers have never been more crossed. But, from my past experiance of, dare i call it, DEBATING you, i dont have much faith.
Nathan says, "The decided “battlefield” for this quest to find truth, however, I put in your hands whether its to be here, on msn, over the phone, or in person." <<< The mere fact that u consider it a battlefield worries. Why, are you tring to evangelise me nathan!? Please, stop "Defeinding" and actually consider what i say before you already decided whatever the blog produces is false. You might find smth interesting and....yeah, even scary. Thats life.
Elird says:"Why are u trying to evangelise me nathan!? Please stop "defeinding" and actually consider what i say before you already decide whatever the blog produces is false." Dude, I always take the time to come up with an opinion AFTER I read the blog(which u know full well but refuse to accept it). As far as evangelizing goes: If I were trying to convert u dude, I would have made a completely different approach so don't assume, like u so often do in your blog.
ReplyDeleteIn case u didn't notice, 'battlefield' was put in quotation marks to note it as a sarcastic way to describe what we are doing right here. If you're going to find a way to be offended at everything I say(even though I know you haven't been offended), there is no point in even replying to my comments.
Elird says:"Christianity IS like pretty much every other religion on earth. This new age idea of a relationship has come about as defense mechanism after years of attack from logic and rationality." Christianity in general may be "pretty much like every other religion." But Biblical Christianity is not. And THAT is where u are getting confused. Another thing is that it(biblical christianity) came about long before Darwin(about 300 years) and many other doubters of our faith today. So if anything, the old, futile attempts to prove the Bible invalid/incorrect have changed in an effort to not concede defeat.
The only thing that I find to be scary in this blog is HOW u are coming up with these "contradictions". Do correct me if I'm wrong here, but its likely that you have simply elaborated older(already proven wrong) contradictions in an attempt to re-validate them. I have done research myself and found arguments VERY similar to those that u are using. The only difference sometimes is that u add YOUR opinion.
Nathan says, " I would have made a completely different approach so don't assume, like u so often do in your blog." <<< 1) id simply LOVE to see you evangelising me (seriousli, im not just being sarcastic here, i wanna see that). 2) The only thing id love more than seeing the evangelical tactics in full force is you finding me the places i have assumed ANYTHIGN in my blog. I would love to see that seeing as you've foolishly made such a critical claim with no evidance (like you so regularly tend to do here).
ReplyDeleteNathan says, " the old, futile attempts to prove the Bible invalid/incorrect have changed " <<< changed from what!? lol, what are u going on about. Ofcourse it started about 300 hundred years ago coz thats when science started growing in understand and depth. Ppl didnt beleive in religion at first coz it was obviousli man made bull, but now, in the last 300 years, we can PROVE it. Its wonderful, i know.
Nathan says, "Do correct me if I'm wrong here, but its likely that you have simply elaborated older(already proven wrong) contradictions in an attempt to re-validate them." <<< nope, but yes, your correct that they are out there. I have not elaborated on them superflouesly, but simply reminded the christian world that what it would like to tell itself is "proven wrong" is in fact anything but that. This has become ever true with ur futile efforst in proving them wrong on this blog.
Nathan says, " I have done research myself and found arguments VERY similar to those that u are using. " <<< Again, there are a number of ppl out there (both non christian and former christian) who see thru the nice stories and "moral fibre" within the bible's texts and send the message out there. That doesnt meean i plagiarised or they did, i have my bible. I see the obvious faliures. I point them out. You refuse to see. What more can i say?
1.Me evangelizing will come when I feel like saving you ;) lol(JK). Don't worry about that, I will save that for next time we are able to speak in person.
ReplyDelete2. Here is one:"Christianity IS like pretty much every other religion on earth." assuming that Biblical Christianity is the same as every other form of christianity, which its not. And I have conveyed that lots of times, but u like to ignore me, and continue on about how christianity in general is like every other. Here is another:"You refuse to see." assuming that I'm either blind or disregarding your points. Of which I am neither, that last one has always been your thing.
If u can introduce me to even 1 person who switched from christianity without any outside influence, I will glady discuss with them why they did so. As long as they are not Mormon or Jehovah's witnesses. They use altered Bibles.
lol, if u can find me one christian who was cnverted to the bible withut outside influences il buy u snickers!
ReplyDeleteAnd to be quite honest I don't much appreciate comments like these:"Enough apologetic blabber and contradiction(you just made one by the way)". That came out of nowhere and was completely uncalled for. You made that comment in response to this one:"In true religion, however, the rules and rituals are observed out of gratitude that God has had mercy on us and has forgiven us of our sins, not because human works can earn us a spot in heaven."---That is very true, and it didn't come up, after people like u had a problem with it either. It has always been that way, and it will be forever. Thats not contradictory to even ONE thing that I have said, and u know it too.
ReplyDeleteIts apologetics. Its blabber. It wouldnt hold up in a public forum, you would just look ignorant.... Idk what else to tell you. Sorry for the offence, rest assured none was intended. But yah, il cal em as i see em freind.
ReplyDeletePardon my French, but you bet your ass its apologetics. Apologetics that work and have backbone; it would hold up perfectly in a public forum and u know it too. And dude, this relationship with God thing came into existence about 2000 years ago courteosy of Jesus. If u had read the Bible from an honestly curious perspetive(as u CLAIM to have done), you would have deduced that.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget u owe me a Snickers when u get back. ;)
If you HONESLTY believe that your apologetic nonsense would hold up in public, then lets do it! You only have your dignity to lose....
ReplyDeleteAgain, il be curteous and let u have the last wrd on this post ;) See in my next one!
LOL. As if u could control who has the last word. Who knows, maybe some random dude browsing blogspot.com will stumble on this blog and have HIS comment be the last word.
ReplyDeleteI do honestly believe that my "apologetic nonsense" will hold up just fine. But like I said in another post: I will wait to talk with u 1 on 1 and THEN consider debating you. U'll understand why when the time comes.
But seriously dude, you should read Dethroning Jesus. Its a great book that will answer quite a few questions.
ReplyDelete