Cyprus-Forum.com

[Oracle]

Both conceptualised to civilise and control the masses.

As such no different to each other.

Why is it OK then to question what we are told on the political arena? ... to open our eyes to the truth ... Yet we are urged to avoid doing the same with religion!

Some politics for some people bring express relief; just as some religion to some people also does.

But why when the politics is suspect is this questioned, but when the religious belief is suspect, is this allowed to rest unchallenged?

It's a contradiction I myself cannot accept.

[miltiades]

Both conceptualised to civilise and control the masses.

As such no different to each other.

Why is it OK then to question what we are told on the political arena? ... to open our eyes to the truth ... Yet we are urged to avoid doing the same with religion!

Some politics for some people bring express relief; just as some religion to some people also does.

But why when the politics is suspect is this questioned, but when the religious belief is suspect, is this allowed to rest unchallenged.

It's a contradiction I myself cannot accept.

The two are ENTIRELY different.
No nation on earth can function properly without a political body empowered by the people ( IN DEMOCRATIC STATES ) to execute the regulated procedures required in order to avoid lawlessness , turmoil and anarchy.
The performance of Parliaments or senates in the case of some nations is totaly different from that of Churches or other religious bodies in that Parliament undertakes the monitoring decision making , law enactment based on the will of the people but mostly dictated by circumstances , ie Terrorist laws , fiscal laws and foreign policy . All of these measures and decisions can be overturned by successive governments , religious doctrines however remain rigid and mostly unchallenged with some religions ie Islam.
We must challenge , just as we do government decisions , religious doctrines , more so the nonsense on life and death , most inherent with religious people who readily accept primitive ideals contrary to the utter absence of the slightest shred of any evidence other than hear say and reliance upon books written thousands of years ago.
Only acceptance of the truth , the real truth can guide you through life not fearing of death but accepting the inevitability of it with a degree of comfort and understanding .
Remove the fear of God and you will find solace , within your self and a bottle of red !!!!!

[Oracle]

Only acceptance of the truth , the real truth can guide you through life !

How do you get to the "real" truth ...

Not through either politics nor religion. Hence they are the same

You talk of political governments establishing laws with which to rule (control) people, and yet in some countries this is done by religion. Hence they are the same.

Neither is fundamental to survival .... but they might be props (... as is your wine! ). Hence they are the same.

Why do rational people need props?

[bill cobbett]

Absolutely M. We all have a duty to challenge everything that political and church authorities try to dictate to us. I would particularly add that everyone must challenge any parking and speeding tickets that the state uses to rake in money to fund its undemocratic practises.

I would also take the liberty of adding the unchanging, Byzantine Orthodox Church to your list of rigid doctrines/religions.

I must however disagree with your choice of drinking comfort and would urge you to break with your renowned,traditional and unchanging habit of finding comfort in a bottle of red and would encourage your conversion to one of my true faiths by trying a pint or two of 6X ( readily available in a lot of pubs in southern England and in bottles from the leading supermarkets ).

[miltiades]

Absolutely M. We all have a duty to challenge everything that political and church authorities try to dictate to us. I would particularly add that everyone must challenge any parking and speeding tickets that the state uses to rake in money to fund its undemocratic practises.

I would also take the liberty of adding the unchanging, Byzantine Orthodox Church to your list of rigid doctrines/religions.

I must however disagree with your choice of drinking comfort and would urge you to break with your renowned,traditional and unchanging habit of finding comfort in a bottle of red and would encourage your conversion to one of my true faiths by trying a pint or two of 6X ( readily available in a lot of pubs in southern England and in bottles from the leading supermarkets ).

I occasionally have a beer , mostly when in Cyprus but being diabetic I try to stay away from beers.
Bill strangely enough the Greek Orthodox faith , contrary to popular "foreign" perception that seems to consider it by its "orthodox" name which implies rigidity and strong adherence to the faith , is in fact a very tolerant and flexible faith. I for instance can go to an orthodox church and take communion , I attend weddings , funerals christenings etc but decline kissing the icons , no one ever took me to task over my refusal to do so.
I believe that it is perhaps the most liberal faith and one that you can criticize without hindrance from any one.
Oracle may I just say that when commenting on religion and politics we mean the Western world , forget all the nonsense of the mostly illiterate third world, and here in the West politics are hugely in variance with religious doctrines and long may they continue to be.
God Bless You My Child !

[repulsewarrior]

i fear God, this i choose. the rest of living is acts, and knowing "the way".

When I am afraid of anything else, i know that this fear can be conquered, and I embrace the changes in myself, with this
Grace. (I know, to serve is to be grateful with His gift, that I have Love to give)

Religion and Politics are the same, when they are described as two faces of one coin, gravid images of a power larger than themselves (ourselves); where we came from and where we are going to...

...in my mind, Politics and Religion, (so far) are anathema to God.
but i am lucky, having been introduced to Religion by way of the Greek Orthodox Church
i like socialistic, and in that sense as well, it is blessing that in Canada my education expanded so that
the experience is enriching with other believers, be it Atheists, Wiccans, Native People, Buddhists, etc.,
in a purpose that is Universal, which includes my own Freewill.

Only recently, in all of Mankind's history, with the Modern Age, have we begun to define the word Humanity.
Wrong and inhuman, with the slaughter of millions in the First World War, a generation gave their lives in this Horror, knowing, believing that as Men we could no longer fight ourselves.

"LEST WE FORGET".

And in our Humility, Charity, as Humans, like THEM, we must fight
with our life against the real enemy: Hunger, Disaster, Ignorance (now 'Global Warming'), and Disease.