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Let’s start a religion!

monks

I ceased to believe in the central mysteries of Christianity a long time ago. The miraculous bits; all the things that make it a religion rather than merely a philosophy.

Problem is, I see a lot to admire in Christianity, even without the Resurrection. Two thousand years of Western moral thought has been set in the framework of biblical scripture. It runs through our law, our literature, our language. You can’t discard it entirely without throwing away too much of what’s good in our culture.

There are things I dislike about religion and the very religious. There are things I dislike about Christianity in particular. Original Sin always made me crazy, for example. The fact that I’m a dirty bird every day of my life — even the days I don’t do anything particularly evil — because sin is baked into my heritage. It seems so unfair, and fairness is what I would look to a deity to restore.

But there’s an awful lot of value. Fidelity. Humility. The power of the oath. A strict moral code. People like to do difficult things in support of higher causes.

I think there’s probably a measurable physiological benefit to prayer, which is why most religions have such a meditative component. Plus the psychological benefit of putting your troubles into language. And the soothing notion you can be forgiven and wiped clean, if you ask nicely (if only until your next major fuckup).

So, how would you go about building a secular Christianity (or religious mashup)?

 

 

Have an awesome Fourth and I’ll see you on Monday!

Comments


Comment from QuasiModo
Time: July 3, 2015, 9:29 pm

I’m the opposite of you…I started a rebellious denier of all things Christian, but the older I get, the more Christian I get.


Comment from mojo
Time: July 4, 2015, 3:01 am

98 million years ago, super-advanced aliens imprisoned their criminals on earth…


Comment from Oceania
Time: July 4, 2015, 3:07 am

There is not god but Allah ….
There is not god but Allah ….
There is not god but Allah ….
There is not god but Allah ….
There is not god but Allah ….
There is not god but Allah ….
There is not god but Allah ….
There is not god but Allah ….

🙂


Comment from Pupster
Time: July 4, 2015, 3:16 am

I guess it would depend on what my end goal was. If I was after power and money, I would start an I’m OK, You’re OK religion that didn’t stress sin and guilt, but just validated natural human failings as all part of the plan. Everyone’s a winner and the creator doesn’t make junk.

If I was trying to actually elevate the human condition, I would base my new religion on photoshop and British chickens. Hail Mapp.


Comment from Stark Ðickflüßiᵹ
Time: July 4, 2015, 4:24 am

The one central tenent of Christianity which I absolutely cannot deny (or frankly even doubt after 40+ years of living here) is Original Sin. I mean, I believe (don’t get me wrong), but the doctrine of Original Sin is simply undeniable.


Comment from mojo
Time: July 4, 2015, 5:42 pm

Otto West: Apes don’t read philosophy.

Wanda: Yes they do, Otto. They just don’t understand it. Now let me correct you on a couple of things, OK? Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not “Every man for himself.” And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked them up.

— A Fish Called Wanda


Comment from Brother Cavil, by the Pale Moon light
Time: July 4, 2015, 6:13 pm

If you take “Original Sin” as shorthand for “humans are inherently flawed beings who need help getting closer to their better selves”, it’s kind of a self-evident concept honestly.


Comment from mojo
Time: July 4, 2015, 7:05 pm

Huge reaction-drive exhaust nozzles detected on “Pluto”!

…spots along the equator that are evenly spaced. Each of the spots is about 300 miles (480 kilometers) in diameter, with a surface area that’s roughly the size of the state of Missouri.
http://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-color-images-reveal-two-distinct-faces-of-pluto-series-of-spots-that-fascinate


Comment from ama
Time: July 4, 2015, 8:05 pm

Original sin is kind of like the giant stay-puft marshmallow guy on Ghostbusters blowing up and the marshmallow goo (Original Sin) gets everywhere. That goo makes it really hard for you do anything without goo getting in it. It isn’t about you, per se, you just can’t avoid the goo without some help, lots of help.


Comment from Oceania
Time: July 5, 2015, 9:05 am

Flash … a new Religion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gZ6iK33JHY


Comment from Deborah HH
Time: July 6, 2015, 1:58 am

American radio-icon Paul Harvey used to say that if you deleted from the Bible all references to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—the remaining precepts would still be valid and useful, and a good way to live your life: Honor your parents. Be faithful to your spouse. Do not frustrate your children. Be not a liar nor a gossip. Be worthy of your hire. Be kind to widows and orphans and help them in their time of need.


Comment from Stark Ðickflüßiᵹ
Time: July 6, 2015, 7:21 pm

Oh, many other religions claim that humans are flawed, but all of them I can think of insist that hard work, or lots of meditation, or just a large number of death camps & drugs can iron out all the imperfections. I think the last couple of centuries have definitely proved that wrong. Only something outside of us can cure us of what ails us.


Comment from Wolfus Aurelius
Time: July 7, 2015, 4:55 pm

Ama wrote, Original sin is kind of like the giant stay-puft marshmallow guy on Ghostbusters blowing up and the marshmallow goo (Original Sin) gets everywhere. That goo makes it really hard for you do anything without goo getting in it. It isn’t about you, per se, you just can’t avoid the goo without some help, lots of help.
*
*
Great. Next time Linda brings me to church, I’ll be sure to do my “Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz” impression: “It’s the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.”


Comment from RushBabe
Time: July 7, 2015, 8:00 pm

I once considered Original Sin to be an unfair, “sins of the father” type thing, but He also offered a limited explanation.

Through the ancient prophet Isaiah, God said: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8,9)

So, there must be a reason for it; we’ll find out eventually.


Comment from Dubya Bee
Time: July 20, 2015, 2:24 am

Stoaty, I think you got the Catholic guilt-trip version of Christianity. It is deeply flawed. Yes, as other commenters have said, we all have a tendency to err, or sin, essentially act unlovingly. That’s not “Original Sin” which would condemn an infant. One needs to be volitional to sin.

Yes, “sin is baked into my heritage. It seems so unfair, and fairness is what I would look to a deity to restore.” In the rest of the Christian world, the part that believes in the Bible, (rather than the guilt trip version)that is exactly what you get. A just (fair), and more importantly merciful deity that restores. All you need is faith in His ability to do just that, and that’s what you get.

If one posits an all powerful and merciful God, what’s so hard to believe about Resurrection?

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