Would you change your religion for "love" or any other reason?

[Pravda]

2 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

If there is no religion there would be no war.

 

Perhaps there would also be no civilization? 

 

 

[SteveK]

7 minutes ago, Pravda said:

 

Perhaps there would also be no civilization? 

 

 

Perhaps there would have been no wars, there would be a lot more people on the planet, and people would not be so racist. Pie in the sky thinking I admit, but religion has achieved nothing but millions of untimely deaths, and extreme misunderstanding/fear of some religions.

Edited January 24, 2020 by SteveK

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

If there is no religion there would be no war.

Without religion, I can still think of about 50 reasons for war.

Slaves, trade routes, gold, food, insults between leaders, political ideology, control and ownership of land, water supplies, Helen of Troy .............. 

Edited January 24, 2020 by BritManToo

[SteveK]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Without religion, I can still think of about 50 reasons for war.

Slaves, trade routes, gold, food, insults between leaders, political ideology, control and ownership of land, water supplies, Helen of Troy .............. 

Yes but throughout history, most wars were caused by clashes of religion rather than allocation of scarce resources. Look at the crusades. WW2 was all about Hitler wanting to destroy the jews. And in the modern era, Muslim countries vs USA is causing a lot of hassle. If all countries were atheistic, history would have been a lot more boring, but lots of people wouldn't have died for nothing.

[Pravda]

1 minute ago, SteveK said:

Yes but throughout history, most wars were caused by clashes of religion rather than allocation of scarce resources. Look at the crusades. WW2 was all about Hitler wanting to destroy the jews. And in the modern era, Muslim countries vs USA is causing a lot of hassle. If all countries were atheistic, history would have been a lot more boring, but lots of people wouldn't have died for nothing.

 

Most wars are caused by greed. Religion is just an excuse. There would be another excuse. 

[androokery]

24 minutes ago, Pravda said:

 

Most wars are caused by greed. Religion is just an excuse. There would be another excuse. 

And ultimately religion IS greed. For the people on top. 

[Monomial]

I would absolutely change my religion for a girl, at least for a short time. Probably wouldn't marry anyone who was religious, so I would never do it for the long term, but I would certainly pretend for a bit. My mother was a devout Catholic, and I think the whole idea of a god is silly, so I got really good at pretending to be religious growing up. It was a lot easier than telling my mother the truth, which just would have resulted in an argument and getting punished.

 

I dated a Jehova's Witness in the states back when I was younger. What can I say? She was really cute. Saw a recent picture of her from a friend a few months back. In her 40's and she is still really cute.  Makes me wonder if I should have pretended just a little harder.  Faking religion really isn't all that bad once you get used to it. Heck, monks and preachers do it all the time.

 

Did I mention she was really, really cute?

 

[androokery]

30 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Yes but throughout history, most wars were caused by clashes of religion rather than allocation of scarce resources. Look at the crusades. WW2 was all about Hitler wanting to destroy the jews. And in the modern era, Muslim countries vs USA is causing a lot of hassle. If all countries were atheistic, history would have been a lot more boring, but lots of people wouldn't have died for nothing.

I think you need to revisit your argument about Hitler and the jews... While Hitler was indeed baptised and confirmed as a catholic, there is no evidence he wanted to destroy the jews based on religious arguments. For him it was based on race. And the way you frame your argument it seems you're blaming the jews for being persecuted - as Hitler was supposedly antireligious - even though, of course, the catholic church seems to have been quite enamoured of the nazi movement.

[xylophone]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

Hey me too!  I'm a Pastafarian since many years ago ????

 

He's got a fair set of nuts on him!!!!!!

[xylophone]

4 hours ago, SteveK said:

As a devout Pastafarian, I would never, ever change my religion for love nor money. The Flying Spaghetti Monster is the one and only god.

 

 

He's got a fair set of nuts on him!!!!!

[NanLaew]

9 hours ago, SoonOh said:

At the immigration office I saw withe male displaying stone studded cross and on the same chain about the same size Buddha amulet. It did not help him, immigration officer asked him to update something. 

It's Thailand. It's amulet ABOVE the crucifix.

 

Works for me anyway.

[soalbundy]

If you don't have one there's no problem, If I am required to pay lip service to this or that OK no ploblem, as long as it's free of course.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Monomial said:

I would absolutely change my religion for a girl, at least for a short time. Probably wouldn't marry anyone who was religious, so I would never do it for the long term, but I would certainly pretend for a bit. My mother was a devout Catholic, and I think the whole idea of a god is silly, so I got really good at pretending to be religious growing up. It was a lot easier than telling my mother the truth, which just would have resulted in an argument and getting punished.

 

I dated a Jehova's Witness in the states back when I was younger. What can I say? She was really cute. Saw a recent picture of her from a friend a few months back. In her 40's and she is still really cute.  Makes me wonder if I should have pretended just a little harder.  Faking religion really isn't all that bad once you get used to it. Heck, monks and preachers do it all the time.

 

Did I mention she was really, really cute?

 

I will admit to faking being born-again and speaking in tongues way back when it was fashionable but only so I could get in a pretty, young acolyte's pants. She wasn't fooled one bit but I was sooo good in bed, on the kitchen table, up against the wall, etc., it truly didn't matter. TBH, I think the whole 'parish' knew I was pulling a flanker but we did make a sparkling couple and for a newbie, I was apparently more eloquent than convincing but they needed the numbers.

[soalbundy]

2 hours ago, Pravda said:

 

Perhaps there would also be no civilization? 

 

 

There would still be war and there would still be civilization. War in its early stages was all about resources, land, trading rights etc. Civilization came about as a protection from the effects of war, to protect farmland and to control trade, strength in numbers. Religion was the result of superstition, what we don't understand comes from a higher power. The witch doctors and shamane were the high priests, the popes of their day who could comune with the spirits and had great power, the end of an egalitarian society and the start of a class society and even though in most enlightened societies today religion has lost its power the class society has remained due to the transfer of wealth from way back to the ancestors of today. One could say that religion became a sort of glue that held society together and strengthened the power of those at the top (the divine right of kings).

[Sujo]

4 hours ago, Old Croc said:

The wife's kid married a Muslim. He had to get his foreskin chopped off before the wedding (she was already pregnant!), but he still plays with our dogs and sneaks a pork sausage at bbqs. 

Ive been living with a muslim girl for 4 years. She eats bacon, drinks, and she went and bought a dog.

 

Im raised catholic, i would have no problem changing religiin as it means nothing to me.

 

Im not an atheist though. Atheists must be so intelligent, they know for certain there is no god, but others only believe.

[Sametboy2019]

3 hours ago, Sujo said:

Ive been living with a muslim girl for 4 years. She eats bacon, drinks, and she went and bought a dog.

 

Im raised catholic, i would have no problem changing religiin as it means nothing to me.

 

Im not an atheist though. Atheists must be so intelligent, they know for certain there is no god, but others only believe.

I think they just believe there is no god!

[sipi]

My wife and son were invited to a penticostal church by some Thais who had been converted. Frankly from what I could see of them they were a bunch of trouble makers and family breakers.

I would never interfere in their beliefs but I put my foot down on that occasion.

[Chazar]

Id   seriously  question anyone who can believe in that total  <deleted>, id  choose  common sense and lose the love

[mike787]

Yes, religion is a business.  So i would change to adapt.  

[ThaiBrian]

I've been obsessing on religion this week. I've looked into the top 5 largest religions and then denominations of Christianity. I also found out how different Catholicism is from Christianity. I've slowly gravitated to protestant after looking into the past and the church structures/teachings. Facts and logic also matter to me and is another reason why I lean towards Christianity. I grew up attending baptist Sunday school, mainly for my parents to have some free time for themselves. I didn't want to blindly follow the religion my parents followed. 

[TimBKK]

11 hours ago, Monomial said:

I would absolutely change my religion for a girl, at least for a short time. Probably wouldn't marry anyone who was religious, so I would never do it for the long term, but I would certainly pretend for a bit. My mother was a devout Catholic, and I think the whole idea of a god is silly, so I got really good at pretending to be religious growing up. It was a lot easier than telling my mother the truth, which just would have resulted in an argument and getting punished.

 

I dated a Jehova's Witness in the states back when I was younger. What can I say? She was really cute. Saw a recent picture of her from a friend a few months back. In her 40's and she is still really cute.  Makes me wonder if I should have pretended just a little harder.  Faking religion really isn't all that bad once you get used to it. Heck, monks and preachers do it all the time.

 

Did I mention she was really, really cute?

 

Reminds me of this, for the Seinfeld fans out there:

 

 

 

[Matzzon]

20 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

No, I'm an atheist and nothing and no one will ever change that. 

This was an interesting post. The question was: "Would you change your religion for love or any other reason?"

Your answer: No, I am an atheist.

Seems rather strange that you are not aware of that being an atheist and by being an atheist you have chosen to stand outside all that is deemed as religions. That simple means that you do not belong to any religion.

My question to you: If you do not belong to any religion, how can you then answer that you would not change something that you already are not a part of?

[jastheace]

4 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

This was an interesting post. The question was: "Would you change your religion for love or any other reason?"

Your answer: No, I am an atheist.

Seems rather strange that you are not aware of that being an atheist and by being an atheist you have chosen to stand outside all that is deemed as religions. That simple means that you do not belong to any religion.

My question to you: If you do not belong to any religion, how can you then answer that you would not change something that you already are not a part of?

i get it.

yes I have no belief.

although I 'quoted' this post, and thank u matzzon, to stand 'outside all that is deemed as'

I am from a christian country. I regard myself as ' atheist'.

however I respect the buildings and admire them as part of my country and history, ie churches.

an old friend of mine (rip Paul) worked in Turkey and married a local girl. he had to change his name to Mohammed. marriage didn't last, went back to his Christian name, no fatwa involved. if it was in Pakistan however, that may have been a different story.

 

[RJRS1301]

20 hours ago, Pravda said:

 

I think she was just fed up with a fake buddhist religion here. Also... All these private schools that their parents put them in Bangkok are catholic. But I don't see how it will affect my life to be honest more than the ever intruding daily Thai Buddhism. 

Fake adherants, what about the abuses from most organised religions on populations, and those in the schools, institutions and congregations?

 

[billsmart]

I don't have a religion, so I couldn't "change" it, but the only reason I would adopt a religion would be if I was convinced it was real, which I don't think would ever be possible.

[mamypoko]

I converted from atheist to anti-theist

thank you Hitch

The conversion has left me full of rational love

[Emdog]

I used to be a protestant atheist but became a Buddhist atheist decades ago.....

A person could be a Buddhist atheist. Buddha said not to worship him but rather practice the teachings. Supposedly he was asked if there was a God & he said "for the work you have to do it does not matter".

Some people have have a dire need for a big sky daddy to make things all better, and that includes many who claim to be Buddhists, so they worship him, ask for favors, etc etc

[micmichd]

15 hours ago, SteveK said:

A lot of atheists should look into the simulation hypothesis, Russel's teapot, and the Invisible pink unicorn.

 

Ten minutes of reading might make you change your mind about your beliefs. As science progresses, people are becoming more and more sceptical of made-up religions, and are understanding that they were population control techniques in ancient times.

Not only in ancient times. 

All these Christian missionaires that stroll around here in Pattaya with the intent to repatriate Farangs back to the country that they fled are actually doing nothing but population control. 

[micmichd]

Yes, if I have a good reason I will. 

I left Christian churches at the age of 14 and became an atheist. Then I learnt to practice Kamasutra, a follower of Kali, and - because I was afraid to fall down from the serpentines in Nepal - I eventually became a Buddhist in the sight of the glacier peaks. It helps, and you don't have to believe in any God. 

[Bundooman]

No.