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Physiofly
Skeptic Friend

USA
90 Posts

Posted - 07/04/2002 :  20:06:05  Show Profile Send Physiofly a Private Message
While reading Sixdays' usual diatribe I was curious as to how many current Earthlings consider Sixdays and his/her ilk misguided. I found a nice graph at http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

While xians are the largest single group (2 billion) they are outnumbered 3:1 by other beliefs. Nothing too new there, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the fourth largest world "religious" group is secular/nonreligious/agnostic/atheist.

"Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a
deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions." - Niccolo Machiavelli

@tomic
Administrator

USA
4607 Posts

Posted - 07/04/2002 :  20:09:03   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit @tomic's Homepage Send @tomic a Private Message
If you add Buddhism it's an even more impressive statistic.


@tomic

Gravity, not just a good idea...it's the law!
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Espritch
Skeptic Friend

USA
284 Posts

Posted - 07/04/2002 :  21:23:04   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Espritch's Homepage Send Espritch a Private Message
However, consider this quote from the web site (on the page about Juchism (the official religion or philosophy of North Korea).

[quote]For numerical purposes, Communists who are not adherents of an established religion are included in the "Secular" category above.[quote]

Sure you want to be lumped in with the communists?

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The Rat
SFN Regular

Canada
1370 Posts

Posted - 07/04/2002 :  21:27:19   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit The Rat's Homepage Send The Rat a Private Message
quote:
...how many current Earthlings consider Sixdays and his/her ilk misguided.


Let's see... The christians have this 'Dome of the Rock' thingy, some sacred site in Jerusalem built over, well, a rock. The Jews have the 'Wailing Wall', a pile of rocks left from the destruction of the old city of Jerusalem. The Moslems have the Kabba Stone, a freakin' big lump of stone that some have speculated might be a meteorite.

These people worship rocks! ROCKS!?

They obviously like to worship what's found in their heads.

Bailey's second law; There is no relationship between the three virtues of intelligence, education, and wisdom.
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Physiofly
Skeptic Friend

USA
90 Posts

Posted - 07/04/2002 :  21:47:14   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Physiofly a Private Message
quote:

However, consider this quote from the web site (on the page about Juchism (the official religion or philosophy of North Korea).

quote:
For numerical purposes, Communists who are not adherents of an established religion are included in the "Secular" category above.


Sure you want to be lumped in with the communists?


After posting the link I read the web site's comments on secular/nonbelievers/etc. and it pretty much said the same thing. It appears that while the author tried to sound objective there was bias. The author seemed to suggest that the population of former communist states are nonbelievers only because they were forced to be.

The misconception that atheism = communism is an unfortunate holdover from the Cold War caused by our own government propaganda which, unfortunately, the author apparently still believes.

"Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs that a
deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions." - Niccolo Machiavelli
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James
SFN Regular

USA
754 Posts

Posted - 07/05/2002 :  14:18:18   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Send James a Yahoo! Message Send James a Private Message
quote:

quote:
...how many current Earthlings consider Sixdays and his/her ilk misguided.


Let's see... The christians have this 'Dome of the Rock' thingy, some sacred site in Jerusalem built over, well, a rock. The Jews have the 'Wailing Wall', a pile of rocks left from the destruction of the old city of Jerusalem. The Moslems have the Kabba Stone, a freakin' big lump of stone that some have speculated might be a meteorite.

These people worship rocks! ROCKS!?

They obviously like to worship what's found in their heads.


And they call us loony for not believing as they do.

________________________
Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7 of your life.

Two more years...Two more years...Two more years...Two more years...Two more years...

*whine*
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gezzam
SFN Regular

Australia
751 Posts

Posted - 07/05/2002 :  14:29:59   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit gezzam's Homepage Send gezzam a Private Message
Why is it that the Atheists and folks of similar ilk know more about the other religions of the world than the majority of the people that actually FOLLOW these religions of some sort.

"Damn you people. Go back to your shanties." --- Shooter McGavin
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Lars_H
SFN Regular

Germany
630 Posts

Posted - 07/05/2002 :  15:02:52   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Lars_H a Private Message
quote:

Why is it that the Atheists and folks of similar ilk know more about the other religions of the world than the majority of the people that actually FOLLOW these religions of some sort.



I think that there is a causal connection. The more you learn about religion and the more examples you encounter of it, the more likely you are to become an atheist. Once you have reached a certain point of expertise and wisdom about the various religions and superstitions around the world, you just can't delude yourself any longer. You have only two choices left become an atheist or try to make money of it.

You will find that all the 'experts' out there are either making money of religion or have ceased to believed completly.

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opus
Skeptic Friend

Canada
50 Posts

Posted - 07/11/2002 :  08:43:43   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send opus a Private Message
quote:


Let's see... The christians have this 'Dome of the Rock' thingy, some sacred site in Jerusalem built over, well, a rock. The Jews have the 'Wailing Wall', a pile of rocks left from the destruction of the old city of Jerusalem. The Moslems have the Kabba Stone, a freakin' big lump of stone that some have speculated might be a meteorite.

These people worship rocks! ROCKS!?

They obviously like to worship what's found in their heads.




Small point butthe Dome of the Rock (to which I have been) is a Islamic thingy as well. SO they have two rocks. But in fairness to them they share the rock with the Jews and the Christians as it is supposed to be the sight where Abraham did something or other that made him famous. No doubt that never actually happened either.

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Snake
SFN Addict

USA
2511 Posts

Posted - 07/11/2002 :  16:26:20   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Snake's Homepage  Send Snake an ICQ Message  Send Snake a Yahoo! Message Send Snake a Private Message
quote:

If you add Buddhism it's an even more impressive statistic.

I had heard, although not recently, that it was the largest group.

* * * * * *
*Carabao forever.
-----------------
Bye, bye Los Angeles. SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SECESSION - YES.
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Snake
SFN Addict

USA
2511 Posts

Posted - 07/11/2002 :  16:29:58   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Snake's Homepage  Send Snake an ICQ Message  Send Snake a Yahoo! Message Send Snake a Private Message
quote:

These people worship rocks! ROCKS!?

They obviously like to worship what's found in their heads.

ROFLOL


* * * * * *
*Carabao forever.
-----------------
Bye, bye Los Angeles. SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SECESSION - YES.
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Snake
SFN Addict

USA
2511 Posts

Posted - 07/11/2002 :  16:31:52   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Snake's Homepage  Send Snake an ICQ Message  Send Snake a Yahoo! Message Send Snake a Private Message
quote:

And they call us loony for not believing as they do.



Good point.

* * * * * *
*Carabao forever.
-----------------
Bye, bye Los Angeles. SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SECESSION - YES.
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Snake
SFN Addict

USA
2511 Posts

Posted - 07/11/2002 :  16:49:38   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Snake's Homepage  Send Snake an ICQ Message  Send Snake a Yahoo! Message Send Snake a Private Message
quote:

Why is it that the Atheists and folks of similar ilk know more about the other religions of the world than the majority of the people that actually FOLLOW these religions of some sort.


Because:
When you grow up in a religion, I think in many cases you just follow what you're told and don't really study it from a scholarly point of view.
Two cases:
I 'became' a Buddhist at 15, studied about it more at 18 in an Eastren Philosophy class in college taught by a Buddhist monk from Viet Nam. My room mate whom I met when I was around 26 is from a Buddhist country. He know much less about his own 'religion' than I do. And I was born in the USA.
I dated a guy who was from the south (USA) and converted to Judaism and more recently I met a lady who also converted to it. They know 100 times more about it than I do and my family was Jewish. I don't even remember the difference between Passover and Hannuca.
They are so into it and read all about it, all I ever did was go to my brothers barmitzfa and eat potatoes with out butter on some holiday. Some might consider me Jewish, I don't.
So the so called followers are not maybe as active or into all the 'rules' of a religion but are counted as part of it.

* * * * * *
*Carabao forever.
-----------------
Bye, bye Los Angeles. SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SECESSION - YES.
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The SollyLama
Skeptic Friend

USA
234 Posts

Posted - 07/30/2002 :  14:38:42   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send The SollyLama a Private Message
I've been to the Dome of the Rock. It's a rock. Whoopee freakin' do!
It is the third holiest site in islam. It is supposedly the exact, actual rock where Mohammud received his inspiration and divine mandate from Allah.
It is a christian (no, I will not capitalize any religion but my own) holy site because it is supposedly the exact, actual rock where Abraham was supposed to kill his son (human sacrifice? sounds like an evil cult to me) for god, but then killed a goat instead. Yeah, animal sacrifice is soooo much better.
So it seems this lump of stone gets around alot. Either that or religious types just aren't very original.
The dome is actually a mosque. The arabs (they control that part of the city) charge money to get in. Apparently Allah has some financial issues. You also have to remove your shoes and wear slippers. Allah also takes fashion ques from Hugh Hefner it seems.
The place is guarded by about a platoon of men with assault rifles. That rock certainly need not worry about a home invasion robbery.
A short walk away is supoosedly the exact, actual slab of stone Jesus was laid on when he died. People line up to kiss it. A slab of rock!!!! Utterly stupid.
Religious nuts can kiss my exact, actual ass.
You can probably tell my opinion on the historical accuarcy of these items.
Moreover, this is the epitome of IDOLATRY! Something most religions claim to be against. Yet how many low-rider cars have we seen with a little Mary on the dash?
Golden calf, Ted Nugent look-a-like, fat dude with a smile---it's all the same. They are forced to worship little statues because there is no god to worship.

Be your own god!
(First, and only, commandment of Sollyism)
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Peter de Blanc
New Member

USA
19 Posts

Posted - 08/01/2002 :  01:18:41   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Peter de Blanc's Homepage  Send Peter de Blanc an AOL message Send Peter de Blanc a Private Message
quote:

While xians are the largest single group (2 billion) they are outnumbered 3:1 by other beliefs. Nothing too new there, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the fourth largest world "religious" group is secular/nonreligious/agnostic/atheist.



Pay attention to your math! If there are 2 billion christians and they are outnumbered 3 to 1, then there must be 6 billion non-christians, adding up to 8 billion humans. Oops!

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Snake
SFN Addict

USA
2511 Posts

Posted - 08/01/2002 :  01:30:45   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Snake's Homepage  Send Snake an ICQ Message  Send Snake a Yahoo! Message Send Snake a Private Message
quote:

Pay attention to your math! If there are 2 billion christians and they are outnumbered 3 to 1, then there must be 6 billion non-christians, adding up to 8 billion humans. Oops!


I have no idea what the current world population is but even if it was only 500,000,000, that's 4,999,999 too many for me.

----------------
*Carabao forever

*SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SECESSION - YES

*All lives are movie settings, it's what channel you're on that counts. Zatikia

*Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand.
Homer Jaye S.
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