OT – Norway

[Ren]

Christians are mostly harmless these days, dangerous only in the sense that some denominations keep a large portion of the population ignorant (there’s a reason Jehovah’s Witnesses are strongly discouraged from attending college), but that will never stop our progress as a species. For the most part, the smarter people (the ones that matter) eventually come to their senses. Most of these organizations are also slowly but surely changing in the face of the inexorable march of science, because the alternative is to cease to exist. For example, the Christians I know realize that evolution is reality, they no longer believe in the existence of Hell, and their leaders now look at it as more of a mental state than a physical place. They still have a long way to go, though.

I do laugh at the modern branding that has sprung up in the last few years (e.g., “NOTW”, and even better, “TRUTH – Soul Armor”) – desperate and failing attempts to make Christianity look cool and elite. It’s wildly undignified and embarrassing.

[afx114]

This pretty much summarizes modern American Christianity for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I7uqf6AJCI

Jesus: brought to you by GM Performance Technology, Goodyear Tires, and my smokin’ hot wife!

[afx114]

This pretty much summarizes modern American Christianity for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I7uqf6AJCI

Jesus: brought to you by GM Performance Technology, Goodyear Tires, and my smokin’ hot wife!

[afx114]

This pretty much summarizes modern American Christianity for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I7uqf6AJCI

Jesus: brought to you by GM Performance Technology, Goodyear Tires, and my smokin’ hot wife!

[afx114]

This pretty much summarizes modern American Christianity for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I7uqf6AJCI

Jesus: brought to you by GM Performance Technology, Goodyear Tires, and my smokin’ hot wife!

[afx114]

This pretty much summarizes modern American Christianity for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I7uqf6AJCI

Jesus: brought to you by GM Performance Technology, Goodyear Tires, and my smokin’ hot wife!

[creechrr]

[quote=walterwhite]well i dont know about other religions, but us jews think we’re the chosen people. a bit egotistical, perhaps, but probably true.[/quote]

To me it seems as though the “Three Cousins” share this common trait. Christianity appears to be the loudest but, that could be that I’m in predominantly Christian country. I’ve always felt that religion is a private matter between an individual and their “God” of choice. Unfortunately, that a significant number of followers insist on beat other about the head and shoulders repeatedly with their religious beliefs.

We also need to recognize that what we are discussing are interpretations. I have no idea if there is or is not an omnipotent being. This very well could be based on a bedtime story, someone’s dream, or some savvy individual’s manipulation used to gain control of his tribe many centuries ago. Ever since what ever was the spark that start all this, we’ve had countless interpretations. At this point, how can you not be skeptical?

[creechrr]

[quote=walterwhite]well i dont know about other religions, but us jews think we’re the chosen people. a bit egotistical, perhaps, but probably true.[/quote]

To me it seems as though the “Three Cousins” share this common trait. Christianity appears to be the loudest but, that could be that I’m in predominantly Christian country. I’ve always felt that religion is a private matter between an individual and their “God” of choice. Unfortunately, that a significant number of followers insist on beat other about the head and shoulders repeatedly with their religious beliefs.

We also need to recognize that what we are discussing are interpretations. I have no idea if there is or is not an omnipotent being. This very well could be based on a bedtime story, someone’s dream, or some savvy individual’s manipulation used to gain control of his tribe many centuries ago. Ever since what ever was the spark that start all this, we’ve had countless interpretations. At this point, how can you not be skeptical?

[creechrr]

[quote=walterwhite]well i dont know about other religions, but us jews think we’re the chosen people. a bit egotistical, perhaps, but probably true.[/quote]

To me it seems as though the “Three Cousins” share this common trait. Christianity appears to be the loudest but, that could be that I’m in predominantly Christian country. I’ve always felt that religion is a private matter between an individual and their “God” of choice. Unfortunately, that a significant number of followers insist on beat other about the head and shoulders repeatedly with their religious beliefs.

We also need to recognize that what we are discussing are interpretations. I have no idea if there is or is not an omnipotent being. This very well could be based on a bedtime story, someone’s dream, or some savvy individual’s manipulation used to gain control of his tribe many centuries ago. Ever since what ever was the spark that start all this, we’ve had countless interpretations. At this point, how can you not be skeptical?

[creechrr]

[quote=walterwhite]well i dont know about other religions, but us jews think we’re the chosen people. a bit egotistical, perhaps, but probably true.[/quote]

To me it seems as though the “Three Cousins” share this common trait. Christianity appears to be the loudest but, that could be that I’m in predominantly Christian country. I’ve always felt that religion is a private matter between an individual and their “God” of choice. Unfortunately, that a significant number of followers insist on beat other about the head and shoulders repeatedly with their religious beliefs.

We also need to recognize that what we are discussing are interpretations. I have no idea if there is or is not an omnipotent being. This very well could be based on a bedtime story, someone’s dream, or some savvy individual’s manipulation used to gain control of his tribe many centuries ago. Ever since what ever was the spark that start all this, we’ve had countless interpretations. At this point, how can you not be skeptical?

[creechrr]

[quote=walterwhite]well i dont know about other religions, but us jews think we’re the chosen people. a bit egotistical, perhaps, but probably true.[/quote]

To me it seems as though the “Three Cousins” share this common trait. Christianity appears to be the loudest but, that could be that I’m in predominantly Christian country. I’ve always felt that religion is a private matter between an individual and their “God” of choice. Unfortunately, that a significant number of followers insist on beat other about the head and shoulders repeatedly with their religious beliefs.

We also need to recognize that what we are discussing are interpretations. I have no idea if there is or is not an omnipotent being. This very well could be based on a bedtime story, someone’s dream, or some savvy individual’s manipulation used to gain control of his tribe many centuries ago. Ever since what ever was the spark that start all this, we’ve had countless interpretations. At this point, how can you not be skeptical?

[briansd1]

[quote=Jazzman]Brian, all the smaller European countries speak good English, some better than we do. The Germans do as well, even the French are begrudgingly getting better, or perhaps less resistant to the idea.
[/quote]

Yes.

And the French speak English better than we think. But the French, as experts in diplomacy, believe in reciprocity. If they have to speak English, then we should speak French, especially when we visit France. Sounds fair to me.

It’s interesting to me that in Europe, average people on the street speak English well. They are also very knowledgeable on world affairs and even what’s going on in USA.

On the subject of education, eavesdropper made some interesting comments. Where are the smart people in America? We seem to belittle educated people as elitist and out of touch.

PS: Learning a foreign languages is one of the best ways to exercise the brain and slow or prevent Alzheimers’. I’m teaching myself Thai.

[briansd1]

[quote=Jazzman]Brian, all the smaller European countries speak good English, some better than we do. The Germans do as well, even the French are begrudgingly getting better, or perhaps less resistant to the idea.
[/quote]

Yes.

And the French speak English better than we think. But the French, as experts in diplomacy, believe in reciprocity. If they have to speak English, then we should speak French, especially when we visit France. Sounds fair to me.

It’s interesting to me that in Europe, average people on the street speak English well. They are also very knowledgeable on world affairs and even what’s going on in USA.

On the subject of education, eavesdropper made some interesting comments. Where are the smart people in America? We seem to belittle educated people as elitist and out of touch.

PS: Learning a foreign languages is one of the best ways to exercise the brain and slow or prevent Alzheimers’. I’m teaching myself Thai.

[briansd1]

[quote=Jazzman]Brian, all the smaller European countries speak good English, some better than we do. The Germans do as well, even the French are begrudgingly getting better, or perhaps less resistant to the idea.
[/quote]

Yes.

And the French speak English better than we think. But the French, as experts in diplomacy, believe in reciprocity. If they have to speak English, then we should speak French, especially when we visit France. Sounds fair to me.

It’s interesting to me that in Europe, average people on the street speak English well. They are also very knowledgeable on world affairs and even what’s going on in USA.

On the subject of education, eavesdropper made some interesting comments. Where are the smart people in America? We seem to belittle educated people as elitist and out of touch.

PS: Learning a foreign languages is one of the best ways to exercise the brain and slow or prevent Alzheimers’. I’m teaching myself Thai.

[briansd1]

[quote=Jazzman]Brian, all the smaller European countries speak good English, some better than we do. The Germans do as well, even the French are begrudgingly getting better, or perhaps less resistant to the idea.
[/quote]

Yes.

And the French speak English better than we think. But the French, as experts in diplomacy, believe in reciprocity. If they have to speak English, then we should speak French, especially when we visit France. Sounds fair to me.

It’s interesting to me that in Europe, average people on the street speak English well. They are also very knowledgeable on world affairs and even what’s going on in USA.

On the subject of education, eavesdropper made some interesting comments. Where are the smart people in America? We seem to belittle educated people as elitist and out of touch.

PS: Learning a foreign languages is one of the best ways to exercise the brain and slow or prevent Alzheimers’. I’m teaching myself Thai.

[Author]

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