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Dunno, git, I'll ask one of my friends and get back to you on that'n

"Did you hear? Jesus rose from the dead!"

"*GASP!!* HIDE THE EGGS!"

"Oh I know, lets paint them odd colors, he'll never find 'em then!"

"OH, OH, I know lets tell him that they come from rabbits too!!"

"CHOCOLATE RABBITS!!!"



As for my point of view behind religion, I think there is a greater being. I choose Christianity (take note, protestant, not Catholic ) because 1) that's how I was raised, 2) it just seems right, 3) its what I feel is right, 4) no one has ever really tried to persuade me otherwise, 5) Christianity has NEVER been disproved, 6) its a relationship, not a religion.

Not to mention, if I die, and it turns out that Christianity is wrong, I will not feel that I wasted my time being a Christian, and I will not regret anything.

BTW, if anyone wants to really talk about or even debate it, I will more than gladly get into a civil PM discussion.

Funny, pointed, and friendly all in one post. Ditto that last line there, and PoisonWaffle can attest to my being civil.

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Hmmmmm. What I don't get is people who define themselves by what they don't believe! I define who I am by what I believe and practice.

Are we allowed to talk religion?

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

Not to mention, if I die, and it turns out that Christianity is wrong, I will not feel that I wasted my time being a Christian, and I will not regret anything.

Insert any religion in place of word "Christian"... anyone who has led a good and considerate life being the best they can for themselves and their community needn't regret anything!

Ghandi was a good Hindu
Mother Theresa a pretty good Catholic
&tc

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

I'm with you Wish, I don't care what people believe providing they live their life well.

BTW, in not believing something, doesn't that not mean that you believe something else, if only the mere fact that the event/etc did not take place? So by defining non-belief is just belief in sometthing else?

And disproving religion is kinda pointless. What benefit would there be in disproving any religion? I suppose you could disprove certain events surrounding religion, but what real difference would it make? Faith is faith, you can't say to someone "You don't believe that, its not real" because thats not what belief is. If religion wasn't faith-based, it would just *be*. Much less interesting.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Yea, I know this is a difficult issue but im at the point in my life where I question things. Im not sure if its because of the people I socialise with or as such on an acamedic level or either way but I just get this feeling of being lost, its almost like a having a gap and i have this need to fill that gap (im not sure if anyone feels the same but yes thats how i feel atm).
Maybe I should give up the chase for now and leave it to when im older. However one day when i have kids i would like to be able to answer their challenging questions on "my" religion, rather than to look dumbfounded and avoid the questions...
Buts it is this annoying feeling of when i go out to ask more question, what i get back is not answers but even more questions lingering in my head.

Callatya: I have read/studied the bible - but that was when i was in high school. I might have a poke at it soon, and see how my interpretation goes...



Ps: ignorance is bliss!

Insert any religion in place of word "Christian"... anyone who has led a good and considerate life being the best they can for themselves and their community needn't regret anything!

Yes, but there is a danger here if it turns out Christianity specifically is right, as it also entails that one is condemned without it. See Pascal's Wager. Although this is a philosophical argument for theism, it also applies to Christianity specifically because of Christian doctrine.

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To be honest with you, I feel that any deity that would condemn a good person for living a good and honest life and simply not believing yet condone the behaviour of one who was a ratbag and then said sorry is not really a deity that I'd be comfortable worshiping anyway.

I have faith in the fact that someone is right, and that any deity worth their salt will recognise the good in people and act accordingly (that is assuming that the correct deity values 'good' and not 'chaos' or the like). I would expect any worthwhile deity to be forgiving and not be precious over what form they happened to be worshipped in. It could be a rather lofty expectation, but I really would expect nothing less.

If Christianity is correct, then I'm a bit buggered I'm pretty sure that they frown on people like me but either way, I'm trying to live a good life without regret. If it turns out that I am wrong about this one detail, so be it.


For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Pardon me if I've indicated that that's the point of Christianity. It's not.

Rather, the point in Christianity is that every human being in existence has done *something* that displeases God, but God loves us enough to provide a way to recieve eternal life anyway through His Son, Jesus. The only caveat is that a person has to accept that given the opportunity (I'd rather not go into "what about people who never get the opportunity to hear this?" because it's a long discussion, but there are answers). That's the bare bones of Christianity, and the "Christian life" is something that comes naturally from trusting God with our lives. It's a pretty sweet deal to rely on God's grace and work in us than to try and be a good person on our own, too.

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if it turns out Christianity specifically is right,

I don't understand the need for what you believe to be "right"? Probably one of the benefits of being of mixed heritage.

There is no 'right' way. Only "right for me" - by that I mean "this is the way I choose to live/worship". That is why we have so many wonderful religions to learn from.

The joy of being on this planet is that there are so many ways to be respectful of a higher power, nature and the other humans on the earth.

Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist and Muslim all in one family and circle of friends. Aint it grand!!!!!!!!

[btw I think this thread just may be shut down sometime soon]

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

I didn't say it was right in this context, but my statement was hypothetical. Say there is an absolute truth. If that's Hinduism I'm wrong, but I'm not condemned to a horrible reincarnation because of it, because I live a "good" life. However, if there is one absolute truth and it happens to be Christianity, I'm ok, but sounds like you'd be in trouble.

Also, if what is right for me is that relativism is false, then is it right that relativism is false? If you say no, then what is right for me is not true and relativism is false. If you say yes, then relativism is false.

*strokes non-existent goatee*

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Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist and Muslim all in one family and circle of friends. Aint it grand!!!!!!!!

Add an Agnostic/Daoist to your list - if I had to pick something that even came close to fitting me. I don't, however, practice in any way (unless you count occasionally reading The Tao of Pooh ).
Its more like a philosophy to me than a religious faith (now THERE'S a fuzzy line).

Attempting to live a good and honest life is part of the point though, at least I hope so! The sticking point is accepting God as the one true lord, and that is a pretty sweet deal, I agree. I don't want in on it, but I can see why thers do.

I do see the "right for me" argument as being a valid one. To some degree all religion is a gamble. It requires faith to realise its existence. It would be impossible to ascertain the correct belief system from this perspective (you know, alive). From that, realising that we are all taking a risk in what we believe to be true (including the agnostic) then the best we can hope for is to do well in whatever we do, because whatever way you look at it, a whole lotta people are going to be wrong.

I suppose in a way I'm with Wish, in that this life IS important, and that in order to be the best human you can be, do whatever it takes. Live in the NOW and assume that you only get one chance, one shot. Do whatever it takes to be proud of the way that you live the here and now. That way, even if you are completely off-base you can hold your head high. It may be little consolation at that point, but it is a decision that has to be made now, and we do the best we can with what we are given.


You know, you lot are really very thinky My head is hurting trying to keep up

Is this whole thing making you more confused friedrice? or giving a few more perspectives to think about? It's certainly got my mind in a loop!


For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Say there is an absolute truth. If that's Hinduism I'm wrong,

As I said I don't understand the desire to have confirmation that what you believe is 'right'. Seems simplistic but perhaps is a youthful way of seeing the world.... Piaget would have something to say on that I am sure, or maybe Erikson?

ps I know it was a hypothetical. I included the word 'if' in the quote I used at 17:41

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

Did I ever say that I wanted confirmation that what I believe is right? I can't say I really understand what you're getting at. I thought your interpretation was relativistic, as in there is no absolute Truth at all - ie what you believe is right just because you believe it and what I believe is right for me, let's all be happy with what we've got.

For the sake of discussion, I have to say that there has to be some correct answer, logically. Now whether I have it or you do or nobody does is a different discussion entirely, but the existence of it is hard to argue against.

If that's not where you're disagreeing, let me know.

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Firstly, I am Christian, and have my own beliefs about being so. No I will not argue or even discuss them with you. I was raised, you never talk politics nor religion with your friends, as you will have few friends left in the end. I do believe all this, as I have seen it split families as well as friends.

Now, this thread in question is about Easter. . . Here is a history lesson on Easter.

Firstly, the reason Easter, Good Friday, Lent, the Easter Lilly, new clothes on Easter, where used or when they became to be as their dates are now, where all done so as to appease the pagans in hopes of converting them over to God's Church at that time. It does not mean that we are celebrating pagan rituals or worshiping their Gods, though some charetaristics do raise questioning.
Other than those few things that should be changed or done away with, we are still celebrating exactly for the reasons we have been taught. In honor of Christ's death and his rebirth. Though if I remember correctly, I think the Bible actually states not to celebrate his rebirth. That one I would have to look up.

Easter was celebrated hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. It was a Pagan festival held in honor of their Gods, or Idols, and a festival of Spring (which is what their idols stood for; Spring, as defined as the time of year, a new begining, meaning/standing for fertility, sex, copulation, etc.). Approximately 300 years after the resurrection of Christ is when the celebration started to be intermingled with the pagan festival. Originally it was based on timing with the moon cycle. Thus again adding to the pagan beliefs of the star alignments and such, which are specifically stated in the Bible as things not to do, or worship.

Where did the name come from? Easter is just a slightly changed name for one of the idols name of Eostre, or Eostare. One is Norse and the other is Anglo Saxon, I cannot remember which one is which.

Wearing new clothes on Easter... This is an old tradition that simply says that the wearing of new clothes on Easter will bring you good fortune through the rest of the year.

Lent... Lent is an Anglo Saxon word that means Spring. To go on... Lent was practiced as a 40 day mourning with fasting, for a God, or idol named Tammuz. It was for his death, and the 40 days were because he was 40 years old. Again, practiced long before the Christian practice was started.

Easter Lily... This comes from another idol, which I cannot remember her name. But she was always poised as a nude holding a lily in one hand and a serpent in the other. These represented sex appeal and fecundity.

Bunnies, eggs, etc... These all come from the worship of the idols at this time of year. The prior idols mentioned (and some others worshiped at this same time) are of nature, the sunrise, spring, fertility, sex, virginity, motherhood, etc. And thus the bunnies, eggs, and such are all symbols of these things. The bunny does have another reason, as according to some myths, it once was a bird turned into a bunny that could still lay eggs. This myth says that Eostre is the one whom changed it. The bunny was also said to be the sacred companion and sacrificial item of Eostre.

Ever wonder why the dates of Easter and Ash Wednesday are not the same each year? It is because these days are still celebrated and set by the same standards the pagan festivals set them, with a small exception. Other than the small exception of; Easter can never occur before March 22 or later than April 25, Easter always falls on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon, that occurs on or after the day of the vernal equinox. The full moon in question for the timing of Easter, is that according to the astonomical full moon for the meridian of Jerusalem. Again, the date set is that of which the moon and stars are in alignment, not the actual days of his death and resurrection.

Oh, and did I discuss the days of his death and resurrection? Jesus actually died on Wednesday. According to John 19:14 he died on the day of Preparation of Passover Week, which in that year was on a Wednesday. But, it again was changed to Friday in hopes of appeasing the pagans and converting them. As they celebrated a festival of giving cakes to one of their idols on this Friday. Jesus did rise on Sunday, the first day of the week, and the day after Saturday, or the Sabbath back then.

Some believe that the name should be changed to "Resurrection Day" or something similar to this, instead of Easter. In the end, I feel it is the reasons you celebrate what you are celebrating, and not the name or the history about it, that make you who your are.

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There is always a bigger fish...

*prod* perhaps some practices should be more separated, but not completely disregarded or done away with. I'd kinda like to keep 'em if its all the same

It occurred to my while cooking a casserole (the place where all pondery thinking is done these days) that it could be one, all, or none that are right, depending on how you look at it. Confused? Me too. But it makes sense. Somewhat. If you think in circles. I have a napkin with doodles on it to prove it

But thats kinda not the point. Actually, I've forgotten the point.

Did I mention this was a baaaad topic for me?

This is dreadfully annoying you know, I have many many other things I'm supposed to be doing, and I've been stuck on this ALL day!

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Well, Easter did originally and still does "just so happen" to coincide with Passover week, even if the days have been tampered with.

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if there is one absolute truth and it happens to be Christianity, I'm ok, but sounds like you'd be in trouble.

Not if you believe in Universal Salvation. http://www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/univart.html

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

Sounds nice. Definitely sounds nice. But neither supported by the Bible on the whole nor by most Christians. Suggested reading

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lol, we use the word agnostic because its conveinient, not a belief system. We define ourselves outside of the precepts of religion entirely, and wonder why anyone would define themselves by religion at all As much as I dont believe theres a god in heaven, I dont believe pigs might fly or that the earth was created in 7 days. Im not belittling people for their beliefs, but I dont really see the need for belief personally in any form.A belief is fundamentally something you cant prove, otherwise it would be a simple fact, and bearing that in mind it seems hardly a worthy topic for arguement, let alone a basis for war, segregation or otherwise. Lets be honest here if theres a life and death arguement, and somebody said they were arguing because god told them to, you'd be more than a little unnerved. Not because you were afraid of the awesome power of their god, but because you just realised you were talking to a clinically insane person. I personally think there is a place for religion, and that place is purely in the the metaphysical realm, and not something you judge others by, or go to war for, or spread the ideal of to weak and disadvantaged people. Christian worship, muslims, seiks, buddhists, etc etc. All the same to me. Fine as long as they do their own thing, and live relatively peacefully, but as soon as they become unreasonable they get their butt kicked, just the same as anyone else would when their arguement is based on illogical principles. Theres tolerance and then theres intolerance thats meets other intolerances, and that, is the way of the world. When a single member of any religion meets me with a provable chain of evidence as to the existence of their chosen deity I will revise my opinion.Even then I will probably not choose to worship, as frankly there isnt a reason in the world to worship anything much. Until that day I shall remain as irreligious and defiant as ever, and probably long after. Gods are for those that need them. I dont need them.

I shall be taking the vulcan kohlinar later this month to purge myself of all human emotions

Im rather heartened by the fact that most british people when pushed into a religious statement like to say that they are "jedi".

Its all illogical to me

I believe the earth will die unless we look after it, I believe were massively overpopulated and experiencing climate change, and I believe we should take radical steps to improve things. I hate seeing needless death and destruction, and I know it causes me tangible pain to witness it, although I understand that our future will contain much of it. I know I live in troubled culture that is overly consumptive and has a lot to learn before the wrongs are righted and mistakes corrected, and I know the world has millions of people on it who are undereducated, indoctrinated, and mislead. I will live my days trying to correct that situation. I have seen nothing created by man that is as beautiful, stable, efficient and complex as that provided by the ecosystem of the earth, and I would preserve the natural evolution of all species on the planet as much as is possible, quite simply because as a life support system for all of us no matter what our religious ramblings may amount to, there is, very simply, nothing to touch it. Thats religion enough for anyone...

... and I can prove it

^ this post keeps getting longer

When a single member of any religion meets me with a provable chain of evidence as to the existence of their chosen deity I will revise my opinion.

Depends on your specific objections if anyone will influence your opinion or not. Feel like sharing?

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OK , try me with some evidence, bet you any money I can disprove it logically and reasonably within three steps or so. Or at least dispel the context that makes it stand as factual evidence, as oppose to that bit of evidence being allowed to stand in contextual inaccuracy. When you do that any religious arguement falls apart rapidly. Its when you believe one lie that all the others fall into place.

Im looking for real proof , not theological or metaphysical proof. Im betting you dont have any .

Try me by all means. Im open to possibility , but not improbability. If you can make a convert of me by all means do so. Its lonely being an agnostic, but unfortunately the real truth binds me and always will.

Test my mettle and ill test yours, but i warn folks in advance that conversation with me can leave you religiously impaired I broke a jehovahs witness in two days once ... 20 years a religious woman, and then cured in 48 hours. She emigrated to the west indies and got a real life and a new hubby.Much better than having her coming round and bothering my dad with her religious twaddle in his frail dotage and mourning her dead hubby and wayward drug-addict son. He only wanted a legover anyway, and shouldnt have to sell his soul to get it! I feel no guilt

Anyway these conversations always end in someone snottily saying "well I can believe what I want" and me saying "yes you can" and rolling my eyes a lot. I suspect its harder to convert a religious person to being agnostic than vice versa. Not that im really wanting to destroy peoples beliefs, its unltimately up to them, but if they think they can prove their religion as genuine truth as oppose to "truth" theyre usually kidding themselves.I cant deny that my personal opinion is that it might be easier to do what needs to be done for the survival of the species outside of people steeped in religious precepts, but its not neccesarily for me to change their minds.Its funny how the loss of a belief can make as many people as it destroys.

And yes I spotted the fish. Isnt that technically idolatry?

Mine are just fish

I don't bet money, but I'd be happy to take it up (providing evidence) with you via PM (I have a feeling this thread will be closed soon).

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PM me as much as you like, ive no problem with a good theoretical arguement. It falls under the healthy debate category, and no-ones being rude or anything, so go for it. Be a shame if this thread was closed.Its not a bad one.

me


Next topic... how do Jedi followers celebrate Easter? Aren't there 100,000 New Zealanders that identified themselves as following the religion Jedi in the last census? Surely we have a few here on the site.... /:'

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

I have a feeling this thread will be closed soon

People keep saying that...hope not! I'm enjoying it too! Though I'm afraid to say much...

Yes it is lonely being agnostic isn't it.

I think there is a sad trend in the later part of the 20th century for "disproving" religion. Because there is no "evidence," god cannot be possible. I am not a religious person, I have my own beliefs as to the nature of life and these do not include a deity in any meaningful way.

But it deeply saddens me that people feel the need to "disprove" religion and ignore the many beautiful things that belief has produced throughout centuries. Yes, belief has caused some of the most horrible war, but has also caused some incredible peace. Belief has caused destruction, but also construction of the most amazing kind.

Does it matter who started Easter? All Spring rituals in any religion are centred around rebirth, new life and that is beautiful. Who owns it, who started it, it's irrelevant. What matters is that it is there, that this year, as for millenia before, the world is celebrating the victory of new life over death. It doesnt matter how they do it, what matters is that out of the drought, out of the rubble, out of the battlefield, out of the hatred and destruction, new life rises. Humanity, once again, is surviving, and that is the point of easter, and it's beautiful, no matter how you choose to mark it!

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I like to think that whoever designed marine life was thinking of it as basically an entertainment medium. That would explain some of the things down there, some of the unearthly biological contraptions

Us Aussies tried to make Jedi an official religion last census... I think we fell juuuust short of the number needed, but geez it was funny

Not sure what a Jedi does for Easter... they probably don't have anything like it on their home planet....?


EDIT: and yeah, what Clanger said

Disproving religion is pointless in my veiw, and even scarier than discussing it. It would be far more interesting if someone could disprove my dining table, or perhaps the moving boxes I haven't unpacked yet.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

It is one of those odd things. I guess im not trying to disprove a religion, because one has not actually been proven to me yet. Working in the reverse would be bizarre. Besides I find disproving religion ludicrously easy , and frankly a low target, but what is more interesting to me is why people gravitate toward religion.

In a strange way I am as many people are in their lives, possibly looking for something, but finding nothing, except everything the planet has to offer. Thats kind of the point, thats where everything provable leads back to. Ive never seen a religion that doesnt forbid something that is a normal process of species behaviour, or a direct impetus for survival itself, and so I get frustrated with such religions as they are completely erroneous and contrary to things I can physically prove.

I think in essence religion is hope, but then again you dont really need religion to attain a sense of hope, and perhaps intrinsic to hope is the accurate perception of what is wrong with humanity both socially and in terms of our relationship to the planet. Only then can we move on and do what is not just morally correct for our belief system, but absolutely fundamentally correct, without the confining principles of religious dogma.

Lets be honest, as time goes on all religions are modified to suit trends in humanity, few religions as taught today bear a great deal of relation to the original teachings laid down thousands of years ago. I cant help thinking that these processes are needlessly slow and that religion is therefore mostly corrupted and modified to suit our own design anyway.To me its just like we are dragging our heels ethically for no good reason. I just feel that leaving this sort of dogma behind frees ones hands to do what is required rather than purely what is expected.

Im in no way adverse to some of the moral teachings in the bible, the koran, buddhism or otherwise, but the point is that I didnt need to be taught in a religious context to find commonality there, or to realise that some ideals are relatively healthy and easily assimilated into ones own moral code. What I have problems with is when the dogmatic roots of religious fundamentalism replace genuine deductive reasoning. It puts you into the position of standing on the shoulders of other peoples intellect without ever testing their theory. Its accepting secondary evidence at face value, and that can be an extraordinarily dangerous thing to do. Its not for me. I prefer the real to the abstract, but that in no way limits my potential for abstract thought, it simply makes my own abstration more accurate and pehaps better tested, based as it is on what I can logically prove rather than be fed a pre-concieved doctrine.

People can believe what they will. But there is a reasonable expectation that at some time your faith may be tested. I was raised a christian , but despite learning all I could about christianity I found that it failed to address what I believed important rationally, and was based on a staggering amount of supposition.

It was then that I turned from faith and started to look at the planet , since that was of fundamental importance in every aspect of life. Then I saw the state of it, and realised that rather than waiting for a judgement day or some spiritual revolution in the masses that I had to begin to work for its betterment now, on a very personal and accountable level , and expect no miracles other than perhaps the chance to witness the better in mankind, hopefully acting to save the planet and its species diversity. That is the definition of slim hope. I guess thats my religion, unfettered by angels and demons, and the crying in my heart for action to be taken is my version or prayer.But I know there are no miracles.We have to do it for ourselves, because we want to, because we have to. Not because we are told to.

Thats kind of my point. I think religion can blind you to a true calling for humanity. Lets face it, there is a real cause out there to be taken up.Its waiting for you, and there isnt a realistic arguement against trying for it.

If christianity etc makes you a better person , and helps you through life then use it by all means, but equally you should not be afraid to turn your back on it in times of need. In that way perhaps even then you will even be a better christian than those steeped in dogma, especially if you happen to believe the content of the dead sea scrolls etc. The ironies of religious belief are many and prove nothing if not that you must ultimately find your own way through life.

Good luck to you all in this, and despite being a confirmed agnostic, I hope you all had a fun easter period.I myself am quite a fan of chocolate eggs.


Im not sure a jedi celebrates easter, but there are certainly easter eggs on the star wars dvd's, so perhaps they spend easter hunting for obscure archive footage of george lucas fims.Perhaps they celebrate ben kenobis rise from the dead to help luke?

I dont suppose that I could disprove the existence of callatya's dining table except to say that I have no direct evidence of it except in her statement that she says she has one, but she might be lying. However I dont think thats the case and should probably does have one.

I hope random theoretic arguements like that one ended in athens around the time of socrates, but well , people do have a gift for illogicity.

" we are all but shadows on a cave wall"

For those who like the ironic side of philosophy , try picking up a graphic novel by sam keith called epicurus the sage, it is a quite amusing look at athenian life.

Easter is about the ressurection of Christ alone in my book.

-NewBreeder16

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You can call me Newb too, since I'm not nere new any more.

aaaand the resurection of this thread...

*thread does a Lazarus*

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

Us jedi spend all day meditating during Easter. Damn straight.

Claim: Marking 'Jedi' as your religion on census forms will force your government to grant it official status.
Status: False.


-The premise of the call to arms is flawed; there is no official status to be gained. That part was purely the invention of the prankster who wrote the original letter.

-Even if there were official status to be gained, none of these governments would be swayed by a number of yahoos writing "Jedi" into a blank space on their census forms. They'd want to see tangible proof of an organized and thriving religion before they handed out the brass ring.

-At least in Australia, those who decide to take part in the leg pull are risking a $1,000 fine.

http://www.snopes.com/religion/jedi.htm

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

Aww bugger.

Was a great lot of fun though, made the news everywhere

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

And suppose somebody actually believes they are a jedi? Isn't a $1000 fine tantamount to religious discrimination?

I dont suppose the average christian can prove that their religion is any more valid than a jedi can.I think proof of religion is obviously less important than the devotion of the individual, otherwise everyone would get fined a $1000 for quoting they follow just about any religion. I guess people have just as much right to be jedi, as be a christian, a smurf or a pork chop.Ironically the force bears a striking resemblance to the christian god.Miracles or midichlorians, the choice is yours We are talking about belief, and you should be allowed to believe anything you like, no matter how ridiculous. Apparently. At least thats what religious people say to me!

One standard for all!

May the force be with you.lol.

I know this thread has gotten a little far away from the Easter thing, but I just wanted to relate a story my mum told me. When my older sister was a child, she had the usual questions about Easter and why we had it and where did the Easter Bunny and chocolate come from. Mum very patiently explained the Christian story of Jesus' death and resurrection (although my family was in no way Christian, my dad was a Hare Krishna and we all lean at least vaguely that way today), and also tried to work in the whole Easter Bunny/eggs/fertility/birth thing. She thought my sister had grasped the whole thing pretty well, until she overheard her telling somebody else that Easter was when Jesus died from eating too much chocolate . Let that be a lesson to you - chocolate is bad!

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde