Quotations and Literature Forum

I don't believe we're beyond hope. What we need is less people trying to change the world and more, like us, changing thier own little circle. When you here someone waffling on about war and domination, tell them they are being moronic. When you here someone saying similar things as us, engage with them and tell them this also. If I can bring one around, and you bring one around, then each of them brings one around we could make respect and peace viral.
Whenever I here someone banging on about the bad side of life, I try to talk about the true achievers, Christiaan Barnard, Jonas Salk, Edison, all the blokes who added to our existance.

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السلام عليكم

I agree with all you've written above DSW, and have always believed that the majority of people were aiming for tolerance and didn't want the wars their leaders got them into and could live together fairly reasonably if given the chance.

BUT the advent of the internet and the chance to read other people's opinions in some articles and various forums (even on ABC The Drum which is usually balanced) has shattered my illusions. The aggression and the extreme views and the intolerance of so many together with the extreme views expressed over some things not really of great importance, has shocked me. I have truly begun to lose faith in the ability of man to ever attain a peaceful co existence.

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The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.
e e cummings (1894 - 1962)

One of the stand up comdey shows made by one of my fav. comedians namely 'George Carlin" where he stated some cynical funny lines about his disbelief in the theory of God as well hehe (actually depending on my respect to others' views so long as they ain't directly or rudely offending mine so I liked him and kept watching his shows)

George, in one of his brilliant shows, stated that God is an invented concept ... being made by some folks to manipulate others. He was like ' I been taught and brought up in regards to the stipulations and guidances of the Catholic Church until I reached the age of reason to stop being blinded by such hallucination ... I was to wonder when we used to enter the church, they told us as men to put away our hats to honor God's presence and in the mean time they used to teach us that God is found everywhere around us ... so why the hell should he only be respected by throwing away hats within the church only, does that mean that he 'could' be disrespected outside this premises when I put my hat back on heading home?!! and why the hell women go on covering parts of their heads and the vice versa goes outside ... what the problem with the hats or covering heads with all religions anyways? ... etc"

Haha made me laugh like non-stop ... somehow he was discussing something profound while you can hear audiance laughing till crying there! I felt that he is more of a preacher than just a comedian, he conducted more than important issues where those others were concentrating on more of trivial issues ... hats and scarfs and bla bla! Religion, for me, is an attitude totally derived from the common sense of humanity ... never related to any nationality, sex, color ...etc NO discrimination whatsoever ... I guess, George if was alive would agree to some extent with what I say now ... R.I.P George Carlin.


Libra.

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Being a lady is an attitude.

Just like you, buddy. But truth is, i never liked the idea of religion. Without sounding like fanatic, i have read that even Jesus Christ never preached/pursued a certain religion except this thing called love, a culture that has no sense of occult, no mystery, no hard-line dogma and propaganda. Yes, religion is also a way of life among others but i agree to the idea that love. even without religion is the greatest medium of understanding, kindness and acceptance that the human race must practice.

But loving your enemy is quite a tall order.

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Life is a lesson. Learn from it.

Perhaps we need to differentiate between religion and faith?

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السلام عليكم

Right, my friend. But am in no position to do that except to tell you that faith for me is a very personal thing. It's not even catholic, protestant , Muslim or Anglican or any other religious belief. I just happened to choose and follow what my conscience tells me. What works for me will not work for others though although generally, love, compassion based acts would be acceptable.

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Life is a lesson. Learn from it.

Aye, that's the sticky bit, religion is the administration and man made trappings. Faith is the belief. It is religion which prevents me from being able to have faith.

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السلام عليكم

If religion is going to be the obstacle in the road of my faith, I am gonna resign it.


Libra.

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Being a lady is an attitude.

I once had a chance to speak with a friend who is a former catholic priest. I voiced out my anti church sentiments, citing cases where the bishops and priests alike act like politicians rather than messengers of hope , faith and love. He just nodded with a bitter smile on his face. Honestly, i have not been goin to church for a long time because i don't want to hear these people preach the gospel yet fail to practice it. Any religious minister for that matter has the highest sense of spiritual and moral obligation/responsibility to lead the flock but where and when they can't keep up with the righteous demands of the precepts they speak about, why in the world listen? My skepticism is solely their fault. But i know that nothing is permanent and that things will get better. This my faith.

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Life is a lesson. Learn from it.

I once had a chance to speak with a friend who is a former catholic priest. I voiced out my anti church sentiments, citing cases where the bishops and priests alike act like politicians rather than messengers of hope , faith and love. He just nodded with a bitter smile on his face. Honestly, i have not been goin to church for a long time because i don't want to hear these people preach the gospel yet fail to practice it. Any religious minister for that matter has the highest sense of spiritual and moral obligation/responsibility to lead the flock but where and when they can't keep up with the righteous demands of the precepts they speak about, why in the world listen? My skepticism is solely their fault. But i have learned that nothing is permanent and that things will get better.

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Life is a lesson. Learn from it.

I am kind of in the middle on this one.. If their was a god why would he throw you out just for believing something different?? Its kind of like what this Chinese guy said something like: There is two ways into heaven the first is through faith the second is though reasoning.. he believed that human reasoning was naturally good. The point being that even if you don't believe, if their is a heaven why would he hold you out if you lived a good life?