Sorry shock a, not buying that.
Any Sunday count those in Church, and at the same time those at the local club.
Club is not teaching fear and loathing, or promising things it can not deliver.
But has decreasingly more followers.
Any thoughts, would you care to give us your views on all the other religions?

Dear Pericles,

So there is a dispute about the meaning of the word "religion". I think that it stems from the difference between viewing religion from inside or from outside. An outsider would naturally pick on the visible activities of those inside, so suppose they see an orthodox Jew swaying to-and-fro in his prayer or a swirling Dervish, they may conclude that religion is a kind of physical exercise.

From the inside, I can say that the only meaning of "religion" I care for is binding with God.
However, you have a point, so let Belly who started this thread clarify exactly what he meant: is it "Connecting with God who needs it?" or "worshiping a deity who needs it?". Let also "579" who plans to outlaw religion specify his exact criteria as to which of us he intends to throw in concentration camps - are they the ones who worship a deity or the ones who are coming closer to God (including the atheists amongst them).

This discussion may change direction based on their answers, but at least I will be able to tell whether I am being blamed for the atrocious actions of some stupid Irish people; or just shrug it off as a lingual misunderstanding.

<<So if they are "binding with God", Buddhists cannot be atheist.>>

Why? They may believe Buddha's words that "there is no God", yet continue practicing the noble eightfold path which leads to God.

My point cannot be summarised any better than by the story of Buddha being asked "Does God exist?":
I would love to quote it here, but it's too long, so here is the link: http://www.messagefrommasters.com/Stories/Conditioning/Buddha_explaining_existence_of_God.htm

Dear Belly,

<<Y wants me to beg a non existent God>>

I don't recall anything like it, can you please provide a reference?

Shokerdelic Liberty, privacy, individual sovereignty.
Some how this is tied to religion.
When religion has rules that effect the rest of the nation, that means it effects me, being a non religious person.
Door knockers, Contraception, Govt; handouts, religious opinions, abortion.
If you want your church you pay for it.
And stick your door knockers where they fit.
When you are dead you are on your way to compost.

Fact = no deities exist. Not opinion, not belief, not non belief. It's a straightforward statement that's 100% factual.

Fact = anyone has the right to believe.

Fact = anyone has the right to not believe.

Fact = nobody has the right to force their belief, or non belief, on others.

Fact = mankind's intellectual biology it still at a VERY primitive level. Science is in it's mere infancy. Within the next 10,000 or so years, when all existence is eventually decoded by science, belief in the supernatural will be a thing of the long distant past and viewed as primitive and uninformed.

In a free society, people must be allowed to have any religious/supernatural beliefs they wish to have, as long as they don't attempt to force those beliefs on others. History has shown that many religious denominations (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam ... plus dozens of others) have used varied and diverse methods of force and coercion upon societies and regions .... in the name of their invented deities (yes, even Buddhism has denominations that believe in, and worship, gods).

Dear "579",

How is it that it's the same people who despise religion who also despise liberty, privacy and individual sovereignty!

<<When religion has rules that effect the rest of the nation>>

Trying (by using "rest") to Imply that religious people were also part of your nation?
Nay, religious people belong to the Kingdom of God, not your petty silly nation!
You count them in without their consent, but that's of course typical to those who have no respect for liberty, privacy and individual sovereignty.

<<If you want your church you pay for it.>>

I agree, but isn't there a contradiction? 6:34:13 hours earlier you stated that "Religion needs to be outlawed", how come you changed your mind in between?

<<And stick your door knockers where they fit.>>

The vast majority of those who come knocking on my door are employed by greedy secular companies who want my money, the religious being but a few in between. If we had individual sovereignty in this country, then door-knocking would be considered criminal trespassing. You could then even put a sign warning them that your door is electrocuted, so if they attempted knocking on it they would drop dead and their relatives charged for the costs of removing their corpse from your property.

<<When you are dead you are on your way to compost.>>

When I'm dead I will no longer have to worry about being dispatched to your gulags or secular re-education camps.
When I'm dead, no one will be able to try interfere with my relationship with God!

Y you use the word despise? then give thoughts to those you claim despise?
I think you draw a long bow.
In relation to your wish to twist the threads purpose?
Include if you wish, any God deity.
Any creator any moral anchor any fable you wish.
But lets not duck and dive to avoid the ultimate challenge.
Did man invent all Gods, my answer yes, do we still need them to face fear of the dark?.
Dieing, loss of loved ones, never seeing them again.
Mans mind is inventive.
The first God may have been a mothers invention on a black stormy night to quieten children.
Do we need our mum forever.