Loving God = Stockholm Syndrome.

[Weedhound]

I'm starting to feel a real lean this way and would love to read other peoples' thoughts on this statement.

Thanks.

Weedhound Reviewed by Weedhound on 09-23-2008. Loving God = Stockholm Syndrome. I'm starting to feel a real lean this way and would love to read other peoples' thoughts on this statement. Thanks. Rating: 5

[daihashi]

I'm starting to feel a real lean this way and would love to read other peoples' thoughts on this statement.

Thanks.

I don't necessarily believe that but I totally understand how you can see it that way. I am not religious at all, as a matter of fact I'm agnostic. I'm just too damn logical and can't look beyond the obvious facts we have in front of us.

Some people worship to give them direction in life, to make them a better person.... most worship; i feel, because they've been brainwashed since they were children by their parents. How would people feel about God today if their parents didn't make them go to church, didn't preach the bible to them, didn't try to instill fear into them.

Many things in the bible don't make sense. The old testament tries to get people to conform to good moral standards through fear tactics. The new testament tries to get peope to conform to good moral standards through example and compassion. Jesus died for our sins and now all is forgiven?

REALLY?! I thought we were all his children; why did he have to come to earth and die for our sins to be forgiven. It makes no sense in my opinion.

There's no doubt in my mind that there are some real historical figures in the Bible as these same figures are found in the Hebrew testament, the Koran and other books; however do I see this as Gods words? Not at all.

God to me is something invented by man to find solace in death and to try to put some Order on earth during an unlawful era.

I don't need the bible to be a good person; honestly I feel I'm better than many religious people. I don't cast judgments on people, they often do because of the values that were instilled into them from the bible; even though it says that no one can judge but the Lord/God.

I think religion has it's place; it simply depends on what kind of person you are. I am happy with myself, I am a good person, I help others and I try my damndest to not judge others and TYPICALLY do a very good job. I have a stronger set of morals than most religious people and I'm always looking to help others without any other intention except to try to help in anyway I can.

While some religious people do the same, I have to say that most do not unless you are part of the same organization. What is the point in reading and worshipping if you do not apply what you've been taught to the world and not try to force your beliefs on others.

I'm ranting now..

Point being; I totally see it the way you do. However I am agnostic and don't deny the possibility of a God, but unless I see proof otherwise I'll continue to believe that he does not exist.

I don't need god to get me through hard times. I have faith in myself... I don't need god to love me.. I love myself. If we were all created in his image than the way I see it I'm his equal (assuming he's real) and he's kind of a jackass for trying to tell me what to do with my life.

I'm sure the flames will come; religion is a touchy subject. Just please everyone realize I meant no disrespect to your god. None at all and believe it or not I do admire some who are able to find faith in something that cannot be proved. That is an ability I will never have.

:hippy:

[daihashi]

So you think that people who love God are hostages and have become sympathetic with God's cause?

Well religion pretty much tells you that you have to love god, or you're a heathen. In that regards you're a hostage.. eventually you do become sympathetic to the religion and the love of God even if it may not make sense. In the end you're preaching the exact same thing you may have been questioning before.

In that sense I believe yes.. Loving God can be similar to Stockholme Syndrome.

[Weedhound]

Billion.......yes....I feel it's a lesser of two evils. There are so many things that just say black is white and vice versa. I feel sometimes like a battered wife to put it in another way........"yes I love you God, please don't hurt me any more. "

Does that make more sense or less?

Dai.....keep talking. I love the way you think.

[Weedhound]

If you guys are agnostic......what is hope to you? More work on your part? Luck? Some of both?

[daihashi]

If you guys are agnostic......what is hope to you? More work on your part? Luck? Some of both?

Well hope is really just wishing for the best outcome of a situation. So I'm not sure I really understand the question.

I don't turn to god for hope. I believe in myself enough to where I can overcome any obstacle no matter how dire it may seem. I love myself, I have faith in myself.

If you mean existence then I guess my answer is similar to Billionfolds.

[Weedhound]

But you must have reasons to keep going. "I exist" doesn't cover all the work and energy you put into things does it?

[daihashi]

Some people genuinely believe in and love God. I've seen these people, I know these people. They're not under the effects of Stockholm Syndrome. They've had experiences in their life that makes them feel that God is there. Believing in God, or any other religion for that matter, is a personal thing. No religion is a universal truism, because not everybody believes in the same thing. Personally, I'm agnostic and always have been, even as a child. I would go to church with my grandparents, but none of it really made sense to me. You expect me to believe, with faith alone, that an immortal deity created all that I see? Maybe 2,000 years ago I would have bought it, but not in todays modern world. :stoned:

But do people believe in God out of genuinity or do they believe in God because they are taught/introduced to it from an early age and repeated it on a regular basis forming a pattern that naturally instilled the religion into that person.

I hate to say it but it is a form of brainwashing when looked at in that context.

At the same time I definitely DO NOT deny that people genuinely believe in god. I cannot take their faith or religion away from them and refuse to even try. They are entitled to their beliefs and I would never intend to belittle them or their beliefs. I was merely discussing my own observations and viewpoints.

Some say everything happens for a reason. That may be true. If it isn't true, then the alternative is that it's all random and chaotic, and we're damned lucky to breathe every second that we do. Neither makes me feel better about things that happen. When somebody is diagnosed with cancer, some blame God. Other's blame karma or luck. In the end, it doesn't matter why, all that matters is what you do with the time you're given. Contemplating the why takes away from the now. :stoned:

I think the circumstaces as to how we came to be and our planet made life sustataining were random and chaotic; but I don't believe the present and future we make for ourselves are that way. :hippy:

[daihashi]

But you must have reasons to keep going. "I exist" doesn't cover all the work and energy you put into things does it?

Why do I need a reason to do things? I mean if you really think about it... we do things for our own reasons, for our wants, for our desires.

I keep going because I enjoy living. I enjoy what life has to offer, I enjoy making my own path. I don't feel I need a reason to "be". If you've ever enjoyed things you've done in your life.. if you can reflect back on your life and think things like "I did enjoyable things.. I helped people.. I had fun.. I contributed to society" then aren't the deeds, your history, your memories and everything that makes you YOU enough reason to keep going?

If you love yourself then that alone is enough reason to keep going.

[Weedhound]

I think what I'm talking about is the energy expended. I do things....say....assist someone on cdot....becasue it does something for me. So all that lovely chatter about helping mankind really is just that.......bullshit

But action takes energy.......where does this energy come from? What makes you expend energy in one direction vs another? Is it the rewards that you get immediately? The thought of a future reward perhaps? Or do you really run around and expend energy because you simply aren't dead yet? And because you aren't dead yet doesn't explain your choices either.

Ps....If that was the best I felt I had......"I'm not dead yet"........I'd be dead.