What are the top 10 signs of a bad religion?

[crystalmage]

Or what every number you can come up with.

[Flail]

Any preconceived notion of God by men is necessarily flawed and based on limited intellect and knowledge.

If you quote the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John....the only known accounts of Jesus teachings...I may listen...but please dont use Paul and his letters and writings or the Old Testament as a basis for argument...next thing you will be quoting Benny Hinn or Jerry Falwell.

[Cathar1950]

Any preconceived notion of God by men is necessarily flawed and based on limited intellect and knowledge.

If you quote the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John....the only known accounts of Jesus teachings...I may listen...but please dont use Paul and his letters and writings or the Old Testament as a basis for argument...next thing you will be quoting Benny Hinn or Jerry Falwell.

I get the same feeling.
Then I realize that Paul wrote long before the gospels were written and they seem to have been influenced by Pauline ideas.
Scripture interpreting scripture can be a very closed system.

[MikeH]

1. Written or recorded membership
2. Brainwashing techniques
3. Tradition over relevance
4. Exclusion of anybody

[sledheavy]

1. Written or recorded membership
2. Brainwashing techniques
3. Tradition over relevance
4. Exclusion of anybody

Talked to my friends recently who, after getting married, started rekindling their church doings, and I've been happy for them because they get to do something together and I get to talk about religion. However, they said they got a letter in the mail stating:

You're last donation we received was (whatever amount), do you feel like you're contributing your 10% to the church?

Apparently they complained the church added and planned a new addition to the building using (as the pastor apparently quoted) church earnings. They also said, we give what we can at the time of, we don't run to the atm, frankly, because we don't like where the money is going.


We joking thought they'd be asking for a W2 form sooner than later.....before we all got a scared look on our faces.

The guilt trip bothers me the most. I can't stand the idea of imposing something out of fear before demonstrating a logical or positive aspect to it. Of course, that's not what draws the common man I understand.

I pass a church everyday on the way to work with a sign asking:

"You think it's hot here??"

What a preachy ad campaign.


It's like going to walmart. And I don't mean to degrate it. It seems like a reflection of the times from an economic standpoint, and that is scary.

But people literally feed the beast. Shouldn't the church consider that if expectations are hightened on one end, they'll be just as high on the other? If no one gets the amount of fullfilment they technically, 'pay for', I'd understand when I'd see them change churches.

[MikeH]

It's like going to walmart. And I don't mean to degrate it. It seems like a reflection of the times from an economic standpoint, and that is scary.

Your description is actually dead-on. The church today is still based on modernism, and it absolutely reflects most corporations out there. As time goes on, the church will begin to reflect (although slightly behind) a postmodern society. For me, this is an exciting thought. How long until church adapts to the web 2.0 mentality?

[sledheavy]

It's like going to walmart. And I don't mean to degrate it. It seems like a reflection of the times from an economic standpoint, and that is scary.

Your description is actually dead-on. The church today is still based on modernism, and it absolutely reflects most corporations out there. As time goes on, the church will begin to reflect (although slightly behind) a postmodern society. For me, this is an exciting thought. How long until church adapts to the web 2.0 mentality?

Wow that's actually a very interesting proposal. I don't know what to think of church services upgrading to the new modern times, much less being broadcasted over the internet.

Hmm, well as far as I can see I must be a hypocrite at this point. Lol, I like the idea of the archaic church-oriented services over the modern ones, but I don't like church in general.

Maybe this is where transhumanism does start to be taken seriously though. Idk, but I'd like to hear more.

[led by the spirit]

Ahh Religion...... Religion!........Hmmm.....Religion is like having it your way at Burger King. I'd like 'rings with mine please.

[sledheavy]

Ahh Religion...... Religion!........Hmmm.....Religion is like having it your way at Burger King. I'd like 'rings with mine please.

All hail the king?? Idk


Well lets go with the idea of an economic religion, I like this idea in general. And I want to know what you guys think.

I for one used to work at a mall, and as a friend of mine and I walked through arizona mills mall we looked from left to right at the peoples and the purchases and I thought back to all the instances and times I spent working there, and how many epiphanies came about while watching these peoples and their bad choices.

Well all the while, he suddenly concluded that this was in fact the:

classic 'church of capitalism'.

You think that's true?

That the metaphor might give reason as to why people were spending more money on individual egos, and more correctly, at the place which embodies and embellishes the idea, then actually paying forth their 10% on spiritual fulfilment?

On Sunday mornings I can tell you that 65% + of my customers were coming from church to the mall.

But my friends seemingly and somewhat far fetched idea was that these stores were different churches and that the purchases were their own temporary fulfillments. Abiding by all the details of a religious establishment. Regardless of whether or not it was only fulfilling to the natural self ego.

What do you think?

[MikeH]

But my friends seemingly and somewhat far fetched idea was that these stores were different churches and that the purchases were their own temporary fulfillments. Abiding by all the details of a religious establishment. Regardless of whether or not it was only fulfilling to the natural self ego.

What do you think?

Interesting. It would be fun if you tried to guess what products people would purchase based on what denomination they are.

[spiritletter]

1. Ridiculous and repressive attitudes toward women
2. Loathing of homosexuals, etc.
3. Fear and loathing of anyone who thinks or believes differently.
4. Corrupt, narcissistic, controlling pastors, priests, and other leaders.
5. Rigid adherence to rules more important than remaining flexible to the vicissitudes of everday reality.
6. embecilic interpretations of scripture
7. Murder justified by religious doctrine (or misinterpretations thereof)
8. Hypocrisy and poor self-knowledge.
9. Not knowing the difference between superstition and the natural manifestation of the divine.
10. Hating more than loving.