Cardinal George Pell

[blueheeler1]

The Vatican treasurer and Australia's most senior Catholic figure, Cardinal George Pell, has been charged with *** offences in Australia.

If you haven't seen this it's very funny (although the subject matter isn't) and its worth a look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtHOmforqxk

[oldcolner]

Written and produced in 1 day - that's amazing. Bit different to Matilda The Musical!

Charges follow A royal Commission that heard £171M has been paid out to thousands of victims in Australia and 7 % of priests were abusers. The policy of moving abusers round parishes is coming home to roost and is now at the door of the Vatican.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-38988995

[The Bedlington Terrier]

What people will do in the name of religion, they will either blow you up, touch you up or just dress up in frocks...

Attachment 5151

[sinkov]

It's a continuing mystery to me why we allow these superstitions to so dominate our lives. We require scientific proof for everything except religion, try claiming climate change might not be entirely man made and you get laughed at, and a load of scientific evidence (often pseudoscience but never mind) chucked at you. There is no scientific evidence whatsoever for any religion, quite the opposite in fact, but it's taken seriously and treated with the utmost respect the world over. I suppose it's understandable in under-developed 3rd world countries, but this is Europe in 2017 FFS.

Beats me.

[blueheeler1]

It's a continuing mystery to me why we allow these superstitions to so dominate our lives. We require scientific proof for everything except religion, try claiming climate change might not be entirely man made and you get laughed at, and a load of scientific evidence (often pseudoscience but never mind) chucked at you. There is no scientific evidence whatsoever for any religion, quite the opposite in fact, but it's taken seriously and treated with the utmost respect the world over. I suppose it's understandable in under-developed 3rd world countries, but this is Europe in 2017 FFS.

Beats me.

So much there but I can't disagree.

It starts off with mankind trying to understand himself in the universe and coming to a conclusion that all the good things that happen and all the bad things that happen must be part of a controlling influence beyond our lives.

Some in-built belief that humans are so important there has to be a reason for our existence--if only we could understand what needs to be done.

Possibly good people start to try and "appease" the Gods to influence their needs during drought; famine; hurricanes etc.

Then other, cleverer, people latch onto it (or create it in the first place) claiming intimate knowledge and understanding of the Gods and what they want you to do to make all the bad stuff disappear.

These "knowledgeable" people may do it "for the good of the people" or for their own power and influence.

And religion is born.

For reasons I can never understand we worship people and supposed events that happened thousands of years ago.

As if their "knowledge" and "understanding" has been lost over time.

Religion has always fascinated me and continues to do so.

But I would rather put my thinking cap on to the question of Artificial Intelligence and their obvious ability to learn from the environment and to problem-solve by themselves.

AI will probably evolve into having emotions and suffering and dreaming and pondering their existence.

And then I wonder what Mankind will do in granting AI's "Rights".

In other words we will be their living God for a while until they take over.

[nutsinmay]

It's a continuing mystery to me why we allow these superstitions to so dominate our lives. We require scientific proof for everything except religion, try claiming climate change might not be entirely man made and you get laughed at, and a load of scientific evidence (often pseudoscience but never mind) chucked at you. There is no scientific evidence whatsoever for any religion, quite the opposite in fact, but it's taken seriously and treated with the utmost respect the world over. I suppose it's understandable in under-developed 3rd world countries, but this is Europe in 2017 FFS. Beats me.

I agree.

It's also a continuing mystery that there are people who say the country is skint, and we have to cut health services, police and emergency services, but then they find £1bn to buy votes to keep them in power, and people believe it. Hallelujah!!

[1959_60]

A very heavy subject...but there are so many unanswered questions about, say, the creation of the universe, and so many theories.

The theory of the "big bang", which is the current most accepted thinking, was actually postulated by Georges Lemaître who was a Roman Catholic priest based at the Vatican Observatory.
He, along with many eminent scientists, saw no conflict between science and religion.

Here is a list of religious scientists - many are still alive
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...rrently_living

Many theories in nuclear physics for example have practically zero evidence - but the "best" theories achieve acclaim - barmy as they are.

I suggest an open mind is the best way.

[Altobelli]

I like Tim Minchin 59_60, he does some good material.

Only the other day Lord George Carey "colluded" with *****phile bishop Peter Ball, which I see has not been aired as much as it should unless I have missed it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017...-colluded-***/

Like BT has alluded to, Never trust a man in a dress.

Well wrote that man in post # 4.

[Norder]

.

it's traditional - a history of bloodshed...the blind leading the blind..."do not bow down to graven images"....so they put on some robes and kneel to them - all Man made...so what do we expect, give the frauds power for nothing and they'll do with it whatever they please.

Isaiah on religion " your works are as a filthy rags before god"

Mathew 23.

Jesus.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look as righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
“But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?

..

[Balanbam00]

This subject could be debated until the end of time but will there be an end of time ,what is time? Time is a measurement of the mind. Lets see it in another light, not religiously but spiritual

All religions are dogmatic, that is they do not allow the mind, or thoughts to cross certain boundaries.
But it is a human characteristic when we can perceive an object we say it is, and when we cannot perceive it we simply say ''it does not exist!'' Science can not say anything about that which is beyond the mind , the mind can not grasp. This created universe is in a state of 'flux' everything is moving everything is changing. That which under goes change can not be the truth.
Man has a reflective consciousness, that is he has the ability to know who he really is!! The Greeks told us ''know thyself'', animals do not have this ability,in this respect man is far superior.

Man has consciousness ,and consciousness is also found in the animal and plant kingdoms. It is found in the whole cycle of creation. We came out of consciousness! Through metamorphoses and pressure the elements were created, from the subtle coming to the crude, 'solid'. From 'solid' we return to again to the subtle. We left as unqualified consciousness and return as qualified consciousness. So the question asked, ''why did God create this creation?'' You can say, (He) is qualifying is own Self!! We will all at some point in time merge in to that Consciousness, Just as you take a piece of salt and touch the Ocean, what will happen the salt looses its identity and becomes the Ocean! That is unification.

1959_60

I do not believe this is a heavy subject we have been given the Judeo Christian beliefs and accepted them. A kind of ''thats whats written ,thats it!'' Stop any more searching!

On Georges Lemaître, The big Bang theory is the effect , what was the cause ? If he gave us the "primeval atom" or "the Cosmic Egg, exploding at the moment of the creation".but what caused the explosion? If no forces existed then it can not explode! Yes some may say ,it became unstable ! So let the answer be God created. ( metamorphosis of Consciousness !) The "primeval atom" or "the Cosmic Egg, is not the cause it is part of an effect ! Science can not go beyond the 'Big Bang'

Feel free to comment !!