I know I've posted a few negative things about religion
so now I'm going to post a positive one. It's not very funny though.

One of my best friends, a lovely lovely girl, is a devout 7th Day Adventist. I've never really understood her religion but she is one of the kindest, most open minded people I've ever met. She doesn't shove her religion down people's throats and I would say she is one of the few people I can have a serious discussion on religion with, without it coming to an argument.

One of the most important things she's taught me is that God has a different meaning to everyone, and that your view is your view and that's fine, no matter if you're athiest, agnostic, christian, muslim, jewish, sikh, or if you're deist or any other religion you could be a part of.

She helped me get through some of the toughest places I've been and she did it all without once telling me that what happened to me was part of "God's plan" for me, nor that I had been judged as deserving of it. She told me that even though shit things had happened to me it was not my fault; it was because bad people do bad things - nothing more then that.

When my grandmother died after a year of suffering, I believed her when she told me that my nan was in a better place. I still do believe that.

When her father was at the lowest point of his depression, her whole church chipped in and did everything they could to help her and her family out; making meals for them, taking the kids to school, making sure bills etc were paid on time.

So I know I'm a lot younger then most of the people here are - but the things I've seen and have received comfort from really make me think twice before calling religion stupid. I know I did so earlier - but that's a different story completely.
(Poppet some assembly required., Sun 22 Mar 2009, 2:05, 6 replies)

Even Dawkins concedes that benign religion
can be quite nice. Tea and biscuits after a singsong with likeminded people. Your friend seems like a nice person.

But what you've described is actually a nice community. Religion doesn't have an exclusive grip on that; shared belief in an in imaginary friend doesn't automatically make people moral or nice, nor does atheism make people evil.

Religion is delusional at its most fundamental level (believe in this even though there is no evidence). A networked group of religious people stopping, say, stem cell research in the USA or condom use throughout the word. That's not stupid. That's evil. Even without a god.
( drunkenoaf, Sun 22 Mar 2009, 20:18, closed)

My stance on death remains as anywhere is better than here.
But I wouldn't dare top myself, I've seen the effects on family members first hand.

I couldn't put anyone through that. A lovely friend you have their also
(The Ear-Trumpet Addicting is NOT a word., Sun 22 Mar 2009, 21:13, closed)

Please take this in the spirit with which it is intended...
You write well and this story is very sweet, but it would be so much better if you realised that there is a difference between "then" and "than".

e.g. it should be "So I know I'm a lot younger thAn most of the people here"

Please? :)

Oh, and on topic - I always say that I hate religious nutters. People don't always get that it means that I hate the ones who are nutters, I quite like the ones that aren't like your friend. If only there were more of them and less of the nutters :)
(xanthine, Sun 22 Mar 2009, 23:37, closed)

Interesting
V-cat's Australian. She probably pronounces 'than' like 'then', hence the mistake.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Mon 23 Mar 2009, 8:52, closed)

we don't actually have
"Than" as part of our phonetic lingo as far as I'm aware - you're right.

Sorry about that.

I do say "than" as "then". Always have.
(Poppet some assembly required., Wed 25 Mar 2009, 11:44, closed)

on topic
Xanthene,

Do you hate the ones who are nutters but still wish there were more of them around? The ones that are not like V-cat's friend?

"I quite like the ones that aren't like your friend." = nutters?

I'm confuzzled. :(
(herefromthere, Tue 24 Mar 2009, 8:19, closed)