Metal Reviews

Christianity has violently kicked basically every other religions ass though!!!

Actually, Christianity is about guilt. Original sin? Jesus died to save YOU. Etc? The fact that some Christians are nice and some are not is neither here or there. The nice ones barely follow religion, take notice. They don't really believe, I think, it's a crutch every now and again that's not really needed.

Plus, socially sometimes religion's needed to fit in.

Well, we have different interpretations of Christianity. I interpret it as a common belief in God and his son Jesus Christ. While many of you interpret it much differently (and there's no right or wrong here, by the way). I don't necessarily believe everything the Bible says is true. I don't agree with everything the Christian Church does (actually, there are a lot of things I disagree with). And I certainly don't condemn people who don't share my specific belief (I believe that, as long as we're all good people, we can easily get into Heaven, regardless of our beliefs - yes, that includes atheists). But I still have the central Christian belief in God and Jesus Christ (logically in that it's impossible for order to come from disorder and something to come from nothing, and spiritually in a meditative sort of way). At the same time, I try to live a morally sound life with a solid understanding of WHY what's good/bad is "good/bad" (beyond just the fact that "the Bible says so"). And that's what being a Christian's all about IMO.

But why does that make you a Christian rather than someone who's taken the best bits and made the rest up? What keeps you with the herd, the 'organised' lot? Let's say I agree Jesus might have existed, and might even have been enough of a figure for the legend to crop up. Darn, now I'm a Christian?

I do kind of have my own religion now that you mention it. But I still maintain the basic Christian belief (which I've stated several times in this thread), and so I still consider myself a more of a Christian than anything else overall (though perhaps not a "strict Christian") - plus, I was baptized Catholic. I, too, don't like how a lot of people have been trying to make Christianity into a private cult. Where only people who believe exactly what you believe may join, you must only do this or that, etc. In a way, it actually goes against the idea of peace and unity, which Christianity is supposed to promote (so "Christian Cults" really aren't very Christian!).

Not all organized forms of Christianity are of the pompous annoying twat lot

Exactly. I understand many of you have probably had to deal with a lot of pompous and self-righteous Christians, as well as cultish Christian churches (I've had to deal with them too). But there are plenty of Christians and churches that aren't like that at all. I go to a church called Rennaisance Unity. Even though it's probably more of a Christian church than anything else, it accepts people from all different denominations. And instead of telling you "You must believe everything the bible says!" or "You can't like this because God said so!", the sermons talk about celebrating life, overcoming obstacles, and simply implementing your spirituality into your daily life. While also taking a very down-to-Earth approach to life, so that you're using your spirituality for guidence rather than just as a crutch.

A lot of Christians I know are pretty chill, and a lot of atheists I know are stark raving mad. Needless to say, I have a lot more respect for the chill Christians.

there's people who will go out of their way to try to convince everyone in the room that they are right as soon as the topic of religion comes up in both Atheist and Christian camps... and they are lame. yessir.

Yeah, I mean, look how many pages this thread got off religion alone.

I think this thread was just typically healthy religious debate. Nobody really tried to force anybody into thinking the way they do about religion. I'd like people to respect my beliefs, just as I respect everybody else's. But I don't expect everybody to necessarily agree with me.

You're arguing faith in a God, I'm arguing the Christian faith itself. Organized religion of any sort has nothing at all to do with someone's personal beliefs. Organized religion is nothing more than a control method, a way to keep the sheep in line. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ that's fine, but don't fool yourself into thinking that The Church cares about anything he had to say. Last I checked, the man didn't go around spewing bigotry, hatred, and on the spot judgement. The message of kindness and acceptance, the two things that supposed to be the very foundations of Christianity, were cast aside long ago in favor of power games and agenda pushing. The Christian leaders are some of the most vile and disgusting human beings to ever walk the earth, always have been. Charlatans of the highest order. I live in the Bible Belt, that kind of Christianity is the dominant force around here, more people subscribe to the "God Hates Fags" mentatlity than the tolerance and acceptance one. In modern times, breeding bigots is the only function of The Church. That's what I'm talking about when I say falling in line. I don't see that kind of idealogy as having any place in the world, much less metal music. Metal is and always has been about questioning authority, rallying against the bastards, and being an individual. Those three things are the very last things any form of organized religion want you to do. Those three things are the reasons why the Religious Cults are afraid of Metal music, why they are always looking to squash it. That's why I say it has no place in Metal, it contradicts everything Metal is supposed to be about.

I don't listen to much Power Metal, the only band I really care about in the genre is Lost Horizon, and they are very anti-religion.

You have a point there. A lot of religious leaders are very corrupt and controlling. And I think what you said about that being a big part of the reason why they're so against metal music certainly holds a lot of truth. Disliking the message of metal music is one thing. But to try to publically make it illegal, burn metal albums, rejoice when metal musicians die (geez!), and tell us all we mustn't listen to it.... yeah, that does suggest people on power trips.

Still, to assume that every priest, pastor, etc. is like this is a little judgemental. I personally know many that aren't (such as those at the Church I go to), but of course I also know many that are - one of which was actually kicked out of his church for committing adultery. I think the problem is that the ones who ARE corrupt seem to be the ones most in power and that get all the mainstream exposure. They're on TV, the radio, in politics, etc. a lot more than the ones who aren't. Usually because they're pissed off at the fact that not everybody's a blind robot.

I suppose, technically, there is a difference between a faith in God/Jesus, and the Christian religion itself. And yeah, my faith is probably what I've been most defensive of. I'll just leave it at saying that I subscribe to the GOOD things about the Christian religion (faith in God/Jesus, being a good person, being there for my friends and those who need me, being guided by the power of the Holy Spirit - which can also be likened to the Human Spirit, etc). Not the bad/tyrannical things (we all know what those are!).

To quote Priest Maxi on that episode of South Park: I'm proud to be Catholic. But I'm a Catholic in the real world.

well... I was a Christian for a long time... I chose to be it. it was not something my parents forced me into. Now that i have become older i have slowly slipped away, and chosen not to be part of a church anymore. but my faith is still there. I believe that what you believe in should be a private thing and something you keep for yourself, not go around and proclaim, and preach on the street, that is why christianity got a bad reputation. at least here.