g hall

Important point when I say Man I am using it as an all encompassing word for the human race

Remember one mans god is another mans devil

one mans blasphemy is another mans religous rite (or right)

e.g. Ritual cannabilism to some people is a sacristy to others

and you cannot escape the spanish inquisition :evil:

exo-politics

Jedi-ism isn't as far fetched as you would initially think. There are a few interesting ideas floating around in the six part series which are shared with other religions. Knowing little about religion due to my complete ignorance of the matter, the examples I am able to find are;
Anakin Skywalker, born to a virgin mother (may not have been virgin, born...) through the force to bring balance between good and evil in the force. Coincides with the Virgin Mary and Jesus, who was born to do good.
The force is kind of like a supreme energy, which some religions flirt with. This could even be considered as god.
Can't really think of the others I have considered over time right now but I'm sure I could come up with some more with a bit more thought.

Considering Star Wars as not necessarily fiction, answers can be found for the existence of ghosts and other trivial matters. Granted, some ideas are unexplainable and humorous in reality, such as lightsabers, but then the story of Moses seems a bit far-fetched to some.

To me, generally a confused agnostic, ridiculous as it may sound, I find that Jedi-ism applies better to my thoughts and feelings regarding faith than anything else out there that I have encountered so far. Why is it so laughable for it to be drawn from a 20th century film? What makes ideas from a book, a millennia or two older, so much more plausible?

These ideas may not have come across well, partly due to the time and partly due to my poor ability to get my thoughts across using words.

I don't know anything about law, but wasn't the Religious Hatred laws defeated in the House of Commons? As for the blasphemy law, I thought that was a bit like the one in Nottinghamshire (?) where you can shoot a Welshman on a Sunday?

Phagocyte

What is this, kindergarten?
Oh no, I used the 'K' word!

Phagocyte

Star Wars was constructed to be a modern legend. That said, there is one major difference between Star Wars and, say, the Torah. One is fictional and does not pretend to be anything else. The other may not be.

g hall

After sleeping on this and reviewing the history of the UK pre the reformation many churches and cathedrals where heavily decorated with pictures of biblical scenes and saints etc.,
The reformation started a process whereby these were painted over with whitewash.
Indeed the puritans would have NO depictions of this sort (as we can see today with the reference to papal idolatry from some chapels)
Therefore the picture posted by ModernUKIP in answer to my post could be considered blasphemous to these followers which makes Feldoons post even worse to them

I would imagine aetheists and agnostics must be very confused by this

Feldoon

I highly doubt that some how.

Since, y'know, agnosticism's a knowledge claim, not a belief one.

So you can have Agnostic Christians.

And the term Agnostic by itself specifies nothing about somebody's belief.

Feldoon

Elf, it was mainly to emphasise the point of "Onoez! You said conservative! We're not that! No!"

Highlighting the absurdity of certain members.

g hall

Feldoon
You cannot have an agnostic christian, for the simple reason that Christ's teachings included a belief in a divine entity (God) which you need faith for but NOT knowledge, without this you cannot be a christian

You can though agree a man called christ lived 2000 years ago and try to follow some of his teachings but you would not be a christian as his teachings demand faith not knowledge

An agnostic well try this
http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/humf...l/agnostic.htm

Therefore an agnostic is saying we cannot know and faith alone is not enough

__________________
"That government is best which governs least."
"This is a sharp Medicine, but it is a Physician for all diseases and miseries".
"To be "matter of fact" about the world is to blunder into fantasy --and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and wonderful."
TANSTAAFL TANJ

Besoeker

[quote="Feldoon"]It is the opposite.
It's a claim that certain things are unknowable.

Feldoon

No.

You've got me out of context.

I said it was a knowledge claim.

I didn't say what the knowledge claim entails.

You've stated what the knowledge claim entails.

I referred to it as a knowledge claim to differentiate it from a belief claim.