religious consolidation

[happythoughts 0]

Personally, I think that things worked a little
smoother back when there wasn't so much religious
divisiveness. There was one religion that pretty
much backed the govt in current power.

When Marco Polo was in China, there was talk of
bringing religous scholars from Italy so that
they could debate scholars of the East and
determine the "best" religion.

Western scholars weren't too keen on the idea.
Kind of hard to produce facts to prove something
that is based on faith. Plus, it was probably pretty
difficult to find an impartial religious figure to do
the evaluation.

Debates of that type are rarely of value.
In most cases, the "facts" of a religion are based
on acceptance of the total truthfulness of the
central "book" of a given religion.
People are arguing that the other side won't accept
"their truth", so it remains at a standstill.

However, it would certainly help if there was only
one flavor of a particular religion. All the religions
seem to have a variety of tangents.
So, what we need is a little consolidation.
Each religion should hold debates within their group
and determine the most valid version of their creed.
(Kind of how the playoffs work in basketball.)

Since the Christians have so many versions of Protestant, a little extra time could be allowed for them. Then, later, the primary Protestant cult
could debate the Catholics.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Those of us who have put childish pursuits behind us remain hopeful that the only belief structure that can possibly gain universal acceptance one day will.

[quade 4]

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However, it would certainly help if there was only
one flavor of a particular religion. All the religions
seem to have a variety of tangents.

This isn't really too hard to figure out.

Each faction has a different leader. Nobody wants to give that up and new ones are "created" on a regular basis by individuals that want to be in charge so they can handle the collection plates.

You're never going to see any sort of consolidation.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[happythoughts 0]

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However, it would certainly help if there was only
one flavor of a particular religion. All the religions
seem to have a variety of tangents.

This isn't really too hard to figure out.

Each faction has a different leader. Nobody wants to give that up and new ones are "created" on a regular basis by individuals that want to be in charge so they can handle the collection plates.

You're never going to see any sort of consolidation.

"want to be in charge so they can handle the collection plates"

I'm sure that there is a process because that is
how political parties manage to merge.
Local->State->National

The Vatican does it well because they collect money
from all over the world.

The factions just need to see a better common
interest.

In business, banks buy each other out and close
branches.

[jakee 1,595]

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In business, banks buy each other out and close
branches.

Sure, but look how well that's turned out

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[quade 4]

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In business, banks buy each other out and close branches.

How exactly could you buy out another religious faction if they did not want to be bought out?

Let's say the Catholics were tired of "competing" with the Scientologists, what could they possibly offer them to entice them to give up a continuous and "forever" revenue stream?

I just don't think it's possible.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[happythoughts 0]

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In business, banks buy each other out and close branches.

How exactly could you buy out another religious faction if they did not want to be bought out?

Let's say the Catholics were tired of "competing" with the Scientologists, what could they possibly offer them to entice them to give up a continuous and "forever" revenue stream?

I just don't think it's possible.

Let's save the Scientologists for later.
Let's talk about some Protestants, Southern Baptists
and Northern Baptists. They mostly agree.
Primitive Baptists (the really conservative ones), not
so much.

A lot of money is generated through wills.
I once saw an estimate that a huge hunk of Texaco
was owned by the Catholic church due to people
leaving them stock in their wills.

It is kind of like GM and GMAC. The good money
is in the financing, not making the cars.

Eventually, the smaller churches would be happy to
sell out and get a piece of the pie without having
to actually run services.

The smaller churches could still run call centers with
volunteers to encourage the donations. Collect the
cash for 15%.

[happythoughts 0]

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In business, banks buy each other out and close
branches.

Sure, but look how well that's turned out

Religiously? It worked great.
Christianity is famous for absorbing the traditions
of foreign lands and religions.

Remember Easter? Was there a Giant Bunny who
hopped out of Jesus tomb and gave Mary an egg?

Nope. Easter or "Ester" was a druid goddess of
fertility, hence all the bunnies and eggs and dancing
around the "maypole"... right around Spring and
the planting season.

"Santa Claus" or Saint Nikolaus.

Christmas tree?
The symbol of eternal life. Queens without Kings
have a tough time. When Nimrod died, his wife
said that he came once a year to collect gifts.
...right in the middle of winter.

Also, she had a child a couple of years after he
died. So, he had a heir. That's nice.
Probably as easy to sell as Mary being a virgin.
"It was an angel... really... a really hot... angel."

[TrophyHusband 0]

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Those of us who have put childish pursuits behind us remain hopeful that the only belief structure that can possibly gain universal acceptance one day will.

why does any belief structure have to gain universal acceptance? i don't give a fuck what other peoples' beliefs are and all i ask is that other people extend me the courtesy of not giving a fuck what my beliefs are.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Historically consolidation of religion has occurred in a similar fashion to consolidation of biker gangs; the leadership of the weaker group is butchered and the followers cut their losses.
The best way to convince people to adopt your belief structure is to dominate them militarily on a long term basis.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

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Those of us who have put childish pursuits behind us remain hopeful that the only belief structure that can possibly gain universal acceptance one day will.

why does any belief structure have to gain universal acceptance? i don't give a fuck what other peoples' beliefs are and all i ask is that other people extend me the courtesy of not giving a fuck what my beliefs are.

Really? Bin Laden seems to believe that America is evil and must be destroyed. You sure you don't give a fuck what he believes?

[happythoughts 0]

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Historically consolidation of religion has occurred in a similar fashion to consolidation of biker gangs; the leadership of the weaker group is butchered and the followers cut their losses.
The best way to convince people to adopt your belief structure is to dominate them militarily on a long term basis.

Based on that, we are lucky that the Pope isn't black,
after the pasting that the Italian army took in Ethiopia around the turn of the century.

"But sir, they're armed with spears..."

People could be celebrating Kwanza instead of Christmas.

[SpeedRacer 1]

As a Catholic, I believe that the Catholic church was actually improved by a little competition from the Protestants. Competition makes things better. When you have a monopoly, things go slack.

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------

[ryoder 1,590]

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Historically consolidation of religion has occurred in a similar fashion to consolidation of biker gangs; the leadership of the weaker group is butchered and the followers cut their losses.
The best way to convince people to adopt your belief structure is to dominate them militarily on a long term basis.

Think of this in terms of business acquisitions;
About a thousand years ago, the Catholic church launched a series of hostile takeover attempts, but it got a lot of bad press.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[shropshire 0]

It's all about power and control and nothing what so ever to do with a Single Truth.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Gene03 0]

Probably as easy to sell as Mary being a virgin.
"It was an angel... really... a really hot... angel."
Shocked

Funny, we have the technology to perform that "miracle" today. It's called artificial insemination.

“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

[happythoughts 0]

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It's all about power and control and nothing what so ever to do with a Single Truth.

The problem with the Single Truth is that there
must be 200 bunny trails leading off in the wrong
direction.

The Bible notes two central problems.
- Angels (good or bad) are smarter and more powerful than people.
- Satan is trying to mislead.

Pecking order:
God
Angels
People

Satan (Lucifer "Light Bringer") was an angel.
He is just going to be smarter and powerful than
people. So, the problem is to help close up the
misleading cults and offshoots.

His minions are going to mislead people all the time.
How to identify them?

His sin was to show people the tree of knowledge.
That they could think for themselves.
So, anyone who is letting people decide moral truth for themselves,
is leading people away from the
original Single Truth. They are a false prophet,
obviously a minion.

Let's draw a line around 1600. Any religious sub-group created
after 1600 are Satan worshippers and leading the flocks astray.
(That should get rid of a few pesky Calivinists.)

This job will be easier for the Muslims because there
are fewer schisms to deal with. Christians have about a zillion sects.

At the very least, maybe the Fundamentalist Baptists will make it okay to dance again.

You've got to admit, if the biggest problem that
your religion has is dancing, that's not bad.
There were a few Buddhists tossing hand grenades
during the 60s. Dancing is less destructive.