http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion Just another bbPress community en-US Sat, 25 May 2013 12:34:08 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/search.php http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-292433 Sun, 17 Mar 2013 09:12:10 +0000 MVesseur 292433@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>Raised a Jehovah&#39;s Witness, but just couldn&#39;t continue as a fundamentalist Christian (which is what JWs are, though they would deny it) anymore. Faded out of the community about 6 years ago. Couldn&#39;t officially step out of it for fear of being disfellowshipped, thus losing all contact with some of my closest relatives. Religion serves its purpose for some - people invented it for a reason - but those that wish to live or think otherwise should be left alone. Still, it&#39;s been tough living outside that close-knit community - there is no replacement. </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-292275 Sun, 24 Feb 2013 23:30:09 +0000 WannaBeLinguist 292275@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>I dislike fundamentalist thought in any religion. I&#39;m glad they believe strongly but they have no jurisdiction to tell me what and how I should go about believing in something. I&#39;m Catholic, that will not change especially now. That is that. </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-286459 Thu, 16 Aug 2012 05:13:04 +0000 samuelh73 286459@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>As a humanist, I am able to nimbly avoid such discussions of religion or, if pressed by a particularly ardent churchgoer, calmly explain why I could care less what religion they follow.</p> <p>My parents were somewhat religious growing up (mainly due to their parents), but quickly grew tired of the &quot;hellfire and brimstone&quot; diatribes at the pulpit, and so gave my sisters and me the ability to decide for ourselves. In my humble opinion, it is the best decision any parent can make in regards to religious direction. Ironically, I was atheist for a short while because of religious bigotry rearing its ugly head within the family (My grandmother found out my sexual orientation [e.g., homosexual]), but time, life, and a greater understanding of the world and my place within it mellowed me into a nice warm humanist. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.stephenfry.com/bb-content/plugins//bb-smilies/default/icon_smile.gif&quot; title=&quot;:)&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-285957 Sun, 29 Jul 2012 05:43:14 +0000 TheDon 285957@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>Every religious mob has their own short comings . I just find it strange that people don&#39;t view it as a guide to their spiritual life and use it as a set of rules . I personally try to stick to the basic guidance of love one another and each to their own . We will never fully agree on the who has the right set of rules but just engage your heart and a sense of logic ( yes I can see the hypocrisy in that statement ) and just accept we will never truly know until we shuffle off this mortal coil . </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-285955 Sun, 29 Jul 2012 05:43:14 +0000 TheDon 285955@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>Every religious mob has their own short comings . I just find it strange that people don&#39;t view it as a guide to their spiritual life and use it as a set of rules . I personally try to stick to the basic guidance of love one another and each to their own . We will never fully agree on the who has the right set of rules but just engage your heart and a sense of logic ( yes I can see the hypocrisy in that statement ) and just accept we will never truly know until we shuffle off this mortal coil . </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-280557 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:34:33 +0000 Michael Booth 280557@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>You can&#39;t beat Anglicanism in my book. Choral evensong, cucumber sandwiches on the vicarage lawn, a nice bring and buy sale to save the church organ and no requirement to believe anything uncomfortable. We don&#39;t stone people, we don&#39;t burn heretics and though we might be in a dither about gays, we don&#39;t advocate slitting their throats like some scimitar-weilding koranistas...ah yes, give me All Gas and Gaiters anyday... </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-270311 Wed, 18 May 2011 11:47:42 +0000 Frogsong2112 270311@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>I have come to loathe religion. Since I left Christianity, I now feel spiritually free. </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-269711 Sun, 01 May 2011 06:02:06 +0000 Nitro 269711@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>You are? Have you met Darth Vader yet? Is he your father by any chance? </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-269633 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 22:24:21 +0000 MrCartoonguy 269633@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>I&#39;m a jedi </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-259799 Tue, 04 Jan 2011 03:34:48 +0000 Nitro 259799@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>revent, you will find in me a person more than happy to critique all religion across the board as it&#39;s my own pov.</p> <p>But to argue Islam is kind to women and women have all these wonderful freedoms is absurd. Like many religions, the oppression of the female sex drive and control of it is at the heart of many &#39;don&#39;t do this or that&#39; rules. </p> <p>The issue, for me, isn&#39;t wether you can find a nice Christian or practicer of Shinto or Jew or Muslim. The issue, for me, is the bigger goals as well as how the followers of these religions are expected to behave and be treated ( the primary demand being that one checks their brain at the door before entering the mosque or the temple or the church ).</p> <p>And, fwiw, whatever specific issue I have with Islam doesn&#39;t stop with fundamentalist crusaders. </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-258253 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 06:55:44 +0000 reventonrage 258253@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>Personally, I believe that all religions have their own set of beliefs and their own share of controversies. There will always be people who will have something to say about this religion or another. I think that Islam is misunderstood by a lot who Islamists as terrorists. And who can blame them because of the terrorist attacks? However, I have a few Muslim friends who are the best of people and I think that criticism of Muslims should be reserved for the radicals. </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-256541 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 19:27:30 +0000 Nitro 256541@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>My problem with Islam is the absurd putting forth of the idea it is a &#39;religion of peace&#39;. It is not. The Koran plainly states there should be only one world religion, that of Islam. In other words, Muslim is the way. That&#39;s not a thought unique to Islam as far as religion goes.</p> <p>Currently there sits in a Pakistani jail, a Christian native, ( who are in a serious minority in Pakistan ), for being accused of &#39;insulting the prophet&#39; by some other women she was picking berries with.</p> <p>Her husband is on the run with their five children as she awaits her sentence. The law on the books demands her death, but it may be commuted. The problem is, hardline Muslims are gathering at the gates and demanding she be executed or else they will cause regional uprisings. Meanwhile, they daily threaten the lives of her husband and children.</p> <p>&#39;Heresy&#39; as a law demanding death on the books is a problem because there is so much room for various groups to settle old grudges with each other simply by claiming So and So said something nasty about Mohammad. &lt;img src=&quot;http://www.stephenfry.com/bb-content/plugins//bb-smilies/default/icon_rolleyes.gif&quot; title=&quot;:roll:&quot; class=&quot;bb_smilies&quot; /&gt; </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-256175 Sat, 04 Dec 2010 16:16:09 +0000 garyh 256175@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <blockquote><p><cite>miss_khan <a href="&quot;&quot;//www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-256087&quot;&quot;&quot;">said</a>:</cite><br /> I am quite happy to see a thread already made regarding this particular debate. I would like to take the opportunity to correct you in your thoughts that Islam &quot;does not give women any choice regarding ...&quot; Themselves etc.</p> <p>Islam gave women the chance to speak to and choose their husband, a right to speak and to be heard. It also gave the woman to right to vote FOURTEEN HUNDRED years ago...endless rights include taking up employment, leading businesses, teaching etc. It places recommendations on dressing modestly only to not be objectified by men during prayer.</p> <p>The only problem with Islam happens to be its followers who lead the world to misunderstand Islam.</p> <p>Thank you, for posting an interesing and informative piece. I was<br /> quite ignorant regarding these issues.</p> <p>Love as always</p> <p>Gary xxxx</p> </blockquote> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-256087 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 23:15:22 +0000 miss_khan 256087@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>I am quite happy to see a thread already made regarding this particular debate. I would like to take the opportunity to correct you in your thoughts that Islam &quot;does not give women any choice regarding ...&quot; Themselves etc.</p> <p>Islam gave women the chance to speak to and choose their husband, a right to speak and to be heard. It also gave the woman to right to vote FOURTEEN HUNDRED years ago...endless rights include taking up employment, leading businesses, teaching etc. It places recommendations on dressing modestly only to not be objectified by men during prayer.</p> <p>The only problem with Islam happens to be its followers who lead the world to misunderstand Islam. </p> http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/topic/mr-fry-the-dreaded-clouded-subject-of-religion#post-254815 Fri, 26 Nov 2010 02:03:49 +0000 GDee 254815@http://www.stephenfry.com/forum/ <p>Dear Mr. Fry,<br /> I am a great fan of your many programs and documentaries as well as your articles and other broadcasts. I am well aware about your views upon the Catholic Church and their history, but you never seem to discuss a religion a little closer to home. Although you are Atheist you do indeed have Jewish roots, which many saw you discover on national television. I was wondering if you have any views on Judaism&#39;s ideology?<br /> Thanks<br /> GDee </p>