erat_forte Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 And choice is an illusion, and God is a fantasy invention. Apart from that, not a bad conclusion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest_northshore_* Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 I grew up in a community (expatriate 1st/2nd/3rd generation Italian) that was and still is largely focused on the church. Yes, there are alternatives but as a mechanism for bringing a community together of all ages and sexes at key points in their lives, and offering a support network, it does have its plus points... I wasn't brought up religious at all. Had a best friend who's family were, then just progressed as a slightly lonely kid at a boy's boarding school. Because the church had girls. There's a difference between the sort of community and family environment you refer to, and the evangelical world of kids clubs, youth groups, workshops, christian camps, festivals, baptisms, missions, guilt, fear and all that nonsense. At the time I didn't realise how big a deal it was. Looking back, although I wouldn't describe such groups as cults there is a similar tactic and vibe in their approach to children. Last I heard that former best friend is now a hypocritical missionary in asia. I see and hear the same unquestioning mindset from the door knockers. If they're retired and worried about about death, so be it. If they're younger I sympathise and guess I just remember the relief of moving on. I binned it all during uni, but had several difficult years of bad choices in self-retaliation. I'm still angry and cynical, but just one of those things now. It's something kids and young people in particular could really do without. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuggets Mahoney Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 I should have guessed you were Italian, by the name Mahoney! They took me in. Before that I was suckled by cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 They took me in. Before that I was suckled by cats. I was brought up by badgers! I even used to dye the side of my head grey to fit in! Luckily bountiful God has made sure I have that naturally now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erat_forte Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Is that where the smell came from as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Is that where the smell came from as well? No! I developed that later, when I go to PUBerty, when you are allowed into the pub. I have a bath every April! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XYY Man Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 I was brought up by badgers! I even used to dye the side of my head grey to fit in! Luckily bountiful God has made sure I have that naturally now. You are Dickie Davies, and I claim my five pounds... XYY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 XYY WB Where ya been, was it only a short sentence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 There is no path. So we can follow any badger trail, and in God's view our choices are irrelevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 WB Where ya been, was it only a short sentence? Aye, and he wore a tie too, so in my reckoning, it should have been a "suspended sentence", not porridge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XYY Man Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 WB Where ya been, was it only a short sentence? - nowt so exciting, just been doing other stuff. Incedently, I've just had a God-botherer at the door, and when I said 'no' to the God stuff, the cheeky get then tried to sell me a friggin' vacuum-cleaner...! Apparently he's a Je-Hoover's Witness.... XYY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porca misèria Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Aye, and he wore a tie too, so in my reckoning, it should have been a "suspended sentence", not porridge! Suspended by a tie? Now there's a great idea. Descend on parliament, and every Honourable Member wearing a tie gets suspended by it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Ties are rubbish! I haven't worn one for some years! If I ever wear a tie, it is silk and posh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norbert Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Must every thread end up moving into a succession of one-liners from MrPin? It's like some kind of weird cult in itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecrashingisles Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Apparently he's a Je-Hoover's Witness.... XYY Did you tell him you're a "Die, son of God!" man? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Must every thread end up moving into a succession of one-liners from MrPin? It's like some kind of weird cult in itself. Think of it as 'Care in the (online) community'. Also, being at a keyboard keeps him away from badgers and trebuchets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuggets Mahoney Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Ties are rubbish! How else could you get away with wearing a brightly coloured arrow pointing to your reproductive organs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonguest Posted November 9, 2014 Author Share Posted November 9, 2014 Ties are rubbish! I haven't worn one for some years! If I ever wear a tie, it is silk and posh! I haven't worn a tie since I left school! Weddings, funerals, etc ......NEVER! At one job interview one of the panel commented on this omission. I replied that the job was not 'customer facing' and required my brains rather than sartorial elegance I saw no point in dressing in a manner I would not do so in normal everyday practice - and I got the job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debtlessmanc Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 I haven't worn a tie since I left school! Weddings, funerals, etc ......NEVER! At one job interview one of the panel commented on this omission. I replied that the job was not 'customer facing' and required my brains rather than sartorial elegance I saw no point in dressing in a manner I would not do so in normal everyday practice - and I got the job! if, like me, you were obliged to wear one at school, it is a major career choice as to whether you are required to wear one or not, totally polarised ones view. i still hate them 30 years on... My father on the other hand wore one every day of his waking life as far i could see, i actually considered asking to see him in his coffin to see if he had insisted in being attired in one.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 I have loads of photos of my late grand-dad. He always wore a tie. Even on the beach! God knows what he would think of me on Greek beaches, I usually wear nothing. Perhaps I should at least wear a tie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooden Top Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 One girl stopped me in the street recently. Youngish early thirties just like me. After ripping into her for about 10 minutes about her mental health state and how she could be brainwashed so young etc I came to realise she was actually a very nice person! She did not rise to it at all and came across very well and it was clear that apart from the religious stuff she was 'normal'. There was a bloke at work who I knew for a while before I found out he was a JW. Never would have guessed as he too was 'normal' and never said anything about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Allegro Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 One girl stopped me in the street recently. Youngish early thirties just like me. After ripping into her for about 10 minutes about her mental health state and how she could be brainwashed so young etc I came to realise she was actually a very nice person! She did not rise to it at all and came across very well and it was clear that apart from the religious stuff she was 'normal'. There was a bloke at work who I knew for a while before I found out he was a JW. Never would have guessed as he too was 'normal' and never said anything about it. I find it very interesting that British society has moved, in the space of little more than a generation, from thinking religious belief was part and parcel of being a 'respectable' person, to thinking it's a symptom of mental illness. How did it happen? My only guess is that the 1960s counter culture killed off the idea that you had to nominally attach yourself to a religion to get on in life; after that the only religious people left were the diehard enthusiasts. The spread of Muslim fundamentalism probably didn't help either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuggets Mahoney Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 I find it very interesting that British society has moved, in the space of little more than a generation, from thinking religious belief was part and parcel of being a 'respectable' person, to thinking it's a symptom of mental illness. How did it happen? My only guess is that the 1960s counter culture killed off the idea that you had to nominally attach yourself to a religion to get on in life; after that the only religious people left were the diehard enthusiasts. The spread of Muslim fundamentalism probably didn't help either. Credit to the OP for sticking 'normal' in speech marks. It's not just religion btw. Mistrust of government and parapolitical views which were once staples of investigative journalism, reaching prime time TV documentaries on occasion, also get dismissed as mental illness. For sure, there are people with religious and conspiratorial views who are absolutely barking. In my experience though, a greater proportion are functionally sane but wrong, at least I think they're wrong. My favourite are the folk who hold completely conventional views about most things, except one or two pet topics on which they have completely bizarre thoughts. On thinking about it, that'd possibly be most people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 My favourite are the folk who hold completely conventional views about most things, except one or two pet topics on which they have completely bizarre thoughts. On thinking about it, that'd possibly be most people. I like the thought that brown eggs are better for you than white eggs. These people are confusing eggs with bread, or rice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qetesuesi Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 I was brought up in the austere Church of Scotland and I can give it out, too. Deuteronomy 6:15: "For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth" Nice. And the next thing, atheists call Christianity "wishful thinking" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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