Funny Video About Religion

[Moontanman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_7uX4H8K34

[Moontanman]

[Knothead]

It's funny. When I was 7 or 8, I was taken to an Oral Roberts tent revival meeting where the distinguished preacher would lay his hand on people with various aliments. Mine was flat feet. Which never bothered me in the least but was a real problem with the foster people I lived with. Anyway, Oral laid his hand on my shoulder and I wore big clunky boots for years after. Neither fixed my feet.

 

Years later when I was about 12 or 13, I was with my father who had kidnapped me from the foster family. It was February 14 1968. Valentine's day. We were caught in a storm on Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana. My dad's makeshift repairs on the old Dutch canal boat that he got for a song in New Orleans were proven inadequate. In desperation, the decision was made to beach the vessel before it sank out from underneath us.

I won't go into all the details for fear of boring anyone, but briefly, here's what happened.

We trekked across miles of marshes, swimming with the help of our life-jackets across a number of bayous in the fading daylight with the storm growing in intensity, heading in the general direction of a fishing camp that was on the chart. My dad gave us a choice of what to carry. I chose my puppy. My brother chose something else. My dad was stuck carrying the ships compass. We went on for hours until finally, on the bank of another waterway, having lost my puppy somewhere and watching my father and my brother laying, seemingly incapacitated on the ground in the fading light, I lost it. I remember clearly how panicked I was. How desperate. Some of the early indoctrination must have stuck because I fell to my knees, shut my eyes and prayed for God to save us. I don't know how long I prayed. Probably only seconds. But when I opened my eyes, there right in front of me, across the bayou and another stretch of marsh, was a light. As it turned out, it was a porch light at one of the cabins at the fish camp. As soon as I saw the light I struck out. I remember hearing by dad yelling at me to stop but I was halfway across the bayou. I arrived at the fishing camp well after dark and by the time I found the only inhabited cabin I was so chilled that I couldn't speak. The wonderful people immediately put me into a hot shower and gave me a drink that I can only describe as the nectar of the gods. They called it a hot toddy. I was finally able to communicate that my father and brother were out there. That and pointing was about as specific as I could get at the moment. But sure enough, an hour or so later my dad and brother were rescued too.

The next morning when I looked out of the window across the expanse that we traversed the day before, I noticed that there was no land there anymore. The storm had pushed enough water into the lake that the entire area was inundated.

 

I know that this little story doesn't prove anything. I know that during the few seconds that this little 12 year old, panicked child was on his knees praying to a God that he had only heard about that it got dark enough that someone in a fish camp decided to turn on the porch light. It's just that this experience, and others, has always given me pause when I start to feel too sure of myself. I hate coincidences. But I have so much respect for science and those who tell me that it's rather stupid to believe in God.

 

I figure I'll either find out the truth someday or I won't, but either way I can't see the harm in hedging my bets. I'm not too worried about a little ridicule.

[pamela]

hey knothead,

i love stories, thanks for sharing. I sincerely hope that no one here on the forum ridicules you for your beliefs.

[Moontanman]

I would never make fun of your personal beliefs knotnead....

 

 

[Knothead]

Don't worry. I'm not worried about anyone ridiculing me about my beliefs. No one here knows what they are. Including me. :lol:

[Qfwfq]

I know that this little story doesn't prove anything.

Actually it does prove something. It shows that people have a need to believe things, including those who don't believe, the need may prevail when things get absolutely desperate.

 

It also shows how things can happen by chance, just at the right moment, and there's no way to prove it wasn't God if someone prefers to believe it was. They'll just say they've witnessed a miracle and, if that's what they want to call it, there's no point arguing with them about statistics or whatever.

[dduckwessel]

It's funny. When I was 7 or 8, I was taken to an Oral Roberts tent revival meeting where the distinguished preacher would lay his hand on people with various aliments. Mine was flat feet. Which never bothered me in the least but was a real problem with the foster people I lived with. Anyway, Oral laid his hand on my shoulder and I wore big clunky boots for years after. Neither fixed my feet.

 

Years later when I was about 12 or 13, I was with my father who had kidnapped me from the foster family. It was February 14 1968. Valentine's day. We were caught in a storm on Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana. My dad's makeshift repairs on the old Dutch canal boat that he got for a song in New Orleans were proven inadequate. In desperation, the decision was made to beach the vessel before it sank out from underneath us.

I won't go into all the details for fear of boring anyone, but briefly, here's what happened.

We trekked across miles of marshes, swimming with the help of our life-jackets across a number of bayous in the fading daylight with the storm growing in intensity, heading in the general direction of a fishing camp that was on the chart. My dad gave us a choice of what to carry. I chose my puppy. My brother chose something else. My dad was stuck carrying the ships compass. We went on for hours until finally, on the bank of another waterway, having lost my puppy somewhere and watching my father and my brother laying, seemingly incapacitated on the ground in the fading light, I lost it. I remember clearly how panicked I was. How desperate. Some of the early indoctrination must have stuck because I fell to my knees, shut my eyes and prayed for God to save us. I don't know how long I prayed. Probably only seconds. But when I opened my eyes, there right in front of me, across the bayou and another stretch of marsh, was a light. As it turned out, it was a porch light at one of the cabins at the fish camp. As soon as I saw the light I struck out. I remember hearing by dad yelling at me to stop but I was halfway across the bayou. I arrived at the fishing camp well after dark and by the time I found the only inhabited cabin I was so chilled that I couldn't speak. The wonderful people immediately put me into a hot shower and gave me a drink that I can only describe as the nectar of the gods. They called it a hot toddy. I was finally able to communicate that my father and brother were out there. That and pointing was about as specific as I could get at the moment. But sure enough, an hour or so later my dad and brother were rescued too.

The next morning when I looked out of the window across the expanse that we traversed the day before, I noticed that there was no land there anymore. The storm had pushed enough water into the lake that the entire area was inundated.

 

I know that this little story doesn't prove anything. I know that during the few seconds that this little 12 year old, panicked child was on his knees praying to a God that he had only heard about that it got dark enough that someone in a fish camp decided to turn on the porch light. It's just that this experience, and others, has always given me pause when I start to feel too sure of myself. I hate coincidences. But I have so much respect for science and those who tell me that it's rather stupid to believe in God.

 

I figure I'll either find out the truth someday or I won't, but either way I can't see the harm in hedging my bets. I'm not too worried about a little ridicule.

 

great story...i have my own...times when I needed a miracle and I know that God was there for me...when there's no other recourse it helps to have friends in high places :).

 

 

I do however agree with Moontanman's hilarious video of Peter Popoff (a charlatan that takes advantage of desperate people).

[Knothead]

great story...i have my own...times when I needed a miracle and I know that God was there for me...when there's no other recourse it helps to have friends in high places :).

 

Thanks, I always hesitate to relate that story but when I look back on my life, it was one of the most meaningful.

 

I would love to hear your story. As well as how you have reconciled the inner conflicts that I can only imagine that I'm not alone in experiencing.

 

I do however agree with Moontanman's hilarious video of Peter Popoff (a charlatan that takes advantage of desperate people).

 

I also enjoyed the video. And it makes a valid point about how certain individuals are able to pervert things. That is the important point to me. There are scam artists that use religion. There are scam artists that use sympathy or compassion. There are scam artists that will use anything to take advantage of the situation and the suckers. But that doesn't necessarily make religion wrong any more that is makes caring for stray cats wrong. Many causes and organizations do good things and I just always feel a little sorry for them (religion) when it seems that they're being harshed because some individual (the charlatan) is giving them a bad name.

[Moontanman]

Personally i think it's a testament to the innate morality of sane human beings that religion is used for good at all. Far too many people think that they have the right to make money off dictating human behavior by hijacking religion. I would say the charlatans come pretty close to equaling if not out numbering honest people in much of religion, in creationism the charlatans put number honest people among leaders by a huge margin. These "leaders" know the crap they put out is lies but it doesn't matter because they want to make that buck.

 

Watch the 700 club a few times or go to a evangelical mega church and see how dishonest the leaders really are. Sadly the followers generally look to these people for guidance and believe what they are told and do not question because they are told questioning is wrong. This goes on in in smaller churches but it's not as rampant and is often honest belief in churches where huge sums of money are not involved... As in most things money rules...

[dduckwessel]

But that doesn't necessarily make religion wrong any more that is makes caring for stray cats wrong. Many causes and organizations do good things ...

 

 

I must differ on this point. I don't believe that any religion properly represents the God of Bible writings. Yes religions sometimes do good but just as often commit horrible wrongs (rape of children by RCC priests) - it's more accurate to say that religions are a mix of right and wrong, which is called hypocrisy.

 

I believe in God but I do not believe in religion as they are two very different things.

 

As well as how you have reconciled the inner conflicts that I can only imagine that I'm not alone in experiencing.

 

not sure what you mean by inner conflicts!...I don't struggle with what I believe about God (if that's what you mean), I struggle with wrong concepts of God caused by the misquoting of Bible writings.

[dduckwessel]

Watch the 700 club a few times or go to a evangelical mega church and see how dishonest the leaders really are.

 

This is where I don't believe that you understand Christians, Moontanman (Popoff being one of the exceptions). You have to attend those churches on a regular basis before you can say that you understand the people. Most of the people that I met were very genuine; they truly believe in what they're preaching. Most of them were not dishonest but indoctrinated, which is something altogether different.

[pamela]

Personally i think it's a testament to the innate morality of sane human beings that religion is used for good at all. Far too many people think that they have the right to make money off dictating human behavior by hijacking religion. I would say the charlatans come pretty close to equaling if not out numbering honest people in much of religion, in creationism the charlatans put number honest people among leaders by a huge margin. These "leaders" know the crap they put out is lies but it doesn't matter because they want to make that buck.

 

Watch the 700 club a few times or go to a evangelical mega church and see how dishonest the leaders really are. Sadly the followers generally look to these people for guidance and believe what they are told and do not question because they are told questioning is wrong. This goes on in in smaller churches but it's not as rampant and is often honest belief in churches where huge sums of money are not involved... As in most things money rules...

 

its called business tactics. You don't have to use a venue such as a church, just try wall street

[pamela]

This is where I don't believe that you understand Christians, Moontanman (Popoff being one of the exceptions). You have to attend those churches on a regular basis before you can say that you understand the people. Most of the people that I met were very genuine; they truly believe in what they're preaching. Most of them were not dishonest but indoctrinated, which is something altogether different.

i would have to agree. A large number of people i know not just Christians but other religious persuasions as well, have been honest.Most have graciously opened their homes to me, offered me food and when i fell on hard times, offered me money as a gift, not a loan. No expectations-just kindness and love

[Moontanman]

i would have to agree. A large number of people i know not just Christians but other religious persuasions as well, have been honest.Most have graciously opened their homes to me, offered me food and when i fell on hard times, offered me money as a gift, not a loan. No expectations-just kindness and love

 

 

No Pamela, you misread what I said, it's not the followers who are dishonest it's the leaders who use lies and deceit to influence the followers. The followers are generally honest people who have been mislead... The leaders use lies and distortions to keep the followers inline, telling huge lies and misrepresenting anything in the real world that would take away the believers... lying about what science says or does is as much a part of the sermons as the scriptures are and this mind set is universal across all fundamentalist religions, there are more Muslim creationists than christian, lots of Hindu and Seik as well but they all have one thing in common, their scriptures are absolutely true and they misrepresent reality to make it conform to what their holy book says...

 

BTW, because wall street makes money it's the same as fundamentalist preachers lying to their followers to take their money?

[pamela]

No Pamela, you misread what I said, it's not the followers who are dishonest it's the leaders who use lies and deceit to influence the followers. The followers are generally honest people who have been mislead... The leaders use lies and distortions to keep the followers inline, telling huge lies and misrepresenting anything in the real world that would take away the believers... lying about what science says or does is as much a part of the sermons as the scriptures are and this mind set is universal across all fundamentalist religions, there are more Muslim creationists than christian, lots of Hindu and Seik as well but they all have one thing in common, their scriptures are absolutely true and they misrepresent reality to make it conform to what their holy book says...

 

BTW, because wall street makes money it's the same as fundamentalist preachers lying to their followers to take their money?

i didnt misread- my point is people are people whatever position they are in and business is about making money. not sure why you dont get it

[Moontanman]

i didnt misread- my point is people are people whatever position they are in and business is about making money. not sure why you dont get it

 

 

So making millions by misrepresenting religion is ok, I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this...