People who suddenly "find religion"

[Al Swearegen]

The thing that the religious need to appreciate (and really it ought not be a huge concession), religion is non-elvoving dogma. It is encapsulated in the Bronze/Iron Age. The morals/ethics/culture are fairly much non-flexible (word of God is at best needing translating or interpreting BUT if they say in some passage gays are bad then it can only be up for question how bad) and we are, in effect, having a Bronze Aged conversation in the Space Age. Quaint.

[Parts]

Maybe we should start building our spaceships out of bronze

[odeon]

The thing that the religious need to appreciate (and really it ought not be a huge concession), religion is non-elvoving dogma. It is encapsulated in the Bronze/Iron Age. The morals/ethics/culture are fairly much non-flexible (word of God is at best needing translating or interpreting BUT if they say in some passage gays are bad then it can only be up for question how bad) and we are, in effect, having a Bronze Aged conversation in the Space Age. Quaint.

True. There might be different factions, though, interpreting the dogma differently.

['andersom']

Read an article yesterday about Chinese student congregations in Europe. Apparently 10% of Chinese exchange students in the Netherlands joins a Chinese Christian congregation. Mainly for social reasons. But also for a different view on life. They do not come for the free meal, most Chinese students have enough to spend, being an only child and supported massively by their parents. Some say that church is the first place where they find another meaning in life than excelling and earning lots of money and making parents proud. Some come to understand western society and it's history better. Some students are regular visitors out of curiosity and wanting contact. But quite a few of the students do convert and take this new religion home.

Chinese government is dreading this a bit, because of the social contact. Not only a social structure within their own country, a social setting the government cannot control. Also a social network that goes across borders.

[Gopher Gary]

I've heard about prisoners on death row finding religion.

Just in the nick of time. 

[odeon]

I've heard about prisoners on death row finding religion.

Just in the nick of time. 

Which is why it happens in the first place, I suppose. They grasp at straws.

['andersom']

I've heard about prisoners on death row finding religion.

Just in the nick of time. 

That reminds me of the most creepy funeral I ever attended. Neighbour had just gotten baptised in a very happy flappy Caribbean community. Then he planted his motorcycle in a truck on a very foggy morning.

There was no place for grief at the service. Only joy that he had taken the highway to heaven at massive speed. As neighbours we almost wanted to leave the place. His relatives were devastated. His parents were not allowed to take leave the way they needed for their grieving, because he had been promoted to utter glory.

[odeon]

"Caribbean community"? Explain.

['andersom']

A pentecostal community of people from the Caribbean in the Netherlands.

[Jack]

A pentecostal community of people from the Caribbean in the Netherlands.

Not sure why that reads as so funny.

[Yuri Bezmenov]

A pentecostal community of people from the Caribbean in the Netherlands.

Not sure why that reads as so funny.

It would be funnier if it was a colony of midgets.   

[odeon]

A pentecostal community of people from the Caribbean in the Netherlands.

Not sure why that reads as so funny.

I'd say bizarre.

[Parts]

I found some religion the other day while I was out walking the dog but it was dirty so I didn't pick it up

[odeon]

People drop their religions when they are done with them.

[Icequeen]

I only pick up 14k gold or silver religions...you never know where they've been though...always best to wash your hands.