Originally Posted by Doug (Post 952334)

I remember being sent to a Catholic School in Accrington while a I waited for a place at Green Howarth. On my first day a nice Gentleman ridiculed me by pointing at me a saying to the whole class that I was a none believer, a dirty little prod, I didn't even know what a (F) prod was. I said should I go and wash my hands and the bastard hit me. I was bullied badly for about four months by teachers and kids all of them Catholics.

After I got to Green Howarth a nice teacher call Mrs. H. beat me across the left hand has often as she could, just because I had a bent to write left handed. I was told it was a sign of evil. She was a good Catholic lady.

Many years later when I got married my new mother in law promised me on my wedding day that she would see me cast out of her daughters life and turn my son away from me; and she did. She was a good Catholic lady too.

I haven't clue why they hated me so much…..I never even went to church, I was born there.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 952331)

I don't have a religion.
I understand how some people assume that religion and reincarnation belief neccessarily go together.
They don't - so all this religion talk is off thread.

Originally Posted by mobertol (Post 952389)

As a born sceptic, i'm afraid that the whole reincarnation thing is just another selfish way of thinking you can hang on to life. So much of all religions is about control, power and making money by keeping people living in fear of their own mortality. They are all tied into the very earliest superstitions of man linked to sun worship, fertility and the seasons. The basics of life. We, at an RC school danced round maypoles every year dressed in white for example...there are harvest festivals in churches, Xmas itself being held in the depths of winter is a throw back to ancient pagan festivals which were in place before the Christian church came into being.

People believe all sorts of weird things, that's OK by me a long as they don't try to shove their beliefs down my throat or impose them on the masses. What if Scientology takes over the world? Tom Cruise is a great ambassador for this silliness. We'd all be looking back up to the stars which is what our ancestors did many thousands of years ago....

I'm sceptical about the agenda of the Zeitgeist films but the following is interesting as it shows the links between the main religions and the earliest froms of sun worship -ignore the annoying tones of the voice-over and give it a few moments to get going and you may find it quite surprising....


Zeitgeist - The Movie - 2 of 13 (Part 1 of 3 on Religion) - - YouTube

(As i was writing this, and getting interupted, I see Margaret and Garinda have written again both mentioning spirituality in one way or another. To me spirituality has nothing to do with religion it is a knowing of the self and understanding how the elements that make up our-self can be completed by the others with whom we interact. It is a very personal human thing....as we progress in life we find those around us who compliment who we are and can make us our whole-selves.)

Originally Posted by Benipete (Post 952501)

I'm sure I saw Ena,Minnie and Martha down the pub last night.:alc::drunk::hehetable

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 952498)

If you ever get a visit from a dead person you might change your mind about what you believe.
Belief is better based on personal experience.

.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 952524)

I can't explain my experiences on drugs or alcohol, since I use neither.
Were these 'visits' from identifiable dead persons or just chemical hallucinations?

I have googled info about the pineal gland (centre of the brain) and lo and behold -
Descartes believed in the concept of a 'soul' :D
Descartes and the Pineal Gland (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Some of his beliefs were wild by even my standards :D, so for Gordon to quote him is rather ironic.;)

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 952524)

Descartes believed in the concept of a 'soul' :D
Descartes and the Pineal Gland (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Some of his beliefs were wild by even my standards :D, so for Gordon to quote him is rather ironic.;)

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 952524)

I can't explain my experiences on drugs or alcohol, since I use neither.
Were these 'visits' from identifiable dead persons or just chemical hallucinations?

I have googled info about the pineal gland (centre of the brain) and lo and behold -
Descartes believed in the concept of a 'soul' :D
Descartes and the Pineal Gland (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Some of his beliefs were wild by even my standards :D, so for Gordon to quote him is rather ironic.;)

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 952524)

I can't explain my experiences on drugs or alcohol, since I use neither.
Were these 'visits' from identifiable dead persons or just chemical hallucinations?

I have googled info about the pineal gland (centre of the brain) and lo and behold -
Descartes believed in the concept of a 'soul' :D
Descartes and the Pineal Gland (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Some of his beliefs were wild by even my standards :D, so for Gordon to quote him is rather ironic.;)

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 952535)

It's not uncommon for people with Parkinson's to have hallucinations, before they're diagnosed, and start any drug treatments.

I'm also not suggesting people who see things all have Parkinon's. Just pointing out the common chemical imbalance, in this case can cause visual, and aural hallucinations.

Originally Posted by MargaretR (Post 952524)

I can't explain my experiences on drugs or alcohol, since I use neither.