Catholics are crazy to send their kids to monasteries.

**Ramakrishna** · 02 October 2011, 10:59 PM

Namaste,

Originally Posted by sm78

I never understand the Irish - why are they so much pre-occupied with this absurd faith. The rest of europe has kind of moved on. Yes, christianity remains the main religion, but its impact on day-to-day life, thoughts and culture are close to null.

Originally Posted by sunyata07

SM78, yes - the collective samskaras of this country's obsession with Catholicism are embedded deep in the Irish psyche. The people on this island are a naturally religious, if not pious, people. It's just a pity it happened to be Catholicism they followed. It will probably take decades to subside, but I'm happy to report that it is gradually eroding. People have people greatly disillusioned with the Catholic Church. Their deceit, cowardice, and megalomania have finally come to the awareness of many people. I really hope it marks a change in the consciousness of all Catholics in the future.

Indeed, while Catholicism is still pretty ingrained in Ireland, Sunyata is right that the Irish are gradually moving away from it. I would assume most of those people are just abandoning religion altogether and becoming atheist/agnostic, but a growing number of people are also attempting to go back to the religion of their ancestors and embracing Druidry and other forms of paganism/neo-paganism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Druidism
http://druidry.org/

Jai Sri Ram

**shantiseeker** · 03 October 2011, 06:29 AM

How many older adults do I know tell me the story of the nuns in grade school who were nasty to them? The whole crack the ruler on their knuckles deal. Or people who were left handed forced to write with their right hand? Absurdity. But it's not all RC either. Although in many ways, I just consider some of the other Christian denominations just RC Lite. The RC Church is loaded with money. Just the Vatican alone is testament to that. Of course, here in the US, we have these huge megachurches that are their own slick deal too, some with cafes in them and all, multi-million dollar structures. I'm suspicious of all of that and where funding like that comes from. So much of the overall Christian churches are just a big ball of corruption that cause pain to others, like the damnation preaching, which is just EMOTIONAL abuse to its members, and then the judgmental ones taking it to outsiders too. Like a church sign I saw this summer: You think it's hot HERE??? Nice, real nice.

**sunyata07** · 03 October 2011, 01:25 PM

Like a church sign I saw this summer: You think it's hot HERE??? Nice, real nice.

If that isn't your typical Xtian scaremongering, I don't know what is. Can't remember where I saw this, but I recall seeing a public television fundraiser where some minister was asking viewers to call in and donate lots of money so that they could... - wait for it - pray for their souls, and the souls of their kids, grandkids, etc. It was like the selling of indulgences! You could literally buy your way into heaven, and this wasn't from hundreds of years ago. This was just on television a while back. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. I feel sorry for people who believe that kind of stuff.

Om namah Shivaya

**shantiseeker** · 03 October 2011, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by sunyata07

If that isn't your typical Xtian scaremongering, I don't know what is. Can't remember where I saw this, but I recall seeing a public television fundraiser where some minister was asking viewers to call in and donate lots of money so that they could... - wait for it - pray for their souls, and the souls of their kids, grandkids, etc. It was like the selling of indulgences! You could literally buy your way into heaven, and this wasn't from hundreds of years ago. This was just on television a while back. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. I feel sorry for people who believe that kind of stuff.

Om namah Shivaya

INDEED! Terrible how they think that's "spreading the gospel" of a "loving God". Yeah, right. What a contradiction. Love and condemnation. When I see such signs, I just roll my eyes and keep going. The only people who respond to such drivel are 1. other fundies who are narrow like-minded saying, "yeah!", or 2. People that just have to laugh at the joke that people like that take themselves seriously. I get miffed at first, and then laugh at it like, have fun living your petty life of fear. signs like that don't affect the common public-it's just ignored and doesn't spawn fear. The fear comes to the "believers", not people like me.

**devotee** · 03 October 2011, 08:56 PM

Namaste Sunyata,

Originally Posted by sunyata07

If that isn't your typical Xtian scaremongering, I don't know what is. Can't remember where I saw this, but I recall seeing a public television fundraiser where some minister was asking viewers to call in and donate lots of money so that they could... - wait for it - pray for their souls, and the souls of their kids, grandkids, etc. It was like the selling of indulgences! You could literally buy your way into heaven, and this wasn't from hundreds of years ago. This was just on television a while back. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. I feel sorry for people who believe that kind of stuff.

Your post reminded me of a Christian family in India whose entire family is engaged in this profitable business. They have earned billions of Indian Rupees with such propaganda. People are made to believe that God will shower His blessings on them if they simply accept any of the family members as the mediator ! People sell their belongings, lands and donate to the family. Each one of that family is a highly blessed soul with direct contact with God.

I don't know what the truth is. But I smell something fishy ...

OM