I am a non Christian. I am a non-religious person. I prefer to chose no religion and examine different religions and why people follow them. I have found a discovery that I would like to share. Its the link between propaganda and Christianity. It seems very simiular. Religion advertises itself the same why any product would. I'll tell you why.

First of all: Name Calling Method - The speaker criticizes a person/product with little or no reason or evidence.
Christians denounce those who are not Christians or make themselves seem superior and non-Christians ignorant because they know 'the truth'.

Reward Method - Promising something in turn for cooperation.
You will go to heaven if you accept God, follow his word, repent and ask for forgiveness.

Glittering Generality -
The story is so attractive that the audience does not challenge it.
It is said God has done a many great things and stories are told and told.. how can it be wrong?

Fear Method - Promising that if cooperation is not met something bad will happen to you.
If you don't follow God, you will be condemned to hell.


Bigger Lie Method - The story is so unbelievable people think it can't possibly be a lie.
How can a story this big and widely known be wrong?

Assertion - An assertion is an enthusiastic or energetic statement presented as a fact, although it is not necessarily true. They often imply that the statement requires no explanation or back up, but that it should merely be accepted without question.
God is the Truth without debate.

There are mnay more... but those are examples.

*sees the first post that KatherineTheGreat wrote, then goes all teary eyed* God, It's good to know I'm not alone in my feelings about the way the christian religion works.

In the beginning christianity was a really pure religion with a good base message but then the original editors of the bible took it apart and put it back together all wrong.

Televangelists also have a huge say in what christianity means to people. Anyone who is too lazy to read the bible or go to church can turn on television to be told by whichever televangelist reaches their area what to think about Jesus and God.

I agree with you totally Letter11x! It's mice to meet someone with an idea about values and a healthy attitude. When people are rude to me, i try with all my heart to dismiss them and say, "i feel sorry for that kid." It's hard to forgive, but when you practice it, it gets easier and you get away from bad situations far more.

Alright, your view and vision of Christianity is wrong and skewed. Really it isn't your fault because there are literally millions of people who call themselves Christian but 1) don't really know God and 2) don't really know what it means to be a Christian. Then you have non-Christians who just add to the pack of lies.
I want to make it clear that a lot of those things you said are true of Christians in addition to the fake Christians. Please, keep in mind that we are all imperfect, we all have faults and failures and we all sin, including Christians. Christianity does not say that Christians are perfect or even better. The difference between Christians and non-Christians is that we have come to God and accepted His love and forgiveness, by believing in Him, and now we have a relationship, through prayer and just living our life for Him, that will never end. When we die we will go to Him, for eternity. When we die we will be free from sin, and made perfect, but until then - we are all human, and weak.
Anyone who denounces non-Christians is not behaving the way God would like them to. Also, note that there is a difference between denouncing sin and denouncing people. I can say that I hate anger; I hate when people get angry, I hate the fact that some of my friends are angry, but I still love the people no matter what, and realize that anger is just something they struggle to control, something that invades and hurts their life, the way other sins damage my life. When people act with hate towards other people, that is not Christian. It comes from pride, and wanting to feel better than other people.
If you are a "Christian" in order to get to heaven, you have missed the point. First of all, heaven is not angels and harps, or a land where you can do anything you want, like most people believe. Heaven is being with God for eternity. Imagine spending as much time as you want with the perosn you love the most, multiply that times infinity, and that is what heaven is. So really the only way to get to heaven is to rebuild your damaged relationship with God - one that has been damaged by all the stupid crap we do - down here. That's how you get to heaven. Obviously, if your only goal is to "make it" to heaven you're really missing the point. It's about being with God.
About the being condemned to hell issue...probably the best way to explain what hell is is to use a silly but catchy quote about it: "The people who go to heaven are the ones who say to God, 'Thy will be done.' The ones who go to hell are the ones to whom God says 'Thy will be done.'" God doesn't want you to go to hell, and true Christians don't either. You have to let Him take you to heaven. He's not going to force any of us.
About the "God is the Truth without debate"...most Christians shouldn't have a problem, and I don't have a problem, with talking about God. But I think a lot of non-Christians think we don't want to "debate" simply because we aren't going to budge. I'll talk to you about it and we can put forht our points, but I'm not going to be able to give and take like in most debates. No matter what other people say, I'm not going to change. Maybe I'll change with some minor issues, but about whether God exists, I already know. It's like someone telling me that my parents don't exist. I know them. I have two-way conversations with them (yes, prayer is a two-way conversation if you let go of what you think and let Him speak to you). I know they exist.

I can understand why some people will not allow themselves to believe in a religion because of propaganda, but I have to remind you that what the religion stands for is not always how the people who believe in it act. Islam is a religion of peace, but we do not see that. Christianity is about peace and salvation, but people can be ridiculously strict and overbearing. Take the religion for what it is, not how it is always interpreted.

Follow up;

Any of you who live in England and who are interested in this topic might like to watch the program 'The Root of All Evil' on Channel FOur with Richard Dawkins. It is about how relgion is the real cause of all evil, I hope to get it recorded.

-I apologise for all those who cannot watch it-

Very interesting point Aguagon, but the imensity of creation is only the first step along the religous path. That is one of the older bits of relgion, the explanation of the creation of the earth, whereas what we are now more interested in is the moral, psychological (sp?) and social sides of relgion. If you want to take the entire religion, there are probably a lot of contradictions., particulaly between the Old and New Testament for example.

Also you are of course assuming that it is the religious idea that religious people accept, but I know many people who are religious and accept the Big bang/Steady state theories.

Also it is possible to know something and not be condescending on any ones point of view.

This post is really going no where...

quote:

Originally posted by relentlessrage:
Most "religious conflict" is actually something more simple, such as land dispute. One great example is how the media tells you that "Islamic extremists have killed four Israelis in Jerusalem in a suicide attack." That CLEARLY sends a message to my brain that its the muslim blowing up the jew, when in fact, it is more like a violent protest to Israel's existance, and has nothing to do with religion.

Yes, the whole thing with Israel is a land dispute, but if you don't recognize that religion plays a huge part in that, you're closing your eyes. The Muslims want to occupy Israel because they, like the Jews, believe it is a holy land. Plus, due to centuries old prejudices against Jews due to skewed interpretation of the Islamic faith, the Jews are the absolute last people they want occupying that land. So yes, it's a land dispute. A land dispute fired by religion.

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that even if no religion outright preaches intolerance, intolerance will naturally make its way into the discourse of things. How can you genuinely know you're right about something of the magnitude of the earth's creation while still somehow recognizing other's opinions on it as "equal?"

Not a single one major religion (to account for religions such as satanism) says to hate another religion, every single one says to love your brothers, even if they are a different religion. It is a human idea to be prejiduce. Most "religious conflict" is actually something more simple, such as land dispute. One great example is how the media tells you that "Islamic extremists have killed four Israelis in Jerusalem in a suicide attack." That CLEARLY sends a message to my brain that its the muslim blowing up the jew, when in fact, it is more like a violent protest to Israel's existance, and has nothing to do with religion.

You must not forget either, that the three monotheistic religions all worship the same god. It really does sicken me when a Christian calls a Jew evil. Believe me ive heard it. I've also heard a Lutheran Christian call a Catholic evil because he worshipped Mary and not god. The human interpretation is huge when it comes to criticizing others.

The quesitonable title aside, this is a great thread.

I'd like to submit the idea that you can't honestly believe you know the basic outline of how the world was created without becoming arrogant. It's one of the things that's troubled me for a long time. Unless you take the teachings of the Bible completely methaphorically and symbolically (and my hats off to you if you do), how can you really "respect other religions" if you know--or even passionately think--that you've got it right? Even if you believe all those who do good in their lives will go to heaven regardless of their religion, how on earth can such a belief system not lead to condescension?

so do all religions send out propaganda like your thread title implies? and if so, please do tell me how ths fits in with buddhism and the confucious religion. how does it tie in with wicca?

The thing is that the "most Christians" you are referring to don't really follow what the religion is supposed to teach.

As for the Name Calling Method - well, that's what I mean. People who are truly Christian (not just those who call themselves such) do not "denounce those who are not Christians or make themselves seem superior..." In fact, we are taught to be humble and kind to all, whether they believe what we believe or not. I do not look down upon others of different faiths but learn from them without following what they believe.

You make several good points, WorthWaitingFor. I picked on Christianity because its the religion I am most familiar with. I do recognize that other religions share the same faults. I am trying to be non-religious and not anti-christian (I won't deny that I have battered christianity quite alot..). I am not bitter towards religion at all, I just prefer to look at all religions and point out what I think are faults and see what others say about them. Sometimes people prove me wrong and what I point out aren't faults at all, but thats why I throw them out there. I know that this is certainly not what all Christians believe, but I am looking at what I mostly see, the majority. I am open to the fact I may be wrong.
Also, with the name calling thing... I don't understand how you can say that Christians don't do this. They constantly talk about knowing and teaching others 'the truth'. This doesn't outright say it.. but isn't that basically saying people are unaware of 'the truth' and therefore ignorant?

First I am Catholic I will now say what I know in response to the above accusations

quote:

First of all: Name Calling Method - The speaker criticizes a person/product with little or no reason or evidence.
Christians denounce those who are not Christians or make themselves seem superior and non-Christians ignorant because they know 'the truth'.

Nope some idiotd (fundamenatilits/televangelists do this they are not christain nore is nay one who does as such.

quote:

Reward Method - Promising something in turn for cooperation.
You will go to heaven if you accept God, follow his word, repent and ask for forgiveness.

Nope at least not with me I belive that all you need to do to go to heaven is live a good life

quote:

Fear Method - Promising that if cooperation is not met something bad will happen to you.
If you don't follow God, you will be condemned to hell.

Not as far as I know God will forgive just about anybody

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Bigger Lie Method - The story is so unbelievable people think it can't possibly be a lie.
How can a story this big and widely known be wrong?

I just don't get this one but I question the bible all the time.

quote:

Assertion - An assertion is an enthusiastic or energetic statement presented as a fact, although it is not necessarily true. They often imply that the statement requires no explanation or back up, but that it should merely be accepted without question.
God is the Truth without debate.

We belive this to be true and we are just stating our beleifs ike any other religion

quote:

True, Christians promote this because this is what we believe. I would also like to point out that Islam offers Nirvana.

The difference being that Christians believe that only chrisitans can get into heaven. Islam and other religions do not require that you be that specific religion.

It's easy to focus on christianity because it is most well known but there are problems with other religions aswell.

One thing I have discovered - if you are going to call yourself "non-religious" please don't be completely "anti-Christian." They are not the same.

quote:

Christians denounce those who are not Christians or make themselves seem superior and non-Christians ignorant because they know 'the truth'.

Some people who call themselves Christian. Surely you are aware that Christians don't do this.

quote:

You will go to heaven if you accept God, follow his word, repent and ask for forgiveness.

True, Christians promote this because this is what we believe. I would also like to point out that Islam offers Nirvana.

quote:

It is said God has done a many great things and stories are told and told.. how can it be wrong?

Unfortunately for this particular argument - TONS and TONS of people challenge the Bible/God/etc. all the damn time. It gets tiresome defending myself constantly, in fact.

quote:

If you don't follow God, you will be condemned to hell.

Again, not all Christians believe this. Most do (duh) but a lot don't. And, again, I would like to point out that in Buddhism your punishment is being reincarnated into something lower like a beetle or a piece of dung.

quote:

How can a story this big and widely known be wrong?

Right, but it is not widely known in Asia. Islam is widely known in Asia.



What I am trying to point out is that you should not simply pinpoint Christianity. The first thing you state is "I am non Christian." You then say that Christianity and propaganda are linked. And then you say, "Religion advertises itself..." Your title is "Religion - Propaganda." But your entire focus is on Christianity. And you generalize the entire time as well.

So, don't assume that all Christians are like this/all Christians believe all of this. And don't simply focus on one religion when other religions are just as "guilty."

Hurrah for freethinking!