Who is God?

AL is on - you have done it again. That comment does sound as if you are having an indirect go at some unspecified person. This is a good example of why you get adverse reactions to some posts.
I hope this comment is helpful.

I am not at all sure that that analogy holds. China is a completely secular state with appalling poverty, while in the USA there is a much greater affiliation of the
population to churches of all persuasions and descriptions. There is certainly greater inequality there than in some European states, but it's certainly 'the West'.

Thank you for saying that, jess. I thought so too but was too scared to say so.

True, micelf, but poverty in the States is nothing like poverty in many African countries, or South American ones. There is still masses of superstition in China even if the government is technically secular. By the way, the government in the Us is technically secualr as well, though it's hard to believe sometimes. More secular than our government, actually, at least in theory.

Sorry, spelled your name wrong, miceElf

Bags, I fully appreciate that for you and some others, holding a religious belief and superstitious practices are one and the same. But I don't share that view. Developed theologies have moved far beyond that place and demythologising happened a long time ago.

Can you tell me more about demythology, please, MiceElf. That's another term that is new to me.

Oh, by the way, I don't believe religious belief and superstitious practices are the same. Religious belief and superstitious beliefs, maybe. Practices are quite apart from beliefs.

The poverty in China can be blamed on the government rather than on the superstition (ie Buddhism and Confucianism!!!) of the population. Then there are the examples of N Korea, Cambodia, Russia and Ukraine under the Stalinist regime, all strictly (aggressively) secular.

Thank you Granny 23 for your appreciative comment, and for seeing that I hoped that my experience may help others.

The date was around the late1940s (48) , and there were no counsellors to "talk you through it" then - you just got on with it ,or over it!
And JO4, If you insulted me(?) I don't recall it, but thanks for the apology. I don't take offence too easily. Life is too short and meant to be "enjoyed!

I've read most of the postings and was amazed and surprised at the amount of emotion that was aroused. And I didn't blame it on PMT!!

I really hope that any "wounds and bruises" are speedily forgotten and forgiven! Carrying vengeful thoughts only poisons ones self!

Thank you all for letting me use your Magazine , which I really enjoy.
Except when folks seem to be tearing at each others throats!
But then,after all. I'm just a bloke in a womans world!

For the Ladies - [flowers[

Sorry Jess but would you not agree that some people find it hard? I know several, mostly men (ducks from Gramps) who never admit they got anything wrong.

I think there might be some confusion over the difference between whatever politics drives the countries you mention, lily, with secularism which, from what I have read about it, strives to be apolitical as well as areligious.

What you say appears correct on the surface but secularism does not, in itself, bring about repressive regimes – that is done by extreme politics of the left and right. The gradually increasing secularisation of much of Europe over the last century (still going on) has resulted in greater equality in the same countries.

I don't think anyone on the latter part of this thread understands what anyone else is saying, except of course the 'usual suspects' who will always be on the same wavelength.

So I will say no more. Except that, if Gransnet HQ want to delete any of my posts they are quite welcome to do so.

Bags, I'm off out now. I'll try to answer tomorrow. And I'll try to be succinct, but no promises!

Yes of course I would agree with you if we were chatting face to face. But when you write something like that in a forum it is not at all surprising to me that some people think "Does she mean me?"
Can you not see that?

The thread continues because we are trying to understand, jings. Not everything, of course, but more than we did before.

gramps, you are very wise not to blame anything on PMT on this site! Most of us (not all!) are well beyond that stage of our lives, thank goodness.

PMT????!!!!!!

Where was that brought up!

Whatever Bags.

Might as well talk to the hands, the heads sure as hell aren't listening.

Well, only the ones that want to agree with each other.

No - I don't think I insulted you Gramps! I just didn't thank you for the poem, which was actually rather nice.

gramps don't overdo the 'mere male' please, it doesn't become you!

gramps mentioned PMT jingl - don't blame me!

Jess I'm sorry but my intention was to complement you, not to refer to anyone else. DH has a great problem with admitting he is wrong and so do several other men I know. If I had been referring to GN I would have said so but I didn't. Its like the reference to me having a go at atheists, I didn't, I simply made a defence of some Christians but I was still falsely accused. I would be much happier if people could just take posts at their face value and not read things into what isn't there.

Off to the theatre now.

I didn't blame you Anagram! I just hadn't read that particular post. (Not that I've read many of the others. Aren't they long?! )

Speak for yourself, jings. I'm listening as well as talking. [humph empticon] Haha! empticon, is probably better!