Hypocrite?

I am not an atheist, I am an agnostic - which means I do not know, and I do not believe anyone else knows the answers to the big questions. People take different routes in the face of this "not-knowing": you can embrace it as part of the human condition and try and lead a good life (my position); or you can search for answers via science (I am not a scientist, but listen to their evidence); or you can search for supernatural answers. I shy well away from the latter as we know where that has led: wars, repression, intolerance, fundamentalism, evangelism, interference with other cultures etc.

Because religion deals in fundamentals it is hard for it not to drift towards fundamentalism, which I define as a desire to make others believe as you do - e.g. by adding a bible to parcel of gifts.

As I have said before on another thread, I have many close friends who are Christians (and 3 of them are vicars) but we feel no "animosity" and neither they nor I seek to influence the others' beliefs, which is as it should be.

Freddie Mercury, Mozart, Kipling.

Yep. Must be a "main religion" then.

That too. Or read 'Just so stories'.

@JO4 : "Zoroastrianism???
My God! You must have searched the web well for that one."

Or watched The Magic Flute...

jeni yes and yes.

Freddie Mercury

That's alright then.

Point taken Bags and absentgrana

Zoroastrianism is older than Christianity! They believe in towers of silence. Wasn't it originally Persian?

I've been to Lourdes. My father took the family there when we touring round s France. He was a GP and I think curious.
The whole family were moved by the experience even my atheist mother!
Incidentally, I had an extremely bad attack of asthma while I was there and my little brother discovered he liked sphaggetti!
The whole atmosphere was very emotionally charged and I could well imagine its effect on susceptible people!

The late great Freddie Mercury was a Zoroastrian. Not so obscure!

Zoroastrianism???

My God! You must have searched the web well for that one.

Sorry Bags, you already mentioned Hindus.

Sikhism, Jainism, Baha'i, Hinduism, Shinto, Zoroastrianism? Probably more.

I'm glad there are christians who don't feel comfortable with a bible being put into a box of gifts for children. It's not really a children's book anyway. Just as books about atheism are not childrens' books. I would feel equally uneasy about an atheist book being put into a box of gifts for children. Adults too, actually, unless they asked.

It's ok Ana.

I like your post, barrow, but beg leave to take gentle issue with the phrase about "The main religions" believing in the same god. You are right that Judaism, Christianity and Islam all have the same god, but I think Hindus might not like to be excluded from the list of "main" religions. Even Buddhism can be counted too, though I know there are arguments that it is not a religion.

Just saying

That is so true Barrow. "No one really knows for sure".

jingl, you asked why invalids went there, and what they could find there that wasn't in their own church or their own home. I didn't mean to sound patronising - sorry!

I'm not even saying Bernadette didn't see the Virgin Mary there.

There are more things in heaven and earth...............

But it's not for children.

I have to say, as a Christian, I am uncomfortable with putting a Bible in a box of gifts. By all means label the box as coming from a Christian organisation. These boxes are sent to people (usually children) with very little and I would prefer the space to be taken up by some tangible product.

I have always said the Bible was written by men, interpreting the word of God and as such I don't accept it as literal, more of a guide.

Why can't the belief of evolution and the creation go hand in hand. The Bible says God created the world in 6 days. However, we have no idea how long each day was. Is it not conceivable that God started the process by initiating the Big Bang and then guided the evolution over many many years. At the time the Bible was written the idea of such a long period of time would have been difficult to comprehend so the men of the time used a period of time easily understood by people.

I would add these are only my own thoughts.

The main religions all believe in the same God, merely choosing to worship in different ways. Yes, there are other religions which believe in several Gods and I respect their belief, just as I respect the opinion of those who do not believe in any God. They may be correct and I may be wrong - no-one really knows for sure.

I can understand adults going there if they find some comfort from it. But I just do not think it is a good idea for children.

As I have said previously.

I have never been to Lourdes but I have heard from enough people who have and feel they have benefitted to believe there must be something special about the place - look at what grannyactivist says in a post on this thread. Greatnan I don't think that I've ever said anything derogatory about any other religion. I don't presume to understand the mind of God or the workings of the Holy Spirit.

Ana I do know that!!! I am fully aware of the "history" behind Lourdes.

Some years ago, while visiting friends who live in the area I went to Lourdes, because it was nearby.
It was crowded and horribly over-commercialized.
People were queueing up to fill multi-gallon containers with the water that emerged from several taps, they were then trundling these away on trolleys, presumably to 'sell-on'.
Several shops did sell nasty plastic containers too.
A man was clearing away barely lit candles to make room for the new ones that had just been sold. Some were very large and hence very expensive. I seem to remember that you handed over your candle and wondered exactly how many of these would actually be lit.
It was difficult to watch seriously ill people being trundled around, some on hospital trolleys. I tried to look away.
Having said all that, there was an oasis of calm as people sat (and some prayed) near the grotto.
Absentgranna choosing my own 'charity' whilst popping in a token amount to please my friend would have been my response, for what it is worth.

jingl, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes is a place of mass pilgrimage from Europe and other parts of the world. The spring water from the grotto is believed by some to possess healing properties. That's what they go for - the 'healing' waters.