petslave2b
Posts: 33
Joined: 4/4/2009 Status: offline
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Going to church (temple, whatever) makes someone a follower, whether they are the preist (or equivilent) or in the crowd. Being religious makes one a follower, even if a person is a cult leader. "Your question is too vague to answer." It all depends on who is answering. "You are going to have to ask intelligent questions if you want intelligent answers, donkey boy." LaTigresse, That is not true. One can ask very intelligent questions and get bombarded by imbeciles, or an idiotic question can elicit intelligent responses. The quality of the response is inevitably determined by who is giving it. "As a Jew it makes me equal. The rabbi is not needed to interpret my prayers and make them acceptable to God. He isn't needed to have a service. All we need are ten adults, one of whom knows the liturgy well enough to lead the service. " DesFIP, But doesn't that make you a follower? Following the rituals, need a group, and needing a leader. A leader who knows the rituals well enough to lead you in your following of the faith? Without the beat of the drum you would stand still. Thoughout history the easiest method of leading people to any action is through faith (some would say fear is the greatest motivator, but all faith is based on fear, ignorance and desire, and those three together are far greater than any one alone). "I am a follower of Christ's teachings. The leader < Pastor > of my church is a follower of Christ's teachings. I am not a follower of the leader < Pastor>. That makes us equal." maybemaybenot, Doesn't that make you all followers, equally? "I fail to understand the correlation to faith and your place in this world as far as leader or follower. " impishlilhellcat, It's quite simple, faith equals follower. Faith by definition does not encourage leadership, it requires following out of date doctrines invented by societies with which you have absolutely nothing in common. Also history shows us that while we progress as a species, religions stagnate until they are dragged into modern times under the threat of extinction. Faith follows humanity, and anyone following faith is therefore a long way behind. Behind, but with lots of company. "If I don't go to church what does it make me?" windchymes, Anything from slightly less of a follower to a leader, or an independant individual. "It makes you a believer in your religion..nothing more nothing less. " littlewonder, Pretty shallow, and defensive too. Belief in religion makes one a follower by definition. Especially if one is simply a member of the mythology they were raised in. At least those who chose their own religion had to exercise some independant thought, not enough, but some.
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