My other guitarist pulls a "HEAD"

[eleven59]

I consider myself basically a Christian/Catholic as it's the basis of my beliefs, though I don't really stick to one specific branch of Christianity, or even religion. I also don't go to church except for special occasions (weddings, funerals, etc.). I went to Catholic school all the way from gr. 1 through high school. I went to a pentecostal youth group for a while because the pastor was really open minded and it wasn't really preachy or anything, it was just a bunch of people hanging out and having a good time. He got fired for his acceptance of others and the place went downhill from there so I stopped going. I made a lot of great friends there who I haven't seen since because most of them don't want anything to do with someone who has left the church.

My personal favorite was getting yelled at for playing secular music with the rest of the band there (I played guitar for a bit, then bass for a while, and drums for a couple weeks) when we'd jam on stuff like Foo Fighters or whatever we all knew off-hand. But when I'd bust out Tool's "Schism", no one knew what it was but me and my friends We weren't even allowed to play any CDs that weren't on a Christian label, even if the band was Christian, or the messages were all positive.

 

[The Dark Wolf]

I consider myself basically a Christian/Catholic as it's the basis of my beliefs, though I don't really stick to one specific branch of Christianity, or even religion. I also don't go to church except for special occasions (weddings, funerals, etc.). I went to Catholic school all the way from gr. 1 through high school. I went to a pentecostal youth group for a while because the pastor was really open minded and it wasn't really preachy or anything, it was just a bunch of people hanging out and having a good time. He got fired for his acceptance of others and the place went downhill from there so I stopped going. I made a lot of great friends there who I haven't seen since because most of them don't want anything to do with someone who has left the church.

My personal favorite was getting yelled at for playing secular music with the rest of the band there (I played guitar for a bit, then bass for a while, and drums for a couple weeks) when we'd jam on stuff like Foo Fighters or whatever we all knew off-hand. But when I'd bust out Tool's "Schism", no one knew what it was but me and my friends We weren't even allowed to play any CDs that weren't on a Christian label, even if the band was Christian, or the messages were all positive.

Man, I was raised in that crap (although my parents have always been REAL open-minded, even if we all had those beliefs). Mind control, pure and simple, mixed with a deluded, dogmatic view of the world that isn't in any way based on reason, logic, or empiriscism.

It would be very cool to do a documentary on fundamentalist Christianity, al ala 'Supersize Me' or 'The Corporation' (Or one of my Favorites, 'Fahrenheit 911', but that seems to polarize people. I wondeR why! )

Well, politics and religion in one thread. If this was jemsite, I'd be askeered.

 

[macalpine88]

One thing that i have noticed is my one friend who has gone to christain school his whole life up until 9th grade wont do anything with me because of my non christian life style. He has never openly admitted it but i got the message after holloween last year when he told me we were going to a haunted house and it just so happened to be church related. We did that night jam until about 1:30 am and on our way home he asked me if i would like to go to church with him and i declined.after that moment i have only talked to him in school and everytime i ask him to do something he declines and makes up an excuse. I thought that maybe that was the case but 9 months later he has yet to have a free day and his time always seems to be occupied. Kman him and I planned that june 7th we were going to miss the last day of school and go buy octavarium. It was all planned and that night he said he had to stay home and help his mom. so us 2 just ended up going. Sorry that was a long and boring story but my point is somepeople should really be more open minded and quite being GIANT DOUCHES

 

[Toshiro]

I went to catholic school for a few years. Now I'm an athiest.

 

[The Dark Wolf]

I went to catholic school for a few years. Now I'm an athiest.

I'm not an athiest, but I generally like and agree with athiests much more than Christians. Go figure.

 

[Digital Black]

I went to hardcore catholic grade and high school--after I realized I had been brainwashed, I became Agnostic. I have only this year fully embraced that state..

 

[Metal Ken]

I can same the same, except i've dove heavily into the occult. Once i broke free from the confines of fear and 'hell' and whatnot, i feel more free now than ever before. Go figure.

 

[jski7]

The way I figure it , we're all in hell right now .

 

[MyOwnEffigy]

Religion is the whole reason I'm not religious. I've been an Atheist since middle school. I normally tired of hearing "we're right, they're wrong." all the time. Religion was supposedly to be a personal endeavor, not the same for any two people. So what if others were different? That was my take on the matter. I don't pressure anyone to follow me in Atheism, its kind of hard, I nary have a book to consult for "the ways of the Atheist." The only thing that bugs me more than a demonizing Christian is an Agnostic. To be Agnostic, to me, is a fear of commitment, a commitmetn on a very personal level. No one will butt heads with you if you say you're an Atheist for a while and change back. Or likewise with Christians or Pagans.

You can't let a musician dictate the cohesiveness of the band based wholly on something that is personal. It is always personal. No two people are going to believe exactly the same thing, the idea in and of itself is contrived. Tell him you're going to live a good life, which should be enough. So long as you're treating others OK, I think you'll be fine in the end. That's always been my thoughts. And considering the way he's treating you? I have no doubt that if there is a hell, he'll be there for being so ignorant and lacking compassion for his fellow man. That's the truth of it all, from my perspective anyways. I say it often, but I'll say it again for those unfamilar: What the heck do I honestly know? I'm just some guy.

-Steve

 

[Metal Ken]

It goes deeper than that. In strong religious circles, there is a distrust for anything secular. The idea is that if your music is not praising Christ's name, what is it good for? The meaning of life to a serious Christian is all in praise of God. It's an odd mentality, but one that is very prevalent.

I frickin hate that. thats why i dont go to church or believe in that..
I've got a jacket with a testament patch on there, and people ask me "is that a christian band?" and im thinking "GODDAMMIT!"

But i read once-- Once your band picks a alligiance (Whatever it is, religion, whatever), music becomes secondary. thats how i feel about non-secular music...heh.

 

[The Dark Wolf]

The only thing that bugs me more than a demonizing Christian is an Agnostic. To be Agnostic, to me, is a fear of commitment, a commitmetn on a very personal level. No one will butt heads with you if you say you're an Atheist for a while and change back. Or likewise with Christians or Pagans.

-Steve

Huh? Agnostics are generally no where near as judgemental and condescending as the hardcore "demonizing Christian" (Of which I've met many. And I've also met really great Christians (usually non-church-goers)).

Agnostiscism represents a logical choice. Can one prove or disprove God? Not really. It's not a fear, I would say, but a recognizing the limits and fallabilty of humanity.

 

[Metal Ken]

I think he's saying that its kinda like giving up. Its easier to just not make a decision. that kinda thing.

 

[The Dark Wolf]

I think he's saying that its kinda like giving up. Its easier to just not make a decision. that kinda thing.

Oh, I know what he's saying. I just don't think it's er... accurate, completely. But! It's all subjective anyway.

 

[Shannon]

Before I start this rant, you should know I'm a tad inebriated. What the hell? I had fun at a METAL show tonite.

OK, I consider myself full-on Agnostic. To me, that means: I know there's a higher being than us....I just can't tell you who or what it is. Is that being a pacifist? Hell no! It just means it'll take more than a BOOK to prove it to me.

When I was a teenager, I got sucked into all this religious shit! I'm talking about "borderline" religious cultism. During my stint, I realized everyone in the church was judgemental as fuck! After about a year of this, I started doing this really bizarre thing I like to call.....<wait for it>...THINKING! I soon discovered that ORGANIZED religion is not all it's cracked up to be. I left the church & for the next 2 years (and I'm not making this up), the church called me and came to my house twice a week trying to suck me back in.

Fast forward to my college years....

I went to school on a full-scholarship to obtain a a double major. I studied Music (what got me the scholarship) & HISTORY education. Those history courses taught me to evaluate everything. Anything written in a history book is subject to a certain level of exaggeration based upon who wrote it. The Bible is a history book. Nothing more. In other words, the Bible should be taken with a grain of salt. Take from it what you will, but don't base your life on it. As with any good book, magazine, whatever...you can learn some good morale values, but it's not the "be all, end all" of how life should be dictated. I mean honestly, does everyone believe all that David Copperfield shit that's in there?

Bottom line, look at everything around you. Find the things that make sense to you & let those be your morals. No one book should dictate your life. There is something bigger than all of us, but I think it's better to just be a good person & live your life well. No one book can teach you that.

<flame on>

 

[Vince]

nothing to flame about, that was a solid post all-around, inebriated or not.

 

[Shannon]

It's been 7 hours since my last post & I can safely say I stand by it. Hell, I'm amazed how much sense I made, even when I was 3 sheets to the wind. I should be a speech writer. SHANNON FOR PRESIDENT 2008! Can I get an "Amen"?!?!?

And before I leave ya, here's a statement that rings very true for me...

"Mankind got it all wrong by taking a good idea and building a belief structure out of it.” -- Rufus, the 13th Apostle (from the movie, Dogma)

 

[Laren]

I also used to play the intro to "Go to Hell" by Megadeth sometimes before and during mass. It's absolutely beautiful on an acoustic guitar, and no one ever knew

You're pure evil you are!

 

[Vince]

SHANNON FOR PRESIDENT 2008! Can I get an "Amen"?!?!?

Since I wasn't a big fan of either of the last two guys running, I'll back ya.

 

[Shannon]

Since I wasn't a big fan of either of the last two guys running, I'll back ya.

SWEET! My campaign slogan will be...

"Making America FUN again! Hookers & beer for everyone!"

 

[jtm45]

If you get in Shannon with policies like that i think i'll be moving to the U.S.