Interesting video series on what different Christian denominations believe

[Underseer]

Sample video from the series:



The above is an overview of what Seventh Day Adventists believe. The video starts with a discussion of how difficult it was to find out what they actually believe. There's surprisingly little in writing, apparently.

The denomination was founded by people who kept making end-of-the-world predictions that kept turning out to be false.

One thing this video series has taught me: the more I learn about the details of what theists believe, the harder it is for me to understand why anyone would take those claims seriously in the first place. Why did Miller still have followers after his first end-of-world prediction failed? How did he hold on to enough followers for enough time for other "prophets" to arise?

How wrong do religious leaders have to be before followers will question their truth claims?

 

[James Brown]

Heard a quote by Jeremy Beahan:

Being taught about only one religion equals indoctrination.

Being taught about multiple religions equals inoculation.

 

[WAB]

People believe what makes them the most comfortable. Theists are not the only irrational believers in the world.

My brother believes all women are markedly less intelligent and less moral than men. He believes that because his wife cheated on him. I mean, how could any woman who was intelligent and moral sleep around on a man who was such a big alpha-god like himself? She must be stupid, and immoral, right? And, since my brother is pretty stupid, he thinks that since one woman cheated, ALL women cheat. He is so blind to reality that he doesn't even think about the fact that men also cheat. If pushed, he'll say that when men cheat, it's because their spouse or girlfriend is also cheating - or he'll just bring up the alpha-god theory: alphas are hard-wired to fuck as many women as they can, and they have the natural right to do it.

He also believes that all beta males are stupid, need to be kept in lock-step by some kind of authority figure, and are also complete "pussies." I'm the beta in this case and I have the horrible misfortune of living with him since I am not in a financial position to leave and set up house on my own.

Some people are comfortable believing that other races are inferior. Why, I don't exactly know, but I imagine it has a lot to do with upbringing, or insecurity. When you're not too sure of yourself, it's comforting to impute inferiority to whole other groups of people. It's probably mostly a holdover from our common tribal roots, as is religion, and certain codes of morality.

 

[WAB]

Sorry for the derail.

To address your last question, U:

Having experienced religious feelings, so much so that I've written hymns and poems to God, I can say that there is a lot of guilt involved. People who have placed a great deal of faith in God, or in the case of the 7thDA vid you posted, God and a self-proclaimed prophet, will require a great deal of convincing to have their beliefs shaken.

Each and every prediction that is wrong is merely more proof that God works in mysterious ways and that it is foolhardy to try and second guess the Big Guy. Even if someone were to predict the right day, all God would have to do is change the day. I am trying to project myself into the 7thDA mindset, and I suppose that's what I'd tell myself. I might even think: one day my prophet's prediction will turn out to be correct, and then everyone will know that he really is a prophet, and all of his detractors will be shown to be fools. Etc, etc. Rationalizations up the ying-yang.

I mentioned guilt above. It takes something of an effort for me to remain firmly entrenched in agnosticism (which I am fairly sure will make it's way back to atheism - I was an atheist my whole life save for a few brief years cheering for the other side). Why? Because of guilt, and a persistent sense of ingratitude.

I ask myself: What if God really did draw me to Him? Wow, if that's the case, I am acting like a major putz by being so ungrateful as to now shrug it off and go back to disbelief.

But that feeling is fleeting, since I can always say: well, if a being as powerful as God really did call me to him, there is precious little chance that I would backslide, so my sensation of having been drawn was most likely a delusion caused by a brain dysfunction.

It's really hard to shake off the sensation of being chosen by the Master of the Universe, but it can be done and it happens a lot, much to the chagrin of theists who are so certain that they never consider questioning their beliefs.

 

[repoman]

His videos are well presented and seem to be decently researched. Also him being deconverted makes it more passionate.

Good stuff all around.