Look at the Shops, the way people you the products, as soon as you go to apple you don't leave... easily. There is a lot written about this on the web. The new Temple store in New York, Just want to know your opinions and beliefs.
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Is Apple a Religion?
- Thread starter tinny the cat
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Or religious hatred/discrimination...but, you know, you picked up on one of the other main harping points on this forum.
More like a cult, as it's been pointed out multiple times. As Apple grows in popularity it also becomes more corrupt and shyte though. My brainwashing has worn off some... until the next new thing comes along. 
Oh yeah - not sure why I typed racial. I meant religious, obviously.
But what's the other main harping point?
More like a cult, as it's been pointed out multiple times. As Apple grows in popularity it also becomes more corrupt and shyte though. My brainwashing has worn off some... until the next new thing comes along.
I have to agree with that one.
Newly-announced products feed my Apple-Hunger
I think apple is like a soap on TV.
Things are staying interesting and renewed.
Well, this would be the only soap I follow.
Except from How I Met Your Mother and Scrubs, which aren't excactly soaps and i would go far too far off-topic
Most mac followers have these idols in their houses, iMacs, MacPro's, they are in awe of them all, and they learn from them and when they look at similar things they laugh and say "Apple is so much better" and to bring more people in the fold apple released products and mini idols that people can adopt and eventually come into the religion completely buy buying a Mac.
The story of Steve Jobs is mythical, his creation of Apple from nothing, his defeating of evils, his banishment to the wilderness and eventual return to status of saviour.....
The story of Steve Jobs is mythical, his creation of Apple from nothing, his defeating of evils, his banishment to the wilderness and eventual return to status of saviour.....
More like a cult, as it's been pointed out multiple times. As Apple grows in popularity it also becomes more corrupt and shyte though. My brainwashing has worn off some... until the next new thing comes along.
I'd agree on the Cult part. My brainwashing hasn't worn off yet though.
Kudos on the Malcolm Tucker picture btw.
RE: Is Apple a Religion?
Most decidedly not. The question displays ignorance of both the nature of religion and the nature of the loyalty to Apple and the Mac.
For many, religion is based on faith. Faith is defined as: Substance of things hoped for; evidence of things not seen.
This Mac user and owner does more than hope. I own several Macs. I see them everyday. I also own two iPhonesan 8 GB original and a 32 GB 3GS. I use them. They work and they work well.
There are also culturally-based religions. Most believers subscribe because their families, friends, communities, provinces, and nation subscribe to the same religion. We Mac users face the opposite problem. We live in a world dominated by Windows users. They put enormous pressure on us to convert to their belief system.
Let us look at the other side. Many Windows users use Windows because "everyone else" uses Windows. Since Windows 3.0 [at least], Windows users have been told that Windows will be almost as good as the Macthis time. Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and now Windows 7they were all supposed to be "almost as good as the Mac." They all failed to live up to the promise. Despite never delivering on the promise, Windows users do not lose faith. Despite all of their trials and tribulations as a result of trying to get real work done with their chosen platform, they hew to the Windows mantra.
Oh, there a few Windows using souls lose their faith and switch to the Mac, Linux, or stop using computers altogether. However, most stick it out. They continue to believe that one day ....
So now, which group behaves more like a religion? From where I sit, it is Windows users.
Most decidedly not. The question displays ignorance of both the nature of religion and the nature of the loyalty to Apple and the Mac.
For many, religion is based on faith. Faith is defined as: Substance of things hoped for; evidence of things not seen.
This Mac user and owner does more than hope. I own several Macs. I see them everyday. I also own two iPhonesan 8 GB original and a 32 GB 3GS. I use them. They work and they work well.
There are also culturally-based religions. Most believers subscribe because their families, friends, communities, provinces, and nation subscribe to the same religion. We Mac users face the opposite problem. We live in a world dominated by Windows users. They put enormous pressure on us to convert to their belief system.
Let us look at the other side. Many Windows users use Windows because "everyone else" uses Windows. Since Windows 3.0 [at least], Windows users have been told that Windows will be almost as good as the Macthis time. Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and now Windows 7they were all supposed to be "almost as good as the Mac." They all failed to live up to the promise. Despite never delivering on the promise, Windows users do not lose faith. Despite all of their trials and tribulations as a result of trying to get real work done with their chosen platform, they hew to the Windows mantra.
Oh, there a few Windows using souls lose their faith and switch to the Mac, Linux, or stop using computers altogether. However, most stick it out. They continue to believe that one day ....
So now, which group behaves more like a religion? From where I sit, it is Windows users.
I don't find that choosing Apple and choosing a religion are all that dissimilar, but that's because I believe one should use the same rational thinking approach to choosing either
I think a religion needs to be based on more than just faith and hope. Your definition of faith sounds right (Hebrews 11:1 for a Christian definition). But I can hope that the Easter Bunny exists, I can even have faith that the Easter Bunny exists, but that does not make it true.
Mac owners choose to use Macs because they find that they improve their lives in some way. This isn't some touchy-feely "faith" issue, this is hard evidence -- happier, faster, more reliable, these are real physical metrics. (Granted there are other considerations like the placebo effect.)
I think that if you believe in a particular faith, you do so because you believe you have seen or felt some tangible evidence. Granted, again, possible placebo effect, but either way you place your belief based on what you perceive to be evidence. You don't believe something just because you hope or want it to be true.
While this may be true (and applies equally to both topics) I believe (as above) that you should have faith in something because YOU have seen and believed it, not because your friends or family or church or culture tells you to.
I believe that all sides are guilty of this (Mac users, Windows users, and religious folks of all types, Christians, atheists, etc.) Mac users try to convert Windows users. Windows users bash Mac users. Some Christians try to force their beliefs on others. Non-religious types do the same. In all cases I think it gives the offending group a bad name.
Bottom line is I have a real problem with people forcing their views on other people. (Does that sound shocking to you, coming from a guy who yet claims to be a Christian? ) Look at it this way: I have discovered the Mac, I love it, it has changed the way I compute. I'm excited, of course I want to show you all my new toy. I'll do show-and-tell as much as you'd like to see it, and if you choose to get one too, awesome, we can help each other out. But if you say "Hmm, not for me, no thanks", then end of story. Maybe later you'll come back with questions, and I'll be happy to answer, and should you choose to try it out, I'll even help you buy your first Mac... but until then, that's it!
I think in THIS respect the choice is much like a religion, yes, because people get so caught up in the excitement of their new choice that they forget that other people might not feel the same way -- and that is their right. So you get fanboys on both sides, and all sorts of "religious persecution" and "holy wars" that come out of it. There are some people you simply can't have a conversation with because as soon as you start going down that road, they start frothing at the mouth.
The best sort of "proselytization" should when the "other guy" comes to you. I got turned onto a Mac because I saw one of my friends keep doing stunning things with his and he never seemed to have the same problems I did. I asked him "what are you doing that's so different? how can I get in on this?" and bought into Apple as a result. It wasn't because he kept on saying "What, your PC crashed again? Haha! You need to get a Mac!!" -- and if he had done that, I would never have chosen to be associated with him or his brand.
Believe in whatever you feel is the truth, based on your evidence and experiences. Don't be swayed by what the crowds tell you -- make your own decisions. By all means hang out with other people who believe the same things (the "church", if you will) so you can enjoy each other's company, teach each other new things, and support each other when there are problems. But treat the "others" -- the people who don't believe in the same things -- with respect and tolerance. You may well think they are wrong -- you may even be justified in saying so -- but you are doing no favours to your cause by forcing things on them or casting judgements.
I think a religion needs to be based on more than just faith and hope. Your definition of faith sounds right (Hebrews 11:1 for a Christian definition). But I can hope that the Easter Bunny exists, I can even have faith that the Easter Bunny exists, but that does not make it true.
Mac owners choose to use Macs because they find that they improve their lives in some way. This isn't some touchy-feely "faith" issue, this is hard evidence -- happier, faster, more reliable, these are real physical metrics. (Granted there are other considerations like the placebo effect.)
I think that if you believe in a particular faith, you do so because you believe you have seen or felt some tangible evidence. Granted, again, possible placebo effect, but either way you place your belief based on what you perceive to be evidence. You don't believe something just because you hope or want it to be true.
While this may be true (and applies equally to both topics) I believe (as above) that you should have faith in something because YOU have seen and believed it, not because your friends or family or church or culture tells you to.
I believe that all sides are guilty of this (Mac users, Windows users, and religious folks of all types, Christians, atheists, etc.) Mac users try to convert Windows users. Windows users bash Mac users. Some Christians try to force their beliefs on others. Non-religious types do the same. In all cases I think it gives the offending group a bad name.
Bottom line is I have a real problem with people forcing their views on other people. (Does that sound shocking to you, coming from a guy who yet claims to be a Christian?
) Look at it this way: I have discovered the Mac, I love it, it has changed the way I compute. I'm excited, of course I want to show you all my new toy. I'll do show-and-tell as much as you'd like to see it, and if you choose to get one too, awesome, we can help each other out. But if you say "Hmm, not for me, no thanks", then end of story. Maybe later you'll come back with questions, and I'll be happy to answer, and should you choose to try it out, I'll even help you buy your first Mac... but until then, that's it!I think in THIS respect the choice is much like a religion, yes, because people get so caught up in the excitement of their new choice that they forget that other people might not feel the same way -- and that is their right. So you get fanboys on both sides, and all sorts of "religious persecution" and "holy wars" that come out of it. There are some people you simply can't have a conversation with because as soon as you start going down that road, they start frothing at the mouth.
The best sort of "proselytization" should when the "other guy" comes to you. I got turned onto a Mac because I saw one of my friends keep doing stunning things with his and he never seemed to have the same problems I did. I asked him "what are you doing that's so different? how can I get in on this?" and bought into Apple as a result. It wasn't because he kept on saying "What, your PC crashed again? Haha! You need to get a Mac!!" -- and if he had done that, I would never have chosen to be associated with him or his brand.
Believe in whatever you feel is the truth, based on your evidence and experiences. Don't be swayed by what the crowds tell you -- make your own decisions. By all means hang out with other people who believe the same things (the "church", if you will) so you can enjoy each other's company, teach each other new things, and support each other when there are problems. But treat the "others" -- the people who don't believe in the same things -- with respect and tolerance. You may well think they are wrong -- you may even be justified in saying so -- but you are doing no favours to your cause by forcing things on them or casting judgements.