Relgion is bad - Page 6

mary · 07-26-2007, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astreja

Quote:

Originally Posted by mary

Religion is good when you dont lose the bigger picture and remember WHY you are following it (to be able to lead a better life with morals etc).

I do appreciate that many individuals use religion as a moral compass. However, religion does not have a monopoly on morals.

Quote:

The moment you become too attached to religion, thats when you're crossing the line.

Agreed. Becoming overly attached to anything tends to be unhealthy.

wasnt sure what u meant here

**Jayhawker Soule** · 07-26-2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Og

People can be bad. Religion is just a thing.

Guns can be very dangerous in the hands of an idiot and even more dangerous in the hands of someone who knows how to manipulate them. The same applies to religion.

The problem is not religion. It's our attitude towards it. It's the way we allow people to just "have their beliefs and agree to disagree" and treat faith as a virtue. That's a sociological problem.

Religion is not bad. The word itself means "linking to the past" which can be a great thing. The science I practice is the most powerful religion in the world. It creates idols around which all of humanity gathers (TVs) and the conduits upon which the entire human race is connected and sorted and organized (telecoms and the Internet) amongst many other things.

I am a scientist/engineer. I am paid to explore things that we don't know. Back when the walled cities of 3500BC first came up, the priest class arose since minimal security was now achieved. The priests cast their eyes to the sky and many of the first large religions were developed based on OBSERVATION of the universe. This is the tradition that I carry on. The scientists basic needs are met and they live in relative security of research institutes where they cast their senses into the unknown and explore the universe from molecules to galaxies.

I carry on a powerful tradition of religion as a scientists that provides foundation and purpose for most of the human race. People often don't call it religion because we call "christianity" and such religions and they are some silly crap perverted by 1400 years of dark ages and oppression, but science is the one true religion of humanity.

It links us to the mystery of existence.

Religion is not the problem. People are the problem.

Very good post!

Astreja · 07-31-2007, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mary

wasnt sure what u meant here

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astreja

I do appreciate that many individuals use religion as a moral compass. However, religion does not have a monopoly on morals.

Here I'm trying to say that people are perfectly capable of good behaviour without the help of religion. In my opinion, religious books contain instructions on how to behave because thinking people had already figured out that some behaviours (e.g. stealing; murder) are bad for the community well-being..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astreja

Becoming overly attached to anything tends to be unhealthy.

A bit of a derail on my part. I was musing that any obsession, including obsession with one's religious practices, has the potential to make life miserable.

Gettin' In Tune · 07-31-2007, 01:28 AM

[quote=Astreja;14961]
Here I'm trying to say that people are perfectly capable of good behaviour without the help of religion. In my opinion, religious books contain instructions on how to behave [i]because thinking people had already figured out that some behaviours (e.g. stealing; murder) are bad for the community well-being. [/quote/]

You crazy Canucks; spelling behavior like behaviour. Do you have a different Microsoft Word that checks that for spelling? Do you also spell color like colour?

Anyways, very nice reply Astreja. Religion institutions, while most began with good intentions, often pollute and perverse "god" and ethics. People are perfectly capable of good behavior without revealed religion. Individual ethically behavior often changes before dogmatic, institutionalized behavior.

"I believe in the equality of man, and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow creatures happy" (T. Paine "The Age of Reason").

QuantumTheory · 08-20-2007, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Og

People can be bad. Religion is just a thing.

Guns can be very dangerous in the hands of an idiot and even more dangerous in the hands of someone who knows how to manipulate them. The same applies to religion.

The problem is not religion. It's our attitude towards it. It's the way we allow people to just "have their beliefs and agree to disagree" and treat faith as a virtue. That's a sociological problem.

Religion is not the problem. People are the problem.

I feel it's both religion and people that are the problem. A gun is most dangerous in the person who is driven by a cause - be it a psycopath or a serial killer - because they are driven by an ideology that they believe is 100% right...there's no logic in this equation.

It's not just a sociological problem. It's a psychologocical problem.

QuantumTheory · 08-20-2007, 06:34 AM

I understand your statement. Essentially many of the biblical teachings are universaly shared by humanity
.