The good thing about religion...

M

Mind Over Matter

Registered Senior Member
The good thing about religion is that it keeps people living in hope and good faith.

The simplest way I can explain theism to people is that there is power in the world. When you believe that power is corruptible, it is frightening to see power intensify (such as when nuclear technology was unveiled). However, when you have faith that power is ultimately prone to goodness (which is the premise of there being a good-God), then you have faith in good triumphing over evil in the end, etc. So limiting growth assumes that left unchecked growth will result in detriment instead of benefit. Faith makes people optimistic.
 
Aaannd???

There are many things that make people optimistic, faith is hardly alone in that regard and it's flaws outweigh it's benefits from what I've observed.
 
The good thing about religion is that it keeps people living in hope and good faith
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Let's hear it for the Spanish Inquisition!:bravo:
 
You don't need your religion, just use your common sense and do onto others as you would see them do onto you. Understand the world around you and were we are at in our history. Do not follow something because others do, follow what you believe is right. If Christ said one thing, and Budda another they both may be equally true. Buddist are not more right or wrong than Christians. You keep your own hope and faith, it is not given to you by your pastor.
 
Arioch said:
Aaannd???

There are many things that make people optimistic, faith is hardly alone in that regard and it's flaws outweigh it's benefits from what I've observed.
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I'd venture to say faith makes me very unoptimistic about my people. My faith tells me exactly were we are headed, and your (people in general) lack of faith makes me understand why. But, just because you lack faith doesn't mean you are damned.
 
I prefer the negative "do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you" to the positive version of the golden rule. The positive allows for some twistings which enables people to get away with some truly horrific things. For example, the positive allows someone who wants people to abuse and torture them to do so to others(and such individuals do exist) however the negative prevents this as no one wants another to suborn their individual choice. The negative version has much more power to foster moral behavior.
 
Arioch said:
I prefer the negative "do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you" to the positive version of the golden rule. The positive allows for some twistings which enables people to get away with some truly horrific things. For example, the positive allows someone who wants people to abuse and torture them to do so to others(and such individuals do exist) however the negative prevents this as no one wants another to suborn their individual choice. The negative version has much more power to foster moral behavior.
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This is why judgment is neccisary. If we do the negative then no one would do for others, and that to would lead down a bad path.
 
Arioch said:
I prefer the negative "do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you" to the positive version of the golden rule. The positive allows for some twistings which enables people to get away with some truly horrific things. For example, the positive allows someone who wants people to abuse and torture them to do so to others(and such individuals do exist) however the negative prevents this as no one wants another to suborn their individual choice. The negative version has much more power to foster moral behavior.
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Although the emphasis is on the positive action, I think the rule applies to everything. Do not harm others (as you would not want to be harmed), help someone in need (as you would want to be helped), treat others fairly, respectfully and equitably (as you would want to be treated), forgive others (as you want to be forgiven).

For us Christians, we must also not take the Golden Rule as a separate philosophy or commandment without considering the entire message of which it is a part. Other religions have "golden rules", so it is not unique. The importance of it for Christians is that it is part of the whole core message of Jesus, and is one aspect of the focus on Love of God and Love of Neighbor. It really is a subset of the second commandment, and is one of many examples He gave us of how those commandments should be applied, if we are to be truly Christian.

The statement is purely positive as is everything given to us by Our Dear Lord.

Do (an action you must peform)
unto others (where the action is directed)
as you would have them do unto you (type of action)

If you wish good, do good. - All positive.

This of course does not preclude looking at the same issue from the negative side.
don't do unto others that which you don't want done to you
 
Mind Over Matter said:
The good thing about religion is that it keeps people living in hope and good faith.

The simplest way I can explain theism to people is that there is power in the world. When you believe that power is corruptible, it is frightening to see power intensify (such as when nuclear technology was unveiled). However, when you have faith that power is ultimately prone to goodness (which is the premise of there being a good-God), then you have faith in good triumphing over evil in the end, etc. So limiting growth assumes that left unchecked growth will result in detriment instead of benefit. Faith makes people optimistic.
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Sure. I mean, believing that you have, in your current fallen, imperfect state, the ability to discern which religion teaches the Absolute Truth and which one doesn't, and to then be confident that everyone who doesn't believe as you do, deserves to burn in hell for all eternity -
yes, this sure makes you optimistic.
 
Mind Over Matter said:
The statement is purely positive as is everything given to us by Our Dear Lord.

Do (an action you must peform)
unto others (where the action is directed)
as you would have them do unto you (type of action)

If you wish good, do good. - All positive.

This of course does not preclude looking at the same issue from the negative side.
don't do unto others that which you don't want done to you
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So you wish
that others
would tell you
that you will burn
in hell
for all eternity
if you don't believe as they do?
 
Arioch,

Arioch said:
I prefer the negative "do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you" to the positive version of the golden rule. The positive allows for some twistings which enables people to get away with some truly horrific things. For example, the positive allows someone who wants people to abuse and torture them to do so to others(and such individuals do exist) however the negative prevents this as no one wants another to suborn their individual choice.
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Please explain why you think this is so.

Arioch said:
The negative version has much more power to foster moral behavior.
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Positive instructions are generally more effective than negative ones. "Thou shalt not" seems to infringe on our freedom even though it often promotes it. Evil is ultimately self-destructive.... :shrug:
 
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Many people said Christianity is against science.
They said so were because they did not really understand science, they can't even relate science to religion philosophically.
There are plenty of scientific evidences to support Bible, if you study them diligently from correct sources, you will believe God is true.
 
Saint said:
Many people said Christianity is against science.
They said so were because they did not really understand science, they can't even relate science to religion philosophically.
There are plenty of scientific evidences to support Bible, if you study them diligently from correct sources, you will believe God is true.
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"True Science agrees with The Bible"by Malcolm Bowden

****
Vatican astronomer: Science, religion not enemies


As a Jesuit, Brother Guy Consolmagno is seeking an understanding of God and the universe — through prayer and through his telescope.
Consolmagno is a research astronomer and planetary scientist at the Vatican Observatory. He will speak on “Astronomy, God, and the Search for Elegance” at 7 p.m today in Somsen Auditorium as part of Winona State University’s Big Sky series.
“Most major religions have a concept of ‘the heavens’ ... the perfect realm of the gods,” said Jennifer L.B. Anderson, WSU associate professor of geoscience and one of the organizers of the Big Sky series, and Consolmagno’s talk will address the intersection of spiritual and scientific approach to understanding the universe.

More...
 
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Faulty human reasoning of scientific findings is the issue.

Science by its own definition has a limited say about the universe and is provisional. Much of today's science pronouncements are philosophical. This is the area where there is contention, rightly so.
 
Signal said:
So you wish
that others
would tell you
that you will burn
in hell
for all eternity
if you don't believe as they do?
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Where do you people get this idea from? If you do evil, evil will be done onto you. You will not be thrown to the lake of fire for having no faith.
 
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