Religion

gtar100

(4,192 posts)

9. That is a problem but I don't think it's insurmountable.

Sat Feb 23, 2019, 02:16 PM

Feb 2019

"Religion" is an empty container for the expression of spiritual practices. We may not like how they manifest in this world but that is a reflection on us, not the concept of religion. If we can't imagine better, highly doubtful it will happen. If we can imagine the worst, and we humans certainly have, well...history is full of the horrors done in the practice of religion and that's how that story goes.

You may want to imagine no religion, but the concept is already a basic, fundamental aspect of human culture. It's not going away. We ought to imagine better - and many people do - if we don't want religion to be used to destroy us either physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. That goes for the community as well as the individual.

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You may be reading the Bible wrong. Pete Enns says the Bible itself shows a better way [View all] guillaumeb Feb 2019 OP

So maybe the "wisdom" we are supposed to arrive at is.... Major Nikon Feb 2019 #1

You might arrive at that conclusion. eom guillaumeb Feb 2019 #2

As good of a "metaphor" as any Major Nikon Feb 2019 #4

Anyone might deduce that. Bretton Garcia Feb 2019 #8

After Jesus died and he was about to pack it up for the second to last time, gtar100 Feb 2019 #3

Imagine no religion Major Nikon Feb 2019 #5

Imagine religion that brings peace, harmony and understanding. gtar100 Feb 2019 #6

Pretty hard to do Major Nikon Feb 2019 #7

That is a problem but I don't think it's insurmountable. gtar100 Feb 2019 #9

I do think many people need religion. marylandblue Feb 2019 #10

No. They're just too lazy to think. MineralMan Feb 2019 #16

I don't think that's it at all. marylandblue Feb 2019 #17

We look at it differently. MineralMan Feb 2019 #18

I agree with your last sentence. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #22

Complete non-sequitur... MineralMan Feb 2019 #23

Complete avoidance. eom guillaumeb Feb 2019 #24

Has to be more than a regular hoax because it has such staying power. marylandblue Feb 2019 #25

That is an amazing reply. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #21

Thanks marylandblue Feb 2019 #29

Well, howdy. "What can 'Brown' do for us." 😉 sprinkleeninow Feb 2019 #27

I think he's closer to the mark, actually. Act_of_Reparation Feb 2019 #41

Theology can be very complicated, so I don't think it's a cognitive miser issue marylandblue Feb 2019 #43

Theology is only complicated for intellectuals Voltaire2 Feb 2019 #46

I find that most people are victims of rote behavior and platitudes. marylandblue Feb 2019 #48

I don't disagree. Voltaire2 Feb 2019 #57

Yeah, that's the only place we're gonna find one. trotsky Feb 2019 #36

Don't knock imagination as fake. It's where all ideas begin. gtar100 Feb 2019 #39

Who said we need to "get rid of religion"? trotsky Feb 2019 #40

Well said. gtar100 Feb 2019 #42

Being "picky" just involves using our reason and intellect to evaluate moral claims. trotsky Feb 2019 #45

Excellent points. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #19

Yes. eom sprinkleeninow Feb 2019 #28

It's been put forth as a premise that if all the words Jesus the Christ sprinkleeninow Feb 2019 #26

Oh look edhopper Feb 2019 #11

So, the core message is, "Go figure it out for yourselves." MineralMan Feb 2019 #12

A useful theology for atheists though? Bretton Garcia Feb 2019 #13

Nah. It's just silliness. MineralMan Feb 2019 #15

Or he could be wrong Lordquinton Feb 2019 #14

The word "may" is important. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #20

Most atheists don't want any kind of theology Bretton Garcia Feb 2019 #32

Well said, and I understand your position, even as I do not share it. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #35

Some of us have long ago understood PoindexterOglethorpe Feb 2019 #30

What ever works for you. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #33

"My view is that actions count. And respecting others." trotsky Feb 2019 #37

Interesting justification for paying attention to a 2000-yr-old book. bitterross Feb 2019 #31

We must learn and grow. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #34

And for billions of others, it doesn't. trotsky Feb 2019 #38

So why, exactly, are we still... NeoGreen Feb 2019 #44

... Act_of_Reparation Feb 2019 #47

There is fact, and there is faith. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #49

If fact is what actually helps us make progress... NeoGreen Feb 2019 #50

Fact is what can be proven. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #51

Faith is a belief in the unprovable... NeoGreen Feb 2019 #52

I can only answer for myself. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #53

Deism such as your does not provide a narrative or moral structure marylandblue Feb 2019 #54

I would argue that Maxist-Leninists... NeoGreen Feb 2019 #56

You can call them anti-religionists if you want marylandblue Feb 2019 #58

There are limits to that freedom of conscience. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #60

I'm not sure how this responds to my comment. marylandblue Feb 2019 #61

Yes, many religious leaders did. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #62

What makes seeking power bad? marylandblue Feb 2019 #63

If it is used to divide in order to exploit, guillaumeb Feb 2019 #64

Well that's just your opinion, which the power-seekers freely ignore marylandblue Feb 2019 #65

I must admit that the Pope has never asked for my advice. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #69

So, basically faith is worthless in any practical sense? marylandblue Feb 2019 #70

For you personally? guillaumeb Feb 2019 #71

No, for you. You said it provides you with a moral narrative. marylandblue Feb 2019 #72

And that is your own narrative. guillaumeb Feb 2019 #73

Is faith necessary... NeoGreen Feb 2019 #55

I think some kind faith is necessary for communities, not necessarily religious though. marylandblue Feb 2019 #59

A better word would be Trust... NeoGreen Feb 2019 #66

I agree with you, but marylandblue Feb 2019 #68

I have not lost faith in the rule of law edhopper Feb 2019 #67