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Religion: Better For Moral Health Of Community?

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  • Religion: Better For Moral Health Of Community?

    I'm again jumping off a thread in Natural Science that linked this article:

    http://www.science20.com/writer_on_t..._a_joke-139982

    FEELING OF CONNECTEDNESS

    There are other, more socially-oriented evolutionary purposes, too. Religious communities grow faster, since people behave better (referring to the general majority over the millennia, as opposed to minority extremists highlighted by the media on any given day).

    Why is this so? Religious folk attend weekly lectures on morality, read portions of respected books about the subject on a daily basis and regularly discuss the subject in groups, so it would be inevitable that some of this guidance sinks in.

    There is also the notion that the presence of an invisible moralistic presence makes misdemeanors harder to commit. “People who think they are being watched tend to behave themselves and cooperate more,” says the New Scientist’s Lawton. “Societies that chanced on the idea of supernatural surveillance were likely to have been more successful than those that didn't, further spreading religious ideas.”

    This is not simply a matter of religious folk having a metaphorical angel on their shoulder, dispensing advice. It is far deeper than that—a sense of interconnectivity between all things. If I commit a sin, it is not an isolated event but will have appropriate repercussions. This idea is common to all large scale faith groups, whether it is called karma or simply God ensuring that you “reap what you sow”.
    Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

  • #2
    It certainly is the backbone of charity...

    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/su...e-charity.html

    Comment


    • #3
      It doesn't really make sense to me. I can't see a trend in world history of religious societies behaving better. Currently, less religious societies seem to behave better.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Psychic Missile View Post
        It doesn't really make sense to me. I can't see a trend in world history of religious societies behaving better. Currently, less religious societies seem to behave better.
        The argument makes sense, and you don't have to be overtly religious - believing in some form of karma has the same effect.
        Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

        Comment


        • #5
          The only way religion is good for society is when its adherents don't take the religion seriously - especially when it comes to religions based on the ancient or medieval writings.

          Even when religious adherents are foaming at the mouth literalists, they still generally obey the secular governments. They may believe that the god of their [book] is Supreme and Superior to all others, but they stop short of overthrowing their secular governments to install their god to the throne.

          If you TRULY believe that homosexuality is an abomination to G-d and socialism is evil, then why are you not actively seeking to overthrow your government? Do you not have confidence that your god will see you to victory? The Tanakh, for example, clearly instructs that a theocracy is the preferred governmental order (see I, II Samuel).

          I think this is an indication that even fundamentalists acknowledge that we are better off when religion is not the basis for civil society. Thankfully, for the rest of us, they are content with apocalyptic dreams of a religious world order.

          For that, I am eternally grateful for theistic dualism. Thank you, Plato!!!

          NORM
          When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land. - Bishop Desmond Tutu

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by NormATive View Post
            The only way religion is good for society is when its adherents don't take the religion seriously - especially when it comes to religions based on the ancient or medieval writings.

            Even when religious adherents are foaming at the mouth literalists, they still generally obey the secular governments. They may believe that the god of their [book] is Supreme and Superior to all others, but they stop short of overthrowing their secular governments to install their god to the throne.

            If you TRULY believe that homosexuality is an abomination to G-d and socialism is evil, then why are you not actively seeking to overthrow your government? Do you not have confidence that your god will see you to victory? The Tanakh, for example, clearly instructs that a theocracy is the preferred governmental order (see I, II Samuel).

            I think this is an indication that even fundamentalists acknowledge that we are better off when religion is not the basis for civil society. Thankfully, for the rest of us, they are content with apocalyptic dreams of a religious world order.

            For that, I am eternally grateful for theistic dualism. Thank you, Plato!!!

            NORM
            See Norm, in the other thread you said: I don't. I am happy that you believe in Heaven and an afterlife and that you think that I am going to hell. At least you are not chopping my head off for not agreeing with you.

            Obviously, given your rant above, that was a lie.
            Last edited by seer; 07-23-2014, 10:04 AM.
            Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Psychic Missile View Post
              It doesn't really make sense to me. I can't see a trend in world history of religious societies behaving better. Currently, less religious societies seem to behave better.
              You're complicit in the abortion genocide so of course it doesn't really make sense to you. You think less religious societies behave better because you define better as whatever it is that atheistards usually do.
              "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." Isaiah 3:12

              There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by seer View Post
                I'm again jumping off a thread in Natural Science that linked this article:

                http://www.science20.com/writer_on_t..._a_joke-139982
                Many atheists and agnostics attend weekly meetings on topics of morality and ethics at Unitarian Universalists and other humanist oriented institutions.
                Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
                Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
                But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

                go with the flow the river knows . . .

                Frank

                I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by seer View Post
                  The argument makes sense, and you don't have to be overtly religious - believing in some form of karma has the same effect.
                  I agree it seems to make sense, but I don't see any historical evidence. In fact, the history of the world seems to contradict the argument.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Psychic Missile View Post
                    I agree it seems to make sense, but I don't see any historical evidence. In fact, the history of the world seems to contradict the argument.
                    It can't be quantified - the question is, would the bad religious man be worse without religion, or would the good non-religious man be better with religion. There is no way of knowing.
                    Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by seer View Post
                      See Norm, in the other thread you said: I don't. I am happy that you believe in Heaven and an afterlife and that you think that I am going to hell. At least you are not chopping my head off for not agreeing with you.

                      Obviously, given your rant above, that was a lie.
                      Not a lie. You don't take your religion seriously. If you did, you wouldn't be wasting your time on an Internet forum. You would instead be out in the street protesting and organizing to take over America as a religious theocracy - just like the jihadists are doing with Islam.

                      NORM
                      When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land. - Bishop Desmond Tutu

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Seer, you have over 2,800 posts on this forum since February or whenever this forum was rebooted. You are more concerned with arguing your point than actual action. I have no fear that you will be part of any kind of theistic revolution.

                        NORM
                        When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land. - Bishop Desmond Tutu

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Why is Norm begging for another Holocaust?
                          "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." Isaiah 3:12

                          There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by NormATive View Post
                            Not a lie. You don't take your religion seriously. If you did, you wouldn't be wasting your time on an Internet forum. You would instead be out in the street protesting and organizing to take over America as a religious theocracy - just like the jihadists are doing with Islam.

                            NORM
                            And I assume that that's exactly what you were doing when you were still a Christian?

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Chrawnus View Post
                              And I assume that that's exactly what you were doing when you were still a Christian?
                              Exactly?!?! interesting adjective. Does anyone know 'exactly' what they are when they are or were a Christian beyond there simple professing their belief?
                              Last edited by shunyadragon; 07-24-2014, 07:11 PM.
                              Glendower: I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
                              Hotspur: Why, so can I, or so can any man;
                              But will they come when you do call for them? Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Act III:

                              go with the flow the river knows . . .

                              Frank

                              I do not know, therefore everything is in pencil.

                              Comment

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