Religion (split from Q&A)

[Haykakan]

Re: Christianity Q&A

What would laws look like in a society based on scientific evidence?

Some argue that what is bringing the world back to the dark ages is a break down in collective intelligence due to increased crime, disease, etc. as a result of liberalism and lack of discipline. If you have discipline over all aspects of human nature, you should also be able to control your weight, smoking habits, etc. Mind over matter. Unless of course, your mind is out of your control.

Incresed crime rates are strongly correlated to economic downturns and this particular one was a result of the conservative policy of deregulation. Kanadahye you are twisting the facts to make your argument look good but as you can see it doesnt work. I am no advocat of the right nor the left but i think we all know who and what started this economic mess. Intelligence is another description i would hardly credit any of the righty governments of possessing and as for disease i can make a strong point that the liberals are way ahead of the cons on this issue with universal healthcare and stemcell research. You dont need religion nor do you need to be a conservative to possess self dicipline, this is a personal trait partly learned and partly influenced by your genetic makeup.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Christianity Q&A

Incresed crime rates are strongly correlated to economic downturns and this particular one was a result of the conservative policy of deregulation. Kanadahye you are twisting the facts to make your argument look good but as you can see it doesnt work. I am no advocat of the right nor the left but i think we all know who and what started this economic mess. Intelligence is another description i would hardly credit any of the righty governments of possessing and as for disease i can make a strong point that the liberals are way ahead of the cons on this issue with universal healthcare and stemcell research.

I don't twist facts, I just state them. Whether or not this can be confirmed... I read a report that said that America's prisons are full to the rim. You can pretty much go around creating mayhem and they don't even have a cell for you. It's a free for all. So naturally, it will have to become a police state for any chances of maintaining civil order if things were to get any worse. If you have discipline, you don't need government to make decisions and control you.

You dont need religion nor do you need to be a conservative to possess self dicipline, this is a personal trait partly learned and partly influenced by your genetic makeup

Learned how? If you were left in the woods as a child, what would you learn? Discipline is learned, you aren't born with it.

[Haykakan]

Re: Religion (split from Q&A)

It is learned but some people are geneticaly predisposed not to be diciplined, for example the addict personality trait has genetic roots and thus the lack of disipline in these people is only partialy their fault.
I think we have veared pretty far off topic so i am gona quit posting in this thread for a while.

[yerazhishda]

Re: Christianity Q&A

Regarding the soul or anything else that "can't be proven or disproven," please note that that does not make either outcome equally likely. FSM cannot be proven or disproven either, but would you say it's as likely that he exists as it is that he does not? Think about that... that was created to illustrate the hypocrisy of the belief in a god, especially a particularly god in light of all of the different religions people subscribe to in the world.

The "Flying Spaghetti Monster" is not a good comparison to use. No one has ever claimed to see or have contact with it, as in true religions. There is no record of it's existence as there is in Christianity with Jesus Christ. It's not like people randomly created the figure of Jesus Christ and made a religion around him, there were eyewitnesses to his resurrection (apostles) who were so convinced that they packed up, left their family, spread the gospel across the region, and suffered terrible deaths happily. That is why the "FSM" comparison does not hold up. FSM is a figment of some man's imagination. Jesus Christ (and other figures) are actually based in history, not just "mythology" as some would like to believe.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Christianity Q&A

The "Flying Spaghetti Monster" is not a good comparison to use. No one has ever claimed to see or have contact with it, as in true religions. There is no record of it's existence as there is in Christianity with Jesus Christ. It's not like people randomly created the figure of Jesus Christ and made a religion around him, there were eyewitnesses to his resurrection (apostles) who were so convinced that they packed up, left their family, spread the gospel across the region, and suffered terrible deaths happily. That is why the "FSM" comparison does not hold up. FSM is a figment of some man's imagination. Jesus Christ (and other figures) are actually based in history, not just "mythology" as some would like to believe.

Which one doesn't belong?

Moses
Lao Tsu
Buddha
Confucius
Jesus Christ
St. Paul
St. Augustine
Flying Spaghetti Monster
Mohammed
St. Thomas Aquinas
Martin Luther
Gandhi

[Siggie]

Re: Religion (split from Q&A)

You guys totally missed the point. You're focusing on "FSM" and ignoring the rest of my post. I used FSM as an example. Insert any non-JC or Yaweh god in its place and read it again.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Christianity Q&A

Regarding the soul or anything else that "can't be proven or disproven," please note that that does not make either outcome equally likely. FSM cannot be proven or disproven either, but would you say it's as likely that he exists as it is that he does not? Think about that... that was created to illustrate the hypocrisy of the belief in a god, especially a particularly god in light of all of the different religions people subscribe to in the world.

How is it hypocritical to learn the teachings of someone who transformed entire populations? You're focusing too much on those who boast that their religion is the only "correct" religion. If you were to compare many of the writings, you'll find similarities and differences but more than likely similarities. Anyone that has studied world religions or has been exposed to different cultures and religions understands that religion is a personal philosophy, much of which has been handed down from generation to generation.

[Siggie]

Re: Christianity Q&A

How is it hypocritical to learn the teachings of someone who transformed entire populations? You're focusing too much on those who boast that their religion is the only "correct" religion. If you were to compare many of the writings, you'll find similarities and differences but more than likely similarities. Anyone that has studied world religions or has been exposed to different cultures and religions understands that religion is a personal philosophy, much of which has been handed down from generation to generation.

Most people do believe that their own is the only correct religion. Most Christians would tell you, theirs is the true god and those who believe in those wrong ones will be going hell. However many of these other religions have scripture too or other "evidence" that they point to. And, "Transformed entire populations"? Are you suggesting Christianity is the correct believe system because of the number of people who believe? Because by that logic, Islam would be the "correct" one.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Christianity Q&A

Most people do believe that their own is the only correct religion. Most Christians would tell you, theirs is the true god and those who believe in those wrong ones will be going hell. However many of these other religions have scripture too or other "evidence" that they point to. And, "Transformed entire populations"? Are you suggesting Christianity is the correct believe system because of the number of people who believe? Because by that logic, Islam would be the "correct" one.

That's news to me, different people around the world have been exposed to different scriptures that have affected their ancestral and cultural development. There are pockets of natives that probably have never come into contact with the developed world but they still have their own teachings and views of the world that were passed down from generation to generation.

Perhaps you're referring to those that have never left their hometown let alone their state and are a victim of government sponsored and endorsed propaganda. As I stated before, there is no "correct" or "incorrect". As far as I know the difference between the two is Christians are taught that Jesus was the son of God and Muslims are taught that Jesus was just a prophet since the prophet Muhommad was said to be raised with Christian theology but gained popularity by defeating an enormous army of men against all odds which is what spawned Islam.

[jgk3]

Re: Religion (split from Q&A)

In Christianity the scriptures teach that all other belief systems are wrong. I think it's the same for Islam and Judaism. Basically, when someone's religion is wrong, you have the right to make war with them to subvert them or destroy them. They are to be regarded as sub-human.

I do not agree with this, but I can see how it can be used politically and spiritually to lead the men under a religious war to conquer and establish their order over the world. The military expansion of Islam is a classic example of this, overcoming Christians, pagans, xxxs, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Hindus... by the sword, in the name of Allah.