Why we need religion.... (1 Viewer)

[CSI: CRIMES ™]

The title should be Why we need god.

Anyways...

Religion provides no basis for morality, yet you are giving example about how Atheism is superior by statistics. I'll have you know, for you information, that Atheism is a Religion. It's a belief that there is no God. If you want to argue that Atheism makes more sense, argue using "GOD" as your word, not "Religion".

 

[bored6]

The title should be Why we need god.

Anyways...

Religion provides no basis for morality, yet you are giving example about how Atheism is superior by statistics. I'll have you know, for you information, that Atheism is a Religion. It's a belief that there is no God. If you want to argue that Atheism makes more sense, argue using "GOD" as your word, not "Religion".

How is Atheism a religion again?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

I'll have you know, for you information, that Atheism is a Religion.

Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.

 

[robbie1]

....as has Jesus saying 'I came not to bring peace, but a sword'

You obviously don't understand what Jesus meant by those symbolic words.

 

[bshoc]

Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.

Or denying that other peoples stamp collections exist ...

 

[bshoc]

You obviously don't understand what Jesus meant by those symbolic words.

I would think it would be anyones guess ...

 

[lengy]

So what exactly does that 'sword' represent if the former part of that sentence clearly states he does not bring peace? Or are you not taking the 'not to bring peace' part literally as well? What is he not bringing then?

 

[robbie1]

The 'sword' Jesus speaks of represents division - he foretold what his life would bring to the world - division among his own people and division among the world.

He was proven right even during his own lifetime, where after he spoke in the synagogues etc some believed and some didnt.....there was division among the people.

And to further support my point - when Peter chopped off the ear of the soldier Jesus told him to put his sword away.....not to continue fighting.

..........it amazes me that people can have so much hatred for a religion which tells people to "love one another, love even your enemies."

Lengy - here's some news for you - we don't hate you back. We're praying for people like you.

 

[ur_inner_child]

The fact that you're even praying for us is condescending and insulting. When you say that, you are finding superiority in your religion over those that are without it, even if you don't actually mean it or are aware of it. You're implying that you think the way we live is wrong. What if God finds mercy and understands that some atheists are good people and will let them in?

When I moved away from home against my parents' wishes, a fundamentalist Christian from uni kept calling me, telling I had broken the "Thou shall honour thy mother and father" rule and told me that he was going to pray for me.

What right do you have to judge against others? The Bible even says that it is up to God to do so. You should either pray for all of humankind, as they are ALL sinners, or merely pray for yourself.

And again, I don't hate religion.

 

[HotShot]

Atheism is a religion like not collecting stamps is a hobby.

There are two different things..

Religion is basically having a belief (it can be anything,). Where as a hobby is doing something (rather than not doing something).

Not collecting stamps is not hobby because you are not doing anything. On the being an athiest you are doing something and that is having a belief.

Athiesm is belief that there is no supernatural beings.

 

[ur_inner_child]

Religion is basically having a belief (it can be anything,).

No, if you look up the definition of religion, it is of a belief of a deity, or supernatural being.

Athiesm is belief that there is no supernatural beings.

Yes, but it's not a religion.

 

[HotShot]

We should stick with the morals set down by someone who wrote it years and years ago? And just not question it, not matter what situation?

Morals arent written. firstly.. they are praticed.

Is this what you're saying? That religion is good because there are written rules as to what is right and wrong, is also irrefutable because it's God's word, but our laws aren't good because it keeps changing to meet the needs and values of society?

Religion is about rules but about guidance. Do our laws changes to meet societies needs? Or they change because they arent good enough? The fact that after something happens wrong - we change it things .. is itself explanatory..

Nearly all of our laws - I think everyone single one of them are based on laws that have been the introduced thousands of years ago.

People take religion far too seriously sometimes - just like how scientists or doctors or anyone take things too seriously, it could in economic policy.. or political ideology.

Nowhere will it say in Religion that you have to be perfect. - it accounts for imperfections - people dont realise this. This they think following religion is being perfect its not.

 

[ur_inner_child]

Another thing, can please get back on topic. This isn't the "Does God Exist" thread, nor is it "Why we need God" as someone suggested, which would be redundant, and an entirely different thing altogether.

Morals arent written. firstly.. they are praticed.

If you read the context of that post, obviously I was referring to the Bible, in which she was referencing in the first place.

 

[HotShot]

Another thing, can please get back on topic. This isn't the "Does God Exist" thread, nor is it "Why we need God" as someone suggested, which would be redundant, and an entirely different thing altogether.



If you read the context of that post, obviously I was referring to the Bible, in which she was referencing in the first place.

Who cares about the Bible - One day I will write a book much better than it and all the people will follow my BOOK!. One day..

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Athiesm is belief that there is no supernatural beings.

Not really... my atheism is but some people that call themselves 'atheists' still believe in supernatural forces, it is specifically a "God" that a quintessential atheist would not believe in.

Let's put it this way. If atheists are to be called a religion for not believing in any god, are people who don't believe in a few gods (or every god but their own) a part of the not-believing-in-X-god religion? Atheism is a lack of religious belief and that is why it shares little in common with anything else we would call a 'religion' and much more in common with something we might call a philosophical position (i.e. existentialism).

I really don't know why you guys find it so important to call atheism a religion anyway, it doesn't really bother me if you want to imagine atheism as a religion it's just that it creates a fairly strange definition of what a religion is.

 

[HotShot]

Not really... my atheism is but some people that call themselves 'atheists' still believe in supernatural forces, it is specifically a "God" that a quintessential atheist would not believe in.

Let's put it this way. If atheists are to be called a religion for not believing in any god, are people who don't believe in a few gods (or every god but their own) a part of the not-believing-in-X-god religion? Atheism is a lack of religious belief and that is why it shares little in common with anything else we would call a 'religion' and much more in common with something we might call a philosophical position (i.e. existentialism).

I really don't know why you guys find it so important to call atheism a religion anyway, it doesn't really bother me if you want to imagine atheism as a religion it's just that it creates a fairly strange definition of what a religion is.

Ok firslt I will admit A Religion is group of people with common beliefs - in that sense Athisem is not a religion.

But fundamentally a religion is a belief in something. Since a belief is anything even not having a belief it can be called religion.

- I mean not having a belief in something is itself a belief isnt it? Fundamentally it is religion.. but since there is common belief among athiests (as you said there can be different beliefs within) then you may not call religion.

I am basically saying that Athiesm is a belief - simply on that basis it is a religion. But since you cannot form a group of common athiest - It is not a religion.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Ok firslt I will admit A Religion is group of people with common beliefs - in that sense Athisem is not a religion.

Atheism has 1 commonality and that is non-belief in the existance of a God. To do a fast, probably inaccurate ad-hoc definiton: I'd say that a religion is a group of people who believe in a common supernatural force and from that have a common philosophy for their beliefs.

But fundamentally a religion is a belief in something. Since a belief is anything even not having a belief it can be called religion.

Do you want to call all beliefs religious beliefs? So if I don't believe in unicorns I'm in the not-believing-in-unicorns religion?

I am basically saying that Athiesm is a belief - simply on that basis it is a religion. But since you cannot form a group of common athiest - It is not a religion.

I think the fact that all that atheism 'demands' is that you don't believe in god, nothing beyond that, is the first big clue that it has nothing in common with religious belief. It's not a "system" of any kind, it's one lonely position.

 

[robbie1]

The fact that you're even praying for us is condescending and insulting. When you say that, you are finding superiority in your religion over those that are without it, even if you don't actually mean it or are aware of it. You're implying that you think the way we live is wrong. What if God finds mercy and understands that some atheists are good people and will let them in?

When I moved away from home against my parents' wishes, a fundamentalist Christian from uni kept calling me, telling I had broken the "Thou shall honour thy mother and father" rule and told me that he was going to pray for me.

What right do you have to judge against others? The Bible even says that it is up to God to do so. You should either pray for all of humankind, as they are ALL sinners, or merely pray for yourself.

And again, I don't hate religion.

I'm sorry you see it that way.

I pray for atheists not because I think I am better then them but because I want them to experience what I, and many others, experience - the joy of knowing Christ, or at least that they recieve mercy when their time comes to face God in judgement.

God is merciful and I believe it is possible for an atheist to receive God's mercy - Im not a fundamentalist Christian who thinks all non-Christians go to hell. I am Catholic and we view things a little differently.

And on judging others....I must admit I am perplexed....when have I judged anybody here? I don't know where you got that from.

Praying for others does not mean you are better then them, it means you love them. Praying for others is one way of fulfulling the commandment to 'love one another'.

And who says I don't pray for all mankind?

P.S - I know that YOU don't hate religion, but I know that some others do.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

I don't think very many atheists really do hate your religion.

 

[Tulipa]

Agreed.

I don't hate religion, I dislike intensely those who preach it and act superior about it.

Religion's fine, human's suck.