A few more words about religion

[cali]

from someone who's not religious. I have found great beauty and the best of humaninty in all the world's major religions, and great horror and inhumantiy as well. But beyond that, organized religion, like any other institution is simply a frame for human nature. Even if organized religion were banned from the earth, human nature would remain the same, and the crazy, the fanatics would pour their craziness and fanaticism into something else. Religion is a human construct, and like all human constructs it's terribly flawed.

[Jim__]

1. I agree.

Human nature evolved in a world different from the one we've created. We are the greatest danger we face.

[Deep13]

2. What's different about religion is it's absolute nature.

Once a standard of thought or conduct is defined as being divinely ordered, it effectively ends any debate or criticism of the subject. Religious rules become absolute authority because they are based on the will of an god who can never be wrong. So religious standards like the subjegation of women, homophobia, slavery, authoritarian government, sexual repression, out-group hostility and a general discouragement of inquiry become the "good." Consequently, very decent, conscientious people behave in monsterous ways while being convinced they are right in doing so.

Obviously, there would still be evil without religion. It is just that it would be a lot harder to convince good people to do evil things without it.

For the record, I would never ban any religion simply for what it believes, although if it were up to me I would not be so generous with tax exemptions.

[Lost in CT]

4. But here is the rub you don't need religion for....

subjegation of women, homophobia, slavery, authoritarian government, sexual repression, out-group hostility and a general discouragement of inquiry... I mean that descibes almost every native american group long before Europeans landed (And Yes there were minor exceptions)

Much of that seems to be human nature and evaloutionary whatever the god or gods in question are called.

[Deep13]

9. That's true, but the religious stamp of "god's will" makes those thing holy...

...and, therefore, mandatory.

[AmyCamus]

3. As long as the crazies and fanatics stay out of government...

You know, like booking homophobic hate-mongers for inauguration ceremonies, or making prayer an official part of every Presidential event. If the crazies and fanatics want to chant nonsense to some imaginary magic trick, let them do it at home or in church.

[Ohio Joe]

5. Well said

I agree completely.

[keith the dem]

6. Who said "if you combine religion and government you ruin both"

It's clear how it ruined our government over the last 8 years, and the study indicating recent drop in believers in our country shows that it's ruined religion also.

[Deep13]

10. I guess I take a somewhat different view.

If one adds a quart of dirt oil to four quarts of clean oil, the result is five quarts of dirty oil.

[stuntcat]

7. I'm just waiting for God to save the planet :{

But look around here, religion's got folks fighting.. surprise!! :crazy:

I'll keep looking for a clue to what God is going to do to help the Earth or the animals we're wiping out.

[bridgit]

8. Tools are thought a human construct, yet monkeys use sticks to gather ants...

from ant hills. Design is thought a human endeavor, yet all one need do is see into a beaver lodge & surrounding system of hydraulics, or bird nests


Humans are thought to have 'home' as their very own construct, while aside from the run-in with a turbine blade; Canadian geese are here to prove it all wrong, migrating whales and marching penguins and others that interact with the tides and phases of the moon

Why is religion a human construct? So that we can take vitamins 'religiously'? Exercise 'religiously'? Post on DU 'religiously'?

'frames'? Fine. Religion itself may be a transitory event sequence but I think religion is just another place for humans to be, another facet. As a practical matter women don't wear high button shoes anymore either so I guess the sky's the limit

[supernova]

11. As a religious person, I completely agree

While I am a believer, religion and its institutions are an entirely human construct.

If there weren't religion to fight about, there would be something else to take its place. It's human nature, unfortunately. Our state doesn't have to remain so, but that's where we are right now.

[Deep13]

12. Yes, there is always something to fight over...

...but divine mandate precludes compromise or self doubt.