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What does religion offer?
August 14, 2013 at 9:37 pm
Let's get some examples of (good) things that religions have to offer that secular organizations/people cannot. If religion is so necessary, as the theists out there claim, then there has to be some reason as to why that is, right? 
(I genuinely want to know...I was thinking about this earlier and couldn't come up with any reasons, but perhaps my imagination is simply failing me today.)
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RE: What does religion offer?
August 14, 2013 at 10:51 pm
Well it can make good men do bad things while thinking they are good. Maybe it can go in reverse: make bad men do good things while making them think they are bad. Thats all i can think of
'The more I learn about people the more I like my dog'- Mark Twain
'You can have all the faith you want in spirits, and the afterlife, and heaven and hell, but when it comes to this world, don't be an idiot. Cause you can tell me you put your faith in God to put you through the day, but when it comes time to cross the road, I know you look both ways.' - Dr House
“Young earth creationism is essentially the position that all of modern science, 90% of living scientists and 98% of living biologists, all major university biology departments, every major science journal, the American Academy of Sciences, and every major science organization in the world, are all wrong regarding the origins and development of life….but one particular tribe of uneducated, bronze aged, goat herders got it exactly right.” - Chuck Easttom
"If my good friend Doctor Gasparri speaks badly of my mother, he can expect to get punched.....You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others. There is a limit." - Pope Francis on freedom of speech
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RE: What does religion offer?
August 14, 2013 at 11:00 pm
(August 14, 2013 at 10:51 pm)Rationalman Wrote: Well it can make good men do bad things while thinking they are good. Maybe it can go in reverse: make bad men do good things while making them think they are bad. Thats all i can think of
Hmm...but then one would say that's encouraging bad men, right? They may even eventually see through the facade and go back to doing what they know is bad. Religion would be the most round about way to effect change in them, and the price is not worth the outcome in many cases here.
My wife is usually very helpful in coming up with good responses, but she and I are both coming up blank on this entire concept. I mean, one thing people might say could be good is the upholding of the traditional family, but we know nowadays that even sticking to your guns on that has its downfalls, as it excludes the rights of people in non-traditional families that barely even mar the fabric that holds society together.
...what else...?
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RE: What does religion offer?
August 14, 2013 at 11:10 pm
I think it's the comfort of 'knowing' an almighty being is watching out for you. It probably leads to more slacking and more carelessness in life, but it's a good feeling to think that nothing bad will ever happen to you because god is on your side.
And of course, the afterlife. Anything you did not fix in this life, you can meet your loved ones when you die and fix it then. Very comforting for a lot of people.
The immediate effect is positive for the individual, but in the long run I think it'd tend towards the negative.
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RE: What does religion offer?
August 14, 2013 at 11:40 pm
(August 14, 2013 at 11:10 pm)pineapplebunnybounce Wrote: I think it's the comfort of 'knowing' an almighty being is watching out for you. It probably leads to more slacking and more carelessness in life, but it's a good feeling to think that nothing bad will ever happen to you because god is on your side.
And of course, the afterlife. Anything you did not fix in this life, you can meet your loved ones when you die and fix it then. Very comforting for a lot of people.
The immediate effect is positive for the individual, but in the long run I think it'd tend towards the negative.
That's not a description of Christianity, so what religion are you describing?
 GC
God loves those who believe and those who do not and the same goes for me, you have no choice in this matter. That puts the matter of total free will to rest.
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RE: What does religion offer?
August 14, 2013 at 11:43 pm
Honestly, all I can think of that religion offers is a sense of community and belonging.
Oh, and empty promises.
As I can find those things elsewhere, it has not a thing to offer me.
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RE: What does religion offer?
August 15, 2013 at 12:08 am
Free coffee on Sunday. 
 That's all I got.
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RE: What does religion offer?
August 15, 2013 at 8:07 am
@GC, oh you feel like your Christianity doesn't offer these things?
I was talking about religions in general.
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RE: What does religion offer?
August 15, 2013 at 8:35 am
(This post was last modified: August 15, 2013 at 8:37 am by Bad Writer.)
This is in the religion forum, so we are not just talking on Christianity. GC, you're welcome to show us what good things Religion can offer that can't be attained by secular means.
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RE: What does religion offer?
August 15, 2013 at 9:01 am
Religion is to humanity as the appendix is to the human body.
"Never trust a fox. Looks like a dog, behaves like a cat."
~ Erin Hunter
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