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Religion can be a good thing??
April 7, 2011 at 7:07 am
Hi All,
I'm an atheist from Australia, and this is my first post here.
What prompted me to look for atheist forums and post is something I saw on TV recently that I would like to discuss. I saw a guy that used to be a criminal/gangster. He killed, extorted money, used kids to deal drugs, etc etc. Anyway, he now has given up his bad ways, has a good job that he is proud of, a family, basically is an upstanding citizen and a contributor to his community. He says he is like this now because he found God. Now, of course, he is wrong, BUT, if there was no religion he would still be a criminal, and basically being an unwanted part of society. So, it seems to me that, in this case at least, that religion is a good thing.
What does everyone else think about this?
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RE: Religion can be a good thing??
April 7, 2011 at 7:26 am
Hi, which bit of Oz you from?
I hail from Perth.
As to the rest, well I hear stories like this all the time.
It doesn't meaqn religion is in itself good.
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If you're not supposed to ride faster than your guardian angel can fly then mine had better get a bloody SR-71.
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RE: Religion can be a good thing??
April 7, 2011 at 7:32 am
Quote:Religion can be a good thing??
Yes.
(April 7, 2011 at 7:07 am)Chico97 Wrote: Hi All,
I'm an atheist from Australia, and this is my first post here.
Hello, and you are correct ^_^
Quote:What prompted me to look for atheist forums and post is something I saw on TV recently that I would like to discuss. I saw a guy that used to be a criminal/gangster. He killed, extorted money, used kids to deal drugs, etc etc. Anyway, he now has given up his bad ways, has a good job that he is proud of, a family, basically is an upstanding citizen and a contributor to his community. He says he is like this now because he found God. Now, of course, he is wrong, BUT, if there was no religion he would still be a criminal, and basically being an unwanted part of society. So, it seems to me that, in this case at least, that religion is a good thing.
No, he would not still be a criminal if there were no religions. He is clearly a person that feels guilt for what he did, and wants a way out of it that means he doesn't have to face himself so hard (jesus). It would be much better for him to "become?" a decent(?) citizen without such.
Quote:What does everyone else think about this?
Since I of course presume to speak for everyone, everyone says it is awesome and we should party and what were we talking about again?
Please give me a home where cloud buffalo roam
Where the dear and the strangers can play
Where sometimes is heard a discouraging word
But the skies are not stormy all day
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RE: Religion can be a good thing??
April 7, 2011 at 7:35 am
Well for one we don't really know whather he would still be a criminal if he hadn't "found god". That said, religion can provide some moral signposts for people and help them act in a decent way.
"If an injury must be done to a man, it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared" - Niccolo Macchiavelli
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RE: Religion can be a good thing??
April 7, 2011 at 7:38 am
(This post was last modified: April 7, 2011 at 7:40 am by Jax.)
It's good to hear that he stopped all his criminal activities, religion can be a good/bad thing at the same time though.
My opinion, how did the man exactly found god? Perhaps someone fed him the Heaven and Hell story and he was told if he didn't repent he will go there? Remember, fear is used a lot in religion. And as Zen said, I hear things like this all the time.
Welcome to the forum though, I'm also from Aus, from Victoria.
Quote:"I think it's perfectly possible to explain how the universe came about without bringing God into it, but I don't know everything, and there may well be a God somewhere, hiding away. Actually, if he is keeping out of sight, it's because he's ashamed of his followers and all the cruelty and ignorance they're responsible for promoting in his name. If I were him, I'd want nothing to do with them."
— Philip Pullman
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RE: Religion can be a good thing??
April 7, 2011 at 7:47 am
(April 7, 2011 at 7:26 am)Zen Badger Wrote: Hi, which bit of Oz you from?
Sydney here. I haven't visited Perth yet, but do want to.
Quote:No, he would not still be a criminal if there were no religions. He is clearly a person that feels guilt for what he did, and wants a way out of it that means he doesn't have to face himself so hard (jesus). It would be much better for him to "become?" a decent(?) citizen without such.
Yeah probably. I guess if he really wanted to continue on the same path, he would have whether he 'found god' or not
Quote: And as Zen said, I hear things like this all the time
So, could this mean that religion is doing good all the time???
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RE: Religion can be a good thing??
April 7, 2011 at 8:00 am
(April 7, 2011 at 7:47 am)Chico97 Wrote: So, could this mean that religion is doing good all the time???
no. 
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RE: Religion can be a good thing??
April 7, 2011 at 8:07 am
[i] (April 7, 2011 at 8:00 am)ib.me.ub Wrote: (April 7, 2011 at 7:47 am)Chico97 Wrote: So, could this mean that religion is doing good all the time???
no.
Haha. Maybe a re-phrase there. Could it mean that religion is doing a lot of good?
And yes, I know religion is doing a lot of bad. Probably more than good. Ok, definately a lot more bad, but it's the good that I want to discuss (if it is good)
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RE: Religion can be a good thing??
April 7, 2011 at 8:10 am
Looks as if you have anserwed your own question. The 'idea' of religion is good.
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RE: Religion can be a good thing??
April 7, 2011 at 8:17 am
(April 7, 2011 at 8:07 am)Chico97 Wrote: And yes, I know religion is doing a lot of bad. Probably more than good. Ok, definately a lot more bad, but it's the good that I want to discuss (if it is good)
Well, you can say that one good thing about religion is that it keeps some people feeling peaceful and calm thinking that their god is always watching/protecting them.
I don't agree with brainwashing though.
Quote:"I think it's perfectly possible to explain how the universe came about without bringing God into it, but I don't know everything, and there may well be a God somewhere, hiding away. Actually, if he is keeping out of sight, it's because he's ashamed of his followers and all the cruelty and ignorance they're responsible for promoting in his name. If I were him, I'd want nothing to do with them."
— Philip Pullman
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