Atheism and religion

[Aro]

Originally posted by Xorbon


Correct me if I'm wrong. (Though I'm sure you would even without my permission. )

Very Apolytonian.

[MxM]

Originally posted by lajzar
True, they never claimed to be a religion, but they performed all the functions of a religion. If it looks like a duck...

A car can perform all the functions of a motorcycle. Does it make it motorcycle?
A gun performs the same function as a bow. Does it make it a bow?
A TV can perform the same function as a movie theater... You get my drift here, I guess.

Yes, communism and religion have the same function - it explains how people can live, it gives moral values. Sometimes they even used similar methods, but communism is not a religion. The believe in god is the main distinction. Communism is based on materialism which based on science. (It does not make though communism ideology true or false, because there is still lots of believes or what they called postulates in communism). The religion is based on believe only, there is no need of any science in religion.

However for the game only, communism can be considered as religion, just because it does provide the same function. If it were up to me, I would use "ideology" word instead of religion, which would include communism, atheism, religions and so on.

[MxM]

Originally posted by Xorbon
Could the difference be that religions are based on metaphysics, while ideas like Communism aren't? Religions seem to have one thing in common: they explain how the world works. Communism doesn't do that as far as I can tell.

Correct me if I'm wrong. (Though I'm sure you would even without my permission. )

The communist philosophy is based on materializm, which in turm based on different sciences (physics, biology and so on). So, in this scence communism includes the scientific description of how the world works.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by lajzar


Sacrifice
Other than spending time at Quaker meetings and living a particular way of life, there is no meaningful sacrifice for quakers.

Except that key sacrifice at the heart of their religion- the sacrifice of the Son of God for the redemption of mankind.

[lajzar]

That sacrifice isn't one made by the worshippors themselves though.

[Vince278]

Originally posted by molly bloom
Except that key sacrifice at the heart of their religion- the sacrifice of the Son of God for the redemption of mankind.

According to Pope John XXIII's Apostolic Letter of June 30, 1960, we were redeemed by the blood of Christ, not His sacrifice on the Cross. A very fine, yet important distinction.

[lajzar]

Who would've thought we'd end up debating the minutiae of Christian doctrine on a board devoted to a mere game?

btw, does anyone know how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

[Vince278]

Originally posted by lajzar
Who would've thought we'd end up debating the minutiae of Christian doctrine on a board devoted to a mere game?

You will note the topic meandered around quite a bit and I got unwittingly drawn in like everyone else.

Originally posted by lajzar
btw, does anyone know how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

As many as they want but why would they want to do so? Certainly not to entertain us.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by lajzar
That sacrifice isn't one made by the worshippors themselves though.

Religion doesn't necessitarily involve the worshippers making a sacrifice of animals or themselves, although clearly some kinds of animism, paganism and Mesoamerican and South American religions did.

Although of course Christianity enshrines and commemorates the sacrificial act of its god- distinguishing itself from mainstream Judaism- a sin for instance when Jesus chastises the money lenders at the Temple where sacrifical animals could be purchased.

Lesser sacrifices would be penitential fasts, mortification of the flesh, privations endured on pilgrimage, meatless holy days and Lent, as Muslims have similarly Ramadan.

[akulla]

Interesting.

[MxM]

Originally posted by Vince278
According to Pope John XXIII's Apostolic Letter of June 30, 1960, we were redeemed by the blood of Christ, not His sacrifice on the Cross. A very fine, yet important distinction.

I fail to see the distinction. Can somebody elaborate what it means, even though it is completely out of my original topic...

[Artaraxl]

Poll regarding a "non religious" option

Bringing it back to the topic of the game, here's a poll:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=136886

At issue is simply this:

It seems the concept of religion in the forthcoming game will bring benefits to civilizations that establish/embrace one of 7 religions.

Should the game essentially require a civilization to choose a state sponsored religion? Why not, additionally, have a non religious option?

Alternatively, perhaps, there could be a religiously pluralistic society, with its own advantages?

[Xorbon]

Originally posted by MxM
The communist philosophy is based on materializm, which in turm based on different sciences (physics, biology and so on). So, in this scence communism includes the scientific description of how the world works.

I was referring to how religions try to explain why the world (and/or universe) is the way it is (without using science). The concepts that communism deals (like materialism, class divisions, economics, etc.) with are way narrower than what I meant. For example, communism doesn't explain where trees came from. Maybe I picked the wrong word to explain what I meant?

[Vince278]

Originally posted by MxM
I fail to see the distinction. Can somebody elaborate what it means, even though it is completely out of my original topic...

Here it is.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by MxM

I fail to see the distinction. Can somebody elaborate what it means, even though it is completely out of my original topic...

It's all a load of papal bull.