Positive aspects of religion.

[Jac de Molay]

The Catholic church lets me eat the body and drink the blood of my savior.

How cool is that!

[Rogan Josh]

Life after death is a biggie imho.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by Caligastia


God loves us all equally, and we are equally important to him, but that does not make us physically or mentally equal. Unequal races etc is all part of God's plan.

You know God´s plan?

Well, then it would be nice to share some details with us....

[Japher]

1. Paid time off due to religious holiday
2. Bach, and other great composers who, without the church would of had no medium for their art. Also, the Monks designed the system to write music.
3. Alcohol... If it weren't for religion, alcohol would not be as good as it is to day... Especially wine.

[MrFun]

Another positive aspect:

1) Many Catholic, white priests were at the forefront of Civil Rights activism in the 1960's.

[Provost Harrison]

What is 'spirituality'? And how could it be defined as beneficial?

[MrFun]

I guess to me, spirituality means living your life consistently with your own values, believing that this is how God would want you to live.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by BeBro


You know God´s plan?

Well, then it would be nice to share some details with us....

I am his son, and you must send me all your money...

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by MrFun
I guess to me, spirituality means living your life consistently with your own values, believing that this is how God would want you to live.

Instead of trusting your own judgement, don't you think it would be better to be more pro-active and seek out God's will?

[Ben Kenobi]

Why does this thread attract the Provost?

Spirituality:
3 : sensitivity or attachment to religious values.

Spiritual:
of or relating to sacred matters, ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal.

The real definition is what is the spirit?

Spirit:

Etymology: Middle English, from Old French or Latin; Old French, from Latin spiritus, literally, breath, from spirare to blow, breathe
Date: 13th century

1 : an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms

2 : a supernatural being or essence: as a capitalized : HOLY SPIRIT b : SOUL

both of these pertain to the item in question.
In a Christian sense, the metaphor for spirit is the 'breath of life.'

spirituality means living your life consistently with your own values, believing that this is how God would want you to live.

The definition for spirituality is different from Mr. Fun's in the distinction between 'religious' and of your own values. Sometimes these coincide, and sometimes they do not. You are right that the important thing is to figure out what it is that God is looking for, what does he want from us?

God loves us all equally, and we are equally important to him, but that does not make us physically or mentally equal. Unequal races etc is all part of God's plan. It teaches us to love others even if they are not on the same level as us.

Caligastia:

In what sense are races not equal? Otherwise you are spot on that people are given different skills and abilities, that not all are called for the same functions.
All people are of equal value according to God, since we are all made in God's image.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
What is 'spirituality'? And how could it be defined as beneficial?

Spirituality is the progression towards a more spiritual state. As we experience life (and progress through subsequent lives after death), interact with other personalities, and learn more about the Father, we become more spirit than material. Eventually we get to the point that we are total spirit. What could be more beneficial than being able to learn about the cosmos, interact with all manner of personalities, and participate in an eternal progression?

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by obiwan18
In what sense are races not equal?

They have different strengths and weaknesses. You may not believe this to be true, but I believe it is an essential part of human development.

"Differences in status of the races and of groups within each race are essential to the development of human tolerance and altruism."

[chequita guevara]

Church is one of the few places where community still exists in the modern world. Being part of a community is a very important need for human beings.

Other than that and art, religion is pretty useless.

[Japher]

Unequal races etc is all part of God's plan. It teaches us to love others even if they are not on the same level as us.

and

They have different strengths and weaknesses.

those are two different things. Instead of saying "the same level" you should of just left it as "the same." I do agree with Cal that diversity is a good thing, and teachs tolerance and acceptance. In away diversity helps to define the true meaning of words like love, honor, respect, and friends instead of having them confused with words like lust, admiration, and desire.

---

Spirtuality is going to be defined differently by everyone, despite what the dictionary may say... The church loves to do that.

To me spirtuality is a following of a dogma, and it does not necessarily have to be religious.

[Az]

psst, Japher. Cali is a racist.


Religion provided a very important tool in human sociality, providing the first reasoning for a man not to kill another man even if he hated his guts, that reasoning being along the lines of "god will punish you", in one way or the other.

In a certain way, it is a better explanation than the modern one, since the modern-day morality doesn't explain a clear-cut reason except that "it is wrong", and "you wouldn't want that it would happen to you".

one, however, could see it as a predeccessor of today's reasoning.