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**Urban Ranger** · January 31, 2003, 12:31

Surely there are enlightened people in the Third World, but due to the state of education, it seems reasonable to presume that most are not.

**cinch** · January 31, 2003, 15:55

It's no longer fashionable to hate people because of their race, but now it's fashionable for atheists to hate people who are religious?

I don't hate you. When did I say I hate you? And why did you sidestep my civil (in my opinion) post and only reply to slightly more inflammatory ones?

You complain when people disrespect your faith, but then you fail to reply to them on any meaningful level.... Why?

What kind of Christian Warrior are you?

**Ben Kenobi** · January 31, 2003, 18:14

Start from what we know, construct a proof or argument to show that the Christan god exists. It can either be logical or scientific. Negative arguments won't work.

Urban Ranger,
This may have to be another thread...

This is somewhat off-topic when discussing benefits of religion.

However, you have the burden of truth here my friend. You challenged my beliefs, not the other way 'round.

Show me why Christianity is false! Why don't we make a bargain? If you can convince me that my belief is false I will leave the commitment that I have made. The same is with you.

Concerning your other points.
Note my qualifier, assuming they are true, do they still work to be a detriment? You would have a hard time convincing someone that a drug that provides the same benefits as alcohol, without the harmful effects would still be harmful to the user.

In any case, is religion an opiate? I'd say no, simply because most religions insist upon inspection and examination rather than blind faith. Or to paraphrase Milton, a faith untested is hardly faith in anything.

If you need a drug or alcohol to help you escape from reality.

Remember Yes, Virginia? Is there a world beyond which our eyes can see? Do you believe that the material world is all that exists? Rather than an escape, Christianity insists upon a spiritual world that transcends the material. In this sense, it is an enrichment rather than an escape. Like the difference between seeing in two dimensions to seeing in three.

We may have needed it in the past to keep us sane, but we've reached a point, as a culture, where we can explain alot of that stuff...

cinch, look out of your window. How sane is this world?

Yeats:
"The second coming."

"The best lack all conviction
While the worst are full of passionate intensity."

**Sava** · January 31, 2003, 18:21

Originally posted by TheStinger
Positive aspects of religion:

1) Kept women in their place for years.
2)Condoned the persecution of people who had strange ideas or lifestyles.
3)Kept the power where it belonged i.e away from the people.
4)Kept dangerous ideas about science and freedom from people.
5)Allowed military tactics to develop at a rapid pace.

Amen Stinger...

**Caligastia** · January 31, 2003, 18:24

Originally posted by Sava

Amen Stinger...

Hallelujah brother Sava...

**cinch** · January 31, 2003, 20:31

Show me why Christianity is false!

The Christian-Muslim-Jewish God acts like a human. He has a temper, he urges people to kill, he changes with time. Since he is supposedly outside of time and "reality" as we know it, why would he act in such a human way? And why would he lead people to believe that metaphorical myths are actual fact? If he meant Adam & Eve as metaphor, then why did he "tell" the compilers of the Bible that it was the undoubted truth of God? Isn't the fact that the Bible is the unadulterated Word of God ("divine inspiration" and all that) the entire basis of Christian dogma?

Is there a world beyond which our eyes can see? Do you believe that the material world is all that exists? Rather than an escape, Christianity insists upon a spiritual world that transcends the material. In this sense, it is an enrichment rather than an escape. Like the difference between seeing in two dimensions to seeing in three.

Yes, there's a world beyond what our eyes can see, but it is not presided over by the ill-tempered deity of an ancient nomadic band. It's not presided over by anyone, actually, because then you're limitting "it" to wordly definition.

Well, that's my opinion, anyway.

cinch, look out of your window. How sane is this world?

I never said the goings on of today's world were sane, I just said that in the past, we needed religion to help us get by. Since I think we've made great strides, in some areas of the world, at least, we can exist in reality without deluding ourselves.

Meh.

**mrboo123** · January 31, 2003, 21:20

A) I'll keep my God, and you keep your... what-ever you have (Eveloution? Idols?)...
C) I find that Religion inpoved my life.
AND
B) Wait 'til the End or when Jesus comes... (or both...) then will find out....

**DinoDoc** · January 31, 2003, 21:23

Now I remember why I try to stay away from any thread on Poly with religion in the title.

**mrboo123** · January 31, 2003, 21:28

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Now I remember why I try to stay away from any thread on Poly with religion in the title.

Why that?

**DinoDoc** · January 31, 2003, 21:32

Originally posted by 123john321
Why that?

They all end up being the same thread regardless of how they start out.

**mrboo123** · January 31, 2003, 21:33

Ahh... they end up as a Religion vs the aithiest (did I spell the last word right???)

**Ben Kenobi** · January 31, 2003, 22:07

Cinch-

Start another thread please. Same advice I had for Urban Ranger.

I'll be happy to rebut there, but this thread has a completely different purpose.

After all, we're looking for positive effects of religion, are we not?

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Positive aspects of religion.

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