The benefit of religion

The Benefit of Religion video from Answers.com Videos


Abner

 

I agree of course with the general sentiment of his message. Who would argue we should seek peace, non-violence, etc? There should be more open dialogue between people who have different beliefs.

However, I wonder if he believes what he speaks in the video is true, or merely his subjective personal preference? If he believes it is actually true (ie, applicable to everyone, not just himself) then don't his religious views fit into the "tribal" or "fundamentalist" category? If he does not believe they are actually true (in the non-subjective, not just my own personal preference sense) then why is be bothering to talk about them and tell other people what they should or should not be doing? The dichotomy presented here (fundamentalism (a code-word for believing you're actually correct) vs peace/non-violence) is a false one. There's no intrinsic reason why believing a particular religion is true will lead to war and violence as this man implicitly suggests, unless of course that religion explicitly teaches that war and violence is de facto acceptable.

The main issue seems to be tolerance. Tolerance is of course a good thing: Being willing to love others whose beliefs differ from your own. But the problem is the incoherent way tolerance is often used in modern society that says that saying someone else is wrong is intolerant. That of course is silly; tolerance implies and requires disagreement. You can't tolerate someone with whom you agree ... there's nothing to tolerate! Disagreement is fine, believing that you are right is fine, saying that someone else is wrong is fine (as this man says that "fundamentalists" are wrong), it should be about the manner in which you disagree.

 

"All religions are the same."
As they are fundamentally contradictory, this is not true.

 

"All religions must be tolerated, for every man must get to heaven his own way."
~Frederick the Great

 

I'd say the biggest benefit of religion is that Christians won't be going to hell. It's a nice perk.

 

:heart::iagree:

 

You bust me up Steve.

I am a little leary of statements like:

"I'd say the biggest benefit of religion is that Christians won't be going to hell. It's a nice perk"

There are plenty of so-called Chrisitans out who are Christian in name only. I do not subscribe to the idea that only Christians will go to heaven. However, if I did I would rephrase it like this:

Christians who practice what is preached to them, and oberserve the principles of compassion, understanding and love will make it to heaven"

Just my humble two centavos!

Abner

 

While I am a Christian, my comment was clearly sarcastic.

Abner, you seem to have a humble two cents about everything.

 

My apologies then!

Abner

 

FALSE; man’s philosophy. (And man is incapable to “… get to heaven his own way.” It is the way of man that made it necessity for Christ to save man from himself /own way…).

Jesus called it the “broad road” that leads to destruction:

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

“There are no limits to the varieties of choices one can make leading to destruction. Satan offers many ways to destruction, and the world suggests many ways to heaven, but Jesus said there is only one entrance and only one path that leads to life and salvation” (Hassel, 2010).

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'" (John 14:6 NKJV).

“Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 1:9-11 NKJV).

 

I bet that felt good.

 

In a sense it doesn't really matter how he feels about it ... it matters whether its true or not. A certain drink may taste foul; if it kills you, it's poison, but if it cures you, it's medicine.

 

Thank you emmzee; clarified in so few words!

 

Agreed. They would first need to establish the veracity of those scriptures.

 

In my Sunday school class right now we're studying different religions. We had the kids (high school) sign up to research other religions and present their findings to the class. This also means I need to make sure to do extensive research too, just in case what they come up with isn't exactly accurate. I try to stress that Wikipedia can be a good starting point but it isn't sufficient ...

Anywho. One of the things I ask them to do is compare the veracity of the writings of whichever religion they are researching to the Bible, in particular the New Testament, which I wrote my own little 20k ebook about ... if anyone's interested: The Historical Reliability of the New Testament: Free eBook!

 

Good one! All righty then, no Scripture, but how about this quote by Montesquieu in "The Spirit of Laws":

"To say that religion is not a restraining motive, because it does not always restrain, is equally absurd as to say that the civil laws are not a restraining motive. It is a false way of reasoning against religion to collect, in a large work, a long detail of the evils it has produced if we do not give at the same time an enumeration of the advantages which have flowed from it. Were I to relate all the evils that have arisen in the world from civil laws, from monarchy, and from republican government, I might tell of frightful things. Were it of no advantage for subjects to have religion, it would still be of some, if princes had it, and if they whitened with foam the only rein which can restrain those who fear not human laws."
(Book 35, Montesquieu and Rousseau, Great Books of the Western World)

 

The primary benefit of religion is that it provides every person, regardless of background or material support system an opportunity to create a support system best suited to help their personal weaknesses.

If we all followed two basic commandments we wouldn't need any other.

1. Be honest and faithful to the people who provide for you in both nourishment and nookie.
2. Don't kill people unless you really, really have to.

See George Carlin's work on religion at some point. Hilarious stuff but so true (in my humble opinion)