Those things are all positives for society. OTOH the problem with many religions is their adherents use them as a bludgeon or a means to signal that they are somehow superior to others because of their membership. This is divisive and harmful.
Would America Be Better Off with More Religion?
- Thread starter ThatOwlWoman
- Start date
It's not the churches themselves. It is their members. We've all seen the bloodthirsty posts praising the bombing of Iran by the self-proclaimed Christians on this board. We've all seen the equally bloodthirsty exhortatations from radical Islamic clerics and leaders in the MIddle East. Obviously "more religion" isn't helping either of these groups.
The problem isn't god/God/Allah. It's people.
You said killing and destroying.
I can't think of any synagogue, church, or Temple in my community that is killing and destroying.
Hate and prejudice are a different matter. There are lots of secular MAGAs who hate blacks, Mexicans, Jews, gays as well. Trump doesn't have a religious bone in his body, but he seethes with hate and bigotry
In what way? And why just Xtianity? Would a Jew be "better off" with a closer relationship to G-d? Would a Muslim be a better person with a closer relationship with Allah? A Wiccan with the Goddess?
Yes, I know. And now Toxic is trying to "86" the 38th POTUS with her constant repetition of that otherwise meaningless number. Strange.
The trash has been taken out so we don't need to mention the bloodsucking attention whore in this thread anymore. lol
I can only speak for my faith as a Catholic. I believe if someone (in my case Christ) epitomizes faith,hope and love, those are values to be emulated. A closer relationship adds to that. In my opinion.
I cannot speak for other denominations.
True. There are a lot of haters and criminals out there. Christianity, science, capitalism, communism, colonialism don't have a more monopoly. Haters and criminals exist everywhere.
I don't think hate is exclusive to any one group of people.
The presidents who did the most to advance LBGTQ rights were Christians- Obama and Biden.
The president who has done the most to harm LBGTQ rights was Trump, who doesn't have a religious bone in his body.
I do not agree at all Christian fundamentalism. But are far as I know, as an institution they are not hell bent on killing and destruction. Where I think they need to be stopped is their attempts to turn the government into a Christian theocracy.
Taichiliberal
Shaken, not stirred!
Remove all those nifty tax exemptions that churches and clergyman enjoy, and I bet you'd see an amazing decrease in the number of religious buildings and membership across the board.
So many claim to be followers of Christ, yet so few live up to it or even try to practice His teachings. Bless you for trying!
I wish the poll had defined "religion" a little more clearly. It seems to have assumed that it would mean "Christianity" to most respondents. Somehow I find it difficult to believe that Republicans and fundies would agree that we would be better off with more Muslim believers. lol
Ra-men.
Xtian presidents and politicians may have helped to protect the rights of LGBTQ citizens. However, it is those who have used religion as a bludgeon who have created the need for that protection. Ditto for slavery, for racism, for the hate crimes against non-whites, the indigenous, Jews, even (to a much lesser degree due to our low numbers) pagans and other non-Christians in this country.
Unfortunately it is also the religious who have tried to prevent some aspects of scientific research like stem cell research, vaccines, IVF, teaching basic science w/o injecting creationism into it, gene editing and cloning, etc.
Until we can weed that out, less religion in America IMO would be better.
Those megachurches are definitely one of America's biggest grifts.
Okay, so you are talking specifcally about right-wing fundamentalist Protestants. I haven't noticed any of that kind of ignorance, bigotry, and hate in any of the churches I visited and/or attended
Your thread title referred to religion, so I was considering religion and spirituality as a whole.
I didn't notice my science education in college and graduate school detrimentally affected in any way by Christianity.
I do agree with you that creation science, teacher-led school prayer, reproductive rights are political problems which require intervention.
Slavery in the USA and Britain was largely discredited by the moral authority of Christian abolitionists and it hasn't existed for almost two centuries, so I don't think that's a relevant topic to whether religion harms or helps 21st century America.
I do agree with you in general that Christian fundamentalists create problems that require vigilance.
T. A. Gardner
Serial Thread Killer
In a very real sense, yes. Is that a problem?
The only problem is when that social club tries to promote its beliefs over others and insert them into the government.
Jade Dragon
And I'm the one that jaded you.
That's not the doing of Christians; it's done by politicians and bigots warping Christianity to justify their prejudice. If people legitimately followed Christ's teachings, you'd know that he extended a hand to these people rather than push them away and give them the finger. America has politicized & monetized Christianity, and rarely the real thing.
T. A. Gardner
Serial Thread Killer
Like Socialist groups do? How about Communists?
Organized Religion has little to do with God!
