30-01-2003 22:46									#1
	Positive aspects of religion. Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Ok, know how extreme fundamentalists can try to use religion as a weapon against other people. Not to mention other past, historical crimes committed in the name of God such as the Crusades, witch hunts, and homophobia.

But there were also positive contributions made by religions of all types:

1) Christian monasteries preserved our knowledge of the ancient world. Who knows how much we would know today had it not been for Middle Ages monks?

2) Muslims in the Near East also were responsible for preserving the knowledge of the ancient world.

3) Hundreds of millions of people have found some kind of security and stability in one form of Christianity, Judahism, Islam, or other form of religion. That does not mean that moderate religious people are dumb, or have renounced scientific progress.

4) Religions have sought to provide a means for stable families through various ceremonies that celebrate the different stages of an individual's life, as well as the family's life.

I'm sure there are other positive contributions from the various religions that I forgot to mention.

	30-01-2003 22:49									#2
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

How about increased spirituality?

	30-01-2003 22:49									#3
	Support Apolyton

Humour hint for Mr. Fun:

I opened this expecting to see a blank page.

	30-01-2003 22:50									#4
	Re: Positive aspects of religion. Full PM-box? Change here!

quote: Originally posted by MrFun I'm sure there are other positive contributions from the various religions that I forgot to mention.

Gothic cathedrals

	30-01-2003 22:50									#5
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Yes -- spirituality is definitely important.

But spirituality can also be completely separate from religion. For instance, I have a spiritual belief in God and Jesus Christ, but I do not belong to any Christian denomination.

	30-01-2003 22:51									#6
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

quote: Originally posted by Frogger Humour hint for Mr. Fun: I opened this expecting to see a blank page.

surprise

	30-01-2003 22:52									#7
	Remove this text

Human Sacrifice

	30-01-2003 22:55									#8
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by orange Human Sacrifice

If you want to create a separate thread for the negative aspects of religions, go ahead.

	30-01-2003 22:55									#9
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

Oh, and doesnīt the idea of the equality of humans derive from the christian idea that humans are equal in the face of God?

Edit: I think there are similar ancient ideas in that direction too, but they donīt appear that much influential...

	30-01-2003 22:55									#10
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

Actual Roman reproductions of acts of bestiality from mythology in the Colosseum

	30-01-2003 23:01									#11
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

quote: Originally posted by MrFun Yes -- spirituality is definitely important. But spirituality can also be completely separate from religion. For instance, I have a spiritual belief in God and Jesus Christ, but I do not belong to any Christian denomination.

That's great, I am the same way, but some people feel more secure within the confines of organised religion, and although it can be stifling for those like us who prefer to think for ourselves on religious matters, at least it affords them a limited opportunity for spiritual development.

	30-01-2003 23:04									#12
	Get a bigger avatar today!

quote: Originally posted by BeBro Oh, and doesnīt the idea of the equality of humans derive from the christian idea that humans are equal in the face of God?

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.

	30-01-2003 23:08									#13
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

Religion is numbing like smoking a cigarette after a long time.
That's its main virtue IMO.

Other positive traits is the feeling of someone benevolent looking after you.

All these require that you buy the whole idea though.
Major drawback.

	30-01-2003 23:50									#14
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

Hm so any other good things, dispite filling the history book or providing some reason to celebrate (although most rituals are boring, and come down to "lets eat and drink")?
Ah right forgot about those imposant buildings to look at... (... pretty ... but I rather want to keep my tax-money in the pocket...)

	30-01-2003 23:52									#15
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Orgies

	30-01-2003 23:59									#16
	Tired of ads?

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

How cool is that!

	31-01-2003 01:49									#17
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

Life after death is a biggie imho.

	31-01-2003 01:52									#18
	Got spare money?

quote: 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 Godīs plan?

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

	31-01-2003 01:53									#19
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

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.

	31-01-2003 02:15									#20
	Remove this text

Another positive aspect:

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

	31-01-2003 02:22									#21
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

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

	31-01-2003 02:30									#22
	Tired of ads?

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.

	31-01-2003 02:53									#23
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: Originally posted by BeBro You know Godīs 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...

	31-01-2003 02:59									#24
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: 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?

	31-01-2003 03:09									#25
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

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.'

quote: 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?

quote: 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.

	31-01-2003 03:10									#26
	Support Apolyton

quote: 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?

	31-01-2003 03:15									#27
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: 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."

	31-01-2003 03:22									#28
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

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.

	31-01-2003 03:25									#29
	Tired of ads?

quote: 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

quote: 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.

	31-01-2003 03:38									#30
	Suffering from ads?

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.