Is religion still relevant in modern society?

[theprof00]

Andrespetmonkey said:

padib said:

Opinions opinions opinions opinions opinions.

What theprof00 said is that he wants a world where people have a choice. How is that not possible in a religious mindset?

If the smart ones took the route of secularism rather than religion, wouldn't you give credit to their intelligence rather than their choice? There are problems in religion, there are problems in secularism. If I were to choose, I chose religious secularism. In other words, you live your faith perfectly, you live your every day life perfectly. You let people live, people let you live.

The problem I see is when either religion or "science" aka evolution is pushed onto people. That is not a choice. Is that what you all want?

What about this. Your son decides he would like to embrace religion. What is your perspective there? Will you try to talk him out of it? If so, how are you any better than parents of a religion who don't allow their grown children to walk away.

Even harder question. What do you do if there is someone teaching your children things that are contrary to what you desire them to learn until they are of age to make their own decisions? Would you allow people of faith to show children or other people alternative ways to their current (possibly atheistic) lifestyle. Why would a person of faith appreciate a non-faither to teach their views to the children? No more double-sided playing! It's both ways or nothing.

 

Here's what I demand, and I'll follow by tying in with the OP. I demand a world where all views are taught. If we're going to be secular let's do it all the way. All religions taught in school, all theories taught in school. Let the students decide. People are to present their lectures of whatever nature they so please, and everyone has the right to freely attend. Teach Gay Marriage, teach Heterosexual Marriage, teach Faithfulness, teach Adultery, teach child innocence, teach pedophilia, teach child sacrifice (which some cultures do), teach PolyAmory, teach Fanatic Religion, teach everything. Teach madness, and teach lucidity. Encourage madness, and encourage lucidity. Everyone chooses.

 

If we're not going to draw the line, who will? Where is the line, where is it drawn? Who determines what is the limit. Homosexuality? Incest? Maybe not incest? What about Pedophilia? Necrophilia? No? Zoophilia, maybe that's ok... How about, teaching kids how to eat shit when having sex? How about teaching kids to have sex?

Where do you draw the line? How is the above picture drastically wrong?

 

The things religion has brought to society can't be replaced. Not by any anti-religion. Honor, truth, virtue, faith, trust, nobility, purity, chastity, dedication, discipline, focus, longsuffering, sacrifice, .... You'll find them in a form or another but each religion brings a flavor of that, and noone can say they would be as easily found without it.

Much of the teachings of light can still be used today. For instance, the teachings of the NT could have allowed a proper form of female emancipation without the need of rebellion. Liken this to Martin Luther versus Malcolm X. Both wanted to achieve the same thing, one through non-violence, the other through violence. In the case of feminism, secularism caused the shift to go from oppression to rebellion, whereas a true form of Christianity for instance would've encouraged a balanced emancipation, where women take their god-given place, but fulfill it through sacrifice. Giving up their rebellion to humble themselves before their husbands, but taking back the rights they were removed, the priviledges to have a voice, to be productive and to be of value to society.

Padib, I'm sorry but if you really believe what you just said, you are batshit insane. Fuck this, I'm not gonna even begin to explain to you how disgustingly small-minded and ignorant a lot of what you just said was, maybe someone else will. I'm done talking to you. I'm going to sleep.

1. Your whole analogy of teaching everything is wrong. YOu teach kids useful skills and information. You don't go teaching them everything because all a teacher's job is to instill a desire to learn. School isn't really about what is taught. It's teaching people HOW to learn. It's about socializing people in a cohesive group. It's about getting kids motivated. So, you teach them morally ambiguous things. Biology, History, science, language, etc. You give kids argument and you will crush them.

Secondly, it's so easy to draw the line. You draw the line where things might become inappropriate. It's not as hard for your average person to decide as you might believe. And the whole homosexuality -> zoophilia train wreck? You're spouting religious zealot propoganda. You think that just because a person isn't of faith, they have no moral guidelines and are capable of anything. Let me remind you of the church pedophilia fiasco. There are things that people are into and religion is not going to stop those people from taking advantage.  They'll simply say "god help me" and do it anyway. The difference, by the way, of all those things you listed, is that homosexuality is with two consenting adults, and everything else is people taking advantage. The sheer madness evoked when you basically just explained that you can't tell the difference is shocking.

2. Actually, Japan didn't do that bad of a job. Shinto is basically a simple belief in ghosts, and deities similar to Greek mythos. THeir honor sustained them quite well into the technological era and are a powerhouse economy. They have almost the least crime out of any other country in the world, live almost the longest, and are one of the most healthy. So much for religion, eh?

3. The modern civil rights movement for african americans would have never been possible without violence. You can't just have martin luther espousing love and equality and morality without malcolm x putting a figurative gun to the white man's head. As long as a group is capable of being taken advantage of, they will be. Seizing power is the only way to promote equality. Sorry to break it to you.