Santorum to ban pornography if elected!

[Runa216]

andersonalex said:

Runa216 said:

sperrico87 said:

I understand your clause, and frankly I agree with you.  My point, though, is that more than half of the earth's population DOES believe in God and his teachings, and so I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to say their beliefs are any more or less valid than my own. We may be wrong, they may be wrong. It's impossible to know.

and therein lies the problem: we have entirely too many people letting something that is a big theoretical 'maybe' dictate their lives, ...

Wait though. It's only really a problem if:

1. the theory is incorrect, and

2. It doesn't benefit society.

Critics like to point to periods of time where Christianity has led to people seizing power and abusing it. But it has also forced people to live by moral standards which benefit our culture, especially in more recent, applicable times. For the most part, living a Christian life forces a person to be considerate, hard working and unselfish. Even if the basis for belief turned out to be faulty, the benefit to society is real.

The last 50 years have seen a huge drop in the percentage of Americans who consider themselves active Christians. Over that same time we've seen higher divorce rates, increased crime, expanded drug use, and a reduction of personal happiness (according to studies). Now that COULD be a coincidence, but it can't be argued that when people no longer believe that they are being held accountable by a higher power, that is, at the very least, one less motivation for them to live up to expectations. Certainly, a number of Christians will tell you that the reason they forgo certain activities is because they believe it is against their religion. 

And that can be a good thing, no matter how you slice it.

Religion certainly has its purpose, but there's no proof that we wouldn't have come to the same place in history without it.  yes, the bible (all bibles) teach morality, but in case you hadn't noticed, people are going to act however they want regardless.  Some people use the bible as a reason to judge and persecute others while most use it for compassion.  same book, different interpretations.  As any Sunday Morning special will tell you: "You had it in you all along."

Even assuming your stats are true (they are), you are making grand assumptions and leaps of faith in your assertions.  Who's to say that a lack of religion is what CAUSED the depression?  Maybe the depression CAUSED the lack of religion.  maybe it was the advance of technology, the advent of the internet, what if the lack of happiness and increase of crime is linked to the pollution in the air or the rising temperature that so many like to deny is happening.  LOTS of changes have happened since the 50's, it would be foolish to assume just one factor played a part in society.  That's not science at all.