Is Any Religion Superior to Others?

[Sunstone]

Is any religion superior to others? Why or why not?

 

[Katzpur]

Is any religion superior to others?

Define superior.

 

[Sunstone]

Define superior.

I was hoping people would give their own definitions of what superior meant to them.

 

[Comprehend]

Is any religion superior to others? Why or why not?

Yes. In the same way that Plato explained the "forms". Plato explained that there were metaphysical "forms" for everything that we have here, including everyday things such as a chair. He said somewhere there was a perfect form of a chair and the things we have on this earth that we call chairs are only chairs inasmuch as they correspond to the form of a chair. The more a thing resembles the form of a chair the more superior it is.

Ultimately, there is something regarding God and religion that is the truth and a religion is superior to another only inasmuch as it more closely resembles actuality.

(of course in this case, my definition of superior is correspondance with actuality).

 

[YmirGF]

Indeed there are some religions that are FAR superior to other "garden variety" religions. The thing is though, that religions are designed to appeal to certain types of mind sets. Some are far more dogmatic and rule based than others. Some are big on ritual and personal development whereas others are not into individuality at all. I'd give a list, but it would probably tick off a lot of folks, lol.

 

[Papersock]

Everyone's religion is superior to everyone else's religion.
You wouldn't believe in a relgioun you thought was inferior to someone else's, would you?

 

[madhatter85]

if you want to look at it from a business perspective -

(And mind you this was in 1997)-
Time Magazine 1997 Monday, Aug. 04, 1997 By DAVID VAN BIEMA

The church's material triumphs rival even its evangelical advances. With unusual cooperation from the Latter-day Saints hierarchy (which provided some financial figures and a rare look at church businesses), TIME has been able to quantify the church's extraordinary financial vibrancy. Its current assets total a minimum of $30 billion.

The LDS Church is by far wealthiest religion, per-capita, of any other religion.
(assets in ration to membership)

The top beef ranch in the world is not the King Ranch in Texas. It is the Deseret Cattle & Citrus Ranch outside Orlando, Fla. It covers 312,000 acres; its value as real estate alone is estimated at $858 million. It is owned entirely by the Mormons. The largest producer of nuts in America, AgReserves, Inc., in Salt Lake City, is Mormon-owned. So are the Bonneville International Corp., the country's 14th largest radio chain, and the Beneficial Life Insurance Co., with assets of $1.6 billion. There are richer churches than the one based in Salt Lake City: Roman Catholic holdings dwarf Mormon wealth. But the Catholic Church has 45 times as many members. There is no major church in the U.S. as active as the Latter-day Saints in economic life, nor, per capita, as successful at it.

They are the only church actively building Temples. (136 total worldwide)

Alphabetical

They are the USA's largest "native" religion. (meaning religion started on United States soil)

Thier welfare relief system is 2nd in the world, only to the United Nations relief Aid.


If you were to convert the LDS church into business:
Also from the Same TIME article-

If it were a corporation, its estimated $5.9 billion in annual gross income would place it midway through the FORTUNE 500, a little below Union Carbide and the Paine Webber Group but bigger than Nike and the Gap. And as long as corporate rankings are being bandied about, the church would make any list of the most admired: for straight dealing, company spirit, contributions to charity (even the non-Mormon kind) and a fiscal probity among its powerful leaders that would satisfy any shareholder group, if there were one.

Our Growth:

University of Washington sociologist Rodney Stark projects that in about 83 years, worldwide Mormon membership should reach 260 million.

They have the World's largest Geneological Database.

The importance of baptizing one's progenitors has led the Mormons to amass the fullest genealogical record in the world, the microfilmed equivalent of 7 million books of 300 pages apiece.

Our Values:

There is no other major American denomination that officially assigns two congregation members in good standing, as Mormonism does, to visit every household in their flock monthly. Perhaps in consequence, no other denomination can so consistently parade the social virtues most Americans have come around to saying they admire. The Rev. Jeffrey Silliman, of the same Presbyterian group that made the heresy charge, admits that Mormons "have a high moral standard on chastity, fidelity, honesty and hard work, and that's appealing."

Our Success:

Will it succeed? Will the generations of young Mormon men who have so avidly evangelized beyond the borders of their country be followed by a fiscal juggernaut that will make the church as respected a presence in Brazil or the Philippines as it is in Utah, Colorado or, for that matter, America as a whole? Assessing the church's efforts at overseas expansion, author Joel Kotkin has written that "given the scale of the current religious revival combined with the formidable organizational resources of the church, the Mormons could well emerge as the next great global tribe, fulfilling, as they believe, the prophecies of ancient and modern prophets."

But then of course I think my religion is awesome

 

[Pariah]

Is any religion superior to others? Why or why not?

Whatever religion one believes in, I suppose. Percieved truth might play a great deal in that decision.

 

[Scarlett Wampus]

Everyone's religion is superior to everyone else's religion.
You wouldn't believe in a relgioun you thought was inferior to someone else's, would you?

Superior and inferior don't have to come in to it. What's personal and relevant isn't always common and universal.

My world is the best of all possible worlds, for me. I imagine YmirGFs world is the best of all possible worlds to him too.

 

[BruceDLimber]

>Is any religion superior to others?

In my opinion, definitely not!

Though I would say that if there were such a thing (a premise I reject), I think it would be a religion that didn't think itself superior.

Peace,

Bruce

 

[Grappleberry Punch]

Baptist Christianity is by far the most superior religion.

jk, no I think "superiority" doesn't mean a thing when it comes to religion.

 

[Willamena]

Is any religion superior to others? Why or why not?

Yes, each person's religion is superior to all others by virtue of being theirs.

 

[Cordoba]

The superior religion is the one which gives the Truth

100% Truth

So religions could be ranked based on how close they are to the Truth

Having said that, each believer will have his or her own ranking, and would normally have his own faith at the top of the list

 

[Aqualung]

Yes. In the same way that Plato explained the "forms". Plato explained that there were metaphysical "forms" for everything that we have here, including everyday things such as a chair. He said somewhere there was a perfect form of a chair and the things we have on this earth that we call chairs are only chairs inasmuch as they correspond to the form of a chair. The more a thing resembles the form of a chair the more superior it is.

I agree with that.

If we deny that there is a true religion though, some religions are superior just because they are more internally consistent and logically sound.

 

[Comprehend]

I agree with that.

If we deny that there is a true religion though, some religions are superior just because they are more internally consistent and logically sound.

Interesting. We could rank religions based upon internal consistancy and soundness but then we would have to have that argument with everyone about what logically sound is and you know how that goes...

 

[ayani]

JMoum ~

i love that quote...

some means of practicing or approaching a faith may have more doctrinal elaborations, rituals, or requirements, but that doesn't make them, imo, ultimately less or more valid than simpler approaches.

 

[michel]

Is any religion superior to others? Why or why not?

Yes, Mine; because It is right for me. Of course, that is subjective.........

 

[Aqualung]

Interesting. We could rank religions based upon internal consistancy and soundness but then we would have to have that argument with everyone about what logically sound is and you know how that goes...

Lol, you're right. I shouldn't have opened up that can of worms.

Somebody today in my ethics class said it was not logical to travel long distances without a car. It reminded me of you.

 

[Pariah]

Yes, my religion, the worship of Pariah, far exceeds the fruits gained through the worship of any other deity.

 

[dawny0826]

I believe it's totally natural for each of us to feel that our own religious beliefs are superior. I feel that my beliefs totally rock out! As I'm sure the next person believes that their beliefs are rockin' as well.

 

[.lava]

Is any religion superior to others? Why or why not?

there is only one religion ever since Allah created Adam (PBUH).

verses about this:

3:19
The religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will): nor did the people of the Book dissent therefrom except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them. But if any deny the Signs of Allah, Allah is swift in calling to account.

2:130
And who turns away from the religion of Abraham but such as debase their souls with folly? Him We chose and rendered pure in this world: and he will be in the Hereafter in the ranks of the Righteous.

6:159
As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects, thou hast no part in them in the least: their affair is with Allah: He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did.