"It's my religion/culture/country"

[Looncall]

I agree that excusing horrific acts on the basis of one's faith or "culture" is abhorrent. Who sets the standards for acceptable conduct? There are many competing religions and philosophies of life that permit or even induce people to act wickedly. We need to understand how to "operate" ourselves. Who has the operating instructions? The One who created us. All the evil and suffering return us to the fundamental question: Who is Earth's rightful ruler? The Bible tells us that we do not have the wisdom to direct ourselves, and we don't even have the right to do so. (Jeremiah 10:23,24)

On the other hand, we could free our minds of the poison of religion and just figure out how to do things using the tools at hand. You know, like observation, reason, compassion and empathy.

I find your assumption that people need to be ruled by some tyrant or other very disgusting. The fact that some old book constantly babbles about kings does not mean that that is the best way to organize things.

 

[Draka]

I agree that excusing horrific acts on the basis of one's faith or "culture" is abhorrent. Who sets the standards for acceptable conduct? There are many competing religions and philosophies of life that permit or even induce people to act wickedly. We need to understand how to "operate" ourselves. Who has the operating instructions? The One who created us. All the evil and suffering return us to the fundamental question: Who is Earth's rightful ruler? The Bible tells us that we do not have the wisdom to direct ourselves, and we don't even have the right to do so. (Jeremiah 10:23,24)

Ironically, it appears that those who use their own wisdom rather than scripture to lead their lives do just as well, if not better, in directing themselves accordingly than those who put scripture in charge of their lives. Isn't it funny that people who surrender responsibility for their decisions to what scripture says often do more harm in the world than those who take responsibility for their own decisions?

 

[rusra02]

On the other hand, we could free our minds of the poison of religion and just figure out how to do things using the tools at hand. You know, like observation, reason, compassion and empathy.

I find your assumption that people need to be ruled by some tyrant or other very disgusting. The fact that some old book constantly babbles about kings does not mean that that is the best way to organize things.

Man has tried to rule himself ever since Adam rejected God's rulership. The sad results are evident for all to see. The One who created us, who gave us reason, compassion, and empathy, is the best Source of knowing how to do things. (Micah 6:8) It is the ignoring of the grand Creator that has led to the deplorable conditions we see today. Those who do follow God's Word enjoy happiness and a much better life even now, and a sure hope for the future. (2 Timothy 3:16,17 Psalm 19:7-11)

 

[rusra02]

Ironically, it appears that those who use their own wisdom rather than scripture to lead their lives do just as well, if not better, in directing themselves accordingly than those who put scripture in charge of their lives. Isn't it funny that people who surrender responsibility for their decisions to what scripture says often do more harm in the world than those who take responsibility for their own decisions?

Those who use their own wisdom are doing well? Hmm, let's see... Two world wars, countless smaller wars, genocides, pollution, terrorism, violence, global warming, economic chaos, vast numbers of people in grinding poverty, starvation, crime, a plague of drugs, divorce rates above 50%, mental health problem epidemic, political and corporate corruption... shall I continue?

 

[Looncall]

Those who use their own wisdom are doing well? Hmm, let's see... Two world wars, countless smaller wars, genocides, pollution, terrorism, violence, global warming, economic chaos, vast numbers of people in grinding poverty, starvation, crime, a plague of drugs, divorce rates above 50%, mental health problem epidemic, political and corporate corruption... shall I continue?

And most of this inflicted by mostly religious people and most prevalent in high-religiosity regions. Remember "Gott mit uns"? Why bother to continue?

 

[ForeverFaithful]

To the OP

And this is the problem with Relativism and extreme Multiculturalism,

I'm a Canadian, I love that we have students from all four corners of the globe in our public schools, but the when someone from a country where Homosexuality is a capital crime, We can not allow that attitude to exist within our society,

Do they have a right to be conservative on the issues of sexuality, by all means, by the corner stone of our policies has to be based on the unalienable right of people to live without being harmed by someone else,

Personally I think the UN should do something about someone these cultural and to heck with political correctness, by again the UN is a toothless tiger, so we have to look to the West

 

[rusra02]

And most of this inflicted by mostly religious people and most prevalent in high-religiosity regions. Remember "Gott mit uns"? Why bother to continue?

No argument there. False religion has always been a force for evil and suffering. Their conduct has been a contradiction and denial of what the Holy Scriptures teach. It is all the more despicable when such wicked ones claim to worship the God of the Bible and to follow Christ. (Matthew 7:21-23)

 

[Looncall]

No argument there. False religion has always been a force for evil and suffering. Their conduct has been a contradiction and denial of what the Holy Scriptures teach. It is all the more despicable when such wicked ones claim to worship the God of the Bible and to follow Christ. (Matthew 7:21-23)

"No True Scotsman" much?

 

[rusra02]

"No True Scotsman" much?

I have seen this argument often, and it fallacious. The Bible tells us to love our neighbor, and true Christians follow that command, even if it means they will be executed or imprisoned for their stand. On the other hand, many who profess to be Christian do not love their neighbor and will kill them if ordered to do so, (and sometimes kill them without any orders.) One is clearly following the Christ, the other is not. Scotmen have nothing to do with it. (1 John 3:10-12)

 

[Vinayaka]

Ironically, it appears that those who use their own wisdom rather than scripture to lead their lives do just as well, if not better, in directing themselves accordingly than those who put scripture in charge of their lives. Isn't it funny that people who surrender responsibility for their decisions to what scripture says often do more harm in the world than those who take responsibility for their own decisions?

I think people who lean on scripture all the time are basically very simple people who can't think for themselves, or are culturally indoctrinated. The idea that we can think for ourselves is relatively new. Only a couple of hundred years ago, for example, probably 95% of people just did what their parents did as occupations. Times have changed.

 

[Draka]

I think people who lean on scripture all the time are basically very simple people who can't think for themselves, or are culturally indoctrinated. The idea that we can think for ourselves is relatively new. Only a couple of hundred years ago, for example, probably 95% of people just did what their parents did as occupations. Times have changed.

Yes. It does seem that the people who most heavily rely upon scripture to tell them how to lead their lives and what decisions they should make appear to be lacking in the ability to think and reason for themselves. Either that or they simply do not wish to take on the responsibility of thinking for themselves and making their own decisions. Much easier to just chalk everything up to what a book supposedly says about a particular concept of deity. Takes all responsibility off their shoulders and puts it somewhere we can't supposedly question...because it's "god". How convenient for them.

 

[Nooj]

Yes. It does seem that the people who most heavily rely upon scripture to tell them how to lead their lives and what decisions they should make appear to be lacking in the ability to think and reason for themselves. Either that or they simply do not wish to take on the responsibility of thinking for themselves and making their own decisions. Much easier to just chalk everything up to what a book supposedly says about a particular concept of deity. Takes all responsibility off their shoulders and puts it somewhere we can't supposedly question...because it's "god". How convenient for them.

We have so much in common. I too feel better by reminding myself how superior I am to the dumb folk.

 

[Draka]

We have so much in common. I too feel better by reminding myself how superior I am to the dumb folk.

Whatever. :sarcastic

 

[LegionOnomaMoi]

Yes. It does seem that the people who most heavily rely upon scripture to tell them how to lead their lives and what decisions they should make appear to be lacking in the ability to think and reason for themselves.

How many people (religious or no), would you say, spend a lot of time reading ethical/moral writings of the past few millenia? Or spend a lot of time thinking about the basis for their own moral system and those of others, and what makes one intrinsically "better" if anything? In my experience, most of the people I talk to (who are usually bright, are in or have a college education, and are atheist, agnostic, or belief in "something" but don't identify with a particular religion) haven't done either. They believe that morals are relative, but that things like murder and genocide are wrong. When asked "why?" I get "because they are." And I live near boston, supposedly one of the education capitols of the world. Closing of the American Mind discusses this, but I think either things have gotten worse or he understimated the situation when he wrote the book.