Name Some Kind Acts Caused by Religioun

[sandy whitelinger]

This is in response to "Name Some Wars Caused by Religion."

 

[Mister_T]

This is in response to "Name Some Wars Caused by Religion."

Charity and helping out those in need.

 

[Sunstone]

I don't think religion so much causes acts of kindness as it facilitates them. Religion is a great enabler.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

I don't think religion so much causes acts of kindness as it facilitates them. Religion is a great enabler.

I could argue from the Bible that there is nothing good that man does on his own, it is only the indwelling of the Holy spirit that creates in man the ability to do good. In this case Ithink that arguing whether or not is is causality of facilitation is a matter of semantics.

 

[Bathsheba]

I could argue from the Bible that there is nothing good that man does on his own, it is only the indwelling of the Holy spirit that creates in man the ability to do good. In this case Ithink that arguing whether or not is is causality of facilitation is a matter of semantics.

That would be like arguing about Luke Skywalker, was he motivated out of revenge or driven by the force, there may be a literary point to make but that is about all you can derive from these stories. And the problem you raise regarding the holy spirit and man's ability to do good is probably more paradoxical than semantical IMHO.

Regarding the OP question, the Golden Rule clearly motivates kind acts. Does Religion cause the Golden Rule, I'm not sure about that but I think one could argue that it has played a role in causing kind acts based on this rule. I think an easier way of looking at this is to ask, "Does anything good come out of Religion?" and I think the obvious answer is yes.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

That would be like arguing about Luke Skywalker, was he motivated out of revenge or driven by the force...

Yet there is plenty of Scripture to make the point that man, on his own, does nothing that is good in the eyes of God.

Regarding the OP question, the Golden Rule clearly motivates kind acts. Does Religion cause the Golden Rule, I'm not sure about that but I think one could argue that it has played a roll in causing kind acts based on this rule. I think an easier way of looking at this is to ask, "Does anything good come out of Religion?" and I think the obvious answer is yes.

The reason I posted this was in response to another thread. Appling this logic it could be argued then that religion never caused a war.

 

[Bathsheba]

Yet there is plenty of Scripture to make the point that man, on his own, does nothing that is good in the eyes of God.

Yeah, I get where you are coming from (which doesn't mean I accept the idea) and I find the "rotten to the core" doctrine one of the most destructive doctrines of Christianity.

The reason I posted this was in response to another thread. Appling this logic it could be argued then that religion never caused a war.

What logic do you have in mind?

Is it your position that religion never caused war?

 

[sandy whitelinger]

What logic do you have in mind?

Um, the logic you offered.

Is it your position that religion never caused war?

Religion doesn't cause wars, people cause wars.

 

[Bathsheba]

Um, the logic you offered.

Religion doesn't cause wars, people cause wars.

Will you characterize what you think my logic is? I doubt we are on the same page.

Regarding people causing wars, sure, people pull the trigger, but what motivated them to unload? If somebody believes that God is telling them to kill the infidel based on their religion it is intellectual dishonesty to say that religion didn't have a casual effect.

 

[Scuba Pete]

One need look no further than Mother Theresa or Gandhi to see how religion can bring out the best in people.

When your life is merely service to man, your religion is beyond reproach.

 

[Bathsheba]

One need look no further than Mother Theresa or Gandhi to see how religion can bring out the best in people.

What is the casual relationship between religion and the acts performed by those two? I'm not saying it doesn't exist but I am interested in how you support your claim.

 

[Scuba Pete]

I don't know that I would characterize the relationships as "casual". Unlike many, these two practiced what they preached. Their religion was part and parcel every breath they took and every thought, act or word as well.

 

[Mathematician]

Religion doesn't cause people to act kind. People have it within themselves. The desire to "excuse" kind acts is one of the greatest tragedies.

 

[Bathsheba]

Religion doesn't cause people to act kind. People have it within themselves. The desire to "excuse" kind acts is one of the greatest tragedies.

I agree that people have it within themselves to act kindly and that religion isn't necessary for that to happen. But I think you can say that religion does instill in some people a duty (duty at a minimum, I suspect that many people have learnt to love to act kindly because of their adherance to their religion) to act kindly or perform kind acts that they might not otherwise perform if they didn't have the religion impressing upon them the need to do so. Authenticity and inauthenticity can come at us from many directions.

Using Christianity as an example, the request to name some kind acts caused by religion is fairly easy to answer in my opinion. It is no accident that we hear the phrase, "what would jesus do?" and in many instances it is easy to see the response, "act kindly". When people imagine the example of jesus it will dictate for some people that they act kindly in situations that they might not otherwise want to. On this board, perhaps people have choosen not to react in anger but instead respond kindly because they remembered their "lord" and his forgiving example. There is a causual relationship between "following" jesus and acting kindly in some circumstances. I think it sort of silly to get all semantical about the question, of course we can name kind acts caused by religion, and it is self evident (unless you believe people are worthless pieces of crap that can do no good in and of themselves ... I'm not saying you believe that GeneCosta, I meant you as in generally speaking).

 

[yossarian22]

Religion doesn't cause wars, people cause wars.

Yes, and guns don't kill people; people kill people.
Religion is a great way to justify a war, just as shooting somebody is a great way to kill somebody.

 

[McBell]

I could argue from the Bible that there is nothing good that man does on his own, it is only the indwelling of the Holy spirit that creates in man the ability to do good. In this case Ithink that arguing whether or not is is causality of facilitation is a matter of semantics.

And it can just as easily be shown that this is a load of crap.
For there are many who have never heard of your deity/know nothing of your deity and yet are good charitable people.

Yes, and guns don't kill people; people kill people.
Religion is a great way to justify a war, just as shooting somebody is a great way to kill somebody.

And how many people kill because their deity flat out told them to?
The OT is plum full of God telling people to kill other people.

But this is off topic.

 

[gnomon]

This is in response to "Name Some Wars Caused by Religion."

Separation of church and state.

As sought by Christians.

 

[Katzpur]

Thanks for asking.

LDS Charities Water Project Benefits 15 Villages (Malaysia)
60,000 Mormon Volunteers Help 300 Hospitals (Brazil)
Mormon Doctors Give the Gift of Sight (Albania)
Mormon Young Adults Help to Eradicate Measles (Guatemala)
Church Responds to Earthquake (Peru)
Church Donation Helps Youth Rise Beyond Ghetto (Brazil)
Mormons Continue Helping Neighbors After Fires (California)
Church Helps Filipinos Find a New Lease on Life (Philippines)
Quilters Sew to Help Homeless Families (Texas)
Church Works to Save Infants Through Neonatal Resuscitation Training
(Utah/Lesotho)
Mormon Helping Hands Clean Up Areas Affected by Tornadoes (Alabama)
Latter-day Saint Women Clothe Preemies (Ontario)
Church Program Helps Victims of Domestic Violence (Utah)
Mormons Set Up Food Kitchens to Feed Community After Floods (Indonesia)

 

[Bathsheba]

Thanks for asking.

LDS Charities Water Project Benefits 15 Villages (Malaysia)
60,000 Mormon Volunteers Help 300 Hospitals (Brazil)
Mormon Doctors Give the Gift of Sight (Albania)
Mormon Young Adults Help to Eradicate Measles (Guatemala)
Church Responds to Earthquake (Peru)
Church Donation Helps Youth Rise Beyond Ghetto (Brazil)
Mormons Continue Helping Neighbors After Fires (California)
Church Helps Filipinos Find a New Lease on Life (Philippines)
Quilters Sew to Help Homeless Families (Texas)
Church Works to Save Infants Through Neonatal Resuscitation Training
(Utah/Lesotho)
Mormon Helping Hands Clean Up Areas Affected by Tornadoes (Alabama)
Latter-day Saint Women Clothe Preemies (Ontario)
Church Program Helps Victims of Domestic Violence (Utah)
Mormons Set Up Food Kitchens to Feed Community After Floods (Indonesia)

Thank you for the list Katzpur, it is nice to see good works. Too often we only get bad news.

 

[Fluffy]

Kind acts are caused by good people. We all have the power to be good and I believe that religion has helped a lot of people realise this.