A world without God? What would it be like... (page 4)

unshackled

With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things, and bad people doing bad things.

But for good people to do bad things, that takes religion.

tec

But for good people to do bad things, that takes religion.

This is not a true saying. Although religion can make good people do bad things, it is not the ONLY thing that can do so.

If a good person loves someone (anyone) with all their heart - and that unworthy someone chooses to use that love to their own selfish ends - then a good person can be manipulated into doing a bad thing.

Tammy

PSacramento

Religion can indeed manipulate good people to do bad things, no SRATCH that !
Religion can't do anything, PEOPLE that have been given UNDUE power and infulence because of religion, THEY can do bad things and THEY can manipulate others to do so.

Then again, so can philosophy, science, the law and pretty much anything else we humans can get our hands on.

miseryloveselders

But for good people to do bad things, that takes religion.

This is not a true saying. Although religion can make good people do bad things, it is not the ONLY thing that can do so.

If a good person loves someone (anyone) with all their heart - and that unworthy someone chooses to use that love to their own selfish ends - then a good person can be manipulated into doing a bad thing.

Tammy

I think it depends on what you define as bad too. I've heard people say that they have morals, just not the same morals as that of another individual.

An example may be Mother Teresa. Everyone thinks highly of her. Very generous, charitable woman. On the other hand, she was against contraception, and considering the demographic of peoples that she assisted, it wasn't a beneficial stance on her part. The last thing poorer people need to do is have a baby. It doesn't benefit society, the parent(s), or the baby they brought into the world. I'm not suggesting we should limit reproductive rights or anything, just saying its not the brightest thing in the world to promote anti-contraception to those who can barely take care of themselves. To me its a case of good people with nobel intentions who are promoting something immoral, and something not solidly supported by scripture. I kind of feel the Catholic's views on contraception are similar to the WT's views on birthdays and blood transfusions. These are two groups of people trying to live moral lives, but again only as what they define are good morals. They do bad when forcing their views of morals upon people who don't share their beliefs, or in the WT's case shunning when a person no longer agrees with them.

An age without God, thats hard to imagine. One of my favorite bands, Queens of the Stone Age's last album was called Era Vulgaris which means in Latin, the godless age. If an age without god results in some good music, that might not be a bad thing. Seriously speaking though, the world today is without God. I don't believe God has been much of a factor for much of mankind's history. Religion on the other hand, has been too much of a factor. I'm starting to reach the point I simply hate religion. I hate religious leaders. To think, my contempt for religion is largely in part due to my JW upbringing and viewing all nonWT/JW religions as part of Babylon the Great. Now I view the WT as part of Babylon the Great too. A world without the WT or organized religion in general, would be, or at least would have the potential of being a paradise.

PSacramento

The catholic view on contraception is that they advocate abstenence, beyond that it is up to the individual and NO CATHOLIC will ever be kicked out or shunned or even "reamed" for using a rubber or being on the pill or any form of birth control.

How is that like the WT views on Bdays and Blood ????

miseryloveselders

The catholic view on contraception is that they advocate abstenence, beyond that it is up to the individual and NO CATHOLIC will ever be kicked out or shunned or even "reamed" for using a rubber or being on the pill or any form of birth control.

How is that like the WT views on Bdays and Blood ????

You gotta read between the lines in my post Psac.(peace to you!) I stated, "I kinda feel" that the Catholic's views on contraception "is similar" to the WT's views on blood transfusions being that both are grey areas that should be left up to one's conscience. I see similarities in how both the WT and many factions of the Catholic church have taken a gray area in the bible, and have taken a black and white view of the matter. I don't know if I can say its true, but at least in my experience, I don't think excommunication is as scary nowadays as a disfellowshipping. Which is a good thing, showing that the RCC doesn't hold the power that it used to have. I look forward to the day the WT has the same limited influence. Plus I don't believe most good Catholics run around advertising that they're on the pill, or using a rubber LOL.

Regardless though, many Catholics still hold that contraception is wrong, and for Mother Teresa to encourage that stance to people who don't need babies, I find it atrocious.

PSacramento

My apologies, I didn't fully understand your POV.

As for Mother Teresa, I am not sure how much her catholic view affected the Hindi people she worked with and took care of.

The RCC views on things like contraception has been more tolerante and understanding not because the RCC has lots its power, though I can see how one can argue such, but because the RCC has understood ( I hope) the difference between theologial doctrine and "everyday" doctrine.

The RCC is quite correct that the only 100% method of birth control is abstenence, sure it's not realistic, but it is accurate.

The RCC is in one of those interesting places, if it is too scrict then it is a dictatorship like the WT and the GB, but if it is to "lackadaisical" then it's, "everthing is ok with them catholics".

Fact is that as THE biggest organized relgion in the world, it's an easy target.

miseryloveselders

My apologies, I didn't fully understand your POV.

You don't ever have to apologize to me man. Nothing but love from me to you Psac.

The RCC views on things like contraception has been more tolerante and understanding not because the RCC has lots its power, though I can see how one can argue such, but because the RCC has understood ( I hope) the difference between theologial doctrine and "everyday" doctrine.

I hope its understanding too, but just considering their history, its hard to not make the argument about it being power thing from the their own point of view recognizing that they have to yield somewhat or risk alienating too many people over a grey area in the scriptures.

The RCC is quite correct that the only 100% method of birth control is abstenence, sure it's not realistic, but it is accurate.

Very true, on both fronts.

The RCC is in one of those interesting places, if it is too scrict then it is a dictatorship like the WT and the GB, but if it is to "lackadaisical" then it's, "everthing is ok with them catholics".

Fact is that as THE biggest organized relgion in the world, it's an easy target.

I agree. Its one of the sole reasons the WT still throws potshots at them every chance the WT Writing Department gets a chance. Granted the WT has branched out its definition of who deserves criticizm within their all encompassing interpretation of Babylon the Great, but the RCC has always and will always be the WT's main nemesis. The ironic thing to me is the very arguments the WT like to use against the RCC, can now be made effectively against the WT!!! Which is why this thread is interesting to me. I'd love to see a world without organized religion. No more WT, no more RCC, no more nothing! Trying to imagine a world without organized religion is kinda scary too though, being honest. Maybe its only scary though because its something so inconcievable being organized religion is so much a part of this world's fabric.

PSacramento

I think I would be ok in a world without organized religion, not sure about a world without God though...

Agreed on all points MLE :)

tec

I think I would be ok in a world without organized religion, not sure about a world without God though...

Yep.

Tammy

A world without God? What would it be like...

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