Religion

longship

(40,416 posts)

28. I see few benefits of religion.

Sat Nov 23, 2013, 02:22 PM

Nov 2013

However, in general, I have no qualms about religious beliefs people hold as long as they are content to keep it to themselves and do not attempt to impose them on others.

Yes. Believers do some good. But there are often strings attached, which from my perspective can at least partially nullify the good. So I am inclined to not automatically give them a pass on their claims of their charity. There are some very notable positive examples which I am happy to acknowledge. But there also plenty of examples of people and religious organizations "doing good" seemingly only as a mode of proselytization. That is coercive and is something I cannot support.

There are secular organizations which do good without those things. That's a big difference for me as I choose not to support religion.

I am not very tolerant of the argument that one has to be a believer to be good, which is where these discussions often end up. (on edit: rarely here on DU, though.)

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What's an objective assessment of the benefits and harms of religion overall, in your view? [View all] pinto Nov 2013 OP

I like the idea of a common community libodem Nov 2013 #1

Yeah. I think community, in one form or another, can be a benefit. pinto Nov 2013 #2

That's a big question, and lots of research have gone toward answering it. To be objective, dimbear Nov 2013 #3

See some of your your points, yet does religion go hand in hand with poverty? Economic policy, pinto Nov 2013 #4

It's not a simple question. That's why there's so much research in the area. One could look to dimbear Nov 2013 #5

While I agree with you in general Promethean Nov 2013 #7

Another explanation is that those who are impoverished are often without hope cbayer Nov 2013 #8

I disagree that religion necessarily represents a "dumbing down" of adherents. pinto Nov 2013 #18

Lots of "harm done" by belief in miracles, spirits: magical thinking cripples people Brettongarcia Nov 2013 #9

Religion produces poverty? cbayer Nov 2013 #10

Monks often explicitly spoke against material "riches"; took vows of "Poverty, Chastity, Obedience" Brettongarcia Nov 2013 #11

Well monks and priests make that as a choice. cbayer Nov 2013 #12

Goodman's hypothesis Brettongarcia Nov 2013 #13

Who is he and what kind of research does he propose? cbayer Nov 2013 #14

Good observations, caveats. Aside from Prosperity Gospel though? Consider Asceticism, Spirituality Brettongarcia Nov 2013 #15

Delusions are generally a sign of mental illness. cbayer Nov 2013 #17

Assertions that "whosoever asks" can literally walk on water, are delusional/fantasy; easily shown Brettongarcia Nov 2013 #22

If one is a literalist, that might be true. cbayer Nov 2013 #23

If the Bible is not literally true, but only metaphorically, it loses much claim to truth Brettongarcia Nov 2013 #25

I don't think it is necessarily an all or none thing, and cbayer Nov 2013 #26

Would you and Psych. say a person who thinks he can literally walk on water, is not delusional? Brettongarcia Nov 2013 #27

I have said multiple times that that person would most likely be deemed delusional, cbayer Nov 2013 #29

Many believe this delusion of miraculous powers. As for the rest? "Spiritual" persons...? Brettongarcia Nov 2013 #30

Some do believe that, but they don't encompass all religious believers. cbayer Nov 2013 #31

In some ways, earth has often been a fairly grim place for most of humanity, struggle4progress Nov 2013 #6

There is no question that religion has both benefits and harms, imo. cbayer Nov 2013 #16

Broad brush statements about anything are generally pointless, imho. pinto Nov 2013 #19

What good has religion done skepticscott Nov 2013 #20

I'll offer my post below as one example. MLK often spoke from a faith based perspective. pinto Nov 2013 #24

Oh, YOU doubt it? skepticscott Nov 2013 #34

No, as I said, MLK's position played a part in his advocacy for civil rights and it echoed with many pinto Nov 2013 #35

Religion's role in secular politics shows both sides of benefit and harm. In different ways. pinto Nov 2013 #21

I see few benefits of religion. longship Nov 2013 #28

Christians should stay in the closet to do their praying just as Jesus advised. lumpy Nov 2013 #32

Staying "in the closet" has such a negative connotation. cbayer Nov 2013 #33