Religion

Htom Sirveaux

(1,242 posts)

42. Religion is the category.

Fri Aug 8, 2014, 11:24 AM

Aug 2014

So just as an example:

Me: "religion should be abolished. Blind faith is harmful and encourages violence!"
You: "But what about these religions that value reasoned reflection on their ideas?"
Me: "Oh, they aren't as religious."
You: "So blind faith is part of what it means to be authentically religious, and if a group isn't using blind faith, it is less religious?"
Me: "Exactly"

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

91 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Is the most harmful religion also the most authentic religion? [View all] Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 OP

Authentic religion is an oxymoron randr Aug 2014 #1

What randr said atreides1 Aug 2014 #2

Ok, let's try another way: Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #3

Jesus (as the bible depicts Jesus). Ghandi. merrily Aug 2014 #4

people who claim to be religious, not from the religions themselves. AlbertCat Aug 2014 #75

+1 Scuba Aug 2014 #5

How is it an oxymoron? cbayer Aug 2014 #23

Simply put randr Aug 2014 #31

The word authentic is difficult in this context because it cbayer Aug 2014 #33

Right you are randr Aug 2014 #35

Imo, religious practitioners are more often genuine and sincere cbayer Aug 2014 #36

Sincere belief makes a religion more authentic? immoderate Aug 2014 #53

I'm not really clear of the definition of "authentic" in this context. cbayer Aug 2014 #55

"Athentic" seems an inappropriate modifier for "religion." immoderate Aug 2014 #58

Perhaps. I am still not clear on the point�. cbayer Aug 2014 #59

Authentic religion AlbertCat Aug 2014 #78

It's the follower, not the faith. Wait Wut Aug 2014 #6

Why is this simple truth so ferociously denied? rug Aug 2014 #12

I don't know, arrogance? Wait Wut Aug 2014 #13

Because some religions have doctrine that is an exhortation to being a "hateful asshole". AtheistCrusader Aug 2014 #15

You confuse religion with the republican platform. rug Aug 2014 #16

Do I? AtheistCrusader Aug 2014 #17

Oh, do you equate them? This will be very interesting. rug Aug 2014 #18

I didn't raise the spectre of politics at all. AtheistCrusader Aug 2014 #19

I have never a hateful Niceguy1 Aug 2014 #34

You weren't listening very carefully then. AtheistCrusader Aug 2014 #37

Why is this simple truth so ferociously denied? AlbertCat Aug 2014 #79

Define "authentic," please. okasha Aug 2014 #7

The platonic ideal, the essence of religion, Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #8

Not really. okasha Aug 2014 #9

That's the question I'm asking. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #10

Then I go with "other" okasha Aug 2014 #11

It's subjective, but I'll make a feeble attempt at defining "authentic religion". stone space Aug 2014 #29

Thanks. That's a clear, workable definition. okasha Aug 2014 #46

Harmful to...? Iggo Aug 2014 #14

I'm not sure I understand. Could you expand on your thought? nt Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #20

Exactly. (n/t) Iggo Aug 2014 #21

You...win? I guess? nt Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #22

Sirveaux as usual is playing "apologetics"; playing logic and word games to defend "good" religion Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #26

I think you make a good point about not devaluing the physical. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #47

Oh, just 'fess up, Htom, okasha Aug 2014 #57

Shhhhh! Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #63

Servieux: Do you have a strong association with a recognized church? Especially,are you a preacher? Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #65

I'm a Unitarian Universalist. I'm not a preacher, and... Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #66

Thanks for the clarification; sorry for my close exam on this question, which is important Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #67

1. I can think of many people who were assassinated or nearly assassinated Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #68

Your second observation is the one okasha Aug 2014 #69

1) Religion often glorifies being assassinated; 2) Byzantium was never as great as Rome. Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #70

Answers: Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #72

I agree that fortunately, Religion is finding a nenewed respect for Science. Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #73

There are individuals and groups that are harmful, both religious and not. cbayer Aug 2014 #24

Likely ALL religions are harmful; even the "good" or "authentic" or inauthenitic ones Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #25

There's an authentic religion? intaglio Aug 2014 #27

How are you defining authentic? cbayer Aug 2014 #28

Definitions intaglio Aug 2014 #30

Agreed. I was going for the sincere definition, but I find the word authentic difficult to cbayer Aug 2014 #32

I was going for "possessed of all the traits Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #38

What traits? n/t intaglio Aug 2014 #39

Good question. What makes something a "religion", in your opinion? nt Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #40

Unfounded belief in a deity or other supernatural force intaglio Aug 2014 #48

If you have not found a reason to believe, then your belief would be unfounded. cbayer Aug 2014 #49

Does well founded mean believed to be well founded intaglio Aug 2014 #50

I'm not sure. cbayer Aug 2014 #51

I was asked for my opinion intaglio Aug 2014 #54

Well I am glad to hear that you are on the cutting edge cbayer Aug 2014 #56

Lots of people think their belief in a deity or other supernatural force Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #60

Refer to post 50 intaglio Aug 2014 #61

That raises two questions for me: first, demonstratively well-founded to who? Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #62

Consider the meaning of monstrance n/t intaglio Aug 2014 #64

Possessed of all what traits that constitute what particular category? cbayer Aug 2014 #41

Religion is the category. Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #42

So by authentic, do you mean most dogmatic and rigid? cbayer Aug 2014 #43

In that example, the character of "me" Htom Sirveaux Aug 2014 #44

I am still having trouble understanding what you are saying. cbayer Aug 2014 #45

Doesnt the OP question point out how absurd religion is in the first place? randys1 Aug 2014 #52

This message was self-deleted by its author Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #71

As many other have pointed out, so much depends on your definitions. trotsky Aug 2014 #74

I wish there'd been an option to click that ALL forms of religion are harmful catbyte Aug 2014 #76

I agree; the lack of that option biases the poll Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #80

All forms of bigotry are harmful, including bigotry against the religious. cbayer Aug 2014 #81

I'm not a bigot. I have found that religion--especially Christianity--is personally damaging to me. catbyte Aug 2014 #82

So based on your personal experience and a statistic about how many Indians cbayer Aug 2014 #83

No, I got the clue that it was harmful from my mom. Her 90th birthday was yesterday if she'd lived. catbyte Aug 2014 #84

Ah, native americans. cbayer Aug 2014 #86

Yeah, we have a habit of calling ourselves "Indians" a lot. I don't know why, lol. catbyte Aug 2014 #87

I get confused by the term indian, because I am often not sure cbayer Aug 2014 #88

Calling any criticism of religion in general, "bigot"ed, is the fundamentalist cliche of our time Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #85

As is calling any religion bigoted. rug Aug 2014 #89

!!?? Religions are famous for a racism, nationalism, and genocidal prejudice Brettongarcia Aug 2014 #90

Viewing all that, and more, I come away with a position on religion that is informed but not bigoted rug Aug 2014 #91

I would think so, unless I misunderstood the question. LibAsHell Aug 2014 #77