God's bad influence

[CHIMO]

Is having God on your side always advantageous?

Well, a new study from the US says not necessarily so.

The broad ranging study compares data from 18 developed democracies and it shows societies with higher levels of belief also have higher levels of societal dysfunction.

The US was the most religious country in the study, with around 90 percent of people believing in a higher power, and it also showed the highest murder rates, highest levels of child mortality and highest levels of sexually transmitted disease and teenage pregnancy.

http://www2.rnw.nl/images/assets/11183841

http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/features/amsterdamforum/051111amfor?view=Standard

[adnelson60087]

1. Religion is often a refuge for the weakminded

who refuse to take responsibility for their actions. I know belief in a higher power CAN help some people achieve more, but more often than not, it impedes individuals and societies.

[undergroundpanther]

2. Religion is a tool

It's not necessarily about weak mindedness. Strong minded appearing people can be religious about their own confidence and rightness that they become arrogant. For people that feel helpless in their situations or facing traumas sometimes want to look to something supernatural to ease the pain of a reality that does not care and kills.People are fucked up by people who are sociopaths and too many people don't see the rigid authoritarian dominator personality and institution as a problem for humanity that hurts us.
Religion for others is a tool to create fake authority for themselves,dominate and cheat.
Lastly religion can be a way to express states of mind or unknown phenomena people sometimes encounter.There is unknowns and religion offers a language and framework for which to describe it.That is when religion becomes healthy a mystical exploration a personal spiritual wisdom that lacks the sickness and control imperatives of religions..

[NMMNG]

4. Religion is indeed a tool

But in the hands of too many it is a weapon, and it is whipping undeserving people to a pulp.

[undergroundpanther]

7. Like women with cervical cancer?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5346497

[NMMNG]

8. Like that

And keeping gays down (if not dead), women subordinate (in some cases), atheists out of public offices, forcing religion back into public schools, etc, etc.

[undergroundpanther]

11. When do we

Get out the baseball bats and fix the situation? and those motorcycle mounted guillotines with 666 on them? (obscure fundie comic reference)
(sarcasm)

[NMMNG]

12. Very tempting

I just don't understand how all of those referendums, Constitutional amendments, etc. are getting passed. Where are the sane people when these things are on the ballot? I thought the fundie faction was just a small percentage of the population--maybe I was wrong. :scared:

[papau]

6. What is not a "tool"? - but I like your list of good and bad approaches

to religion, and I agree with the thrust of your post.

[ret5hd]

3. Now, Heather, if that "God" guy shows up at the party...

I want you to call me right away...and dad and i will come and pick you up, no questions asked. OK?

[Porcupine]

5. I'd rather my kids smoke pot than "find God" any day.

"God" seems to tell kids to ignore their families, have children they cannot support and remain attatched to proven child abusers in relationships. Whomever "God" talks to seems to be telling people that it's ok to hire assasins and kill people who disagree with you. "God" seems to have a particular hatred for heads of state who greatly improve medical care in their countries.

Pot wears off after 72 hours no matter how much you smoke.

[undergroundpanther]

9. To me God is evil

The creator of this world is a failure monster.
Because here everything dies.And we humans get to be conscious of our approaching death too. Sociopaths rule the goodhearted creative and sensitive.
I hate god. All of them.
I am a mal theist if I am to be any kind of "theist" at all.
I hate evolution too.I think existence in limited vulnerable bodies in a deadly vicious unpredictable,uncontrollable,nonsensical world SUCKS!The human condition hell all of existence is tragic!
I despise the way the world is..It sickens me how the strongest of living abuse and destroy the living to survive.Often in really barbaric ways.I hate tornado's,tidal waves,earthquakes old age , hurricanes and diseases.I hate bullies,and armies,wars,sociopaths,torture,rape,social domination ,dictators,profit through fear deprivation threats and pain.
Evolution is horrific too bloody and vicious abusive traumatizing crap, and we have no guarantee all this suffering and evolving will lead to anything better at all.That progressivism through evolution and complexity is just another kind of faith,Faith in a fucked up existence that hurts..That we were forced into.

[undergroundpanther]

10. not if it's a THC pill

I hear that can keep a person high for days.