Religion

Humanist_Activist

(7,670 posts)

75. A "qualified theologian"? Isn't that like a qualified astrologer or something?

Reply to TrogL (Reply #6)

Mon Apr 16, 2012, 08:43 PM

Apr 2012

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What is the purpose of religion? An open question. [View all] SamG Apr 2012 OP

Organized religion? Cirque du So-What Apr 2012 #1

I am not religious Politicalboi Apr 2012 #2

It answers otherwise unanswerable questions and creates a set of rules for operating a society OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #3

For some it creates the hope that those they don't like are suffering for eternity.. Fumesucker Apr 2012 #4

In Christianity, it's a duality OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #8

You forgot The God of the gaps.. Fumesucker Apr 2012 #9

No, no, no.. nowadays kids worship at Aero & A/F OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #13

It answers otherwise unanswerable questions? Like what, exactly? cleanhippie Apr 2012 #14

Most religions attempt to answer the following FAQs OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #17

The question is, do they fit the definition of "answers" in the same way we mean darkstar3 Apr 2012 #19

That's where the whole "faith" thing comes in. OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #20

Exactly, and faith is not an answer. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #22

Some see the world in a different way OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #55

Again, that's not an answer. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #57

What is the square root of -1? OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #60

And no one calls it an "answer". darkstar3 Apr 2012 #62

I think you'll find math teachers who call it an "answer" OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #64

It's tama Apr 2012 #65

By your definition then, "faith" is simply making up what you want to believe and leaving it at that cleanhippie Apr 2012 #25

Faith is only self delusion if used to answer a question that already has an answer OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #54

And yet have failed miserably to answer even a single one. cleanhippie Apr 2012 #24

Do you really want to spend time dwelling on what happens to lost loved ones after they die? OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #31

I spend no time dwelling on it, as the answer has already been found. cleanhippie Apr 2012 #32

Kinda back to the old if you cannot see, hear, smell, taste, or touch ... thing again humblebum Apr 2012 #36

Nope. That's a straw man you're attacking. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #37

So then. You are saying that empiricism has little to do with science? humblebum Apr 2012 #40

No, your reductio ad absurdum has little to do with science. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #41

It is the very basis of science. nt humblebum Apr 2012 #43

Perhaps you unfamiliar with reductio ad absurdum? darkstar3 Apr 2012 #44

I think perhaps you are unfamiliar with the role of observation, forming hypotheses, and humblebum Apr 2012 #46

No. Not at all. I have extensive training in the scientific method. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #47

"Your claim regarding the 5 senses has nothing to do with the scientific method" ??? humblebum Apr 2012 #48

Are you familiar with the concept of fallacy? darkstar3 Apr 2012 #51

Quite familiar with it, and I do not recognize it as applicable here. You are humblebum Apr 2012 #58

Identifying fallacy is clearly not something in which you are interested. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #61

Nor which you are an expert at. humblebum Apr 2012 #63

Don't look now, but you have something on your face. cleanhippie Apr 2012 #69

The fact is that many people give credence to experiential knowledge AlbertCat Apr 2012 #88

Depends tama Apr 2012 #94

So was it "you" AlbertCat Apr 2012 #96

So the body tama Apr 2012 #97

You have no way of knowing that, unless of course humblebum Apr 2012 #102

The physical body decays. We don't know what hapens to the conscious being within the body OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #52

I do not disagree with you, other than to say that while it ATTEMPTS to answer... cleanhippie Apr 2012 #70

We don't know what hapens to the conscious being within the body AlbertCat Apr 2012 #89

You just hit on what I consider to be the worst aspect of religion. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #33

That's one way to look at it OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #49

I just think we shouldn't stop looking. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #50

Fair enough OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #53

You just hit on what I consider to be the worst aspect of religion. AlbertCat Apr 2012 #84

It answers otherwise unanswerable questions AlbertCat Apr 2012 #83

In the U.S. religion has two purposes: 1) To provide a "neighborhood" since we don't have Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2012 #5

In the U.S. religion has two purposes: AlbertCat Apr 2012 #85

Wait a minute, then mine are #3 and #4. :) nt Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2012 #101

Provide an agreed upon structure for spiritality TrogL Apr 2012 #6

Please tell us more about "an agreed upon structure for spirituality" SamG Apr 2012 #12

To be more specific TrogL Apr 2012 #81

Just what makes a "qualified theologian" qualified in the first place? cleanhippie Apr 2012 #15

A "qualified theologian"? Isn't that like a qualified astrologer or something? Humanist_Activist Apr 2012 #75

Only to a bigot nt Thats my opinion Apr 2012 #76

That word, I don't think you know what it means. n/t Humanist_Activist Apr 2012 #77

... opiate69 Apr 2012 #78

Did I miss something? darkstar3 Apr 2012 #79

You have missed s whole era! Thats my opinion Apr 2012 #82

You have missed s whole era! AlbertCat Apr 2012 #86

Prove it. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #98

I'm making the distinction between a full-blown theological degree and some quack from Bible College TrogL Apr 2012 #80

Yeah, I still can't take it too seriously, its like a full blown degree in UFOlogy... Humanist_Activist Apr 2012 #110

It is a tool to manipulate the masses by quelling fears, some of which are rhett o rick Apr 2012 #7

Historically, it was the means for man to keep control over society. Dawson Leery Apr 2012 #10

Historically, it was the means for man to keep control over society. AlbertCat Apr 2012 #87

Emotional predictability. nt rrneck Apr 2012 #11

Yet in reality, it has been nothing but emotional UNpredictability. cleanhippie Apr 2012 #16

How so? nt rrneck Apr 2012 #23

There is no telling how a religious believers will react emotionally from one to the next. cleanhippie Apr 2012 #27

I dunno about that. They seem to fuck up pretty consistently. rrneck Apr 2012 #35

The emotional reactions tama Apr 2012 #66

As is the verbal vomit of the philisophical bullshit artists. cleanhippie Apr 2012 #68

It's a good living for the clergy. FarCenter Apr 2012 #18

To make little kids quit asking questions and behave izquierdista Apr 2012 #21

I think of religion as an emergent behavioral phenomenon, not as a thing created with a purpose Silent3 Apr 2012 #26

I'm neither religious or spiritual but I can objectively understand multiple purposes for religion independentpiney Apr 2012 #28

It probably springs from the human need to make sense of the universe customerserviceguy Apr 2012 #29

I think you might want to make a distinction between belief in God and belief in religion. Fresh_Start Apr 2012 #30

To dupe the gulliable out of what meager funds they have. MrSlayer Apr 2012 #34

Once in grade school, a student who almost never spoke up in class waved his dimbear Apr 2012 #38

To help rulers control the masses. Odin2005 Apr 2012 #39

Since our resident religion haters did not have the decency or the courtesy Thats my opinion Apr 2012 #42

This a forum, not a safe space. All voices are welcome, darkstar3 Apr 2012 #45

The OP did say "I would respectfully ask those who are NOT religious to just read the posts" OmahaBlueDog Apr 2012 #56

And as you'll notice, I didn't answer the OP. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #59

Of course this is a "group" which acts like a forum, Thats my opinion Apr 2012 #73

And bigotry has a meaning you cheapen every time you misuse it like that. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #74

And yet you failed to respect his request. cleanhippie Apr 2012 #107

You're right and it's disappointing that some ignored the request. mr blur Apr 2012 #67

Correct! And there is plenty of bigotry wrapped in prayer. Plenty!!nt Thats my opinion Apr 2012 #105

Translation: "the mean ol' non-believers didn't give you an answer I find acceptable." cleanhippie Apr 2012 #71

Where is YOUR decency or honor? YOU failed to respect his request. cleanhippie Apr 2012 #108

To give us connection with the infinite and unknown. /nt Festivito Apr 2012 #72

If it's unknown, how do you connect with it? laconicsax Apr 2012 #90

For a start, accepting a word for it and using it in a sentence as you just did. /nt Festivito Apr 2012 #103

That really isn't connecting with anything. laconicsax Apr 2012 #106

I say concepts and their associated words connect. Do you say they do not connect? Festivito Apr 2012 #109

To give us connection with the infinite and unknown. AlbertCat Apr 2012 #91

Science renders unknowns into knowns, but still leaves more unknown. Festivito Apr 2012 #104

What is the purpose of religion? AlbertCat Apr 2012 #92

We should be open to respecting and learning from those who claim to know. AlbertCat Apr 2012 #93

You have misread this. The OP was a repeating troll who poses as an extreme atheist. cbayer Apr 2012 #95

Good riddance. darkstar3 Apr 2012 #99

Watch for him. He will be back and I promise you, he is not friend to the atheists here cbayer Apr 2012 #100