on 08-01-2014 08:59 PM
on 11-01-2014 11:24 AM
If a belief in God is necessary for some people for this message to be heard and adhered to...I can't see that as bad.
"In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets"
on 11-01-2014 11:29 AM
People are just people, in my opinion they either want to believe in a God or they don't, but either way, in the name of their God/s and if they are so inclined to do appalling things, they will do so regardless and indeed, history is full of such ghastly crimes in the name of God and church. That is the human condition unfortunately.
on 11-01-2014 11:37 AM
do you find it harder to give credit to the good things because of the bad things done and 'excused' as being in the name of God ?
on 11-01-2014 11:45 AM
@izabsmiling wrote:
@Supa Nova wrote:"In any case I cannot see why anyone needs God to do good. I do not. I help people when I can, we give to charity of our choice; mostly to Médecins Sans Frontières, who actually do properly treat sick and injured people"
Tas wtote"Excellent post super_nova, exactly xx
True though by the same token not all bad things which happen are done in the name of God either.
I believe and can see that people can have a belief in God AND do good in his name too
Without acknowledging the good I'd be saying any belief in God is bad and makes people do bad things.
I don't believe that for a minute...nor do I believe that people who profess to have a faith in God don't do bad things...just like any other human being.
Human being often look for excuses for what they do wrong....I don't let them blame God.
Again my issue is generally with dogma and scripture. Explain to me why religious people are more likely to fly planes into builidings, treat gays badly or committ genital mutilation unless they believe they've been ordered to do so. Scripture and dogma makes good people do evil. Scripture also prevents people from thinking for themselves.
on 11-01-2014 11:47 AM
The University of Montreal published a paper last year about the Mother Theresa myth and pretty much came to the same conclusion as Christopher Hitchens [ who I did, and do, admire greatly and whose death was a great loss] although they were a touch kinder. They did extensive research, studied hundreds of documents and even though it is hard when a hero is exposed as being less than heroic, it does pay to have some semblance of objectivity.
http://www.nouvelles.umontreal.ca/udem-news/news/20130301-mother-teresa-anything-but-a-saint.html
Positive effect of the Mother Teresa myth
Despite Mother Teresa's dubious way of caring for the sick by glorifying their suffering instead of relieving it, Serge Larivée and his colleagues point out the positive effect of the Mother Teresa myth: “If the extraordinary image of Mother Teresa conveyed in the collective imagination has encouraged humanitarian initiatives that are genuinely engaged with those crushed by poverty, we can only rejoice. It is likely that she has inspired many humanitarian workers whose actions have truly relieved the suffering of the destitute and addressed the causes of poverty and isolation without being extolled by the media. Nevertheless, the media coverage of Mother Theresa could have been a little more rigorous.”
on 11-01-2014 11:51 AM
@azureline** wrote:Have you been there? have you or her critics been there and done what she and her workers did and still do?
I guess you think Christopher Hitchens is a decent human being? has he been there and done what they do?
I think the answer is no.
What do you have against Christopher Hitchens? He didn't claim to be a saint.
on 11-01-2014 12:03 PM
What makes people who aren't Religious do evil things? Not many people fly planes into buildings.
11-01-2014 12:06 PM - edited 11-01-2014 12:07 PM
Did I suggest he did? I have nothing against him. Nothing for him either.
from wiki: A noted critic of religion
on 11-01-2014 12:09 PM
Great and evil things are done by people regardless. The difference being with those who aren't religious is that they don't attribute their actions to a deity.
on 11-01-2014 12:16 PM
@azureline** wrote:Did I suggest he did? I have nothing against him. Nothing for him either.
from wiki: A noted critic of religion
Is that a bad thing?? Should we all be critical of religion e.g. Islam?