The Lemon Fool

Yes but which god? There are thousands of religions and most think their god is the only real one and all the others are heretical and to be stamped out. The chances are overwhelmingly that your belief is in the wrong deity. Probably worse than being a misguided agnostic?

I believe in God.

Isn't that good enough?

Someone in my family took part in the D-Day landings. He said it was surprising how many non-believers started to pray as they approached the beach.

RC

ReformedCharacter wrote:Someone in my family took part in the D-Day landings. He said it was surprising how many non-believers started to pray as they approached the beach.

RC

Same as old folk suddenly going to church. Its just an insurance policy / comfort blanket.

Tedx wrote:Same as old folk suddenly going to church. Its just an insurance policy / comfort blanket.

Or, as the old student joke used to go, cramming for finals.

BJ

"Allahu Akbar" translates as "God is Great". That may be true but he ain't half as great as a council house and child benefit for 9 kids. Narmeen bruv.

Tedx wrote:Ricky Gervais said 'There are over 3000 gods. You follow one of them. I follow one less.

In the name of one of those gods has historically killed far more people than cigarettes. Should be outright banned. Cults one and all.

My god is better than your god na-nana-naa-nah childish chants/taunts by insignificant specs on a insignificant spec (world) in our galaxy - that is a insignificant spec in the universe. Much like fleas arguing over which flea owns the dog.

ursaminortaur wrote:As society developed those in power whether chieftains/kings or high priests had a vested interest in keeping good order since maintenance of that order kept them in power. Religion was the marketing tool for maintaining that good order backed up by threats of punishment in this or the next life if you disobeyed the rules of the god(s). Religions and the moral codes they promoted were the creation of human societies.

But the Chinese managed to have moral codes without gods. Despite no-one to punish them, the Chinese developed a stable and (mostly) peaceful society. And without the need to launch crusades to convert everyone else.

Compare with, for example, the Arabs. Single powerful God. Endless strife about who worships him correctly.
Indeed, European christians managed several centuries of wars over the same matter.

Gryff

gryffron wrote:

ursaminortaur wrote:As society developed those in power whether chieftains/kings or high priests had a vested interest in keeping good order since maintenance of that order kept them in power. Religion was the marketing tool for maintaining that good order backed up by threats of punishment in this or the next life if you disobeyed the rules of the god(s). Religions and the moral codes they promoted were the creation of human societies.

But the Chinese managed to have moral codes without gods. Despite no-one to punish them, the Chinese developed a stable and (mostly) peaceful society. And without the need to launch crusades to convert everyone else.

Compare with, for example, the Arabs. Single powerful God. Endless strife about who worships him correctly.
Indeed, European christians managed several centuries of wars over the same matter.

Gryff

The Chinese emperor's rule was always under the "mandate of heaven" hence all the various changes of dynasty through its long history were religious wars. In some ways this was similar to what happened in the middle east (if you ignore the invasions from Europe which were the Christian crusades) as different Islamic empires succeeded one another. China broke apart on a number of occasions but unlike Europe after the fall of the western Roman empire a new dynasty would arise claiming the "mandate of heaven" and reconquer/rebuild it sometimes even extending the empire to some extent.

However China pretty much reached the limits of how big a territory could be centrally controlled (rather as Rome had when Hadrian decided to build his wall in Britain and other defensive barriers, Limes, were built defending other empire borders). Western europe in contrast split into a miriad of tribal territories after the fall of Rome which even when they later converted to Christianity and were thus supposedly united under Catholicism still fought each other incessantly - the later split creating Protestantism didn't really change that much (except internally to each territory where the ruler either became Protestant or remained Catholic and tended to persecute those of the opposite creed in his territory).