Thread: Atheists

Originally Posted by yrogerg123

I'm not disputing that some churches preach mostly the good stuff, but others preach the bad stuff too, and there is a reason that something like gay marriage is not accepted in the majority of states in the US. That reason is the bible. That reason is the power and pervasiveness of christianity in our society. I simply will not accept that religion is only used for good, because it is so far from the truth. Quite often it is used for evil....

If all you take from religion is the golden rule, that's fine. But don't tell me that is all that there is to the bible. There is so much more to it than that.

and yet...

Originally Posted by Vengeful Scars

I'd venture to say most religions tell their followers to be nice to one another.

Originally Posted by yrogerg123

I would disagree strongly with that statement.

it seems like nobody is reading anyone else's posts -- or at least not reading them carefully. this is getting a bit repetitive.

everyone in this thread is already on board with you that the bible, indeed pretty much all religions, teach ignorant and hateful doctrines. but you disagreed with the statement that "most religions tell their followers to be nice to one another". they all do, i guarantee it. except that

Originally Posted by gwahir

the problem is that they go on to say "unless they are from another tribe/have clitorises/like sex with other men/wear the wrong clothes/look funny" and so on.

it's not about what "most" of their doctrines say, or measuring the good against the bad and seeing how religion fares once all their preachings are put on the scales. if we are going to progress, we have to reconceptualise religion from something to which humanity should be subservient to something that exists to make the world a better place. then we learn from the good aspects as much as we learn from (and try to salve) the bad.