Comments on: Religion, a fathomless sink for human resources [Harris]

By: murrowcronkite

murrowcronkite — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:59:40 +0000

Unfotunately, religions exploit one of our needs as humans, that is to belong to a group. Christianity and muslim faith seem to have done this the mos though far east religions are not immune.
It is sad to think of all the resources that have been spent by people down through history for such things as paying money for sins-a common practice in the Midaeval Catholic church. Not to mention lives spent in exploitation believing that you’re doing good. Not that the churh does’nt do alot of good but there are also elements of exploitation and control.
It’s said that satan is a master of switching labels- calling good evil and evil good. I wonder where that leaves the church? If the collar fits-

By: Jim Etchison

Jim Etchison — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:53:10 +0000

I’m reading Harris’s book now, and it is stirring indeed.

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:17:03 +0000

Dwight,

Let’s make it simple. Instead of examining each religion one at a time let’s examine this. Almost every world religion claims the existence of a divine being. Furthermore, all of these gods are different and mutally exclusive. Finally, no real evidence exists for the existence of any of these gods except for the voices believers hear inside their heads. So who’s right? Nobody. Once a person realizes this, it becomes readily apparent that religion is the single biggest waste of time ever invented. Just imagine if all the hours every believer spent in church were instead devoted to feeding the hungry, building homes for needy citizens, and assisting the poor. The world would be a much different and better place.

By: tycorey

tycorey — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:47:24 +0000

Yes, because no Christian organization has ever practiced self flagellation, or spent vast fortunes on wasteful projects like cathedrals.

But I’m sure those aren’t TrueChristians, right?

If you spend even one second of the day on your religion, then religion is wasting your time.

By: Dwight Whitsett

Dwight Whitsett — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:51:51 +0000

Once again generalization reigns. When you lump all religions and religious people into one seething mass you get the same basis for judgment as when you lump all unbelievers in a similar mass. As a person of faith, I object to being placed in the same heap as Muslims, Hindus, animists and those who generally ignore the teachings of my Master.
Jesus Christ never taught his followers to waste time and resources building monuments, chanting, self-mortification, pomp and ceremony.
It would be far more instructional to consider one religion, sect, cult, denomination at a time. But then, that would take a lot of time, thought and research. That wouldn’t be nearly as much fun would it?

By: trj

trj — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:28:36 +0000

Well, it’s hardly surprising. Religion generally flourishes in times of distress and wanes in times of comfort. Religion alleges to bring meaning to our existence, so when people’s daily lives get messed up it’s natural for many to embrace it.

We can argue cynically from such trends that religion serves as a comforter, but such is human nature. One could probably make a loose analogy to the current financial crisis, where people demand answers and appeal to authorities to make things right.

By: Joel

Joel — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:41:38 +0000

I feel this way every time I pass a big beautiful church. I always think, that the money would be much better spent feeding the hungry (or some other worthy cause). How ironic that the very people who claim they care most, spend their money building these great edifices of ignorance and intolerance. Oh wait they don’t care about physical discomfort. As that insipid X-tian song goes, “This life has nothing for me, I will follow him.” It seems to me that X-tians would rather brainwash poor, disenfanchised people, than actually help them.

By: Postman

Postman — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:09:15 +0000

By Gawd! This is America! Why can’t we have both?

By: Proto

Proto — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:29:30 +0000

War is worse. Hell, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have cost roughly the same as NASA since 1958. Moon base? Or dead Iraqis and more oil?

By: Postman

Postman — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:07:54 +0000

I believe the technical term for that is “Greeting as liberators.” Wait… or is that when you plant a roadside bomb? I’m afraid my etiquette is quite rusty.