Christians, please answer this simple question

Hambydammit
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Christians, please answer this simple question

What has Christianity contributed to the world, that is unique to Christianity, would have been impossible without Christianity, and has made the world a better place?

(Note: I'm asking about things on earth.  Getting to go to heaven doesn't happen in this world.)

I'm probably not going to respond.  I'll leave that to our members.  I'm really just interested in collecting a list of answers.

Thanks.

 


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So, despite the protests of

So, despite the protests of some non-Christian theists, I've got one "leaning towards deism" Christian and one "There's something, dammit!  There Just Has to Be!" Quasi-Theist who have been brave enough to answer.

"Nothing" seems to be the going theory.

Any Christians care to weigh in with something?

Has your religion contributed ANYTHING unique and good to the world?

 

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

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jmm
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Hambydammit wrote: So,

Hambydammit wrote:

So, despite the protests of some non-Christian theists, I've got one "leaning towards deism" Christian and one "There's something, dammit! There Just Has to Be!" Quasi-Theist who have been brave enough to answer.

"Nothing" seems to be the going theory.

Any Christians care to weigh in with something?

Has your religion contributed ANYTHING unique and good to the world?

 

Hamby, please stop, I beg of you.  This is patent absurdity.  

The caveats just keep coming - now I somehow don't count as a "Christian", simply because I've had my doubts and have been leaning towards deism for a few years now.  I don't know how much more explicit I can be about this:  I am a Christian.  But you see, the problem is that I'm one of those educated Christians, not one of those caricatures that's so easily pummelled.  

ATTN ATHEISTS:

one of you, for the love of science and logic, please call hamby out on these ridiculous claims.  I know that RRS members don't make a habit of disagreeing with any of their own, but this is just beyond belief.  


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Quote: Hamby, please stop,

Quote:

Hamby, please stop, I beg of you.  This is patent absurdity.  

The caveats just keep coming - now I somehow don't count as a "Christian", simply because I've had my doubts and have been leaning towards deism for a few years now.  I don't know how much more explicit I can be about this:  I am a Christian.  But you see, the problem is that I'm one of those educated Christians, not one of those caricatures that's so easily pummelled.  

ATTN ATHEISTS:

one of you, for the love of science and logic, please call hamby out on these ridiculous claims.  I know that RRS members don't make a habit of disagreeing with any of their own, but this is just beyond belief. 

What's so hard about this?

I have made no caveats.  I have asked a very specific question, which has remained the same throughout the thread.  If you assert that this is not so, you should quote me and demonstrate where my question has changed.

Are you objecting to the validity of the question?  It's perfectly valid.  I have stated the parameters clearly.

Are you objecting to the answer?  If so, then please provide an alternate answer.

What other objection could you have?

Who's pummelling anybody?  Have I done anything except correct you when you misunderstood the question?  

Please, for the love of science, back up your statements or stop making them!

 

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

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Hambydammit wrote: So,

Hambydammit wrote:

So, despite the protests of some non-Christian theists, I've got one "leaning towards deism" Christian and one "There's something, dammit! There Just Has to Be!" Quasi-Theist who have been brave enough to answer.

"Nothing" seems to be the going theory.

Any Christians care to weigh in with something?

Has your religion contributed ANYTHING unique and good to the world?

 

I gave my answer way back on the second page, if you'll care to look.


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Quote: I gave my answer way

Quote:
I gave my answer way back on the second page, if you'll care to look.

Um.. Ok. I accept your answer that Christianity's theft of previous ideas was unique to Christianity in that no other religion stole the exact same ideas.

However, stealing ideas from other religions is not unique, and the spirit of the question does not permit me to accept your answer as legitimate.

Thanks for your contribution.

 

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

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LosingStreak06
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Hambydammit

Hambydammit wrote:

Quote:
I gave my answer way back on the second page, if you'll care to look.

Um.. Ok. I accept your answer that Christianity's theft of previous ideas was unique to Christianity in that no other religion stole the exact same ideas.

However, stealing ideas from other religions is not unique, and the spirit of the question does not permit me to accept your answer as legitimate.

Thanks for your contribution.

What exactly is the "spirit" of the question? I'm afraid the only spirits I've been familiar with lately have been rum, tequila, and vodka. In any case, I fail to see how my answer cannot be accepted. You rejected my answer by generalizing it, and then rejecting the generalization. This, to me, does not follow.

My judgement on this topic is that you are being unnecessarily constrictive with the definition of the word "unique." On the other hand, perhaps you feel that I am being too liberal with the use of the word.

I feel that, like any other organization, Christianity in and of itself is unique, and therefore it's very existance is a unique contribution to the world. I judge it as being a positive contribution based solely on historical and social interest.

To argue that Christianity isn't "unique" because it hasn't done anything that no one else could ever do would be like saying that human beings aren't a unique species because we use the same nucleotides as bacteria.

Also, in case you were wondering (and even if you weren't), I typed this entire post in the nude.


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Quote: I feel that, like

Quote:
I feel that, like any other organization, Christianity in and of itself is unique, and therefore it's very existance is a unique contribution to the world. I judge it as being a positive contribution based solely on historical and social interest.

What an amazing trick you've accomplished!  You've rendered the word "unique" meaningless.

 

Quote:
To argue that Christianity isn't "unique" because it hasn't done anything that no one else could ever do would be like saying that human beings aren't a unique species because we use the same nucleotides as bacteria.

Hmm.... interesting.  You theist types sometimes get sooooo close to getting it, and then you veer off at the last minute.  No, I'm not going to explain what I mean.

 

Quote:
Also, in case you were wondering (and even if you weren't), I typed this entire post in the nude.

Thanks.  I really need the bruises from hours of beating my head with a stick trying to get that image out of it.

 

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

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Hambydammit

Hambydammit wrote:

Quote:
I feel that, like any other organization, Christianity in and of itself is unique, and therefore it's very existance is a unique contribution to the world. I judge it as being a positive contribution based solely on historical and social interest.

What an amazing trick you've accomplished! You've rendered the word "unique" meaningless.

I don't see how a definition that everything fulfills is any less meaningful than a definition that nothing fulfills.

Quote:
Quote:
To argue that Christianity isn't "unique" because it hasn't done anything that no one else could ever do would be like saying that human beings aren't a unique species because we use the same nucleotides as bacteria.

Hmm.... interesting. You theist types sometimes get sooooo close to getting it, and then you veer off at the last minute. No, I'm not going to explain what I mean.

"Theist types"? The hell is that supposed to mean? And I'd prefer it if you didn't explain what you mean. It would be so unoriginal, it would bore me to tears, I expect. You and your silly age-old purines and pyrimidines. You call yourself evolved, huh? What's so evolved about you? You're just the same tricks mixed around in a different bag. Tongue out

And I'm still waiting on the whole "spirit" thing. Unless of course you've given up on it as well.

Quote:
Quote:
Also, in case you were wondering (and even if you weren't), I typed this entire post in the nude.

Thanks. I really need the bruises from hours of beating my head with a stick trying to get that image out of it.

You've never even seen me, so how could me being nude possibly effect you? Being that my avatar is a man's bare ass, I didn't think you'd be so strongly effected...


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Quote: And I'm still

Quote:
And I'm still waiting on the whole "spirit" thing. Unless of course you've given up on it as well.

I've been ignoring it because I can't think of any clearer way to ask the question. Your disapproval of the question honestly doesn't concern me at all. It's a perfectly valid question, and the words I used are perfectly clear in meaning. I've even reposted the original question, complete with embedded definitions, just in case.

If someone is missing my intent, it's not because I haven't made it clear enough.

Quote:
"Theist types"? The hell is that supposed to mean? And I'd prefer it if you didn't explain what you mean. It would be so unoriginal, it would bore me to tears, I expect. You and your silly age-old purines and pyrimidines. You call yourself evolved, huh? What's so evolved about you? You're just the same tricks mixed around in a different bag. Tongue out

Honestly, I don't know what I'd do if I went a week without poking you with a stick at least once. You're one of my favorites to pick on.

Quote:
You've never even seen me, so how could me being nude possibly effect you? Being that my avatar is a man's bare ass, I didn't think you'd be so strongly effected...

I always go on the assumption that I'm the only good looking person posting on the internet. Brian, Kelly, et al, have pictures posted, so there's evidence otherwise, but it doesn't stop me from assuming that anyone I haven't seen is far less attractive than me. It's one of the little quirks that keeps me happy Smiling

As for the bare man's ass, well, yeah, I'm more turned off by the idea of a bare man's ass than a bare woman's ass. Seems consistent with heterosexuality to me. Hell, if one of our female members had said that, I might have asked her out on a date.

****

Oh, and just out of curiosity,

Can any Christians reading this thread think of anything good that Christianity has contributed to the world that is unique to Christianity and would not have been possible without Christianity, specifically?

I'd really like someone... anyone... who's a Christian to answer this. So far, I think we have 3 quasi-Christians who say "nothing." Anyone care to add another vote to the "nothing" side, or give us evidence that there actually is something?

It's ok if you don't like the question, or don't think it's relevant to anything. I'd just like to know what you think the answer is.

 

 

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

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jmm
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Hambydammit wrote: I'd

Hambydammit wrote:

I'd really like someone... anyone... who's a Christian to answer this. So far, I think we have 3 quasi-Christians who say "nothing." Anyone care to add another vote to the "nothing" side, or give us evidence that there actually is something?

Seriously dude, what the hell?


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I'm a quasi-christian? Hmm..

I'm a quasi-christian? Hmm..


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  Any good, because of the

 

Any good, because of the nature of the concept of good, can be justified from any viewpoint, perspective, belief system, etc. Some may disagree on whether a certain action/idea is good or not but if it is a good it certainly needs no belief system for justification. Therefor, no worldview can offer a unique good that is not possible without it.

There is no reason to object to the question when it has a perfectly acceptable answer even if there is, possibly, only one acceptable answer.

Yes? No?

Now, the question that is more interesting is whether or not the same can be said for wrongs, evils, bads, whatever you term them.

Anyway, that is another thread as I don't guess this one needs any more posts that aren't answers from Christians for Hamby to have to filter through.

“Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but materialists have always known it depends on whether they are jitterbugging or dancing cheek to cheek" -- Tom Robbins


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Quote: I'm a

Quote:
I'm a quasi-christian? Hmm..

Sorry about that, Rhad.

If you give me a name to label you with, I'll be happy to use it, but it can't have more than two individual words.  No "Semi-lucid-transcendentalist skeptic-quasi-theistical deist" or other such nonsense.  Two words, maximum.  There's no reason for that stipulation, other than I want it to be that way.

 There are too many long words in the world.  This is not an opinion.  It is a fact, because I say it is.

(In all seriousness, I don't think 'quasi-christian' exists.  But, if someone insists that they are "kind of Christian," who am I to argue with them?  And, seriously, sorry for lumping you in with Christians, Rhad.)

 

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

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Hambydammit

Hambydammit wrote:

Quote:
And I'm still waiting on the whole "spirit" thing. Unless of course you've given up on it as well.

I've been ignoring it because I can't think of any clearer way to ask the question.

It's a simple question, Hamby. Either you can answer it, or I'll continue assuming you are full of shit. What exactly is the "spirit" of the question? What do you mean by "spirit?" You used the phrase as a means of rejecting my answer, but you've yet to explain to me what it actually means. 

Quote:
Your disapproval of the question honestly doesn't concern me at all.

Not a good way to win me over.

Quote:
It's a perfectly valid question, and the words I used are perfectly clear in meaning.

Apparently not.

Quote:
I've even reposted the original question, complete with embedded definitions, just in case.

Your definition of the word "unique" is meaningless, because by it, nothing at all can truly be considered unique. 

Quote:
If someone is missing my intent, it's not because I haven't made it clear enough.

 I was under the impression that you had no intent to be missed in the first place.

Quote:
Quote:
"Theist types"? The hell is that supposed to mean? And I'd prefer it if you didn't explain what you mean. It would be so unoriginal, it would bore me to tears, I expect. You and your silly age-old purines and pyrimidines. You call yourself evolved, huh? What's so evolved about you? You're just the same tricks mixed around in a different bag. Tongue out

Honestly, I don't know what I'd do if I went a week without poking you with a stick at least once. You're one of my favorites to pick on.

It's because I'm one of those "too cool for school," "ignorance is bliss," "read too much Fulghum as a teen" type theists, isn't it? Oh well, at least I'm good for something around here.

Quote:
Quote:
You've never even seen me, so how could me being nude possibly effect you? Being that my avatar is a man's bare ass, I didn't think you'd be so strongly effected...

I always go on the assumption that I'm the only good looking person posting on the internet.

A safe assumption to make, I usually find. I've seen what the internet has to offer, and I have to say... no thanks, ma'am. 

Quote:
Brian, Kelly, et al, have pictures posted, so there's evidence otherwise, but it doesn't stop me from assuming that anyone I haven't seen is far less attractive than me. It's one of the little quirks that keeps me happy Smiling

You silly people would just be completely lost without your precious evidence, wouldn't you? Tongue out

Quote:
As for the bare man's ass, well, yeah, I'm more turned off by the idea of a bare man's ass than a bare woman's ass. Seems consistent with heterosexuality to me. Hell, if one of our female members had said that, I might have asked her out on a date.

To be fair to you, the average female user here is well above par for internet standards. To be fair to them, I can't say the same for you. 


Quote:
....

So far, I think we have 3 quasi-Christians who say "nothing."

....

The sheer wrong-ness of this sentence is enough to make even me blush. And I'm the one who disregards reality on an almost daily basis. Congratulations. The only thing that the Christians and I have in common aside from the badge itself is that we are theophagists (although technically they aren't literal theophagists like I am).


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Quote: To be fair to you,

Quote:
To be fair to you, the average female user here is well above par for internet standards. To be fair to them, I can't say the same for you.

ROFL!

Seriously, that made me cackle.

*sigh*

As much as I'm enjoying pushing every button of yours that I can find, i'm not going to waste either of our valuable time on the planet to answer your questions.   Either you get what I'm asking, or you don't, and honestly, I'm not kidding when I say I can't think of any other way to ask it.

I still think you're inferring a conclusion, and that's why you can't understand my question.  It's extremely simple.  Your conclusion that it's an irrelevant question to ask is just that -- a conclusion, and I have sworn not to make conclusions in this thread.

So, if you don't get the question, don't worry about it.  Seriously.  It's not that big a deal.

 

 

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

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Hammy. I'm a Christian.

Hammy. I'm a Christian. Smiling

A Catholic might disagree with my assessment because I don't agree in apostolic succession.

A Baptist might disagree with my assessment because I don't agree in the immortality of the soul.

A Harvest Christian might disagree with my assessment because I don't agree in a formulation of hell anything close to that of Dante's or involves anything near torture or suffering.

A Pentacostal might disagree with my assessment because I don't believe in the rapture.

A Mormon might disagree with my assessment because I don't agree in the nature of man as a state of a spirit child of God.

And, a Jehovah's Witness might disagree with my assessment because I don't agree that anyone can know what philosophy, if any, to be truth (in our present time and place) with regards to God or Salvation.

However, a Seventh Day Adventist might well consider me one of their own.

So.. It's still arguable that my assessment is correct. Eye-wink


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As the Roman Empire

As the Roman Empire dissolved, the Chruch stepped into the void to save all of Roman culture that was worth saving. 

It was the Church of the Dark Ages which collected the great works of antiquity - literature, scientific works, history, philosophy - gathered them into her monasteries, safeguarded and reporduced them.  Without the tireless efforts of the Church and the monks, many of these works would have been lost.

It was the Church that provided Europe any sense of unity following the collapse of the Empire and Catholic kings and noblemen who defended Europe against the onslaught of Norse and Mongol raiders, and Muslim conquerors.  It was the Church who ultimately eliminated the Norse and Mongol threat by converting those peoples to Christianity.

Under the influence of Christianity it became increasingly difficult to continue to treat others as chattel, and under the influence of the Chruch we see the movement from the Roman system of slavery, to serfdom, to peasantry.

The Middle Ages, from the year 1000 on, see the Crusades taking the epic struggle between Christendom and Islam back onto Turkish territory, nearly splitting the Islamic world in two, the further erosion of the Islamic position in southern France and the Iberian peninsula.  The establishment of a Christian kingdom on the Levant distracted Islam from European adventures for the better part of 150 years.

Under the sponsorship of the Church in the 12th century, the great schools which will become the foundations of such famous univeristies as that at Paris are gathered. 

The final defeat of European Islam at Navas, in Spain was accomplished by Christain chivalry.

The defense and relief of Vienna from Ottoman siege was done at the height of the Reformation by stolid Catholic Habsburg infantry and Catholic Polish cavalry.

 

"With its enduring appeal to the search for truth, philosophy has the great responsibility of forming thought and culture; and now it must strive resolutely to recover its original vocation." Pope John Paul II


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Hambydammit wrote:What

Hambydammit wrote:

What has Christianity contributed to the world, that is unique to Christianity, would have been impossible without Christianity, and has made the world a better place?

(Note: I'm asking about things on earth. Getting to go to heaven doesn't happen in this world.)

I'm probably not going to respond. I'll leave that to our members. I'm really just interested in collecting a list of answers.

Thanks.

Hello everyone!

We don't 'go to heaven' in the end, heaven is the new earth, so you are right it doesn't happen in this age (world). I just wanted to point that out.

 

Have you, or anyone since Jesus Christ, made this world a better place? Jesus Christ established the new covenant inviting Gentiles into the family of God during this dispensation of time. If it wasn't God's will for you and I to be here, on earth, right now, he wouldn't have blinded the Jews when he came offering the kingdom of 'heaven' they had long waited for

-Gen 1:8 And God called the firmament Heaven.

-the kingdom of heaven (physical intitution) should not be confused with the kingdom of God (spirit realm)

Instead he would have allowed them to receive their King and set up the millennial reign which if it is only a literal 1000 years, you and I wouldn't be here. So again, have you, or anyone since Jesus Christ, made this world a better place? If the answer is yes, then Christianity has made the world a better place.

 


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Thanks to the two Christian

Thanks to the two Christian posters who've just weighed in.

 Malachi, I don't want you to think I'm ignoring your question, which is legitimate.  It's just not really on topic at the moment.  Perhaps I'll address that in another thread.

Thanks again for the answers.  True to my word, I'm not going to really argue any points.  (Not that others can't or won't... I'm just collecting responses.)

 

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In response to the

In response to the question, I have to say Christianity provides truthful testimony to God's love and faithfulness to his creation, culminating with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In providing this truth it gives Christians grounds to faithfully witness to God's presence and Christ's redeeming sacrifice. Sorry if by no heaven you meant to avoid the transcendental, but not sure that's possible with religion...


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Quote: In response to the

Quote:
In response to the question, I have to say Christianity provides truthful testimony to God's love and faithfulness to his creation, culminating with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In providing this truth it gives Christians grounds to faithfully witness to God's presence and Christ's redeeming sacrifice. Sorry if by no heaven you meant to avoid the transcendental, but not sure that's possible with religion...

Seriously, I'm not sure if I get what you're saying.  Let me see if I do, ok?  

The religion provides accurate data regarding the nature of god, and with that data, Christians get the chance to tell people the nature of god, and that's a good thing.

Do I understand you right?

 

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

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I'm going to go along

I'm going to go along another tangent a say St Paul's Cathedral, London. Yes you can argue and say that architecture, engineering, stone masonary etc etc is what was needed to build it, however, I would be certain that without Christianity it would never have been built.

It's got a whispering gallery which is pretty cool, looks good, a testament to engineering and Sir Christopher Wren. Views of it are protected from certain places in London, i.e. you can't built a skyscraper in some places because it would block the view. It's a cultural protected building that everyone admires.

This is obviously building specific but to me it answers the OP's question.


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Hambydammit wrote: What

Hambydammit wrote:

What has Christianity contributed to the world, that is unique to Christianity, would have been impossible without Christianity, and has made the world a better place?

Well to take this to a grander scale then just christianity, what does religion in the world offer that is unique..?   I would say it offers hope to replace the longing of a higher presence,  that none of what we do is meaningless,   I won't get into much detail, but it is rather difficult to answer when you just center out Christianity.


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Cpt_pineapple

Cpt_pineapple wrote:
Randalllord wrote:

Cpt_pinapple,

You remarks are quite refreshing in that you admit that Christianity provides nothing to people while they are alive. You are incorrect about what Atheism provides. It allows freedom of though, it allows one to come out the the darkness of ignorance, superstition, fear and subserviance. It allows one to see the world for what it really is, a material universe, free of anything supernatural.

 

No, that is not what I am saying. The question was something unique. Neither Christianity nor atheism offers anything unique at a world scale. Christianity may provide something to the individua, but not the the world as a whole.

 

As for your second point, I disagree. Christians can be rational too.

 

I agree with you all the way around here... although I'd add that christianity may well be an outmoded way to be rational.  

"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'


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The real reason that Christianity should still be around

quote of you: "What does Christianity have that every other philosophy and/or religion also has?" response to you: Considering the context, it seems that you intended to type: "What does Christianity have that every other philosophy and/or religion [does not] also ha[ve]?" quote of you: "Well, it offers a story that is supposed to comfort people when loved ones pass. It offers a sense of community with other believers. Outside of that, I can't think of anything it shares with every other major world religion. Its morals are depraved. For every mention of peace and understanding, there are twenty examples of barbarous cruelty and sadism." "Well, Rhad, if that's all it has to offer, then it's offering the same things you can get anywhere else, but it's buried under a giant pile of shitty rules and scare tactics. I say that Christianity is the one under the microscope. I don't need to justify why Christianity isn't worth keeping. History documents that well enough." "Christianity owes the world an explanation for why it should still be around!" "And so far, I haven't heard one." response to you: Christianity is not yet able to offer a correct explanation for why it should still be around; so I will offer one in its stead. The reason that Christianity should still be around is to preserve the Bible, by which I mean the Old Testament and the New Testament. The reason that the Bible should be preserved is that part of its contents is the word of the most high God. The rest of its contents is the word of humanity. Given that this is the situation, then to throw out the Bible would be to throw out the baby with the bath water. Given that this is the situation, what is needed is a way to objectively know which is baby and which is bath water. Given that this is needed, then a way has been discovered, and it was reported in this forum in the thread titled "The Bible is errant, and the reason for its errancy" which thread is found at http://www.rationalresponders.com/forums/rook_hawkins/biblical_errancy

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Quote: quote of you: "What

Quote:
quote of you: "What does Christianity have that every other philosophy and/or religion also has?" response to you: Considering the context, it seems that you intended to type: "What does Christianity have that every other philosophy and/or religion [does not] also ha[ve]?" quote of you: "Well, it offers a story that is supposed to comfort people when loved ones pass. It offers a sense of community with other believers. Outside of that, I can't think of anything it shares with every other major world religion. Its morals are depraved. For every mention of peace and understanding, there are twenty examples of barbarous cruelty and sadism." "Well, Rhad, if that's all it has to offer, then it's offering the same things you can get anywhere else, but it's buried under a giant pile of shitty rules and scare tactics. I say that Christianity is the one under the microscope. I don't need to justify why Christianity isn't worth keeping. History documents that well enough." "Christianity owes the world an explanation for why it should still be around!" "And so far, I haven't heard one." response to you: Christianity is not yet able to offer a correct explanation for why it should still be around; so I will offer one in its stead. The reason that Christianity should still be around is to preserve the Bible, by which I mean the Old Testament and the New Testament. The reason that the Bible should be preserved is that part of its contents is the word of the most high God. The rest of its contents is the word of humanity. Given that this is the situation, then to throw out the Bible would be to throw out the baby with the bath water. Given that this is the situation, what is needed is a way to objectively know which is baby and which is bath water. Given that this is needed, then a way has been discovered, and it was reported in this forum in the thread titled "The Bible is errant, and the reason for its errancy" which thread is found at http://www.rationalresponders.com/forums/rook_hawkins/biblical_errancy

If only the bible had a commandment:

11. Thou shalt use freakin' paragraphs instead of stream of consciousness.

Seriously, dude.  I don't know what the heck you're talking about.  We have a quote feature.  Please learn how to use it.  It's very simple. 

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Quote: Well to take this to

Quote:
Well to take this to a grander scale then just christianity, what does religion in the world offer that is unique..?   I would say it offers hope to replace the longing of a higher presence,  that none of what we do is meaningless,   I won't get into much detail, but it is rather difficult to answer when you just center out Christianity.

You're suggesting that nobody on earth but Christians have hope?

You're suggesting that everybody who has ever lived except for Christians felt a sense of meaninglessness to life?

How bold.

 

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quote feature

Yes, perhaps the quote feature is simple; but who is to ever know? Is there a tutorial for this forum and its features?

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heretic5 wrote: Yes,

heretic5 wrote:
Yes, perhaps the quote feature is simple; but who is to ever know? Is there a tutorial for this forum and its features?

Here is a link to the quote function tutorial. 

Here is a link to some other forum tips.


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BGH wrote: heretic5

BGH wrote:

heretic5 wrote:
Yes, perhaps the quote feature is simple; but who is to ever know? Is there a tutorial for this forum and its features?

Here is a link to the quote function tutorial. 

Here is a link to some other forum tips.


Thanks, that was helpful.

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You got it right. It does

You got it right. It does seem like a rather short list, but everything else would fall under the heading of things we believe God did, so the religion can't really claim credit. Like atheism claiming credit for the non-existence of God... internally incoherent.


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christmas?, and there

christmas?, and there are very many christian churchs in america, that conveniently allow for people to escape broken families and neighborhoods  and find peace in that community- even though christianity isnt perfect--- but of course its less christianity and more its availability to escape and find greater peace....

 

i think thats really it though


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 Christianity has a 2,000

 Christianity has a 2,000 year history of turning rapists, thieves, murderers, etc into better citizens. Many convicts turn to Christianity and become better people.

 

When the printing press was first invented, the Bible was distributed into all countries. Literacy sky-rocketed all over Europe, Germany, France, etc. because of the Bible.

 

Christians are responsible for founding most major universities, hospitals, and orphanages around the world.

 

Many eminent scientists who made great discoveries, were Christians.

 

There are literally thousands of Christian charity organizations all over the world. The Salvation Army, Opperation Blessing, Smaritan's Purse, etc. When hurricane Katrina hit, Opperation Blessing went there and fed thousands of people for free, payed for over 40 thousand prescription medications, and built thousands of new homes. Atheists know nothing about this.

 

Atheism on the other hand, has not done one damn thing for humanity except inslave them  dispair, shatter any reason to be moral. Most suicides are atheists.

The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator -- Louis Pasteur


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Quote: Like atheism

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Like atheism claiming credit for the non-existence of God... internally incoherent.

Or.. a-unicornists claiming credit for the non-existence of unicorns.

Great observation.

For once, the obvious truth triumphs.

 

 

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Quote: christmas? Predates

Quote:
christmas?

Predates Christianity.  

Quote:
there are very many christian churchs in america, that conveniently allow for people to escape broken families and neighborhoods  and find peace in that community- even though christianity isnt perfect

Boys and Girls Club of America has many locations in America that allow children to escape broken families and neighborhoods and find peace in that community, even though the program isn't perfect.

There is a local community center in nearly every local community that allows entire families to come and experience a sense of community, etc...

UNIQUE was one of the criteria.  Churches do not meet the criteria.

 

Quote:
but of course its less christianity and more its availability to escape and find greater peace....

 

You'd have to demonstrate that Christians are somehow uniquely at peace.  Otherwise, any place people go to find peace and community would be the same thing.  The world is full of such places.

 

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

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Quote: Christianity has a

Quote:
Christianity has a 2,000 year history of turning rapists, thieves, murderers, etc into better citizens. Many convicts turn to Christianity and become better people.

Many people become better after finding Buddhism.

Not unique.

Quote:
When the printing press was first invented, the Bible was distributed into all countries. Literacy sky-rocketed all over Europe, Germany, France, etc. because of the Bible.

The tenets of Christianity say nothing of printing presses. The press was invented by a man. The bible was the most handy book to reproduce, and the one that most people deemed the most necessary. Once people started making more presses, many other books were printed. The bible was the first, not the only book printed. It is not unique, nor is the discovery. The printing press was NOT the first printed material. That happened in China centuries before.

Quote:
Christians are responsible for founding most major universities, hospitals, and orphanages around the world.

They are?

Bet a pastor told you this.  

If you're correct, which I doubt, it'll be an interesting piece of data, but hospitals, orphanages, and universities have existed without Christianity quite happily. This is not unique.

Quote:
Many eminent scientists who made great discoveries, were Christians.

And many were not.

Quote:
There are literally thousands of Christian charity organizations all over the world. The Salvation Army, Opperation Blessing, Smaritan's Purse, etc. When hurricane Katrina hit, Opperation Blessing went there and fed thousands of people for free, payed for over 40 thousand prescription medications, and built thousands of new homes. Atheists know nothing about this.

And there are thousands that are non-Christian.

Oh, and you can go sit on a hot rock and spin for a while, Mr. Holier Than Thou. You have no idea what atheists do because you've never looked into it. It's never occurred to you that the thousands of charities and causes all over the world that are not specifically linked to Christianity might just be the places that atheists are going to donate, has it?

You might not have considered that on this very bulletin board are atheists who donate large chunks of their time and income to charity. Bet you don't realize that your last statement insulted all the atheists who have been quietly fighting for causes that they believe in for decades while you and your holier than thou bretheren look down your noses while you fritter away 10% of your income on a new sound system for the youth worship hall.

Try doing some research before opening your mouth again.

Quote:
Atheism on the other hand, has not done one damn thing for humanity except inslave them dispair, shatter any reason to be moral. Most suicides are atheists.

You know what? Screw you, buddy. You have no idea what you're talking about, and you're being condescending, arrogant, and an asshole. If you would get your head out of your ass for a few minutes and look around the world outside of your church doors, you'd see that you're part of a religion that has never made up more than 1/3 of the world's population, and that charity, love, compassion, altruism, and happiness have been staples of human existence since before Christianity, and there are literally billions of people alive right now who are perfectly happy with their life despite not knowing your fluffy lord and savior. They manage to keep from killing themselves because they love being alive, and don't suffer under the delusion that some sadist bully in the sky made them nasty when they were born.

Try leaving church once in a while. It would do you good to know that there's a little more to the world.

 

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

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Apotheon wrote:   Atheism

Apotheon wrote:

 

Atheism on the other hand, has not done one damn thing for humanity except inslave them dispair, shatter any reason to be moral. Most suicides are atheists.

 

Care to back up this assertion with a reputable source? Your demeanor is offensive to me and I'm a theist. Do you like it when Richard Dawkins states that theists are delusional? If so, then why do you support his claim with blustering rants the show evidence of nothing less than a closed, judgmental mind?


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Quote: Care to back up this

Quote:
Care to back up this assertion with a reputable source? Your demeanor is offensive to me and I'm a theist. Do you like it when Richard Dawkins states that theists are delusional? If so, then why do you support his claim with blustering rants the show evidence of nothing less than a closed, judgmental mind?

Damn... Heretic Theist Posse... on the move.

Thanks, wave.   

Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin

http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
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