I wholeheartedly agree! Religion stifles intelligent thinking.
Take, for example, the idea of absolutes.
Are there absolutes (yes or no)?
If you answer "no", then you contradict yourself.
If you answer "yes", then you have to acknowledge the reality of absolute good and absolute evil.
The knowledge of good and evil dictates the presence of a standard to measure that which is good and which is evil.
Religion tries to present a standard for what is good and evil. Religion fails miserably.
The standard of which the majority of churches tries to conform to is their interpretation of the Holy Bible.
I would suggest... to forgo religion and to use one's own intelligence in seeking the answer yourself from the Holy Bible. After all, the Holy Bible was written for the lay person and not for religious leaders.
Prayerfully seek the truth withing the pages of the Holy Bible.
Originally posted by krisvictorThis is a logical error. If you answer "yes", you are only making a claim that some absolutes exist, and not that good and evil are absolute.
Are there absolutes (yes or no)?
If you answer "no", then you contradict yourself.
If you answer "yes", then you have to acknowledge the reality of absolute good and absolute evil.
Originally posted by BigDoggProblemOriginally posted by BigDoggProblem
This is a logical error. If you answer "yes", you are only making a claim that some absolutes exist, and not that good and evil are absolute.
This is a logical error. If you answer "yes", you are only making a claim that some absolutes exist, and not that good and evil are absolute.
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ab·so·lute ( P ) Pronunciation Key (bs-lt, bs-lt)
adj.
Perfect in quality or nature; complete.
Not mixed; pure. See Synonyms at pure.
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Are you asking if there is good and evil, right and wrong?
If you say "no", then we are worse than animals for even their insticts direct them to flee when danger arises.
If you say "yes" then you have to agree that there is absolute good and absolute evil. In anything that is of measurable quantity, there has to ba a standard of which you must measure by. It is good that a person picks up litter off the street... It is better that a person cleans the whole street. It is bad that a person shoplifts... It is worse that a person rapes a child.
Our society deems what is good and bad. But what does society use to measure by? Not every soul in this world got together and agree to what is good and bad. If everyone did, I must have missed it. If I missed it, then not "everyone" have agreed.
Are you now going to tell me that majority rules? If you are in a group of 10 people and 9 of them agree against one of you that the group will enter a child care facility and rape, torture, and kill all the children in there, will you then have to agree by default and go with them?
But back to the issue. Is there good and evil? What standard is to be used to determine what is good and what is evil?
Religion stifles the mind.