Time to face up to the truth of religion?

[unbeliever]

Can we please separate 'religion' from being 'spiritual.'

 

The first causes division, the other brings them together.

 

Rubbish. .

[kingdom]

Let's enjoy the positives of religion:)

[unbeliever]

Let's enjoy the positives of religion:)

 

For example?

[Obelix]

Let's enjoy the positives of religion:)

 

Which (if any) are vastly outweighed by the negatives.

[kingdom]

The basic laws we live by are based on the Bible . Not murdering , stealing etc surely that's a major positive !

[unbeliever]

The basic laws we live by are based on the Bible . Not murdering , stealing etc surely that's a major positive !

 

These "basic laws" predate your god and his bible by millennia.

Try harder.

[sgtkate]

Can we do it after Christmas?

 

Thank you for this!

[petemcewan]

Anna B.

 

Interesting point you make.

Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and it typically involves a search for meaning in life. As such, it is a universal human experience—something that touches us all.

 

Science is not the only means of acquiring knowledge and understanding.

Science is necessarily concerned with the empirical. It constructs theories of causality and demonstrates the truth through material evidence. Maybe "truth" should be followed by a question mark because, in principle at least, any scientific conclusion can be modified by further evidence. Nevertheless, many such conclusions are so definite that it would be pedantic to deny them .

Where scientists of a secular persuasion may go wrong is to infer from this that immaterial knowledge does not count as knowledge It cannot be demonstrated materially and thus being subjective, cannot lead to truth.

Immaterial knowledge concerns such phenomena as the need for meaning, reflective consciousness and the ability to recognise moral obligations-stemming from our ability to distinguish right from wrong,our rational capacity and our freedom to choose.

It would be philosophically ( and indeed scientifically) illiterate to conclude that this is not knowledge on the grounds that it is not empirical.

 

So spirituality is a quest for seeking meaning and knowledge in life. Sterile scientism leads to nothing more that an accumulation of facts.

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all the Forum .

Edited December 6, 2016 by petemcewan

[unbeliever]

Anna B.

 

Interesting point you make.

 

 

Science is not the only means of acquiring knowledge and understanding.

Science is necessarily concerned with the empirical. It constructs theories of causality and demonstrates the truth through material evidence. maybe "truth" should be followed by a question mark because, in principle at least, any scientific conclusion can be modified by further evidence. Nevertheless, many such conclusions are so definite that it would be pedantic to deny them .

Where scientists of a secular persuasion may go wrong is to infer from this that immaterial knowledge does not merit the description It cannot be demonstrated materially and thus being subjective, cannot lead to truth.

Immaterial knowledge concerns such phenomena as the need for meaning, reflective counsciouness and the ability to recognise moral obligations-somthing from our ability to distinguish right from wrong,our rational capacity and our freedom to chose.

It would be philosophically ( and indeed scientifically) illiterate to conclude that this is not knowledge on the grounds that it is not empirical.

 

So spirituality is a quest for seeking meaning and knowledge in life. Sterile scientism leads to nothing more that an accumulation of facts.

 

Could not disagree with you more. The nature of human wellbeing, of consciousness and so on is subject to the scientific method has already made progress in understanding them.

[Anna B]

Rubbish. .

 

Anna B.

 

Interesting point you make.

 

 

Science is not the only means of acquiring knowledge and understanding.

Science is necessarily concerned with the empirical. It constructs theories of causality and demonstrates the truth through material evidence. Maybe "truth" should be followed by a question mark because, in principle at least, any scientific conclusion can be modified by further evidence. Nevertheless, many such conclusions are so definite that it would be pedantic to deny them .

Where scientists of a secular persuasion may go wrong is to infer from this that immaterial knowledge does not count as knowledge It cannot be demonstrated materially and thus being subjective, cannot lead to truth.

Immaterial knowledge concerns such phenomena as the need for meaning, reflective consciousness and the ability to recognise moral obligations-stemming from our ability to distinguish right from wrong,our rational capacity and our freedom to choose.

It would be philosophically ( and indeed scientifically) illiterate to conclude that this is not knowledge on the grounds that it is not empirical.

 

So spirituality is a quest for seeking meaning and knowledge in life. Sterile scientism leads to nothing more that an accumulation of facts.

 

Thankyou. I agree.

 

I would add that all 'Religion' is man made, and therefore fundamentally flawed. Personally, I see it as a power trip used by men to suppress others and other points of view. That said, it does create community, which in itself is probably good for people's well being. But at what cost?

 

---------- Post added 06-12-2016 at 13:59 ----------

 

Could not disagree with you more. The nature of human wellbeing, of consciousness and so on is subject to the scientific method has already made progress in understanding them.

 

Science does not have the answer to everything. Nor, I doubt, will it ever.

Edited December 6, 2016 by Anna B