Religion: pros & cons (Religion)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Sunday, September 14, 2014, 23:21 (3721 days ago) @ dhw

Dhw: (under "Evolution v Creationism"): An alternative would be that the ultimate purpose is to relieve God's boredom with an ongoing entertainment. That too constitutes perfect sense.
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> TONY: This only makes sense if you view God as the bully that pulls the wings off flies or puts ants under the magnifying glass.
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> Or sends down a meteor to kill off the dinosaurs and a few other lovingly made species...Even our own planet is temporary, and your God did make temporary creatures, and your insistence on his purpose suggests he did invent new ways to kill them off - though your expression was “they were allowed to die off” - thanks to his control of the environment (see my post under "Evolution v Creationism"). Why create such perfectly balanced harmony for the dinosaurs to rule the earth for 160 million years, and then kill them off, when with his almighty powers he could simply have prepared the environment for us humans and our needs? You will say he had a purpose. Others will say it shows a lack of purpose. I am not championing any particularly theory. -Ecclesiastes 3
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.--In my other post from today, I made the analogy of a Master Chef making rich bread. When you make bread, you kill the yeast after allowing it to serve a purpose in your creation. Is that an act of cruelty, or the knowledgeable act that it is a necessity to achieve a desired purpose? The dinosaurs enjoyed 160 million years of global domination during which time they, along with other pre-historic creatures, served a purpose much like yeast. When that purpose was served, the next step was taken and their time ended. Was that an act of cruelty, or a necessity to achieve a desired purpose? -You insist, and have done repeatedly, that God should act like a Djinn, twiddling his nose and clapping is hands to make everything *poof* into existence just so. I do not know where you, or anyone else for that matter, got such a notion, but I can assure you that from a biblical standpoint that view of God is entirely unsupported. If one were to look back at the many, many miracles in the OT and the NT, you would see that almost all of them were comprised of utilizing existing natural forces to serve a purpose. An east wind blew day and night to part the read sea, for example, a feat proven feasible by MIT. Directing natural forces, dabbling as you like to say, is the way God operates. Yet you seem to expect him to act differently when it comes to creation. Why?--> 
> DHW: However, you go on to claim that generally - I appreciate this is not personal - recognition of God's purpose stops people from harming themselves and others with their self-centredness (a paraphrase), and you tell us to watch the news. I do, and am horrified at the sectarian violence that is tearing whole countries apart. Not God's fault, but it simply demonstrates that "an obligation to learn and understand that purpose, and then to fulfill our part in it" is not quite what you crack it up to be. Religion brings comfort, security, and sometimes admirable morality and charity into many people's lives. It also tears communities apart and leads to appalling cruelty. And what people claim to be the Word of God can be used to justify the best and the most evil acts humans are capable of. Humans can lead moral lives without God, because there is enormous satisfaction and happiness to be gained from doing as you would be done by. Love and empathy are not confined to the religious. And I'm sorry to say, self-centredness is not confined to the irreligious.-
You might be surprised, but I don't necessarily disagree with this. Serving God the way he asked to be served DOES bring comfort, security, morality, and charity. And yes, self-serving individuals, regardless of their religious affiliation or belief in God DO cause sectarian violence, fear, pain, and death. And no, it is not God's fault. If you would, take a minute to read Job 2:1-4, 1 John 3:15, and Mathew 4:8-9 (It really doesn't matter which version of the bible you have). It is hard to discuss religion and beliefs without sharing literature, just as difficult as it is to share scientific views without reading the articles we share with each other. The latter two tell who is currently ruling the earth, Job explains why. Romans 2:14-15 supports your statement that "Humans can lead moral lives without God, because there is enormous satisfaction and happiness to be gained from doing as you would be done by. Love and empathy are not confined to the religious." Though, I might alter it to state "Humans can lead moral lives without religion.."

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.