If you could be God for a while what would your first acts be?

[Ben Banana]

while some religions have done considerable work for the good of mankind?

Like what?

[Alan McDougall]

Like what?

 

 

http://www.icr.org/article/374/206/

 

 

The Ethical Foundation of Technology The rise of North America to dominance in technology is related to the Judeo-Christian foundation with which it started. The founding fathers of the United States of America were theists who believed in a Creator who gave moral rules by which to live. The work ethic they practiced also contributed to the rapid progress of the country. In this ethic, all honest work was regarded as dignified, not just the "white collar" jobs. This also has Christian roots. Jesus, the founder of Christianity, Himself chose the profession of a carpenter prior to His ministry. Along with this work ethic, there was also the right climate for initiating research. The free-enterprise system allowed individuals and private groups to carry on research and to develop technology.

 

How can we hold in check the wrong use of technology? Here again, Christianity/bible offers its powerful contribution. Jesus summed up the right law to live by in human relationships thus: "Love your neighbor as yourself." a powerful principle, indeed. It allows no justification for using technology to bring harm to others. On the positive side, this law encourages us to develop that which serves humanity. The ethical standards of the Biblical also include the practice of honesty and integrity. The need for these in the handling of technology is being increasingly recognized.

 

 

 

 

 

[iNow]

The founding fathers of the United States of America were theists who believed in a Creator who gave moral rules by which to live.

Actually, no. Most were deists and did not derive their morality from the creator you cite. They derived those rules from certain rights they found to be natural and unalienable, applicable to all people and nations.

 

The ethical standards of the Biblical also include the practice of honesty and integrity.

Given this, it's truly sad that so many people who claim to live by and follow said bible fail so magnificently to abide by those two simple practices.

[too-open-minded]

Hitler was a devout catholic.

[Alan McDougall]

Hitler was a devout catholic.

 

 

Rubbish, he used religion to futher his own evil agenda and replaced bibles in churches with his silly Mein Kampf.

[imatfaal]

!

Moderator Note

OKAY - let's leave Godwin behind. And Guilt by Association is not a great debating tactic.

[Alan McDougall]

!

Moderator Note

OKAY - let's leave Godwin behind. And Guilt by Association is not a great debating tactic.

 

 

Repectfully to whom is this post addressed, who is Godwin and who is using Guilt by Association here???

[imatfaal]

Godwin's Law - any internet thread or discussion will eventually get around to Hitler and the Nazis.

 

And

 

Guilt by Association - the fact that Hitler was a catholic (if indeed it is a fact) is only really useful in a debate about Hitler; to characterise Catholicism as bad because Hitler was a Catholic seems to me to be guilt by association.

[Ben Banana]

any internet thread or discussion will eventually get around to Hitler and the Nazis.

 

Oh yes. This even applies to "Are bananas better than apples?"

Really, I think this law usually predicts the behavior of threads strongly connected to ideological subjects. Stuff like that. And I think it's quite genuine too. Ideological discussions should be cut away from every community upon the World Wide Web which fears the results of nasty debate-phenomena such as Godwin's law. Squeeze all the gravitas out and sell it to the physics forum! I recommend the Administration to simply delete the Religion forum. Oddly enough, I've participated in it more than any other forum (at the moment), and I hate it more than any. I'm madly disturbed by this.

Edited September 18, 2012 by Ben Bowen

[too-open-minded]

Okay your right, crappy debate tactic.

 

I can point out more people than Hitler who have done things their religion told them not to and tried to justify it. My point being that at the end of the day someone is going to do what they want to do.

 

I see religion as more of an answer to life and a morale viagra, I don't like it because I don't need it.

 

I think religious differences has something to do with the war in the middle east. Just a little bit.

 

I don't like religion. At the same time maybe we do need religion, i'll quote Daniel Dennet for this one.

 

“In the long run I certainly hope information is the cure for fanaticism, but I am afraid information is more the cause than the cure.” ― Daniel C. Dennett

[Alan McDougall]

If I were god looking at the present madness in the world, with screaming religious fanatics running around like raving insane beasts, I would eliminate mankind from the earth and admit this part of my creation a huge colossal failure and start all over again, but this time not giving free will, but make them obey me in the absolute or cease to exist

[john5746]

If I were god looking at the present madness in the world, with screaming religious fanatics running around like raving insane beasts, I would eliminate mankind from the earth and admit this part of my creation a huge colossal failure and start all over again, but this time not giving free will, but make them obey me in the absolute or cease to exist

 

Couldn't you try to talk to them first? Give everyone the same dream for several nights where you ask them to not be a dick and care for each other?

[too-open-minded]

It would be way easier if god just made some basic human emotions and subconscious wants less.

 

Greed, Jelousy, Anger, and sexual drive. If these emotions and instincts were less strong, I truly believe we as a species would stand a better chance at handling things in society.

[Alan McDougall]

Couldn't you try to talk to them first? Give everyone the same dream for several nights where you ask them to not be a dick and care for each other?

 

 

As God, I have tried for time immemorial to get them to get on with each other,by giving them intelligence, using religion, using philosophy, psychology, putting a conscious within each of them so they can know when they are doing evil. All in vain.

 

 

They are now much to my dismay running around all over my beautiful blue water world,like raving beasts so my mind is made up enough is enough

 

Edited September 20, 2012 by Alan McDougall

[elementcollector1]

If I were God, I wouldn't have any of this "I'm up in Heaven, and you're not". I'd live on Earth, giving a helping hand whenever necessary (though using god-powers rarely, thus teaching you little humans better solutions), and generally answering whatever random question is thrown at me. I wouldn't have any 'church' or place of worship to muddle things, and generally I'd insist on just being an augmented human that's here to help (and party). If I had to make rules, they'd be the basics. Don't steal, lie, murder, cheat, rape, etc. Do help those in need, do a good turn daily, do something useful, enrich your mind and body, etc.

The Seven Deadly Sins? I don't know, I might take out the Deadly in the title and replace it with... ... shoot. Fine, we'll keep the Deadly even though they don't kill you (directly).

Also, what would the scientists do in order to explain me? I'm in the Universe, and yet I don't follow its rules. There'd probably be a scientific uprising against me, or some person would come up with some ridiculous theory that explains my godliness. (Maybe because I was so very clean?)

Has anyone ever considered that if one claims to be a god and starts working miracles, hundreds or even thousands of protesters would show up at the door claiming that you were, in fact, Satan? And you'd have to somehow get through them every morning? On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who would do anything to worship you, even if you say, "Okay, that's creepy. Stop, please. STOP." Again, I wouldn't allow worship of my majesty. Too risky.

 

Apart from that... I don't know. As the years wore on, and turned into centuries, I might get bored of being God. Then I'd probably start trolling the citizens. Then, once that got boring, I'd probably just pass the title along to someone else, someone who really wanted to help but couldn't on his or her own, and die like a regular person. The end.

[too-open-minded]

If I were god, I would make the "on fire" rule in beerpong unfathomable. I hate that rule and even when I make 3 cups in a row, I don't call it. This rule infuriates me and as god it would be smitten.