Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Waning Moon Conrad · 04-17-2007, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EsoCyn

Uh, what? The Chinese "massacred" "untold numbers" of Buddhists because the Buddhists monks of Tibet, and the various other elites, had enslaved untold numbers of people. They weren't "massacred" because they weren't atheists.

http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html

What Michael Parenti says about Buddhism in his opening paragraph can be applied more widely.

Whether Atheism is a belief system or a non-belief system, it too should be judged not only by its teachings but by the behaviour of its proponents.

Djugashvillain · 04-17-2007, 04:46 AM

Atheism has teachings?

Blui · 04-17-2007, 05:16 AM

Apparently anti-religiosity = Atheism.

I don't want to dwell on the illogic of that, ive encountered it far too often for my liking.

Why cant anti-religiosity=anti-religiosity? its so common-sense.

But Atheism must be evil.:notworthy:

Lógos Sokratikós · 04-17-2007, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GenesisNemesis

Religion doesn't kill people, people kill people.

Yes and no.

It's the same thing as saying something like "medicines don't heal, the human body heals". Yes, without the natural healing capacity, medications and surgery would avail nothing... but good luck healing without medications!

The problem isn't religion as such (as a body of rituals and supernatural beliefs), but any ideology that puts faith ("Faith is to believe what you do not see" [St Augustine] "Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see" [Hebrews 11:1]) over evidence and supremacy over humanistic values.

This shoe fits religion, but it may also fit non-religious ideologies like Leninistic Communism, Naziism or diehard Conservatism.

Lógos Sokratikós · 04-17-2007, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Djugashvillain

Atheism has teachings?

Yes. I give you the official (and complete) Canon of Atheism.

EsoCyn · 04-17-2007, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waning Moon Conrad

What Michael Parenti says about Buddhism in his opening paragraph can be applied more widely.

Whether Atheism is a belief system or a non-belief system, it too should be judged not only by its teachings but by the behaviour of its proponents.

Indeed (and I believe he covers that), but for the intentions of the discussion, he was covering Buddhism and the Buddhist monks. Especially to dispell the myth that all Buddhists are peace loving, particularly with regards to the Western romanticization.

04-17-2007, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clivedurdle

Arguably the Crusades were a reaction to the previous Islamic conquests - attempts to retake land previously lost, but that means thinking about empires, not religions.

Hrm.. I think on the whole, many conquests were about power, control, etc. The Crusades don't really fall under that category though, from my understanding.

Quote:

Maybe religion is actually not that important, and is primarily a tool to get people to go to war.

I wouldn't disagree with that.

Lógos Sokratikós · 04-17-2007, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clivedurdle

Arguably the Crusades were a reaction to the previous Islamic conquests - attempts to retake land previously lost, but that means thinking about empires, not religions.

Not precisely. Christendom lost everything from Spain to most of Anatolia, including all of Northern Africa and Levant.

They could have thought of regaining present-day Spain (after all, Spain is in Europe, and bordering the lands of the Franks), Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Lybia, and Egypt. They did not. It was all about what they call "Holy" Land.

Pavlov's Dog · 04-17-2007, 06:46 AM

I say Buddhism. They have all those monks hopping around beating people with sticks and kung-fu.

Lógos Sokratikós · 04-17-2007, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pavlov's Dog

I say Buddhism. They have all those monks hopping around beating people with sticks and kung-fu.

Christian monks used to flagellate themselves (beat self-torture Pavlov's Dog! That's a real Pavlovian trick!) and there was always a Franciscan :angel: and a Dominican :angel: at every inquisitorial procedure and at the concomitant torture session.

Can Buddhists beat THIS?

View Poll Results: Which religion is more violent?
Christianity	21	22.83%
Islam	66	71.74%
Asian Religions	1	1.09%
African Religions	0	0%
Native American Religions	1	1.09%
Indian Religions	0	0%
None are violent!	3	3.26%
Voters: 92. You may not vote on this poll

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

04-17-2007, 04:46 AM	#32
Djugashvillain Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NSW, Australia Posts: 1,281	Atheism has teachings?

04-17-2007, 05:16 AM	#33
Blui Banned Join Date: May 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 3,381	Apparently anti-religiosity = Atheism. I don't want to dwell on the illogic of that, ive encountered it far too often for my liking. Why cant anti-religiosity=anti-religiosity? its so common-sense. But Atheism must be evil.:notworthy:

04-17-2007, 06:46 AM	#39
Pavlov's Dog Banned Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 4,074	I say Buddhism. They have all those monks hopping around beating people with sticks and kung-fu.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.