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Is Religion a source of evil as Dawkins claims

Discussion in 'Politics & Religion' started by Shawn Syed, Jan 11, 2016.

  1. Bushranger

    Bushranger Notable Member

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    #21
    So, back to religion then, America is well-known for its religious leanings, some states more than others. Being also conservatives who were probably leaning towards the Trumpmeister, do you think the Pope's comments will have any effect on the election in those states?
     
    Bushranger, Feb 19, 2016 IP
  2. jrbiz

    jrbiz Acclaimed Member

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    #22
    The last statistic that I heard was that South Carolina is 13% Catholic. The other Christians in the state (which are the vast majority, of course) have no interest in what the Pope says. Protestants rejected the Pope centuries ago. I also think that the U.S. has a strong tradition of separation of Church and State, so I am not sure how much the Pope's statement will matter to most Catholic voters. Trump also brilliantly clouded the situation by commenting about the high walls around the Vatican and the Pope's obvious hypocrisy in this regard. Another headline this morning involved the fact that the Pope embraced Raul Castro on this trip and the Castro's have killed many priests, shut down Catholic churches and much worse over the decades, all in an effort to keep control over Cuba. Raul the murderous thug is a Christian and Trump is not because he wants to build a wall? I think that this will blow over quickly and not really impact the election.
     
    jrbiz, Feb 19, 2016 IP
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  3. qwikad.com

    qwikad.com Illustrious Member Affiliate Manager

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    #23
    People should understand this one simple fact: Nothing can or will hurt Trump when it comes to the presidential race. The guy is above and beyond any of that. Just think about it: The guy is almost 70 (a ton of experience). Been a billionaire most of his life. Been married 3 times. Owns a huge Trump organization. Deals domestically and internationally. Hangs out with the most powerful people. Wrote best selling books. Hired / fired more employees than you can imagine. And so forth. The media is powerless against anyone with those credential.
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2016
    qwikad.com, Feb 19, 2016 IP
  4. Bushranger

    Bushranger Notable Member

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    #24
    Problem there is you missed a few bits. He speaks with a third-grade literacy level, has been bankrupted 4 times, doesn't compromise, is a racist, sexist, belligerent, bullheaded big-mouth, never explains how he's going to do anything and has absolutely no government experience.

    I'd think if he wins the republican nomination then they're giving Hilary a free ride, and though likely a better option than Trump, won't be a massive change of direction for America. But maybe people don't want change so much.
     
    Bushranger, Feb 19, 2016 IP
  5. qwikad.com

    qwikad.com Illustrious Member Affiliate Manager

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    #25
    What? what? what? what? what? None of what you've said there bears any truth. None.

    On the contrary. If Cruz is nominated Hillary wins. That's why the libtards are so afraid of Trump.
     
    qwikad.com, Feb 19, 2016 IP
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  6. jrbiz

    jrbiz Acclaimed Member

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    #26
    He is simply repeating what the liberal, lamestream press feeds the low information voters here in the U.S. Unfortunately, that is all that their lackey media friends around the world repeat, ad nauseum. It is hard to fault non-U.S. citizens for thinking this way; they only get liberal propaganda out of the U.S., for the most part. And think about how many low information voters right here in the U.S. think the same false things because they are ignorant sheep. That is the real travesty.

    Getting back to the topic of this thread, this continues to be an excellent example of how humans distort any construct (the supposedly neutral press, e.g.) to suit their petty needs. The Pope, himself, just demonstrated how a human can quickly corrupt even the highest levels of religion to suit his own biases. Imagine that he embraced the murderous Raul Castro, while denouncing Trump as non-Christian on the same trip! How is that for human morality for a spiritual leader?
     
    jrbiz, Feb 20, 2016 IP
  7. qwikad.com

    qwikad.com Illustrious Member Affiliate Manager

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    #27
    I personally do not think the Pope's remarks are going to sway anyone either way. I understand though why Trump is overreacting on this (I'd do too), but I don't think the Pope meant to say: "Trump is going to burn in hell if he builds the wall". I think it was just a general remark that Christians should build bridges not walls, and the ones that don't should question their Christianity. But... from what I understand many Catholics are not proud of their Vicar these days.
     
    qwikad.com, Feb 20, 2016 IP
  8. jrbiz

    jrbiz Acclaimed Member

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    #28
    In fact, the latest opinions I have heard from the pundits is that this is going to help Trump in SC with the evangelicals who really dislike this Pope due to his obvious radical political leanings.
     
    jrbiz, Feb 20, 2016 IP
  9. Bushranger

    Bushranger Notable Member

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    #29
    I believe this pope leans to the left and like Trump, he calls it as he sees it. His reaction to the child abuse scandal in particular is a breath of fresh air compared to others who held that position. He's also called out inaction on climate change. I think it's good he's speaking out on topics that concern him rather than just sit back and basque in the glory that hundreds of millions if not a billion people have come to expect.
     
    Bushranger, Feb 20, 2016 IP
  10. jrbiz

    jrbiz Acclaimed Member

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    #30
    My point throughout this thread has been that the various social constructs that humans use (religion, government, economic systems, etc.) are always used to further the agenda, whatever that may be, of the "leaders" of that construct at any given time. Therefore, the constructs are neither evil, good, or otherwise. They simply are tools used by humans (the control freaks, in particular) to achieve their objectives at the time. If the human leader(s) is intent on doing good, the construct will be used for good; if the leader is intent on doing evil, the construct will be used for evil.
     
    jrbiz, Feb 20, 2016 IP
  11. Bushranger

    Bushranger Notable Member

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    #31
    Agreed to a point, but it is often the case the leader is a lame duck, subservient to the people around him or her or even put there by the people surrounding them, simply to be the fall guy or puppet.
     
    Bushranger, Feb 20, 2016 IP
  12. jrbiz

    jrbiz Acclaimed Member

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    #32
    That's why I used the term "leader" instead of president, Pope, CEO, etc. There are "de jure" leaders and then there are "de facto" leaders. Some times one person is both, but it is the "de facto" leader that matters. :)
     
    jrbiz, Feb 20, 2016 IP
  13. Obamanation

    Obamanation Well-Known Member

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    #33
    Yeah, but consider that Americans think the same of Kevin Rudd, Francois Hollande, and Gordon Brown. All politics is local, so like the French, we could give a crap what some people of other countries think of our leader.

    Red States have a higher concentration of protestants, not Catholics, though considering this Jesuit Pope's political leanings and hatred for American Catholics, I don't think his comments will have much of an effect on primary voters in Blue states either.

    His reaction? You mean Vatican City is no longer sheltering internationally wanted pedophiles? Strange, that is not what is being reported:
    http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/2/the-vatican-stillprotectspedophilepriests.html

    Perhaps the massive walls around the Vatican and it's zero tolerance immigration policies, are not to keep Syrian refugees out, but rather pedophiles in.

    One would think a dust up between a largely secular Trump, and the hypocritical leader of a religion that has tortured and maimed people for centuries, shelters pedophiles behind its walls, has interfered with politics around the planet to serve it's own ends would actually serve as a reason to vote for the man among more liberal, atheist, and agnostic voters like myself.

    Seriously, criticisms of building walls from a man who lives behind thick stone walls that reach over 100ft in height is just the pinnacle of hypocrisy.
     
    Obamanation, Feb 20, 2016 IP
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  14. mmerlinn

    mmerlinn Prominent Member

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    #34
    Religion IS the source of all evil!

    Why? Without religion is it IMPOSSIBLE to define what 'evil' is.
     
    mmerlinn, Apr 30, 2016 IP
  15. FemaleAdda

    FemaleAdda Member

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    #35
    evil is the source of evil.. people being selfish is the source of evil.. people not caring about others is the source of evil..

    people who endure, who take everything without reacting.. are those who fuel that evil...

    and ultimately those people who had been the victims.. will retaliate.. someone will say its enough and they will bring end to this evil.. until another evil rises..
     
    FemaleAdda, May 2, 2016 IP