The Positive Aspects of Religion/Spirituality

[phee]

Given some of the recent news and such on the board, I thought it might be good to talk about some of the positive parts of religion/spirituality.

Please keep the anti-religious stuff out of this thread, discussion is good but want to keep this positive.

I will start:

I am not religious myself, but I cannot deny that religion has helped foster some of the greatest art/music/architecture that this world has/will ever see

[hunhee]

To list a few.. How GORGEOUS!!!

One of the reasons why I'm so fascinated by religion, the inspiration for so much beauty and passion.

[phee]

Good post miss

[Homicidalheathen]

LOL thats all you have to say about it? Heehee! And America (big surprise) has the worlds biggest cross.

Religion helps societies evolve

Keeps people from doing evil deeds when the only thing they fear is something they cannot see. I have heard so many people say, 'I would have done it except I am afraid of dying and going to hell...' They fear that more than jail.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

It fulfills the primal need most of us have for ritual and structure.

It gives hope, life focus and a sense of well being.

[Oh_My_Goth]

I am not really a "Religious" person.. Though I am deeply spiritual...

But, being raised Catholic helped Me develop this beautiful sense of spirituality that I have today, so it can't be all bad

[Slogo]

Not religious. But I do try to look at the spiritual side of things. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. For good it has done I'll post a quote.

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich." ~ Napoleon Bonaparte

[phee]

Amazing literature has come from religious text

[freydis]

A lot of laws have come out of religion, throughout the ages.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Many of the things we take for granted today comes from the Quakers. Like, going into a store and having prices learly marked on everything.

[Simon Bar Sinister]

having something to "sin" against makes those "sins" more exciting.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I shy away from the term "spirituality" since the playing-with-words-game is bad enough with the word "religion" , to the point were the term has almost so little clear meaning as to be useless.

But, the two positive aspects of [traditional] religion for me would be :

1. Metaphysical / Ethical / Epistemological questions are all laid out for me, no need to "worry" about such things.

2. In most cases a ready-made social network with minimal abrasion, since we all have the same beliefs.

3. (If i had kids) It would be a lot easier to just tell the brats "god says so" than try to explain to them why "I" say so and why they should follow instructions... even when no one is looking.