Ruining Humanity

[The Hammer]

Is Religion and Spirituality somehow to blame for the downfall of society?

The ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand?

Is religion and spirituality a symptom? Or is it a cure for human ills?

 

[Trailblazer]

Is Religion and Spirituality somehow to blame for the downfall of society?

The ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand?

Is religion and spirituality a symptom? Or is it a cure for human ills?

I do not think that Spirituality is to blame for the downfall of society.

I think that some Religions are partially to blame for the downfall of society.

I think that Religion plays a part in the ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand which is a symptom of human ills.

I think that Spirituality and Religion offers the cure for human ills, but not all religions offer a cure for the ills of society we see in the present age since those religions were not revealed for the present age.

 

[The Hammer]

I do not think that Spirituality is to blame for the downfall of society.

I think that some Religions are partially to blame for the downfall of society.

I think that Religion plays a part in the ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand which is a symptom of human ills.

I think that Spirituality and Religion offers the cure for human ills, but not all religions offer a cure for the ills of society we see in the present age since those religions were not revealed for the present age.

A bit of an aside, does a religion have to be "revealed"? What does this mean exactly?

 

[Trailblazer]

A bit of an aside, does a religion have to be "revealed"? What does this mean exactly?

A revealed religion is a religion that was revealed by a Prophet/Messenger of God.

 

[MikeF]

Is Religion and Spirituality somehow to blame for the downfall of society?

Has society fallen? When was the peak? How far do you consider society to have fallen? I guess I should also ask if you mean human society overall, or a specific society, like the United States.

The ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand?

Do you consider morals to be destroyed? When was society at its best? What morality has been lost? In what way was society you are referencing more moral overall?

As for ecology, we have the issue of global warming, but the full impact of that will be in the future. I've seen big improvements in air and water quality over my lifetime. Do you consider the current state of the global ecology as destroyed since you reference the destruction we see at hand?

 

[Father Heathen]

Is Religion and Spirituality somehow to blame for the downfall of society?

The ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand?

Is religion and spirituality a symptom? Or is it a cure for human ills?

I think corrupted forms of religion and spirituality share some of the blame.

An example; heavily politicalized forms of Christianity that are completely antithetical to the teachings and examples of Christ.

 

[danieldemol]

Is Religion and Spirituality somehow to blame for the downfall of society?

The ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand?

Is religion and spirituality a symptom? Or is it a cure for human ills?

I think its a mixed bag. Some peoples spirituality includes a religious belief that global warming is a hoax, some peoples spirituality makes them see themselves as more of a caretaker of nature.

So perhaps it is like there is medicine and there is quackery parading as medicine.

 

[Jimmy]

Is Religion and Spirituality somehow to blame for the downfall of society?

The ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand?

Is religion and spirituality a symptom? Or is it a cure for human ills?

I think it’s a good thing. The worlds gonna end within 50 years anyway. Thankfully, before things get real real ugly for many many people.

 

[Quintessence]

These are some rather leading questions. I don't agree with any of the presuppositions assumed by the OP, much less that something as heterogenous as religion/spirituality could be responsible for such a thing even if these presuppositions were very generously granted as true.

 

[Trailblazer]

These are some rather leading questions. I don't agree with any of the presuppositions assumed by the OP, much less that something as heterogenous as religion/spirituality could be responsible for such a thing even if these presuppositions were very generously granted as true.

I don't think those were presuppositions or assumptions made in the OP, but rather they were questions intended to lead to a fruitful discussion.

I think that Christianity is indirectly responsible for the downfall of society, because for eons of time Christians have been waiting for Jesus to return and fix everything that is wrong in this world. That means they don't have to do anything but wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, for Jesus to return and fix everything that is wrong in this world.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

I’d say a lot of it is….

Religions that take sides in conflicts, supporting the killing of others, are based on faulty ideologies.
They should be opposed to such activity.

And Christendom contains the worst hypocrites: in their own Holy Book, the Bible, Jesus tells them to “love your enemy.” - Matthew 5:44

That is what is supposed to set them apart. And get them hated by the world, because they would not join in conflicts.

1st-century Christians started out that way, but when all the Apostles died (c. 100 C.E.), it became corrupted. It turned apostate. But it was prophesied to happen….

 

[danieldemol]

Religions that take sides in conflicts, supporting the killing of others, are based on faulty ideologies

So religions that support the death sentence and/or joining with Jesus in his Armageddon war to kill non-believers are based in a faulty ideology?

 

[rocala]

Is Religion and Spirituality somehow to blame for the downfall of society?

The ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand?

Is religion and spirituality a symptom? Or is it a cure for human ills?

I see religion as a product of human society, just as much as war, crime, art and industry. Spirituality is, to me, a response to the perception of particular forces of which we have limited understanding.

Religion, like so much human activity, has its positive and negative sides. Spirituality seems to create something far less threatening to life in all of its forms and often very supportive of it. Sadly, I fear there is not enough to go around

 

[ChristineM]

Is Religion and Spirituality somehow to blame for the downfall of society?

I'm not sure society has fallen but has to some extent fragmented. I think religion has had a hand in this.

The ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand?

Not ecological, that's down to humanity in general though you could say the majority of humanity is religious.

Moral destruction, certainly. My view us morality is a human concept (and some other animals). Religion has taken morality, modified it to exclude those not of the particular religion and uses that twisted morality to condemn difference and outsiders.

Is religion and spirituality a symptom?

In some cases yes, in others its a handy scapegoat and in yet others religion can be a good.

Or is it a cure for human ills?

No.
I hope this last verbose response is adequate

 

[SalixIncendium]

Is Religion and Spirituality somehow to blame for the downfall of society?

The ecological and moral destruction that we see at hand?

Is religion and spirituality a symptom? Or is it a cure for human ills?

Downfall of society? I don't see the world through these same glasses.

What am I missing?

 

[SalixIncendium]

I don't think those were presuppositions or assumptions made in the OP, but rather they were questions intended to lead to a fruitful discussion.

There most certainly were. The questions assume society is in a downward spiral.

 

[1213]

Is Religion and Spirituality somehow to blame for the downfall of society?

I don't think so. I think people are guilty for their own actions. And one reason for the downfall is that people have rejected good teachings religions have, like for example don't murder, steal, lie...

 

[ChristineM]

like for example don't murder, steal, lie...

Have you read the old testament?

 

[Quintessence]

I don't think those were presuppositions or assumptions made in the OP, but rather they were questions intended to lead to a fruitful discussion.

I think that Christianity is indirectly responsible for the downfall of society, because for eons of time Christians have been waiting for Jesus to return and fix everything that is wrong in this world. That means they don't have to do anything but wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, for Jesus to return and fix everything that is wrong in this world.

I reject the assumption that there is a "downfall of (human) society." Or that there's a similar downfall of "morals" (which are made up by humans) or ecologies (which are always changing). In order to suppose the "downfall" of anything, you first have to suppose there is a "correct" state for it. And that's a willy-nilly human projection onto the world that reality will inevitably fail to conform to.

In the sense that religion/spirituality is one of the cultural constructs that leads humans to project "this is how the world should be" onto reality, sure, religion/spirituality are responsible for the "downfall" as they are the ones making up that story to begin with. You recognize the power of this narrative in what you write here, which is a useful insight. But other than the power of our projected oughta's and shoulda's? Nah.

 

[The Hammer]

Downfall of society? I don't see the world through these same glasses.

What am I missing?

I consider the environmental destruction, biome destruction and a sixth mass extinction caused by humans, to be a downfall of our society.

But also I used that phrasing because it will bring some of the doom and gloom Christians around.