Good aspects of Christianity?

[Insetick]

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This is for an English essay on Paradise Lost.

What are some positive aspects of Christianity? I'm trying to think of benefits on the individual level, like morals and ethics. So please try to avoid talking about negative aspects on a global scale, like religious wars and imperialism.

Paradise Lost has a deist interpretation of Christianity (God has gave us free will, leaving us to fend for ourselves). This means that while we don't live in blissful ignorance. Rather, by eating from the tree of knowledge, humans condemned themselves to living in uncertainty. We don't know what is good or bad, but we are forced to make choices nonetheless.

What I got from this is a realistic interpretation of Christianity. We can't blame God for horrible things that happen today. He gave us free will; all we can do is choose and do what we think is best. In our world, this means that we have to take action when we, for example, think we are losing a friend. Rather than blame that friend/God for our misfortune, we have to act. And from experience, acting > inaction.

What do you think?

 

[Omnicron's Baklava Enterprises]

Well, Christianity helps make most people better to others.

By stating that, I'm referencing that fact that the majority of Christians I've met are quite friendly and warm people.
They're just like the Muslim people around here, they're hospitable.

At least it's teachings tell all not to commit what would generally be considered 'immoral' or 'illegal' acts, such as not to commit adultery, excessive swearing, murder of people, et cetera.

That's one major factor I like about Christianity!

 

[Fatmanonice]

Although I don't believe they are exclusive to Christianity, I believe that at its base that it teaches a decent number of good morals to live by when you cut away a lot of stuff that it usually gets buried under especially in theological debate. Instead of sitting here and listing them off, I might as well just post this because, as an agnostic-theist, I agree that these are the better highlights of the Bible.

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/good/long.html

 

[cookieM0Nster]

Fatmonice is correct, a lot of religions have good ethics involved.

Christianity presents us with a moral code that is extremely beneficial in society. The 10 Commandments gave Christians instructions for living a good life, and eventually going to Heaven.

 

[Fatmanonice]

I think one of the biggest faults of a vast majority of modern religions is that they believe that morality and wisdom can only stem from their religion. When you step back for a sec, you realise that it comes from all walks of life. For example, the "Golden Rule" was taught by Siddhartha Guatama (the original Buddha), Plato, Confucious, and Jesus of Nazereth. Confucious and the Buddha lived about 500 years before Jesus. If anything, people need to realize that morality and wisdom not only transcend time but cultures and religions as well.

 

[victra♥]

if gives some people a reason to be a good person

 

[-Mars-]

If anything it gives some people a reason to believe that their existence means something......for some people that is a really big thing.

 

[Fatmanonice]

if gives some people a reason to be a good person

Which drives me up a wall because there really shouldn't be a need for motivation in order to do good. I believe in going good for the sake of doing good. Granted, it's impossible for an act to be 100% selfless because all good acts have some sort of gain in them (even if it's just a boost in your self esteem or "warm fuzzies") but people should go through with it anyways. It's such a odd thing. Self gratification and self preservation can both be seen as the source of good and evil, the only difference is what one gains or loses and how much significance they put in it.

 

[victra♥]

^yeah i feel you bro. It's different for some people I guess. Eh, what can you do.

 

[Fatmanonice]

I know, it's an ideal but it still drives me crazy because I feel like it comes more natural to me for whatever reason.

 

[victra♥]

Yeah. Its weird how some people can find comfort in being punished for being bad, and being rewarded for being good, by some super powered man in space.

Why not just be good for the sake of being good? =.=

 

[SwastikaPyle]

If we're really going to say, "It gives people a reason to be good,"

can we also say

"It gives people a reason to be bad?"

 

[CRASHiC]

Harmonized music.

 

[Jim Morrison]

Gives you a justification for your actions.

If that won't cut it, it reassures people that death isn't the end of everything, that they know there's something AFTER death (would there be something before birth in that case?)

 

[_Keno_]

Gives you a justification for your actions.

If that won't cut it, it reassures people that death isn't the end of everything, that they know there's something AFTER death (would there be something before birth in that case?)

OK, so it comforts some people, in such a way the it only affects that person.

I would ask what are the aspects of religion that do good on a world-wide scale.
Ex. Doctrines that affect govts, people, or (especially) the progress of humanity in a positive way.

 

[Fatmanonice]

OK, so it comforts some people, in such a way the it only affects that person.

I would ask what are the aspects of religion that do good on a world-wide scale.
Ex. Doctrines that affect govts, people, or (especially) the progress of humanity in a positive way.

In my opinion, I don't think there is. I believe the benefits of religion appear on an individual basis. As a religion expands, its original signifance and teachings get construed by the masses and lead to a lot of social problems. Theocracies and fundamentalism are probably the worst examples of this. I respect religions for the morals and wisdom they teach but, when they become too big, they usually develop their own social agendas that impend on the lives of those that don't agree with them 100%. For example, I agree with the famous quote by Mark Twain, "If Jesus were alive today, there's one thing he wouldn't be; a Christian."

 

[Insetick]

If we're really going to say, "It gives people a reason to be good,"

can we also say

"It gives people a reason to be bad?"

How would Christianity push people to be evil?

Gives you a justification for your actions.

If that won't cut it, it reassures people that death isn't the end of everything, that they know there's something AFTER death (would there be something before birth in that case?)

I think that's a major point; that you can give yourself and your actions meaning and purpose.

I doubt it's useful to believe in existence before birth, but believing in an afterlife is definitely useful. Believing that your actions will definitely determine your fate again gives purpose to your actions.

 

[Oracle]

Christianity was one of the main reasons language and reading developed in the way that it did. In addition to keeping detailed records of religious events, the bible's popularity helped spread reading, and thus by extension, intelligence.

Spoiler

irony lol

It also made a widespread and popular system of morals, but that can be said about many religions (though christianity's is more modern)

 

[CRASHiC]

Christianity was one of the main reasons language and reading developed in the way that it did.

and music too.

But at any rate, here's a question to ask yourself, couldn't another equal power entiety do the same? Ignoring the religion and looking at only the influence, is it possible to have the same impact without God? Certainly it needs a reason to be a part of it, and religion offered an explanation for the world, for life, for death, for everything. If we had been built around a large entitey that provided the same for the people without god, could the same advances and influences not have occured?

 

[Fatmanonice]

and music too.

But at any rate, here's a question to ask yourself, couldn't another equal power entiety do the same? Ignoring the religion and looking at only the influence, is it possible to have the same impact without God? Certainly it needs a reason to be a part of it, and religion offered an explanation for the world, for life, for death, for everything. If we had been built around a large entitey that provided the same for the people without god, could the same advances and influences not have occured?

Christianity was largely spread by force once the Romans adopted it during the reign of Emperor Constantine. From there, it has pretty much been "handed off" to every major power that has ever existed in Western Civilization which, like the Romans, largely spread it through force.

Add in: In other words, Christianity is so expansive today mainly because of the "convert or else" mentality that it had in most regions of the world until about the 1950's.

 

[SwastikaPyle]

How would Christianity push people to be evil?

I don't really want to clog this place up with links and descriptions, so this link:

http://notachristian.org/christianatrocities.html

has some pretty good summaries, I suppose.

I'm just saying that if we see a man doing good things in the name of Christianity and say 'The Christianity made him do good,' why can't we also see a man doing bad things in the name of Christianity and say, "The Christianity made him do bad."

 

[XFadingNirvanaX]

Good thing: Many Christians donate or do some method of service to others in need.

 

[SwastikaPyle]

Good thing: Many Christians donate or do some method of service to others in need.

Pretty much every religion in the world can boast this one, btw.

 

[Insetick]

I don't really want to clog this place up with links and descriptions, so this link:

http://notachristian.org/christianatrocities.html

has some pretty good summaries, I suppose.

I'm just saying that if we see a man doing good things in the name of Christianity and say 'The Christianity made him do good,' why can't we also see a man doing bad things in the name of Christianity and say, "The Christianity made him do bad."

That's true; religions have a habit of causing huge wars and crusades. I like to think these wars and such occur because people misinterpret religion or that religion is just used as an excuse to cover for other motives. Most religions don't praise violence, although those that do... I'm unsure of what to say for today's terrorists and extremists.

 

[Grunt]

awesome sounding gospel choirs.

 

[Fatmanonice]

That's true; religions have a habit of causing huge wars and crusades. I like to think these wars and such occur because people misinterpret religion or that religion is just used as an excuse to cover for other motives. Most religions don't praise violence, although those that do... I'm unsure of what to say for today's terrorists and extremists.

That's largely Islam you're talking about where the Koran does repeatedly explain the importance of killing "infidels." Truth be told, Judaism and Christianity have similar passages in the Torah/Bible (Leviticus and Deuteronomy are loaded with them, for example) but somehow, both these religions largely took a more "politically correct" path at least compared to Islam. For example, the Old Testament condemns all homosexuals, people who work on Saturday, disobedient children/teen, adulters, people who eat "unclean" animals, etc to death and there are passages in both the Old and New Testament that heavily stress that women are inferior to men and that slavery is okay.

Again, it goes back to what I said earlier, Jesus's words were very wise for the most part, as the religion has grown, so has the message of them been largely tainted by the influence of the masses.

 

[SwastikaPyle]

That's true; religions have a habit of causing huge wars and crusades. I like to think these wars and such occur because people misinterpret religion or that religion is just used as an excuse to cover for other motives. Most religions don't praise violence, although those that do... I'm unsure of what to say for today's terrorists and extremists.

In all honesty, I bet I could find plenty of Bible chapters that portray Moses and God as bloodthirsty, envious ravagers who annhilated everything in their way.


For instance, Numbers 31, Moses shouts at his army for sparing so many civilians:
http://www.carm.org/kjv/Num/Num_31.htm

17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

"Kill everyone except the children, we need to raep them first." - the author of the Ten Commandments

 

[Falconv1.0]

Religion brings people together, usually gives them some morals albeit at the cost of some logic, and they donate to charity and junk.

Did you really need to ask what the good aspects of Christianity are? I'm not trying to be mean here, I'm serious.

 

[Insetick]

Religion brings people together, usually gives them some morals albeit at the cost of some logic, and they donate to charity and junk.

Did you really need to ask what the good aspects of Christianity are? I'm not trying to be mean here, I'm serious.

Well, of course there are clear examples like charity etc. I was hoping for examples that pertained more to philosophy and Paradise Lost. My essay has turned out to focus a lot on existentialism... I wrote a lot about how we create meaning and purpose in an otherwise absurd and chaotic world.

 

[Falconv1.0]

Christianity does not have good points to its philosophy in my opinion, it's a religion that tells people what God's rules are and its book has stories about atrocities committed by its followers. What it does for society now and what it was meant to do are two completely different things.

But that's just my opinion.

 

[Fatmanonice]

Christianity does not have good points to its philosophy in my opinion, it's a religion that tells people what God's rules are and its book has stories about atrocities committed by its followers. What it does for society now and what it was meant to do are two completely different things.

But that's just my opinion.

I agree. Things like the AA and Salvation Army were founded by Christians and missionaries do a lot of good work but, again, it's largely driven by a supposed divine force pretty telling them that they have to if they want to stay loyal to him. I agree with the actions but I don't entirely agree what motivates the actions.

 

[Falconv1.0]

I'd like to note I think most christians are at the least fairly decent people. I don't hate them, just what they believe in.

Oh, and Christianity is half the reason Fox news exists. >.>

 

[Mr.Freeman]

Because anyone can ask Jesus:

Kidding. Well its been said before, be nice to people, respect your neighbors, blah blah blah...

 

[3747373796432]

Well, on one end, it does teach good moral values. But on the other end, when taken literally, it tends to spawn condescending buttholes.

 

[Heartz♥]

Just take note that Christianity is not a religion, it is a spiritual way of life that requires Christians to have a relationship with God, and the only way to do that is to keep in His Word and pray. We are indeed given a free will, and what we do up until we die will determine our eternity.

Remember that "all things work together". We were supposed to be condemned to hell no matter what we do, but the Lord sent His only begotten son for the remission of our transgressions. As Insetick said, humans condemned themselves to living in uncertainty. The hardships and tribulations we go through are punishments for our sins, but in the end, God will be with you if you call on His name. He hasn't forgotten anyone.

 

[Falconv1.0]

Heartz, can you at the least give some for of an argument as to why rather than just talking like you're trying to convert people in this fairly tame conversation about why we don't follow the same path you do? I'm not trying to be mean here, really.

I'd just like to note I think this world is better off with religion than without it, because humans will never be able to all convert to logical thought, so we need something that will group people together, and faith does that very nicely. The main places where it does more damage than good is where people are still living in the past like morons, which is their fault, not their religion's fault.

 

[jivegamer]

Christianity's best contribution is probably it's emphasis on the downtrodden. From what little I understand of the religion (despite the fact that I used to be Christian -_- ) it cuts through the notion that the elites of society are those whom god holds to be special/blessed. Now I know, rulers and clergymen have made the claim that they are special little snowflakes in god's eyes, but that's simply not what Jesus said. Though the issue of what Jesus really said is an entirely different matter...

 

[Heartz♥]

Heartz, can you at the least give some for of an argument as to why rather than just talking like you're trying to convert people in this fairly tame conversation about why we don't follow the same path you do? I'm not trying to be mean here, really.

I'd just like to note I think this world is better off with religion than without it, because humans will never be able to all convert to logical thought, so we need something that will group people together, and faith does that very nicely. The main places where it does more damage than good is where people are still living in the past like morons, which is their fault, not their religion's fault.

You're right on the first paragraph. I apologize for my hastiness. I was in a rush when I typed that.

As for your second one, you are being a bit too cynical. Why can't humans "convert" to logical thought? And who is to say what is logical? The basis of your argument is earthly, if you know what I meant.

 

[john!]

Hey I've got a question for you guys. Why has Christianity been the world's (and America's) dominant religion for the majority of its lifespan? And why haven't atheist societies risen up and flourished throughout the ages? Don't you think that Christianity is winning the race for survival of the fittest religion because it's a good religion for society? And maybe atheism is bad for society? I mean, it doesn't have any bearing on whether it's actually true or not, but ya get my drift. It's pretty dumb to say that humans know what's ultimately "good" and "bad", other than looking at the religious moral codes that brought us to where we are today and have been shown to succeed.

 

[zeldspazz]

I dont think atheism is bad for society. Why would it be?