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The best religion?

You decide.

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Posted by nmclaughlin on Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 11:05 am

What do you think?

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nemo0037

July 19, 2010 - 12:22 pm EDT

I got an email from a friend with a Powerpoint slideshow talking about this idea. It sounds quite interesting, the view of religion in a pragmatic light. From the point of view that religion is SUPPOSED to lead us to be better, I suppose that the answer makes sense, and that any religion is equivalent to others, based on the result it shows in the believer's life.

But this ignores the point of view of the supernatural. Do the gods view religion in that same light? Well, there's no real telling, because no one thought to ask any god what he or she thought of such a question while they still talked with humans.

Brekka

July 20, 2010 - 8:06 am EDT

I'm going to stick my neck out -- I met a pastor at Friendly Hills church who can help you with the answer (or rhetorical question) you just asked. I read several other answers you've given. He and one other pastor there I think can help you. I'm not a member of the church there so I'm not plugging for the church. I just happen to know them. Good luck.

nemo0037

July 20, 2010 - 6:36 pm EDT

So you're urging me to go visit this church, in order to find an unnamed pastor who has talked about this question I asked? Or did you mean to post what you heard, and forget to type it out? I'm just curious, and I reallly don't want you to feel I'm trying to be combative here.

In fact, my question was somewhere in the DMZ between rhetorical and specific. I think that any response would necessarily be speculative, and as with all religious experiences, tends to tell more about the person than about the subject being discussed. I do hope that you will not feel embattled, and will participate in other threads. For my own part, I try to walk a fine line between respecting people and pointing out where I feel their beliefs are weak or contradictory. But bottom line is that I try to always convey respect for everyone who act respectable.

Gymnaseum

July 27, 2010 - 7:39 pm EDT

I know the Dalai Lama is a brilliant man,with great speaking skills, even impromptu. However, this conversation doesn't ring true. It is simply too rhetorically rhythmic for natural speech. I suspect this is not a real transcription of a real conversation. I may be wrong, of course. The ideas certainly do reflect much of his teaching. It's the immediate tone that strikes me as off.

RandolphBloke

July 28, 2010 - 12:35 am EDT

I agree.

Typically he recommends the religions that you're raised in unless you have a strong reason to convert. His books, at least the ones I've read, state that he believes most religions offer a path to betterment that is perhaps equal but not the same. Some people have twisted this to mean that he thinks they all have the same "ending"... they do not. They generally have the same goals though. Of course, that's simplified and paraphrased.