Religion considered as an addiction

What is your definition of a Religion? I read your web link and it sounds like a set of beliefs, it didn’t seem to have anything to do with a belief in God. Which is my definition of a Religion.

I would submit to you that using Dr. Bob Minor standard of Religion, you could call Liberalism or Conservatism a Religion. They are both sets of beliefs. The difference is that the Conservatism is more in line with most Christian Churches. Their are also some Christian Churches that slant more to Liberalism. I’m guessing those Churches would not be consider addicts by Dr. Bob Minor.

What is your definition of a Religion?

To be honest, I can’t say I’d given the question of definition much thought. Off the top of my head (and reserving the right to expand and define this later), I would define religion as a set of beliefs held by an individual or group, that are intended to guide and govern one’s moral and spiritual practice.

I read your web link and it sounds like a set of beliefs, it didn’t seem to have anything to do with a belief in God. Which is my definition of a Religion.

Not all religions espouse a belief in a monotheistic deity. Your definition seems a bit restrictive.

I would submit to you that using Dr. Bob Minor standard of Religion, you could call Liberalism or Conservatism a Religion.

Where does Dr. Minor describe his “standard of Religion”?

They are both sets of beliefs. The difference is that the Conservatism is more in line with most Christian Churches.

What is the evidence for this claim? Please specify the set of Christian Churches you used to arrive at this conclusion.

Their are also some Christian Churches that slant more to Liberalism. I’m guessing those Churches would not be consider addicts by Dr. Bob Minor.

I’m guessing you’d be better off asking him what he thinks, rather than guessing at it. As phrased, what you have there is just another straw man argument.

“I’m guessing you’d be better off asking him what he thinks, rather than guessing at it. As phrased, what you have there is just another straw man argument.”

OK, I’m more interested in what you have to say about it. You posted the web link, I assumed you also agree with it’s content, to some degree. I phrased it that way so you could, either say I don’t agree with this part of his essay, or I don’t see how you can make that conclusion from what he said.

“Not all religions espouse a belief in a monotheistic deity. Your definition seems a bit restrictive.”

A belief in God in the context of a religion, is to acknowledge their is a higher power than you. That is also true of religions that have more then one god. The one of the more importing things that religion can give a person is humility.

‘Where does Dr. Minor describe his “standard of Religion”?’

The way I read it the whole point of the essay was, “Religion is an Addiction” when the ”...religious right pushes its anti-gay, anti-women’s reproductive rights, anti-science, pro-profit agenda nationally…”
”...what we see in the dominant religious/political right-wing fundamentalism that’s driving the debate on most conservative issues (political, social, economic, international) is anything but healthy.”

He doesn’t talk about God anywhere in his essay, it’s all about the beliefs of religious people. Thus I assume, God has nothing to do with his, “standard of Religion.” Furthermore, the way he talks about addiction sounds a lot like how religious people talk about sin.

I think he is just using “Religion is an Addiction” to justify saying, that the beliefs of right-wingers are unhealthy.

“What is the evidence for this claim? Please specify the set of Christian Churches you used to arrive at this conclusion.”

Well for one thing I know lots of Christian, and most of them are Republicans. But I also know many Democrats that are Christian too. The specify churches lets see the more liberal one are Protestant, Mormon, Methodist; and the more conservative ones are Baptist, Catholic. But that is just what I have learned from the people I know.

I phrased it that way so you could, either say I don’t agree with this part of his essay, or I don’t see how you can make that conclusion from what he said.

The problem is that you didn’t ask what I thought. You made a claim about what you guessed Dr. Minor would think about another topic. Guessing what someone who isn’t even in the conversation is going to say is a singularly uninformed way of conducting a discussion.

The way I read it the whole point of the essay was, “Religion is an Addiction”...

Oops, nope. What’s the title of the essay? Why, it’s “When Religion is an Addiction”. There are times (according to Dr. Minor) when the religious can display addictive behavior. And there are times when they don’t. Dr. Minor says so himself: “Religion doesn’t have to be this way; it can be healing”.

He doesn’t talk about God anywhere in his essay, it’s all about the beliefs of religious people. Thus I assume, God has nothing to do with his, “standard of Religion.”

The essay isn’t about God. It’s about the actions and behavior of a subset of religious persons. Assuming what someone believes based on what they haven’t said is foolhardy at best. There’s a whole lot of things you haven’t said in your life, Slosh. Shall we enumerate your beliefs based on your silences?

I think he is just using “Religion is an Addiction” to justify saying, that the beliefs of right-wingers are unhealthy.

You’re overreaching again. Dr. Minor specifically states that he is addressing the actions of those who espouse “right-wing political-religious fundamentalism”.

Well for one thing I know lots of Christian, and most of them are Republicans. But I also know many Democrats that are Christian too. The specify churches lets see the more liberal one are Protestant, Mormon, Methodist; and the more conservative ones are Baptist, Catholic. But that is just what I have learned from the people I know.

Read the question, Slosh. I asked you about churches — not individuals.

“The problem is that you didn’t ask what I thought. You made a claim about what you guessed Dr. Minor would think about another topic. Guessing what someone who isn’t even in the conversation is going to say is a singularly uninformed way of conducting a discussion.”

Is it not the whole point of a discussion to find out what the other person thinks?

‘Oops, nope. What’s the title of the essay? Why, it’s “When Religion is an Addiction”. There are times (according to Dr. Minor) when the religious can display addictive behavior. And there are times when they don’t. Dr. Minor says so himself: “Religion doesn’t have to be this way; it can be healing”.’

I notice that, and I also notice he never said in what way it would be healing. If religion is addiction when, ”...religious right pushes its anti-gay, anti-women’s reproductive rights, anti-science, pro-profit agenda nationally…” Would that mean religion would be healing if the opposite was true, that is having a more liberal outlook?

“The essay isn’t about God. It’s about the actions and behavior of a subset of religious persons. Assuming what someone believes based on what they haven’t said is foolhardy at best. There’s a whole lot of things you haven’t said in your life, Slosh. Shall we enumerate your beliefs based on your silences?”

That subset would be Republicans. If you don’t see a problem with writing an essay about religion, and not talking about God fine. I was not suggesting what his view on some non-related topic might be.

‘You’re overreaching again. Dr. Minor specifically states that he is addressing the actions of those who espouse “right-wing political-religious fundamentalism”.’

That was my opinion, that why I said “I think”. Care to respond to my opinion with one of your own?

“Read the question, Slosh. I asked you about churches — not individuals.”

I listed churches, what do you want their street address? Also churches are made up of individuals, what better way to find out about a church then to talk to people who go their?

Is it not the whole point of a discussion to find out what the other person thinks?

That’s exactly my point. If you want to know what Dr. Minor thinks about something he didn’t discuss in the article — namely, his views on “liberal” churches — go have a discussion with him.

I notice that, and I also notice he never said in what way it would be healing.

That’s because the topic of the article wasn’t the healing power of religion. Really, Slosh, try to concentrate on the point he was making, instead of the point you wish he had made.

If religion is addiction when, ”...religious right pushes its anti-gay, anti-women’s reproductive rights, anti-science, pro-profit agenda nationally…” Would that mean religion would be healing if the opposite was true, that is having a more liberal outlook?

Not necessarily. Have you considered the possibility that the continuum of religions may not be the one-dimensional spectrum you seem to have in mind — “conservative” at one end, “liberal” at the other, and only shades in between? It is possible to consider religion — or indeed any aspect of human philosophy — as multidimensional. The world is not such a simple place as you may think.

That subset would be Republicans.

Oddly, Dr. Minor never mentions any political party. And not all Republicans are right-wing religious fundamentalists.

If you don’t see a problem with writing an essay about religion, and not talking about God fine.

When did it become a requirement to mention God in an essay about religion? I must have missed the memo.

I was not suggesting what his view on some non-related topic might be.

You stated: “Thus I assume, God has nothing to do with his, ‘standard of Religion’” — based on the fact that the essay does not mention God. The essay wasn’t about God, and it wasn’t about Dr. Minor’s “standard of Religion” (whatever that phrase means). You were in fact trying to attribute a viewpoint to him based on what he didn’t say. That simply is not a valid way to reason.

I listed churches, what do you want their street address?

Your claim was: “Conservatism is more in line with most Christian Churches”. I challenged you, and you replied with an irrelevant (and untestable) claim about the Christians you know.

How many church doctrines have you surveyed? How do you rank them as being “in line” with conservatism?

‘That’s exactly my point. If you want to know what Dr. Minor thinks about something he didn’t discuss in the article — namely, his views on “liberal” churches — go have a discussion with him.’

I think I will find out what someone else thinks about a different topic. You seem to be only interested in how I say thing, and not what I have to say. I was only looking for a bit of insight into your views on issues.

I think I will find out what someone else thinks about a different topic. You seem to be only interested in how I say thing, and not what I have to say.

News flash, Slosh:Your arguments are not immune from criticism. No one’s arguments are. You’re giving up because I’ve asked questions you don’t want to answer — or cannot answer.

I was only looking for a bit of insight into your views on issues.

Then ask about my views. Making baseless claims about what someone else said is a remarkably ineffective way to find out what I think.