# Let's talk about the GOOD in religion **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 21, 2012, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587 "2012-05-21T08:51:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/21 "2012-05-21T14:12:38Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Wow, the “no snark” rule is taking a rather brutal beating. Yeah, some people really can’t seem to help themselves, huh? Really: please leave the snark and snide comments out. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/22 "2012-05-21T14:15:51Z")
Having been raised Catholic, I have to admire them. They are so structured and so uniform. You could argue that that is not a good thing, but I think in the case of religion you need that uniformity to maintain credibility. The fact that everything comes from a central headquarters is key to that uniformity. Think about it, if the Catholic church were a corporation, it would probably be the most successful enterprise in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/23 "2012-05-21T14:22:54Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Having been raised Catholic, I have to admire them. They are so structured and so uniform. You could argue that that is not a good thing, but I think in the case of religion you need that uniformity to maintain credibility. The fact that everything comes from a central headquarters is key to that uniformity. Think about it, if the Catholic church were a corporation, it would probably be the most successful enterprise in the world. Catholics are not nearly as uniform as they look. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/24 "2012-05-21T14:24:40Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Catholics are not nearly as uniform as they look. That’s another GOOD THING. Those Catholic schoolgirl uniforms… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/25 "2012-05-21T14:24:51Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > For people that can’t think for themselves, it tells them what to think and what to do. > [@tdn](#): > > Wow, the “no snark” rule is taking a rather brutal beating. How about, “Religion provides structure for peoples’ lives”.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/26 "2012-05-21T14:25:36Z")
My mom used to say, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”. I’m not sure why people can’t make themselves do this. Why not start another Bad Things About Religion thread and leave this one alone? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/27 "2012-05-21T14:26:17Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > How about, “Religion provides structure for peoples’ lives”.😉 “Certain religions can provide a form of structure in some people’s lives.” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/28 "2012-05-21T14:27:20Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > How about, “Religion provides structure for peoples’ lives”.😉 That sounds better! ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/29 "2012-05-21T14:27:40Z")
The way I see it, there’s three kinds of religious rules: - natural/medical/psychological laws. “Take periodic breaks from your daily routine” is a very-early version of current EHS regs; “don’t consume [things which in the experience of the priesthood were likely to cause illness, death or troubles]” is a very-early version of current medical recommendations; “one eye for one eye” is not an order to be a brute, it’s an early phrasing of “punishment must be commesurate to the crime”. While many of the medical prescriptions are superseded or refined by current medical knowledge, religion was the means by which these got figured out and transmitted. - 'Cos I Iz Boss laws. These range widely from the pleasurable to the bothersome to the easily-overcome (laws about female modesty, meet mantillas and mermaid-cut dresses). - and stuff that was completely misguided. The first kind led to improving living conditions, the second one produced many pretty things, the third one is part of anything human beings are a part of. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/30 "2012-05-21T14:29:10Z")
A place for community. And while I know not everyone here finds it important, a format and a place for ritual, which brings comfort. As mentioned in the op, a place from which to drive social justice. My church is currently heavily involved in marriage equality and immigration reform, as well as affordable housing. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/31 "2012-05-21T14:29:14Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > That’s another GOOD THING. Those Catholic schoolgirl uniforms… That’s a fun case of irony. A uniform designed to keep girls modest and asexual, and it has become synonymous with naughty sex. Thank you, Catholic Church! ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/32 "2012-05-21T14:29:47Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > My mom used to say, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”. > > I’m not sure why people can’t make themselves do this. Why not start another Bad Things About Religion thread and leave this one alone? The devil made them do it. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/33 "2012-05-21T14:30:42Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > Please keep this thread positive. If you believe religion is 95% evil, just mention the 5% you like and post about the rest in another thread, if you so desire. Let’s try to avoid snark, too, okay? > [@tdn](#): > > Wow, the “no snark” rule is taking a rather brutal beating. > [@Rodgers01](#): > > Yeah, some people really can’t seem to help themselves, huh? Really: please leave the snark and snide comments out. Face it; you are basically asking for people to try to make something they may well look at as “95% evil” sound good. It’s like asking people to post what good things the KKK or North Korea accomplished and not expecting at least some snark in the process. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/34 "2012-05-21T14:32:05Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > A place for community. And while I know not everyone here finds it important, a format and a place for ritual, which brings comfort. > > As mentioned in the op, a place from which to drive social justice. My church is currently heavily involved in marriage equality and immigration reform, as well as affordable housing. The Unitarians, Quakers, and the Methodists usually have a banner in the local Gay Pride Parade. Always nice to see that. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/35 "2012-05-21T14:33:27Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > That’s a fun case of irony. A uniform designed to keep girls modest and asexual, and it has become synonymous with naughty sex. Thank you, Catholic Church! Ehr, no. The original purpose of the uniforms was to avoid class differentiation among the students, by ensuring that all students dressed the same way. “Modesty” yes, but in the social-class sense, not in the “don’t show your legs” sense… the uniforms were originally based on clothing anybody would wear normally. In case anybody is missing this tiny weeny point: note that the above applies to uniforms for students of both sexes. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/36 "2012-05-21T14:41:51Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Face it; you are basically asking for people to try to make something they may well look at as “95% evil” sound good. It’s like asking people to post what good things the KKK or North Korea accomplished and not expecting at least some snark in the process. Well, maybe the people who think religion is 95% evil should sit this one out. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/37 "2012-05-21T14:52:29Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Ehr, no. The original purpose of the uniforms was to avoid class differentiation among the students, by ensuring that all students dressed the same way. Thank you for fighting my ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/38 "2012-05-21T14:53:00Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Keep in mind that a lot of religions are not about numbing the mind, but about waking it up. Granted, these tend to be the eastern religions. I disagree. I think it’s more about how many of the Western religions have come to be practiced rather than religion themselves. That is, people with an agenda have looked at religion and used it as a means of furthering that agenda, and some people who have sought to suppress the masses have used religion for that purpose, but I think there’s a significant overlap if the general teachings. I can say, at least for myself, that my views, primarily as a Christian, have done a lot of that where had I continued to approach life from a primarily intellectual basis, as I had been at one time, I think I’d be much worse off. I’d credit religion with helping to arise higher levels of morality, particularly early in the development of civilization. Whether the goals be through enlightenment in promise of reward for deeds or whatever, I think morality in virtually every culture, even those that are primarily secular now, would be significantly different. And while it has been used to justify some moral atrocities, religion has also been one of the driving factors of bringing an end to them as well. And similarly with charity, religious groups or religious based charities are still significant. I think religion has been an amazing inspiration for the arts for centuries. Architecture, music, poetry, literature, paintings, sculpture… countless works never would have existed without religion. It’s difficult or impossible to imagine if similar works would have been created instead or if we’d simply have a significant void of the arts instead. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/39 "2012-05-21T14:55:16Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Face it; you are basically asking for people to try to make something they may well look at as “95% evil” sound good. It’s like asking people to post what good things the KKK or North Korea accomplished and not expecting at least some snark in the process. > [@Ulfreida](#): > > Well, maybe the people who think religion is 95% evil should sit this one out. Yeah - pretty simple. If you can’t help it, you just sit it out. We’re all mature here. Okay, some more good things: a lot of the 19th century abolitionist movement (e.g. [William Wilberforce](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wilberforce)) was religiously inspired. Many people find religion helpful in making positive but difficult changes in their lives: overcoming addictions, for example, or restraining from other self-destructive behavior. Cathedrals, synagogues, mosques, and temples count as some of the most beautiful architecture in the world. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/40 "2012-05-21T14:58:43Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > I disagree. Really? I’ll agree that religion has often been used as the opiate of the masses. But take a closer look at Buddhism. It’s not about numbing out at all, it’s about waking up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587.md?page=3)