Why are people religious?

Key · #**101** 22nd August 2010, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by Eudaimonist

True, but mere statistical variations do not make for a "division". This word suggests to me that very few, if any, non-christians donate money to charitable causes, but in my experience charity among the non-christian is commonplace, not rare.

I say it like I am not alone at all -- I say it like many other non-christians donate money to charitable causes. Do you deny that this happens?

Are you? "Signature division" is your term, after all. You are the one introducing jargon. I'm wondering just what you mean by this term, and how it relates to statistics in which a multitude of non-christians give money to charity.

Ok, allow me to walk you though this.

As opposed to trying to explain everything, enjoy the The Political Compass

Now, the same way this tests figures out your political location is the same way someone would figure out if you were Christian or Not, a series of questions that are based on dividing factors.

However, there are only a few major dividing factors between Christians and Non-Christians, not nearly as much as say... what area of the political spectrum you are on. (Think more a Conservative or Liberal Test)

"Do you donate to Charity" is a dividing question.

Did that clear it up for you?

And I think it is wonderful that you donate to charity, you are not the norm, you are the rarity in fact, which is a pity, Maybe someday you will be the norm, but today is not that day.

God Bless

Jane_the_Bane · #**102** 22nd August 2010, 09:40 AM

I took the political compass test, and wound up in the same quarter as Gandhi, Mandela and the Dalai Lama. Can't say that I'm disappointed with that.

Key · #**103** 22nd August 2010, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by Jane_the_Bane

I took the political compass test, and wound up in the same quarter as Gandhi, Mandela and the Dalai Lama. Can't say that I'm disappointed with that.

Cool test huh!

Try the Liberal/Conservative One!

Eudaimonist · #**104** 22nd August 2010, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Key

Ok, allow me to walk you though this.

As opposed to trying to explain everything, enjoy the The Political Compass

I've taken this many times before. I end up with all the cool people near the lower right corner.

Now, the same way this tests figures out your political location is the same way someone would figure out if you were Christian or Not, a series of questions that are based on dividing factors.

I think that the term "dividing factors" is far too strong based on how I would normally interpret this term. But I see what you mean now.

Do you have a link to the Barna results? I find it difficult to believe that charity is truly "rare" among non-christians.

eudaimonia,

Mark

Jane_the_Bane · #**105** 22nd August 2010, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Key

Cool test huh!

Try the Liberal/Conservative One!

That one wasn't as good; I found many of the answers to be far too stereotypical to identify with, finding that none of the answers truly reflected my stance. Plus, more questions wouldn't have hurt in making the results more accurate.

Anyways, I scored "hardcore liberal", despite my opposition to positive discrimination (a.k.a. "affirmative action"), my support for programmes that seek to supply the unemployed with new job opportunities and career skills (sans the danger of turning it into an instrument for state-sponsored slave labour), and my stance on the topic of abortion (it's not really a question of abortion vs. no abortion, but of supervised medical procedures vs. illegal backyard quackery and desperate mothers murdering their newborns to escape social ostracisement).

Key · #**106** 22nd August 2010, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by Eudaimonist

Do you have a link to the Barna results? I find it difficult to believe that charity is truly "rare" among non-christians.

Feel free to read "UnChristian" which is where I got my info.

It is a good book, I enjoyed it greatly even if I disagreed some parts of it, you might enjoy it as well.

Eudaimonist · #**107** 22nd August 2010, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Key

Try the Liberal/Conservative One!

I'm usually more impressed when the test makers at least know how to use a spell checker.

But I'm neither truly a liberal nor a conservative (it's a false alternative), but rather a hardcore libertarian, so this test is not really a good measure of my views. This is actually a good reason why I get suspicious about "dividing factors", since they may place people into two almost arbitrarily delineated camps. It's a kind of mathematical illusion.

Anyway, my score, in case anyone is interested is:

40% moderately liberal.

You believe in governmental action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all but not at the expense of the rights of others and you're cautious of that. You believe its the duty of the state to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights.

I didn't say in the test that I wanted governmental action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all. Certainly, I do value individual and human rights, but these words are so vague as to apply to virtually everyone.

The test makes me sound like a moderate or centrist, but I'm not even close to that. So, how did I end up in the middle? Most likely, it's because I chose the stereotypical "conservative" position almost half of the time, and the stereotypical "liberal" position almost half of the time, but I did so for libertarian reasons.

eudaimonia,

Mark

hydro jen · #**108** 22nd August 2010, 10:22 AM

Death is the reason why people are religious, some people just can not live with the fact that we are
ALL - GOING - TO - DIE.

Key · #**109** 22nd August 2010, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by Jane_the_Bane

That one wasn't as good; I found many of the answers to be far too stereotypical to identify with, finding that none of the answers truly reflected my stance. Plus, more questions wouldn't have hurt in making the results more accurate.

Pick the one that "best" suits you, not the one that exactly suits you. I enjoyed it as it gave me a feel for where I really am, as those stereotypical questions are stereotypes for a reason.

But I liked the test as it showed something along the way.

I scored 58% making me a moderate conservative. But that was because I take conflicting stances, like I am for the legal right to have an abortion and for the legal right to bare arms.

Which again, just because I hold one stand liberal and one stand conservative does not mean I am in one camp or the other, but I hold significant traits of both camps.

I identify myself as a distinctly Liberal, but that does not mean I don't have some conservative outlooks or stances, just like some people might fall into the realm of appearing "Christain" in view and action, but do not identify themselves as such, they are not the norm in their own camp but they are not alone either, such is life.

But, I brought that up, because:

Originally Posted by hydro jen

How many religious people help the needy or take care of the sick? just as many as non religious people I suspect

The idea that Non-Christians and Christians both donate to charity on about the same rate, is as incorrect, in the same way to say a Liberal and a Conservative both have the same number of people that are for Gun control.

I hope this issue has been cleared up.

God Bless