The good book?

[Dave Ellis]

Perhaps the Australian PM, though an atheist, sees religion as necessary for the majority of people because she is a cynic and an elitist - i.e., she really thinks they would not be "good" if they didn't worry about an invisible all-seeing eye all around. Or maybe she thinks political control of people in general is necessary and that religion will tend to produce sheep-like attitudes, as opposed to atheism (in the sense that herding atheists is like herding cats. LOL.)

It's called pragmatism.

I suspect Obama is in reality some sort of agnostic/atheist/deist and is just playing the game one must play if one is to be the POTUS - and be reelected POTUS.

IOW, the idea some atheists hold - that to be a TRUE atheist one must be scrupulously honest and "pure" 100 per cent of the time, come hell or high-water - is utopian clap-trap. (I blame Ayn Rand and Karl Marx - among others - for such, uh, baloney.)

Seeing as there's a significant percentage of Atheists in Australia, and religion generally plays no part in their politics I can't see that being her reasoning. It would be fairly obvious in that kind of culture that religious belief is not required to be good.

 

[Gottservant]

A book tells many things, but what it does not tell is also telling.

 

[Sectio Aurea]

A book tells many things, but what it does not tell is also telling.

Yes I concur, perhaps heliocentricity, dinosaurs and other human species must have been trivial facts not worthy enough to mention maybe?

 

[Sectio Aurea]

I suspect Obama is in reality some sort of agnostic/atheist/deist and is just playing the game one must play if one is to be the POTUS - and be reelected POTUS.

IOW, the idea some atheists hold - that to be a TRUE atheist one must be scrupulously honest and "pure" 100 per cent of the time, come hell or high-water - is utopian clap-trap. (I blame Ayn Rand and Karl Marx - among others - for such, uh, baloney.)

I suspect there are many such atheists lurking deep within American politics, it would be career suicide for them to "come out".

 

[Dave Ellis]

I suspect there are many such atheists lurking deep within American politics, it would be career suicide for them to "come out".

Which is kind of sad for a country that bills itself as the land of the free.

 

[JGL53]

Funny thing about Australia. I went on a three week trip there in the late summer of 2003 - mainly Sydney, but also Canberra and Cairns. Obviously I met and interacted with many Australians. Also spent about a week in New Zealand.

After I got home I realized at some point that religion did not come up even once while I was gone - not in any conversation I had but also I don't recall seeing any churches, religious billboards or references to religion anywhere. IOW I had a thoroughly secular vacation without even trying, or even noticing it.

I've no doubt the majority of people in Australia and New Zealand have some sort of religion - it seems that they mainly keep it to themselves. That's the way it ought to be every-effing-where.

 

[keith99]

Funny thing about Australia. I went on a three week trip there in the late summer of 2003 - mainly Sydney, but also Canberra and Cairns. Obviously I met and interacted with many Australians. Also spent about a week in New Zealand.

After I got home I realized at some point that religion did not come up even once while I was gone - not in any conversation I had but also I don't recall seeing any churches, religious billboards or references to religion anywhere. IOW I had a thoroughly secular vacation without even trying, or even noticing it.

I've no doubt the majority of people in Australia and New Zealand have some sort of religion - it seems that they mainly keep it to themselves. That's the way it ought to be every-effing-where.

So North Island only for New Zealand?

Christchurch is a spot hit by most in New Zealand.

On a similar light note, Kiwis do not keep their religion private. Why else do you think they are the best in the world at it? For Wales it is the number 1 sport, for England the number 2 sport, for New Zealand it is the religion.

 

[Gottservant]

Yes I concur, perhaps heliocentricity, dinosaurs and other human species must have been trivial facts not worthy enough to mention maybe?

Knowledge does not save the soul, it merely refines it.

 

[Dave Ellis]

Knowledge does not save the soul, it merely refines it.

What exactly is a soul?

 

[Sectio Aurea]

Knowledge does not save the soul, it merely refines it.

Lighthouses are better equipped for such tasks!

 

[Sectio Aurea]

On a similar light note, Kiwis do not keep their religion private. Why else do you think they are the best in the world at it? For Wales it is the number 1 sport, for England the number 2 sport, for New Zealand it is the religion.

GO THE ALL BLACKS! HALLELUJAH!

 

[lupusFati]

What exactly is a soul?

I like to think of it as the very essence of who and what we are. Whether or not there's an actual 'soul' that one can separate from the body... I'm not really sure.

 

[Gottservant]

What exactly is a soul?

A soul is not a what, it is a who.

Every effort you make at being you, defines your soul.

Your soul can kill your body or it can cause it to live.

 

[Gottservant]

Lighthouses are better equipped for such tasks!

Your fragment alludes to too many possibilities.

 

[ReligionQuotes]

The holy Bible is a great reference.

 

[Sectio Aurea]

The holy Bible is a great reference.

Please elaborate on this?

 

[Dave Ellis]

The holy Bible is a great reference.

On what topic?

 

[Sectio Aurea]

Your fragment alludes to too many possibilities.

Lighthouses are more appropriately equipped for saving souls than any book from any religion, is that explicit enough for you?

 

[Gottservant]

On what topic?

Wisdom.

He who has not read Proverbs, is far less the wise for it than if he had.

 

[Gottservant]

Lighthouses are more appropriately equipped for saving souls than any book from any religion, is that explicit enough for you?

That's clearer. It was equally a criticism of knowledge at first glance and although I knew that would not likely be your comment, I could not differentiate the two possibilities from the fragment you gave. So thank you for clearing that up.

Lighthouses save you from rocks, the Bible saves you from fools with rocks in their heads.