Thoughts and Prayers: The Religion Thread

I find capitalism to be quite irreligious, personally. Your quote, for example, sounds like the opposite of a moral code.

 

Oh, I agree with a lot of it. Including the conclusion. Do you?

 

For what?

 

I read it all, and can't say he's wrong. I don't think Alma is wrong, either, though.

The system is outside of Christianity, and doesn't, or doesn't have to matter, in order for Christian roots to be planted and to find footing. My thought is that that is because, by and large, Christianity is an individually internal and very personal drive, not a systemically driven one, even though there are churches -- even mega-churches -- and social mores that may seemingly be inspired by the religion.

 

Matt had a good sense of humor.

 

Religion and moral code are not the same thing. Religion just requires someone to ascribe to beliefs. Moral codes assign “goodness” to those beliefs.

 

I don’t exactly agree but climate activism more than fits as a religion under this definition. So I’m glad that’s established.

 

Jesus Christ.

I believe the 17-game NFL season should be outlawed. I started my own religion!

 

I was differentiating between the two based on your fucking word choices, you muppet. You used moral code. Not anyone else.

 

Yes I did use moral code. Then you provided a broader definition. Or at least seemed to.

I’m more than fine getting to the real point here: The thread has turned toward capitalism - that is, America’s economic system - being a moral stain on the world, including religion. So let’s turn to that. Is it? If so, what shall we do? Become Sweden? That’s what Graybeard wants, and is open enough to say so.

 

I thought we settled this question a couple hundred-plus years ago. As much as you lament Graybeard’s supposed aspirations for our country, it’s the other side that seems to be winning, Constitutionality be damned.

 

And it's here, too, where I can again state part of my working thesis/opinion: That there are many brilliant and decent people who, fueled by reality/social media/a pandemic, believe the world has become a more horrible place full of more horrible people doing awful things to one another and to the earth, and that increased awfulness is broadly the fault of the West, and the penance/remedy of that involves a broad offering of progressive programs, the primary of which is a worldwide reset/overhaul of our energy use and human consumption in the name of climate change.