What an absolutely ridiculous study - for one it equates all religious beliefs, however contradictory, into one giant homogenous "religion". Completely ignoring differing and often opposing philosophies that directly effect their adherents behavior. For another it basically just compares the US to Japan and Western Europe and points out that the US has more problems than these other countries in addition to being more religious - hence automatically (apparently) it must be religion that causes this.

If humanity has proven anything of itself it is its ability to adapt any philosophy, religion, or ideology to an individual's personal desires. We have an amazing capacity to warp the great...

What an absolutely ridiculous study - for one it equates all religious beliefs, however contradictory, into one giant homogenous "religion". Completely ignoring differing and often opposing philosophies that directly effect their adherents behavior. For another it basically just compares the US to Japan and Western Europe and points out that the US has more problems than these other countries in addition to being more religious - hence automatically (apparently) it must be religion that causes this.

If humanity has proven anything of itself it is its ability to adapt any philosophy, religion, or ideology to an individual's personal desires. We have an amazing capacity to warp the greatest of intentions and the most peaceful of messages into the deepest of depravities. There is no ideology, belief, religion, whim, or philosophy that has not been so used.

Religion is the tool - man is the tool maker

Once again JK on the side of totalitarianism to suggest religion is the problem and should be to blame for not overcoming societal ills. The societal ills due to freedom, free will, choice, independence, liberty, cultural differences, morals, ethics, post-modernist mentality, legal distrust, and political partisanship. None of which have anything to do with any particular faith. Faith does not cure societal ills. It is not intended to.
In fact this idea is held by people that strap bombs to themselves on one end, and those that preach totalitarian secularism on the other.

The fact that Americans are very religious compared to other countries,
and that the US has a relatively high le...

Once again JK on the side of totalitarianism to suggest religion is the problem and should be to blame for not overcoming societal ills. The societal ills due to freedom, free will, choice, independence, liberty, cultural differences, morals, ethics, post-modernist mentality, legal distrust, and political partisanship. None of which have anything to do with any particular faith. Faith does not cure societal ills. It is not intended to.
In fact this idea is held by people that strap bombs to themselves on one end, and those that preach totalitarian secularism on the other.

The fact that Americans are very religious compared to other countries,
and that the US has a relatively high levels of social problems like
homicide compared to other advanced industrial democracies, should give
pause to those who argue that the US needs even more religion to
overcome these problems.

We also happen to be the most free. I doubt seriously the problems you cite are due to religion. They are in fact due to people having no moral compass. However, to impose one I'm sure is your secular ideal.

Willhelm, I never said religion causes any problem. Read my comment
carefully. I just said religion is not the solution to social problems
we currently have.

Sorry if I misread your comment JK. However, your point is clear that religion does not necessarily lead to a healthier society. My point is that it is not intended to. You clearly draw a correlation between the US being a religious nation and not being without social ills. I reject that correlation. It is a non-sequitur. The two have nothing to do with each other. This is a free society where people place freedom above responsibility.

Here is what contributes to a healthy society. People that are of all faiths and perh...

Willhelm, I never said religion causes any problem. Read my comment
carefully. I just said religion is not the solution to social problems
we currently have.

Sorry if I misread your comment JK. However, your point is clear that religion does not necessarily lead to a healthier society. My point is that it is not intended to. You clearly draw a correlation between the US being a religious nation and not being without social ills. I reject that correlation. It is a non-sequitur. The two have nothing to do with each other. This is a free society where people place freedom above responsibility.

Here is what contributes to a healthy society. People that are of all faiths and perhaps secular that get along, respect each others views, and contribute based on ethics and morality. This clip does not do that, nor does your comment.

Christianity has contributed to a healthy society. More goodness, charity, and goodwill comes from the faithful, than from the non-faithful. We've been through this before. However, you just did not want to believe the facts of those that give to charity and communities.

Well, I have no choice but to yield to you as far as getting along, respecting others' views, goodness, charity, and goodwill are concerned. As judged by your comments, you are obviously the expert on these qualities:

Sadly, this thread so effectively illustrates the abject lack of intellect here at my favorite internet playground.[1]

Thanks for the explanation and clearing up the misunderstanding. I am now completely certain of your idiocy.[2]

More idiocy. GD where have you been. Ratilfar has a habit of stupid clip titles.(written a ...

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Well, I have no choice but to yield to you as far as getting along, respecting others' views, goodness, charity, and goodwill are concerned. As judged by your comments, you are obviously the expert on these qualities:

Sadly, this thread so effectively illustrates the abject lack of intellect here at my favorite internet playground.[1]

Thanks for the explanation and clearing up the misunderstanding. I am now completely certain of your idiocy.[2]

More idiocy. GD where have you been. Ratilfar has a habit of stupid clip titles.(written a month after the last comment) [[url=clipper/jklugman/tags/willhelm/]3[/url]]

Actually, it is one of the reasons I am so firm with idiots. It is my
goal to be blocked, so you don't mess up the threads with your
illogical rants.[4]

I don't care if you agree with me. Your following statement makes me think you are part of the problem.[5]

P.S.:

The two have nothing to do with each other.

This is exactly my point. Getting more people to believe in God is not going to help with social problems because, as you say, religion and societal health have nothing to do with one another.

nor do context, ad hominem, opinion ( as long as you agree with it), intellectual honesty, and respect. You don't really understand these ideas as they relate to issues and people as a whole, only as they relate to the convenience of you making a point by appealing to ignorance. First, I am not society. Second, my opinion, as well as those that call me an idiot, make society better. For example, it would be a sign of disrespect for me to respect the view of anti-semitism. Ad hominem and generalizations do not support arguments, but they are necessary for full disclosure and honesty. To use them to make a point or win an argument is indicative of your inability to reason. But I am used to it....

nor do context, ad hominem, opinion ( as long as you agree with it), intellectual honesty, and respect. You don't really understand these ideas as they relate to issues and people as a whole, only as they relate to the convenience of you making a point by appealing to ignorance. First, I am not society. Second, my opinion, as well as those that call me an idiot, make society better. For example, it would be a sign of disrespect for me to respect the view of anti-semitism. Ad hominem and generalizations do not support arguments, but they are necessary for full disclosure and honesty. To use them to make a point or win an argument is indicative of your inability to reason. But I am used to it.

You left off the one where I alluded to you being an anti-semite.

Jk, I never claimed to be an expert at any of these things. I knew when I made my comment that people would get a kick out of it, but thought it would be understood as idealistic. For the record...I am sure I respect your views more than you respect mine. I am certain I spread more charity and goodwill than 95 of the left that wants to force goodwill ( which by the way is not goodwill). My comments prove no point other than I AM a part of society. A society that has freedom of thought and will never be Utopian. To the extent I am to blame I accept responsibility. To the extent, you would rather me not express my opinion, you are to blame. However, The quotes are one sided and meant only to ...

Jk, I never claimed to be an expert at any of these things. I knew when I made my comment that people would get a kick out of it, but thought it would be understood as idealistic. For the record...I am sure I respect your views more than you respect mine. I am certain I spread more charity and goodwill than 95 of the left that wants to force goodwill ( which by the way is not goodwill). My comments prove no point other than I AM a part of society. A society that has freedom of thought and will never be Utopian. To the extent I am to blame I accept responsibility. To the extent, you would rather me not express my opinion, you are to blame. However, The quotes are one sided and meant only to point blame at me. That's fine. I don't mind. But they show your usual inability to be objective.
It seems you want to have it both ways. My statements aren't any more vicious than I receive. I think you know that. At least I can take what I dish out and I can do it by being intellectually honest and more open-minded than you can possibly know.

The quotes are one sided and meant only to point blame at me.

Wait, are you actually saying that someone could look at those quotes from you and conclude that you are less than the epitome of goodness, charity, and goodwill? I am shocked that you would feel that way.

My statements aren't any more vicious than I receive.

Willhelm, you are so modest. While I am sure that Anakha, EvilPoet, papananook, debbyski, and [url=/clipma...

The quotes are one sided and meant only to point blame at me.

Wait, are you actually saying that someone could look at those quotes from you and conclude that you are less than the epitome of goodness, charity, and goodwill? I am shocked that you would feel that way.

My statements aren't any more vicious than I receive.

Willhelm, you are so modest. While I am sure that Anakha, EvilPoet, papananook, debbyski, and ratilfar are flattered that you too consider them to be your equals in goodness, charity, and goodwill, I doubt you could point to comments by them demonstrating these qualities at the same level that you do.

are you actually saying that someone could look at those quotes from
you and conclude that you are less than the epitome of goodness,
charity, and goodwill?

If they were to coclude otherwise, I would think them even more ignorant than they may have displayed.

Willhelm, you are so modest.

You should Know better than that.

I doubt you could point to comments by them demonstrating these qualities

I would not expect you to have the ability to reason otherwise. Nevermind the comments are benign. I've said far worse.

While I am sure that Anakha, EvilPoet, papananook, debbyski, and ratilfar are flattered that you too consider them to be your...

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are you actually saying that someone could look at those quotes from
you and conclude that you are less than the epitome of goodness,
charity, and goodwill?

If they were to coclude otherwise, I would think them even more ignorant than they may have displayed.

Willhelm, you are so modest.

You should Know better than that.

I doubt you could point to comments by them demonstrating these qualities

I would not expect you to have the ability to reason otherwise. Nevermind the comments are benign. I've said far worse.

While I am sure that Anakha, EvilPoet, papananook, debbyski, and ratilfar are flattered that you too consider them to be your equals in goodness, charity, and goodwill,

I never said that, nor do I believe it ( with the exception of Debbyski).