Is philosophy bad for religion?

Question

It explores spirituality that pushes against dogmatic religion. Even the top Christian philosophers such as Augustine, Calvin, Aquinas are viewed as heretics by some of today's Evangelical fundamentalists.

Answer 1

How could philosophy be bad for Religion? If I were to accept that, it would have to be true in the end that the presence of God could not stand up logical arguments of the intellect of men.

Surely this cannot be the case, God is beyond human comprehension, and I believe that we have difficulty grasping, let alone arguing the presence of God. God is beyond anything that we see in the world around us.

Answer 2

While faith is belief beyond evidenciary reason, Western Philosophy just is reasoning, so it is quite possible that when a religion says something, philosophy can say another. I believe that most Christians view those philosophers as not heretics, however, though I could be wrong.
I think the important thing for a religious person is that philosophy doesn't touch dogmatic, absolute facts. Philosophy might be quite helpful in working within the rubric of a religion, the way Aquinas worked out the reasoning to believe in God, and Augustine helped consolidate Greek Philosophy in a Christian context.
In general, I think it is the philosopher's job to reason out and question principles of thinking and being, and that tendency frequently spells trouble with the religious unless the philosopher can keep away from the dogmatic facts, etc.

Answer 3

Your question: Ways philosophy is as bad as religion? Should be: Ways philosophy is bad for religions? Philosophy teaches you to look for answers from all sources. Where religions, and especially those considered cults by most like Scientology and the Unification Church encourage learning only from their sources. "Cult's put forth a closed system of logic and an authoritarian structure that permits no feedback" -Margaret Singer

Answer 4

Philosophy deals with the mental powers, and rates itself far above religion which thrives mainly on emotion. So philosophy is not good for religion. Spirituality however is beyond philosophy, and philosophers cannot really get spiritual by using philosophical arguments. Unfortunately, not many philosophers realize this.

Answer 5

Yes, philosophy is bad for religion, simply because it causes people to question what is good and what is true. If you decide that killing is bad, then the act of killing is bad regardless of who does it or orders it. That is hard to reconcile with an all knowing, all powerful, all loving deity that orders the execution of all men, women, children, and animals in a recently plundered town.

The question isn't is philosophy bad for religion, but is religion bad for people? Remember, it was less than 200 years ago that we were burning witches alive and enslaving people of other nations. The religion has not changed, the people have.

Answer 6

They are just afraid. Yes philosophy is bad for religion but not the most important thing which is spirituality. He is powerful enough to show any errors in philosophy if you are seeking Him. Further some of those evangelicals are indeed more about philosophy themselves than spirituality.

Answer 7

I think the 2007 World Almanac and Book of Facts,
from the New York Times® Best Sellers, and the Holy Bible of kjv 1611, agree with each other the best...

Answer 8

I don't think any thinking by man is bad. I know that Christianity has held its own against Philosophy for many many eons...so, I am not worried about those that question Christianity....it's the ones that don't want to discuss it at all ...now that is worrisome. I will go one on one with a philosopher about Christianity. I have no fear that he/she will not win! God Bless............

Answer 9

Philosophy and religion are closely connected. When enough people believe in a certain philosophy, it becomes a religion.

http://www.IsGodReligious.com

Answer 10

Religion is a form of philosophy.