Does religion contribute any thing good that an atheist might consider good?

Question

RE actually i have lived in china

Answer 1

Keeps a lot of the crazies off the roads on Sundays?

Answer 2

Islam's contribution to human civilization


Islam's golden age in science, technology and intellectual culture spanned about 500 years, from the ninth until the 14th centuries. Muslim achievements in these areas greatly influenced the European Renaissance of the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as the birth of modern scientific method in the 17th century.

Bertrand Russell, the famous British philosopher, has rightly claimed, it was Muslims "who introduced the empirical method" in the study of nature and cultivated it widely when they were leaders of the civilized world.

The scientific method, as it has been developed in modern western science, was indeed invented by Muslims and first practiced by them on a large scale. Muslim scientists then were not only Arabs, but also people of other racial and ethnic groups such as Persians, East Indians, and Chinese.

Decades ago, when the Italian Orientalist, Assendro Baussani, tried to hammer home the point that "Islam is an integral part of western intellectual culture," he was one of the few western voices then aware of the historical role of Islam in European civilization.

Very few people today know that Ibn Sina's best medical work, The Canon of Medicine, was taught for centuries in western universities and was one of the most frequently-printed scientific texts of the Renaissance. When the famous 13th-century theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas, wanted to create a new rational theology, he studied an Islamized Arabic version of Aristotle. Aquinas realized that Aristotle had found a new home in Islam, so he wanted to seek one in Christianity as well.

Given the fact that today some people believe in an imminent "clash of civilizations" and a fundamental incompatibility between Islam and the west, it is worth remembering that our two civilizations do share a precious intellectual heritage. The west takes great pride in modern science as one of the greatest achievements of its intellect, an achievement no one should deny or belittle. Modern science could not have developed without the Renaissance. But without Islamic science and philosophy to build on, there would have been no Renaissance!

Answer 3

Religion has given this world some great litereature, art, and architecture. In fact, some of the most famous art pieces and buildings are religious. A lot of the sayings we use today come from various religious scripts. The church has had some good influences on society.
That said, a bunch of cool paintings and nice buildings doesn't mean it's all real, and it's no excuse for all the bad **** that happens.

Answer 4

Disaster relief. Ever hear of the Red Cross? What do you think the Cross of the Red Cross refers too?

Following Hurricane Katrina, thousands of churches sent relief crews to help feed, medicate, assist the people on the Gulf Coast. They have helped them rebuild and repair homes. Parking lots were filled with trucks and trailers from all across the country. How do I know this? You could read the logos on the trucks/vans/trailers.

Who didn't I see? The Association of American Atheists for Relief, People for the American Way, and other agnostic or atheistic organizations.

Answer 5

The bible I was given as a child makes a good doorstop!
Also I get a few days off a year due to public holidays.

However, it is not outweighed enough by the crap laws we have here in the UK that are based on religious doctrine, nor do I want the head of my state to be the head of a church, nor do I want my public holidays set on the days that they are set on, nor do I want people to twist and warp what it states in the Bible for their own cause(s) - such as homophobia; sexism; going to war. Nor do I want my children to be wasting a few hours a week on Religious Education or in Christian Assemblies - they could learn better subjects such as science or humanties. Nor do I want to be drawn into the whole spending spree that was once called Christmas - but is now just one big capitialist dream. The list goes on, and I am sure you get the idea.

Answer 6

Itis a good question. Clearly, many of the moral lessons taught by the Church(s) are important and valuable, and a great deal of charitable work is done by religious organizations, but you can't say that those lessons and that charitable work wouldn't happen otherwise. The best example of this might be the argument often made that the U.S. Constitution and laws are based on Christian principles, but it is difficult to argue that "thou shalt not steal" and "thou shalt not murder" are rules that only exist because of Christian teachings.

Religion has also inspired and funded great art works, but those benefits are offset to some degree by religious hindrance of science.

Answer 7

Religion gives us a set of well tried rules to live by, An atheist tends to make up rules on the spot without guidance.

Answer 8

It is very easy to rubbish something with wild generalization, but to do that is to dismiss a lot of people trying to live good lives, caring for their families and others. Studies have proved that people who are regularly and actively involved in a religious life are often more satisfied with life than those who lack this routine.
"Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need"

Answer 9

I would say friendliness however, you will never know if this is sincere as some of my friends who are fanatical christians are the some of the biggest hypocrites that you could ever meet.

Perhaps I am naive in thinking that religious folk are not allowed to have bad thoughts about their friends. Anyway it makes you feel good if people are friendly towards one another as long as you don't analyze their motives too much.

Answer 10

It provides comfort to some people and a sense of community. I'd say that it is a case of the needs of the few versus the needs of the many in that religion meets the needs of the few but then goes on to hinder or hurt the needs of the many (society).

Answer 11

I think that most religious tracts are extremely good at telling people to respect each other and have tolerance for other view points. They provide a good grounding in morality and a set of guidelines for the betterment of society as a whole
Too bad the people who claim to follow them don't read them