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From: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Why believe in religion?
Message-ID: <1174@cybvax0.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 4-Oct-86 20:38:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: cybvax0.1174
Posted: Sat Oct  4 20:38:21 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 5-Oct-86 09:10:23 EDT
References: <1165@cybvax0.UUCP> <664@cal-asd.fluke.UUCP>
Reply-To: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
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Xref: ucbvax talk.religion.misc:429 net.religion.christian:536

In article <664@cal-asd.fluke.UUCP> ptl@cal-asd.UUCP (Mike Andrews) writes:
> Religion is simply a means to an end.  It is nothing more than a tool,
> an important tool, but still only a tool.  Focusing on the tool
> takes away from moving on toward the goal.  And to a Christian, the goal is
> eternity with a loving God.  I use the tool to help reach God.

Having a tool doesn't guarantee that the tool is good for the claimed use.
By your analogy, every religion is a tool.  And I strongly doubt that you
would conceed the others are all good for their claimed uses.

On the other hand, Karl Marx had a fair amount to say on religion as a tool.
As a tool of ruling classes, oppressors, etc.

> In article <1165@cybvax0.UUCP> mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) writes:
> >..It's amazing the lengths people will go to fantasize that somebody
> >important has taken an interest in them. ...
> 
> What is the goal to believing God has no interest in you?

I don't believe that at all.  It never comes up because I don't believe in
gods.

> What does believing you are no more important to God than the dog that runs
> across your front yard get you?

If I did believe in some god(s) or another, it might get me humility.  :-)
--

"... when people begin to philosophize they seem to think it necessary to make
themselves artificially stupid."  Bertrand Russell in "Theory of Knowledge".
-- 

Mike Huybensz		...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh