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Original poster

How are religions explaining the pandemic?

147 replies

Pantheon · 14/02/2021 12:22

Just curious as someone who isn't religious. Are religions giving explanations about why this is happening?

OP posts:
ScarfaceCwaw · 15/02/2021 12:48

While our society has many flaws, I wouldn't put that in the top ten. We could employ 20% of society as social workers and counsellors and there would still be more good work than they could usefully do. And religious officiants are trained.

Like I said, I have few good words to say for religion generally, but I don't have much time for people on their arses criticising the social impact of people who are not.

pandapop17 · 15/02/2021 13:17

@ScarfaceCwaw

While our society has many flaws, I wouldn't put that in the top ten. We could employ 20% of society as social workers and counsellors and there would still be more good work than they could usefully do. And religious officiants are trained.

Like I said, I have few good words to say for religion generally, but I don't have much time for people on their arses criticising the social impact of people who are not.

Yes there are many clergy that work hard and give a lot to the community. There are others that don’t care and are obsessed with the choir/worship band and the theme of their sermon. I don’t understand the last comment? I am not religious but I am not on my arse!? I volunteer locally and work hard for a non religious charity. Religious people can be good and like all people they can be bad. They are not superior!
EileenGC · 15/02/2021 14:14

Religion is harmful and regressive

If you’re doing it wrong, it is. Most of the people I know have absolutely no idea that I’m religious. I’d describe myself as one of the most open-minded people I’ve met - I’m definitely not regressive. And I’m definitely not harmful to anyone.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Philosophy & religion
pandapop17 · 15/02/2021 14:28

I am sure you are not but the institution and religious texts you endorse are. I totally agree that many religious people are great but I hate it when people try and deny the truth of the teaching.

I will agree the church is good when I see if denounce some of the horrendous teachings in the Bible and deny the existence of hell.

EileenGC · 15/02/2021 14:42

@pandapop17 I’m not part of a big religious institution. I’m a member of a fairly small denomination who follows the Bible’s teachings. Of course there are misogynistic and homophobic individuals in every religion, but my church is not harmful (the organisation in itself can be, but not towards the society). It has never in its entire history been involved in politics. It’s based purely on the Bible and no, hell doesn’t exist. Because the Bible never says that it does.

EileenGC · 15/02/2021 14:44

PS hell as in this underworld place where you suffer for eternity if you’ve been ‘bad’ during your life. I never understood how people can believe that. Or the fact that you go to heaven straight after you die (if you’ve been good), when the Bible clearly states otherwise.

LastTrainEast · 15/02/2021 14:52

CherryRoulade

"How silly. Do you know anything about faith?

It’s a virus. Faith helps many, many people cope in adversity. Faith helps many people cope with grief.

The tenets of most Abrahamic faith is that people were given self determination. It’s sort of what the book of Genesis is about."

I know about beliefs based on christmas movies and songs, but the abrahamic religions claim a bit more than that. (You might consider reading the bible) They insist that all things were created by god and that he invented the diseases and viruses.

Therefore he made covid and ebola and every disease that ever caused a child to die in pain.

And yes faith comforts some people, but you get that it works for Hindus too when they ask for help from their elephant trunked god?

You can get comfort from believing that Winne the Pooh is real. It doesn't make you sensible.

LastTrainEast · 15/02/2021 14:55

[quote everythingbackbutyou]@LastTrainEast, as usual it's gloves off for attacking Christians and taking the piss out of their beliefs, in a way that would be viewed with much less acceptance if the target was Muslims, Jews, Hindus or Sikhs. As a Christian, the fact that so many people are totally cool with this is beyond frustrating.[/quote]
I routinely debate this on Youtube where I tall Muslims, Jews, Hindus or Sikhs the same thing. The funny thing is the Muslims say "you wouldn't say that about a Christian" and it's funny because all religions get criticised, but you all only notice when it's your own as you don't care about the others

LastTrainEast · 15/02/2021 15:06

StepOutOfLine

"I passed your tripe to my (Catholic priest) student and to my (female Anglican vicar) student and they both came out with the same head-desk "do people still believe that we believe there's a man with a beard who said Fiat Luxe. Jesus Christ, where do these people come out from. No wonder hate speech continues to flourish".

This is the good thing about Christianity. Religion is being phased out and replaced by a social club. I only wish you could get the Muslims to do the same thing, but they tend to actually believe in their god and take it seriously,.

I assume your priest still wants paying a wage to intercede with this god on sundays even though he's only a 'feeling' now?

If you ever get the chance to visit Christian communities in other countries (US bible belt perhaps) I urge you to tell them the same thing.

But be ready to duck as some of them still believe in god Grin

CherryRoulade · 15/02/2021 15:12

@LastTrainEast

CherryRoulade

"How silly. Do you know anything about faith?

It’s a virus. Faith helps many, many people cope in adversity. Faith helps many people cope with grief.

The tenets of most Abrahamic faith is that people were given self determination. It’s sort of what the book of Genesis is about."

I know about beliefs based on christmas movies and songs, but the abrahamic religions claim a bit more than that. (You might consider reading the bible) They insist that all things were created by god and that he invented the diseases and viruses.

Therefore he made covid and ebola and every disease that ever caused a child to die in pain.

And yes faith comforts some people, but you get that it works for Hindus too when they ask for help from their elephant trunked god?

You can get comfort from believing that Winne the Pooh is real. It doesn't make you sensible.

Ah Christmas movies, that great source of wisdom. No, I don't know any religion where anyone believes a man with a beard, sandals and magic wand said abracadabra. I have read the bible; you may have read it, but don't understand it, perhaps? Unless you are a real fundamentalist, very few people accept it as a literal document. Who are 'they'? I think you probably need to read the science around viral growth and mutation too.
withgraceinmyheart · 15/02/2021 15:28

I'm a former evangelical Christian. My old church is preaching that it's a call to the world to repent, using the prodigal son story and things in the Old Testament to explain it.

They're very excited about how many people are going to become Christians once the pandemic is over, because it's made them realise how much they 'need God' ie it's made them feel vulnerable and ripe for conversion.

It's honestly horrific.

lovelost21 · 15/02/2021 15:43

The virus alongside everything else happening in the world are Signs of end times according to the book of Revelation.

BMW6 · 15/02/2021 16:58

Some posters on here sound ridiculously enraged and affronted at others' faiths Hmm

Is it jealousy? (and I am not remotely religious)

MissyB1 · 15/02/2021 17:21

@BMW6

Some posters on here sound ridiculously enraged and affronted at others' faiths Hmm

Is it jealousy? (and I am not remotely religious)

I know! It’s weird that they care so much 🤔
KeflavikAirport · 15/02/2021 17:31

Poking holes in flimsy religious argument on a coffee break does not = being ridiculously angry. HTH.

BMW6 · 15/02/2021 17:47

But why on earth are you so heavily invested in your hole poking?

What's your beef? You were the very poster who struck me as being irrationally raging!

Ever heard of Live and let Live?

pandapop17 · 15/02/2021 17:55

@BMW6

Some posters on here sound ridiculously enraged and affronted at others' faiths Hmm

Is it jealousy? (and I am not remotely religious)

For me it’s sadness because of the negative effect religion has had on my life. I respect people’s beliefs but don’t have to agree with them.
KeflavikAirport · 15/02/2021 18:28

Because I enjoy it, and because I'm bored WFH, and because religion is such an easy target. What's irrational about any of that? And who is raging? I'm not raging any more than the religious people on here telling me I don't know what I'm talking about I do

BuckleupVIP · 28/06/2021 23:17

@Pantheon

Just curious as someone who isn't religious. Are religions giving explanations about why this is happening?
The Greeks knew a thing or two.

Their God of Medicine and Healing, Apollo, was also the God of Plagues and Pestilence. He's named in the Hippocratic oath.

Maybe someone upset Apollo?

KhanaSimmons · 29/06/2021 08:14

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Buttons294749 · 29/06/2021 08:59

My CofE church doesn't think God created the virus/can stop it. We have had sermons about ways we can support our community/philisophical points to reflect on/praying thay the scientists create a vaccine

knittingaddict · 29/06/2021 09:15

I don't go anywhere at the moment, but I have lots of Christian friends and my husband still attends some events.

The answer to your question is "it's a virus".

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