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 Originally Posted by wufwugy
Religion could be a tool that has helped populations organize more productively.
... within the microcosm of that faith, at most
... at the cost of dehumanizing perceived outsiders, leading to reduced trade and often war
How is this not at odds with your statement that increased regulations (limitations) on trade are always a negative on productivity?
Same for war?
Aren't you ignoring the effects of Christianity on non-Christian cultures?
Aren't you really saying Christianity is good for Christians?
Would a Muslim person in your same position say that Islam is good for Muslims?
I.e. it is a tool that helped populations organize more productively (within the microcosm of Muslim peoples)?
Originally Posted by wufwugy
The worst elements of religion makes the news. My n=1: of all the people I have known, devoted Christians are much higher on the list of "people who do good" than non-Christians. In fact, I have recently become surprised at how good some Christians I know are. I left the scene a long time ago yet have recently been spending time with dyed in the wool Christians, and they're just good people. I've known a lot of Christians like this over the years even though I've tried to ignore it.
If we're sharing n=1 stories:
I can't deny that the few truly (sickeningly) good people I've met have been strongly religious, and while I was growing up around only Christians, that seemed like a correlation to Christian values.
Now that I've been exposed to a wider variety of people, with varying faiths, I see a different correlation. I see correlation between that level of goodness and intense spiritual devotion, painted on a canvas of their cultural background. If someone was raised in a Christian society, or a Jewish society, or a Muslim society, or a Hindu society seems truly a moot connection.
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