GurnBlanston

I see the biggest deraileur on this forum is that people can't get past the notion that religion is an idea existing in the ether. It has no corporeal body. Cannot act or be acted upon. It is a founding philosophy not an institution. It is no different than "Politics", "Economics", etc and it is set apart from such finite studies as Math, Geometry and Chemistry. Studies which have a persistant corporeal existance in our Universe. Studies that verify and prove the Universe.
The Religious, on the other hand, are made up of people who "study" or try to live by the tenets of Religion. These are the factors that drive the crimes of the Religious Institutions such as LDS, RCC, etc. People are the point here. However, to say that Religion makes people somehow act improper is hardly even a sane statement, not to mention just plain obtuse. I always mention Gandhi because he lived by the tenets if the Hindu. No less a philosophy that Christianity, Islam or Judaism. None the less, that Philosophy proved to be a great strength and source of endless beneficence for Mahatma, a British Lawyer, mind you, not someone raised in that oppression.
I suggest, instead of trying to debase and wear down each other, we should strive to open our ears and simply listen. If we don't agree, so be it. But condemnation, ridicule and abuse of people different than you earns no respect for your personal beliefs, diminishes respect for your professed belief and simply hurts, not helps your arguement.
So can't we moderate our discussions and temper them with something more than just mild civility? Didn't we come here to have genuine discussions? If all you are here to do is harrass and get into flame wars then go somewhere where they accomodate that behavior, please. I implore you.
Personally, I think Religion became perverted when Man used it to govern others instead of himself. And that's what Religion was intended for. The act of self spiritual purification. Not a mechanism of control.