OT: Desmond Tutu on Knives and Religion

H

hollowdweller

Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
13,182
Two subjects near and dear to our hearts here ;)

"I keep having to remind people that religion in and of itself is morally neutral. Religion is like a knife. When you use a knife for cutting up bread to prepare sandwiches, a knife is good. If you use the same knife to stick into somebody’s guts, a knife is bad. "

The whole article is excellent:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6769668/site/newsweek/
 
Jebadiah_Smith said:
What if your making a gut sandwich?
Click to expand...

I think it's OK as long as you keep your pinky up, flash a polite smile, and don't twist the knife;)

Jake
 
Jebadiah_Smith said:
Alright.

Should I serve red wine, or white?
Click to expand...

I dunno. Are people guts red or white meat?? I would guess a nice merlot if they are hardy guts. Maybe a Pino Noir for the delicate upper digestive tract.
This thread is taking a weird turn;)

Jake
 
Religion can never be truly neutral, maybe a diety or "higher power" can, but not a religion. Anything run by people is going to try to further its own cause, and can never be neutral. I dont care how well meaning the group is, it just dont think it can happen.
 
Jebadiah_Smith said:
Religion can never be truly neutral, maybe a diety or "higher power" can, but not a religion. Anything run by people is going to try to further its own cause, and can never be neutral. I dont care how well meaning the group is, it just dont think it can happen.
Click to expand...
You'll never, and I mean never, get a traditional ndn trying to convert you to his religion.
It can be there generally if you want to participate and you might even be asked if you want to, but that's as far as it will ever go.:)
 
Yvsa said:
You'll never, and I mean never, get a traditional ndn trying to convert you to his religion.
It can be there generally if you want to participate and you might even be asked if you want to, but that's as far as it will ever go.:)
Click to expand...

Thats very respectable, but also very uncommon with religions. The more I learn about ndn's the more I like them.

But a religion cant become neutral just by not converting people. I think that the only way a religion can be neutral is for the religion not to exist. Ofcourse then its not a religion, and you have a nice paradox on your hands.
 
Jebadiah_Smith said:
Thats very respectable, but also very uncommon with religions. The more I learn about ndn's the more I like them.

But a religion cant become neutral just by not converting people. I think that the only way a religion can be neutral is for the religion not to exist. Ofcourse then its not a religion, and you have a nice paradox on your hands.
Click to expand...
Jeb, the difference between traditional ndns and most other minorities is that they want in and we want out. Don't particularly care what others do, just leave us to our own devices. Can't get much more neutral than that, religion included.;)
 
Yvsa said:
You'll never, and I mean never, get a traditional ndn trying to convert you to his religion.
It can be there generally if you want to participate and you might even be asked if you want to, but that's as far as it will ever go.:)
Click to expand...

Most of the ndns I know are fed up with the new-age wannabes and don't even wish to share the customs, which might later be taken from them and perverted into something they were not intended to be.

Yvsa said:
Don't particularly care what others do, just leave us to our own devices.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I hear, just do your thing and leave us the heck alone. Makes it difficult to build relationships, but how can one dismiss that mistrust given our history?
 
Yvsa said:
Jeb, the difference between traditional ndns and most other minorities is that they want in and we want out. Don't particularly care what others do, just leave us to our own devices. Can't get much more neutral than that, religion included.;)
Click to expand...

Yvsa,

What is the general feeling of Native Americans regarding so much of their spirituality being taken over by the new age movement? It seems to me like they take parts but don't embrace the whole.

I have a buddy who is Islamic and he takes a dim view of a lot of the New Age type folks saying they are Sufis. He says to be a Sufi you have to embrace Islam.
 
Yvsa said:
Jeb, the difference between traditional ndns and most other minorities is that they want in and we want out. Don't particularly care what others do, just leave us to our own devices. Can't get much more neutral than that, religion included.;)
Click to expand...

Maybe theyre isolated, but thats not neutrality. If they support, worship, or give thanks to a... whatever kind of religious being they worship... then they are not neutral by my way of thinking. Religious neutrality isnt necessarily in relation to other religions. Its more of a relation between a human and what they choose to worship. Not being neutral doest make them bad, just not neutral.

Was man god's greatest mistake, or was god man's?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top