What positive(s) have come from -any- religious faith?

For me, a great deal of amusement. (George Carlin, Bill Mahr, and countless others.) But it's one of those situations where you have to laugh so that you don't cry. Religion is divisive and the more global we become, the more dangerous that could be. So, what have I gotten out of religion?

A good laugh.

Development of writing

Development of Parchment

Development of bound "books" and page numbering

Genetics - Gregory Mendel - Augustine Order (Catholic)

The Big Bang - George Lemaintre - Catholic

Gutenberg Press - Johannes Gutenberg

DUDE!.. I mean I just picked those which came to my head in the first 3 minutes (had to look up if Mendel was Catholic or Protestant)

There are TONS more.

Because religion has been soo tightly linked with government in many cultures for the past 1500 years, at least..and possibly 2000 years before THAT.. it is nearly impossible for scholars to completely remove the influences of religion from those that would have arisen from secular culture on their own, had religion not existed at all.

That ALSO is often times why religion is blamed for every war also..because it WAS so tightly integrated with the development of culture and government.

So it seems some people find it very easy to pick out instances in history when religion was tightly associated with war, persecution, and oppression, BUT, those same people, suddenly find it tricky to point out when religion actually helped the development of society.

Ironic isn't it?

OH....and one more thing, popped to my head. WHO was chiefly responsible for transcribing documents by hand for the betterment of mankind AND particularly in the latter part of the this millenum...where was often times the 1 place that was NOT burned to the ground or pillaged for treasure when a city was attacked.. Where? Yep, you got it.. the temple or church. THUS religion has often times been the last bastion for human knowledge to keep it safe.

To this DAY.. religious buildings are often times warehouses for human art, keeping it safe and out of the hands of greedy private collectors.

Danny Thomas asked Saint Jude to pray for him when he was just starting out and promised if he would never forget his assistance.

Thus the beginning of St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

So a lot of children with cancer and their family members find a positive from Danny Thomas's faith to this day.

Ask architects what would happen to their knowledge if there was no temples, churchs, mosques etc. And if there was not a god idea ask the physicians and mathematicians their studies about that there was not a god. Both side taking advantages of that. Angry people too. They are making an excuse to fight each other.

There are groups like the Salvation Army that genuinely help people who need it. When people aren't using their religion as a tool of hate, it really can foster peace and altruism.

Buddhism has probably helped a lot of people tame their egos and get rid of their materialistic attachments.

I don't have a problem with religion. I have a problem with people who abuse it for their own selfish ends.

Wicca. It's a nature based religion and it's "golden rule" is: An it harm none, do what ye will. It allows you to connect with your inner self and has been life-changing for me.

And no, Wiccans do NOT worship the devil or sacrifice animals.

What positives have come from any religious faith.

Well, God has promised that whoever believes in His son will not face eternal condemnation.

Since I can only speak for myself...I'd say that's a very positive result, for my belief in Jesus Christ.

Many of the social reforms in earlier centuries came from christian faith, eg abolition of slavery and child labour (in the uk). Many great scientists and astronomers were also christians, eg Sir Isaac Newton.

Nothing good comes from religion, only from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There's a difference.

Love. In reverse, what positive things come from a lack of faith? Would you say science and logic? We know what has led us to, atom bombs, evolution, etc.

GOD bless