Christianity: Philosophy or Religion?

[cbayer]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christianpiatt/2012/12/christianity-philosophy-or-religion/



December 8, 2012 By Christian Piatt

Short answer: Yes. It’s both. Now, if you’d consider a little more detail…

Conservative pundit Bill O’Reilly (AKA “Papa Bear” if you’re Stephen Colbert) really stepped in the rhetorical poop pile recently when, in an effort to defend the claim that there is a war in our culture on Christmas, took some bait from his show’s guest David Silverman (President of American Atheists) and claimed on the air that Christianity was a philosophy and not a religion.

Yes, I could give you the actual news story, but why do that when Jon Stewart breaks it down in a much more entertaining way?

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-december-3-2012/the-war-on-christmas--friendly-fire-edition---bill-o-reilly-s-philosophy


Yes, O’Reilly ended up looking a little ridiculous (especially after recanting a couple of days later and buckling on air under questioning from…a priest. But actually I think it’s an interesting discussing, barring the theatrics and opportunistic jockeying that both Christians and atheists have been doing on the issue.

more at link

[Speck Tater]

1. Neither: Mythology. nt

[cbayer]

3. What is the difference between them?

[Shadowflash]

7. +1,000

[niyad]

2. if it is a philosophy, then all that tax-exempt stuff needs to go away

[cbayer]

4. The tax exemptions have nothing to do with it. It has to do with

whether an institution is truly non-profit or not.

[intaglio]

5. It is a religion that includes elements from philosphy

Find one element from Christian philosophy that is not prefigured by more ancient philosophies and you win an apple.

[rrneck]

6. Everything is a source for a revenue stream.

We have become so wealthy the largest markets for exploitation have nothing to do with natural resources that keep our bodies alive. Now we fight for market share in ideas. We need to claim morals, hopes, and fears for one group or another so that they may profit from them.

Decadence isn't so just the waste of materiel goods, but the waste of the human spirit as an affectation.

[msongs]

8. a composite system w/every part borrowed or stolen from previous beliefs nt

[AnotherMcIntosh]

9. Organizations with a mere "philosophy" don't receive tax-free income.

[cbayer]

10. Sure they do. All they have to do is qualify as a non-profit.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

11. That, of course, is adding a condition.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

12. Incidentally, the term "non-profit" is a legal term which does not mean that no profit is intended

and that no profit is received.

A non-profit corporation is one that exists without shareholders.

[cbayer]

13. I am aware of what a non-profit is and how it is different from a not-for-profit.

Churches have some tax advantages due to their non-profit status. These are the same advantage shared by other non-profits. Secular organizations can obtain those advantages as well. To take them away from churches only would be a 1st amendment violation, imo.

[rug]

14. It is clearly a religion.