Theology

[McCulloch]

Should theology be a recognized field of study in universities and other publicly recognized and accredited educational institutes?

the-ol-o-gy [thee-ol-uh-jee]
noun, plural -gies.

1. the field of study and analysis that treats of God and of God's attributes and relations to the universe; study of divine things or religious truth; divinity.

theology. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. (accessed: January 16, 2007).

Publicly recognized and accredited educational institutes grant baccalaureate (Bachelor of Theology; B.Th.; Th.B.), master's degrees (Master of Theology; Th.M.) and doctor's degrees (Doctor of Theology; Th.D.) in the field of Theology. Why? There is nothing in theology that can be objectively studied and tested like the sciences. There are degrees in fields other than science; literature, history, the arts. Is theology like them? Why are there not degree programs in astrology, alchemy and numerology?

[4gold]

That's because people don't believe in religion rationally, it's a fear response to the unknown. People don't want to face the fact that they're alone in the universe, that no one is watching over them and that when they die, they cease to exist. Man has invented gods to make himself feel better about his most basic fears, simply acknowledging that these gods are really irrational and ridiculous won't change most people's minds because self-deception is a lot more comforting than facing reality.

That's the kind of theory that I think should be presented in theology class. Your conclusion is that religion is based on fear. Your grade is based on your reasoning behind your conclusion.

The kind of debate that plays the fundamental role behind so much of our science, our history, our literature, our art, and our philosophy should be played out in a class that opens the children up to critical thought.

[McCulloch]

Great idea. We would be rid of almost all religion in one generation.

I know you were likely saying this tongue-in-cheek, but even after 4 years of debatingchristianity.com and thousands of years of the same debate playing out over and over again, we still maintain a majority theistic society. I highly doubt we'd wipe out religion within a generation.

More likely, we'd produce a generation of critical thinkers who question the rationale behind their beliefs. And how can that be a bad thing?

It would be a good thing. Critical thinking should be begun much earlier than it typically is. If it did not eliminate religion, it would, at least, remove some of religion's worst abuses. How could that be a bad thing?

[Cephus]

The kind of debate that plays the fundamental role behind so much of our science, our history, our literature, our art, and our philosophy should be played out in a class that opens the children up to critical thought.

You'll notice that critical thought is the one thing that is completely absent from religion. In fact, the ability to think critically, to question and examine one's beliefs, is positively feared in religious circles, they want you to believe blindly and not ask questions, usually under threat of some painful penalty after death. Religion really is a shell game, you trade earthly allegiance to the church for some claimed reward after you're dead and can't come back to tell anyone that you got screwed.

Religion doesn't want you to be able to think about that too much, people just might start to see through the scam.

[4gold]

You'll notice that critical thought is the one thing that is completely absent from religion. In fact, the ability to think critically, to question and examine one's beliefs, is positively feared in religious circles, they want you to believe blindly and not ask questions, usually under threat of some painful penalty after death. Religion really is a shell game, you trade earthly allegiance to the church for some claimed reward after you're dead and can't come back to tell anyone that you got screwed.

Religion doesn't want you to be able to think about that too much, people just might start to see through the scam.

Then a class that taught religious and non-religious people to think critically about their beliefs would be beneficial to society, wouldn't it?

[Cephus]

Then a class that taught religious and non-religious people to think critically about their beliefs would be beneficial to society, wouldn't it?

Not necessarily just about religious beliefs, but about all aspects of life. That most certainly would be beneficial to society, but I can't imagine the more religious really wanting such a thing to exist, it would just cost them members.