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Originally Posted by kerry edwards
Couple of responses. Religion was held to those standards in medieval Christian and Islamic societies. Religion and intellectual/scientific life were united. Perhaps the same thing could be said of Buddhism.
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In regard to medieval Christianity, what claim can be made regarding the independent development of science and law? It seems to me that the church was not united with science, it obscured and suppressed science to such an extent, that contradiction was joined with heresy. Eventually science found it's way and broke off from christianity just as protestantism would later do. That is hardly real scrutiny.
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Originally Posted by kerry edwards
Sure religion is viable for specific individuals. Lots of things can be believed by specific individuals for any reason they want. What I meant by 'viable' was whether religion is appealing enough to sieze the hearts, minds, universities, corporations, banks, legal systems, and governments to the extent that it could drive a culture.
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It is enough to seize the hearts and minds, and if it seizes enough hearts and minds, governments and legal systems will follow. Universities, banks and corporations are ancillary and not required to drive culture, they are only required to drive our culture.
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Originally Posted by kerry edwards
Capitalism seems to have outgunned religion in the west. Can it do the same thing with Islam? One advantage that capitalism had in Europe, was a separation of law and religion pushed by Protestants who believed in salvation by grace thru faith, outside of the law. Islam never really developed this idea.
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I don't see why not. How about Bosnia and Turkey?