Religion and Belief Systems Archives - Page 2 of 4

Religion is the study or practice of preexisting beliefs, generally involving faith. Beliefs refer to people’s understandings and perceptions of things.

Charging Interest Used to be Viewed a Sin Fact

Usury (charging interest in moneylending, especially at high rates) used to be viewed as a sin by many religions and was banned by many cultures.

The Legend of the Spanish Inquisition is Largely Propaganda Fact

It was historically believed that the Spanish Inquisition was a bloody religious persecution full of torture and genocide, but recent data shows this view is essentially a myth created by Protestants to slander Catholics.

Civil Religion

“Civil Religion” is the civic “religion” of a nation. It doesn’t describe the theological religion of a nation, but rather a quasi-religious shared identity built around national symbolism and customs.

Where Does the State of Nature Argument Come From?

We often attribute the origin of the state of nature argument to Hobbes, but it can be traced to thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, and the Sophists in the 300s BC, and is then mused on by other early philosophers.

Protestantism is like Classical Liberalism and Catholicism like Social Liberalism Fact

Historically, Protestantism is like classical liberalism (individual liberties and rights) and Catholicism is like social liberalism (state enforced social justice).

The Birth of Modern Banking

Modern banking originated in Italy around 1150 as Jews fleeing persecution brought new practices, including “discounting”, to the merchant banks of the Italian piazzas.

Andrew Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth Explained and Annotated

Below we present an annotated version of Andrew Carnegie’s 1889 essay Wealth (better known as the Gospel of Wealth).

Vices and Virtues Explained

We present a list of vices and virtues and look at vices and virtues as understood by philosophers like Aristotle and Aquinas.

Western Classical Element Theory as a Metaphor

Western Classical Element Theory can be seen as a metaphor the human condition where fire is will and action, air is reason, water is the passions and spirit, and earth is the physical.

Saul Alinsky Was a Satanist Myth

Saul Alinsky wasn’t a satanist, nor did he dedicate Rules for Radicals to Lucifer. Alinsky simply used Lucifer as a literary device to teach community organizing.