@Kanna
On top of that, Paul of Tarsus likely didn't even write that. 1 & 2 Timothy are among the Pauline Epistles that are spurious in origin (with a few exceptions, most of the Anti-Semetic and Sexist stuff is in the spurious ones). Ignore those and Paul sounds a lot less bigoted and more consistent (he even acknowledges and praises fellow female Church leaders/preachers/teachers/Deacons....one of them an Apostle named Junia).
@ChrisBP747
I feel the same way, here. Also; These are mere humans talking about spiritual things and stuff's bound to get lost in the (mental/cultural/personal bias/imperfect mortal brain) translation. Also; Something can be non-literal or a myth and still contain truths. Various fables come to mind. It's a "Joseph Campbell" sort of thing.
The thing that people like Dunbaratu, James Randi, etc. don't realize is that many people NEED a "higher power" worldview. Spirituality gives peace and meaning and explains the unexplainable and it also removes fear of death. If it wasn't for my spirituality, I'd be a basket case.
Finally; While it can't be tested in a lab and is very rare (hence Randi still keeping his $1 million), there is at least some circumstantial evidence that there's a spiritual reality of some kind. Not all Near Death Experiences can be explained away as hallucinations and dreams and some have even had them while basically brain-dead (such a brain is not going to dream/hallucinate). Some have even described things in their surroundings that they couldn't possibly have known otherwise.
When Marx stated that "religion is the opiate of the masses", he wasn't necessarily disparaging it or comparing it to Heroin or Opium....he was comparing it to medicine (in this case, opiate painkillers). He was stating that it soothed and helped people. True; He clarified that he felt humanity will one day abandon it....but for the here and now, faith is fine.
As long as it's not frummy and hateful, Religion & Spirituality is perfectly fine and beneficial.
