Boaz of Borneo: "Can I suggest you look at some anthropological articles on tribal cultures or traditional societies and even about Australia.. as I think this would provide benefit to one's outlook."

Can you cite a refereed anthropological article you've read that was written since, say, 1980? If you can, please indicate how it supports your decidedly peculiar views on race, culture, religion or politics.

C.J. The main work I constantly refer to regarding an Anthropological approach to culture and the impact of change for any period is this one. Not from 1980 on, but this article has been applied to modern business and education and for good reason.
Not to see it's wisdom re multiculturalism would be foolhardy.

http://www.cabrillo.edu/~crsmith/steelAxes.pdf

There are insights in this article which relate to male identity, gender roles, cultural intrusion. Of high importance, it shows how seemingly 'minor' technology can have a huge (genocidal) impact on a community. Such must be the case to a point when 'diversity' is introduced to and emphasized in Australia ?

TRTL
Please read
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=55&chapter=1&version=31
(the whole book.. 6 small chapters)
for a discussion of "Law" and "Grace".

Then Romans 8
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=52&chapter=8&version=31

The 'Rock' is Christ. The relationship. Life in The Spirit.
The Mosaic "Law" had 2 aspects.
Eternal (10 Commandments) and 'Societal' for Israel while it fulfilled its pre-messianic destiny.
Paul argues in Romans 8 that the real Law is "Life in the Spirit"
See how he discusses the role of 'Law' in that section.

Never forget one thing. For Biblical Christians, Government can never legitimately be about 'Theocracy'. Catholics might dispute this.

In Islam, it is ALways about 'Theocracy'. Political,spiritual, social cultural. There can never be any other goal for Muslims.
The Quran is understood to be the only and eternal foundation of true society....and that is where it becomes worrisome. Surah 23:6 is a classic example of why.
http://www.submission.org/efarsi/arabic/sura23.html
The issue of how 'literal' the Quran is to be regarded, brings you to the Sunni Vs Shia controversy. (read up :)

Boaz is what you say pure meaningless drivel or can you prove your god exists ? Because if you can not prove the god you speak for then clearly you have no justification for what you are saying, your claims are superstition dependent.

That aside, although in essence religion is a type of mental illness , that is spirituality is a form of paranoid delusion, ideologies of such are immoral in themselves. The so called teaching of Jesus is immoral because it is exclusionary. If Christians actually read their magical book instead of running around gibbering to phantoms and shadows they would realise this. Except many are so morally corrupt they can not see how a non superstitious person can act or think morally. Such morally corrupt people think they need a god or idol to keep them in line.

Being a purely exclusionary cult (what do christians believe happens to non-Christians?) politicians unless with great moral resolve to reject their own god will be corrupt because religion is corrupt. A politician who believes in jesus is imbued in such hatred of all those who do not worship god that he sinks as low as to believe they will burn in hell thus excluding nationals of their birthright to life and justice. This is why religion in politics always without exception leads to bloodshed and diaster.

West,

It is not necessary, possible, or perhaps even beneficial to prove or disprove whether god exists. Belief in god makes god real, and no-one's going to influence by rational argument a belief based on something not rational.

I think if we're going to dissect the benefits or otherwise of faith, we can start with some quantitative research. This link

http://www.skeptic.com/the_magazine/featured_articles/v12n03_are_religious_societies_healthier.html

is very revealing regards whether faith in developed nations is all it's cracked up to be. I recommend it to you, and, of course, to DB.

bennie September 11, the oklahoma bombing, banning of same sex marriage, the Klu Klux Klan, witch burning, Jones Town, Family first, Jesus camp, the inquistion, the bon fire of the vanities, African slavery are all the benefits of faith I am sure. The fact of the matter is I do not want anybodies superstition to impact on me or my family. If you claim god exists in public then you must prove that god to exist. If you do not then you are not being truthful in your claim. If you have no proof of your god that you can offer then obviously that god is your construct for the purpose to decieve other people. The worship of a god , any god is self obsession because the claimant speaks for god is speaking from the ego. You have just demonstrated this because you refuse to prove your god , you have no justification for your beliefs so you have no justification to subject others to your beliefs and your own god supports me because no god ever reacts to me but you react. It is your sensibilities that is offended by my rejection of your authority to dominate others. I am alarmed that you cannot see the violence in your words. I am alarmed that you cannot see the bald imorality in your words. I am alarmed that you speak for your god and do not let him speak. That shows your faith in god is bogus if you truley believed him to exist then you would have no need to do his bidding on his behalf.By speaking on behalf of a god you are telling me you are god. Your complete credibility relies 100% on your ability to prove to those who you are seeking to convince your cult and superstition are justified the existence of your god. Anything less is proving your god does not exist as you claim.

Umm, West, I think you've got the wrong end of the stick. Maybe you could read my post again. Or any of my previous posts on this topic. Or even the article I linked to.