Would the world be a better place without religion? (page 3)

micheal

You asked I answered! Sorry if I offend some

You didn't offend anyone. Thanks so much for your input. That's what an open forum is supposed to be all about.

The belief in God or not does not make a person good or bad. Its their love for humanity, which is separate than religion. Sure, some religions teach us to do this, but so do social mores. Religion does more to divide humanity than join them together.

Mulan

Religion could be all right if it didn't separate people, making them think they are chosen, or better than others who don't believe the same way they do. Or try to change you or convince you of their beliefs. Sorry...........been there, done that.

JW's aren't the only ones like that. "you are condemned to "whatever" if you don't believe this", etc. Makes me crazy.

I try to be accepting, but someone always ends up trying to put me in a category. "do you believe this or that?" I hate that. Leave me alone.

zen nudist

I find it is not religion that is the problem but any belief which holds that humans are only as valuable as the ideas they hold rather than being valuable for simply being human.

Buddhism for example, recognizes that all sentient life is valuable no matter what stupid ideas may be infesting it at the moment... those ideas are seen as a sickness which can be cured.

but most religions hold that ideals and ideas are more important than the people that hold them, making the containers of wrong ideas evil by infection and worthy of death or worse.

you will never ever hear of an Agnostic holy war as no one will ever justify the murder someone while admitting they don't KNOW THE WAY.

JamesThomas

Religion, is the minds attempt at understanding and knowing what it can not know: it's own Source.

It utilizes what it is limited to and comfortable with: things and events in space and time; arranging these pieces of ideas, thoughts and images to form a mosaic that it can call it's own. Such structures inherently cause division and strife among peoples of differing ideas and beliefs.

For the sincere and tenacious seeker -- in my view -- religion is good for only one thing: it can eventually reveal that the minds grasping for the ultimate Truth, will always come up empty. Then, there can be a relaxing, a surrender, a letting go, a silent clarity in which intrinsic wisdom can reveal itself.

So, if religion is a "tool", I'd say it's like a hammer made of glass -- useful in revealing itself as ultimately useless.

j

truthseeker1

Nicely put, JT

seattleniceguy

A lot of really good comments on this thread.

Someone said near the beginning:

Religion can make better people

It can, but only in that it offers education on some humanist matters, like showing love and empathy toward others. But since most religion combines the few good concepts it teaches with the rash of ugly teachings that have been enumerated in previous posts, I think that there are much better sources for education.

I do think the world would be a better place if children were raised with a strong foundation in ethics and reasoning, and taught to understand how their actions and attitudes affect others. This makes better people. The fact that religion sometimes accomplishes something somewhat like it does not convince me of its value. It is the education, not the particular context.

SNG

LittleToe

Mulan:

I try to be accepting, but someone always ends up trying to put me in a category. "do you believe this or that?" I hate that. Leave me alone.

I couldn't agree more. I get that a lot with the "Christian" title, and yet very few bother their asses to understand what that means to me. Even preceding it with "unorthodox" doesn't seem to sway some.
People love to judge...

James:

So, if religion is a "tool", I'd say it's like a hammer made of glass -- useful in revealing itself as ultimately useless.

I disagree with your analogy, but agree with your conclusion.

IMHO religion may be used as a stepping stone, but once it's purpose has been acheived it becomes a very slippery stepping stone indeed!

JT

Religion could be all right if it didn't separate people, making them think they are chosen, or better than others who don't believe the same way they do

#######3

this has got the be the best IN THE NUTSHELL comment one can give, excellent point , hitting the nail on the head

LittleToe

Just a quick question for folks to ponder.
Is religion about a group of likeminded people coming together, or are ALL religions about "being better than others"?

I have to wonder at the generalisations, given that some of the humblest people are devout (as well as the most pompous).

Would the world be a better place without religion?

Share this