Uni girl (Wow--you know how to start a conversation; Welcome to the group),
Are we such weak creatures who stand by and hope and yes I mean hope that there will be an end to injustice?? I'm not just talking about war, famine etc I'm talking about the prejudices that run so deep within society, that are not addressed and thus people suffer.
I hate to disagree with TruthHurts (well...no, not really) but I think humans are as weak or strong as they want to be, with or without religion. There is nothing wrong with religion until it's taken seriously. When that happens, all hell breaks out.
Religion helps us come together and process what we can't prove. There is nothing weak or wrong with that unless we force others into believing what we can't prove in the first place. Also, religion typically reflects societal norms (good, bad, and the ugly), and is used to approve these norms. In many ways, religion is a reflection of who we are at a period in time. I don't see that as a weakness, but a mirror of sorts. We can't fully blame religion per se for unfairness, because unfairness happens until there are reasons to change. With or without religion.
As you pointed out, religion at its core is nothing more than a group of people with shared beliefs they can't prove. When said groups start taking themselves too seriously, demanding they have "the Truth" or their ism is the only way--that's weakness. On that basis, the Watchtower Society is a weakness, but the Watchtower Society is not a reflection of all religions. Some religions speak out against suffering and injustice. For example, some Quakers spoke out again slavery long before it became a political issue in the United States. Yes, prejudices run deep in society, and religion can act as a tool for or against it.
---JAVA, counting time at the Coffee Shop
Edited by - JAVA on 20 February 2001 15:36:16