Religion, Good or Bad?

[Spinder]

So what is your opinion of religion in general? Honestly I'm totally indifferent to it. I am not the least bit religious myself, as I don't really "believe" in anything, but that's just my own personal choice. I don't feel religion is inherently good or evil, but hey if it enriches other people's lives, gives them hope, and brings them happiness, then that's wonderful.

The only thing I really have to say about religion is this: the church and the government/politics/the law are two things that should never, ever, EVER mix. I truly and dearly hope that religion will never be allowed to dominate the government ever again, like it did in the middle ages in Europe. As far too many horrible and utterly tragic historical events have indisputably proven, religion having political power leads to nothing but corruption, torture, misery, and death. Burning innocent people alive because of their ludicrous and unfounded belief in witches, campaigning against bathing because they associated it with prostitution, and brutally slaughtering innocent people just because they didn't share the same beliefs as the reigning monarch, among other things, make that fact all too clear.

[Sage]

I don't have a problem with anything until it becomes dogmatic.

[Death]

I don't mind religious people, but when they start trying to force it down peoples' throats (like Jehovah's Witnesses for instance), then I find that childish and arrogant.

[Shadoukun]

I don't have a problem with anything until it becomes dogmatic.

Well if you don't like 'dogmatic' then you have claimed a problem with all of theism.

[Sage]

Well if you don't like 'dogmatic' then you have claimed a problem with all of theism.

That I do. : )

[Shadoukun]

That I do. : )


Oh I see, you were being clever. Right.

[Malcolm Tucker]

No religion is bad in my view. People should be allowed to have faith no matter what it is. Yes there are religions I don't support or groups I dislike but people have the right to believe what they want to believe. I don't agree with people who as soon as someone starts talking about their religion or whatever, immediately start "your religion is so wrong" or any of that crap. That's just absurd. But we are all entitled to whatever view or faith, but we are not entitled to force our beliefs on others.

[Death]

Why is the atheist view absurd but the religious views not?

[Malcolm Tucker]

Wait no I didn't mean it like that. My best friend is an atheist. I meant that it's absurd when someone tries to force their beliefs onto someone. It drives me crazy.

[Death]

In that case, I agree with you. People should be able to believe what they like without others trying to convert them. BTW, thanks for editing it.

[Malcolm Tucker]

In that case, I agree with you. People should be able to believe what they like without others trying to convert them. BTW, thanks for editing it.

No worries, didn't think at the time how unfair a statement it was >< My bad and the original doesn't reflect any bias I may have.

[Perseus]

I don't have a problem with religion until people blindly follow it or it becomes dangerous. For example, the Catholic Church in the past. And another example, extremist Muslims. Or when people are being ignorant and bigots, in any religion.

But, religion does serve people good. Keeps them happy, strong their hard times, and other things

[Cronyne]

I find it impossible to believe in anything, until we find out how it's physically possible for something to exist without a creator.

[Whisper]

why the fuck did u make another thread when theres a sticky on this?

[Inconvenience]

well i'm christian and i believe in Jesus christ but i don't accept all the tenets christianity actually preaches. i don't like to have faith in something blindly. i believe in god and i think living honest and humane life will be enough to get myself in heaven lol, not just to go in church every day and at the same time commit horrible things. i think god's lookin in people's hearts not lookin at what they're doin phisically.. goin to churches, praying or etc.

so in conclusion i've gotta admit that up above of all religions there's god for me.. religions are secondary

[Death]

why the fuck did u make another thread when theres a sticky on this?

The sticky is about which religions people believe in and why people believe in certain things and how it can be proved and so on and so forth. This thread is more about how good religion is in general including the pros and cons. True, the threads are similar, but there are differences. But heck, this is just my view of it. I may well be wrong.

I find it impossible to believe in anything, until we find out how it's physically possible for something to exist without a creator.

Wouldn't we also have to find out how it would be possible for the creator to exist without a creator, and so on and so forth?

[2D]

why the fuck did u make another thread when theres a sticky on this?

Why the fuck can't you tell the difference between the threads?


Anyway, religion is fine just don't preach to me, because religion is the least of my worries.

[Cronyne]

Wouldn't we also have to find out how it would be possible for the creator to exist without a creator, and so on and so forth?


That's exactly what I'm saying. Until we can figure out how something could just... "be",then I can't rightly believe in anything.

[Whisper]

Why the fuck can't you tell the difference between the threads?

You could easily talk about this in there.
srsly Religion is to ROTW like penis size is to puberty
Its fucking retarded

[Perseus]

I don't have a problem with religion until people blindly follow it or it becomes dangerous. For example, the Catholic Church in the past. And another example, extremist Muslims. Or when people are being ignorant and bigots, in any religion.



aFAfKubh6FU

Are you a man of peace
Or a man of holy war
Too many sides to you
Don't know which anymore
So many full of life
But also filled with pain
Don't know just how many
Will live to breathe again

A life that's made to breathe
Destruction or defense
A mind that's vain corruption
Bad or good intent
A wolf in sheep's clothing
Or saintly or sinner
Or some that would believe
A holy war winner

They fire off many shots
And many parting blows
Their actions beyond a reasoning
Only God would know
And as he lies in heaven
Or it could be in hell
I feel he's somewhere here
Or looking from below
But I don't know, I don't know

Please tell me now what life is
Please tell me now what love is
Well tell me now what war is
Again tell me what life is

More pain and misery in the history of mankind
Sometimes it seems more like
The blind leading the blind
It brings upon us more famine, death and war
You know religion has a lot to answer for

Please tell me now what life is
Please tell me now what love is
Well tell me now what war is
Again tell me what life is

And as they search to find the bodies in the sand
They find it's ashes that are
Scattered across the land
And as the spirits seem to whistle on the wind
A shot is fired somewhere another war begins

And all because of it you'd think
That we would learn
But still the body count the city fires burn
Somewhere there's someone dying
In a foreign land
Meanwhile the world is crying stupidity of man
Tell me why, tell me why

Please tell me now what life is
Please tell me now what love is
Well tell me now what war is
Again tell me what life is

Please tell me now what life is
Please tell me now what love is
Well tell me now what war is
Again tell me what life is

For the greater good of God

Please tell me now what life is
Please tell me now what love is
Well tell me now what war is
Again tell me what life is

Please tell me now what life is
Please tell me now what love is
Well tell me now what war is
Again tell me what life is

For the greater good of God (x8)

He gave his life for us
He fell upon the cross
To die for all of those
Who never mourn his loss
It wasn't meant for us
To feel the pain again
Tell me why, tell me why

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about.
Not the song, though. :P The story it is telling; of how the Crusades were fought in the name of God and other things.

[Peace God]

When you look all of the terrible things directly and/or indirectly related to religion it FAR outweighs the good. It is a naturally oppressive mind state when someone feels the need to obey a jealous god and the church no matter what for fear of going to hell. It's extremely scary because they tell people this crap from a young age. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of good religious people out there and im glad that there are people that can think for themselves and still be religious but i hate the notion that people who live without religion or god are naturally immoral... in many cases it's quite the opposite.

Luckily most religions are falling. If there is a god out there i would love to thank him for modern science.

People honestly need to start asking. "Why is faith a good thing?"

[Death]

I find it impossible to believe in anything, until we find out how it's physically possible for something to exist without a creator.

That's a good point, and is why I personally don't see how people can be so sure that God exists. Doesn't make religion bad, just questionable.

[INFERNO]

I have no problem with religion in general as it's an explanation for various natural phenomena. No problem there I see. The problems arise not with religion in general but with the specific beliefs. For example, Christianity certainly is a religion and is a belief but it is not religion in general, it's just a belief. Despite the various problems and conflicts this belief has generated, it's unfair and unjust to use it as a means to say all religious views are bad as they're not all the same.

So, the concept of religion is fine but the specific beliefs can bring about the problems.

[deadpie]

well i'm christian and i believe in Jesus christ but i don't accept all the tenets christianity actually preaches.

So you mean, I believe in the jesus dying for my sins part, but not all the other stuff.

Just the stuff that saves you from burning in flames.

[Dive to Survive]

I don't think religions are bad. They are another sense of freedom for some people that they can believe whatever they want. I would consider myself a Christian as a religion. But a "Christian" is, "a little Christ" and I'm not perfect. I believe that Christianity is more of a relationship with God rather than a "religion".

[dead]

I don't think religions are bad. They are another sense of freedom for some people that they can believe whatever they want. I would consider myself a Christian as a religion. But a "Christian" is, "a little Christ" and I'm not perfect. I believe that Christianity is more of a relationship with God rather than a "religion".

Then what is a religion in your eyes?

[cuarta_internacional]

There seems to be a gap between religion and belief here, which I agree with...

Religion being an organized structure with rules and a hierarchy, such as, for example, the Catholic clergy and the Biblical canon, the apocrypha, the rites, the sins, etc., while belief would be having faith in the God spoken about in that religion, but in a much more personal sense, while not always accepting the hierarchy of the church and the various rules and teachings of that establishment.

Religion for me is dangerous. If you consider the laws of God to be superior to all the laws of man, influential preachers/religious figures can teach their congregation/followers ideas that go contrary to the respect of human rights.

But for me there's nothing wrong with belief at all ^^ it's one of our undeniable human rights.

[Sage]

I believe that Christianity is more of a relationship with God rather than a "religion".

This is why people talk down to you on this forum.

[Asylum]

religion is both good and bad. extremists in religions are horrible. too much of something is not a good thing. look at all the religious extremists, the Christian Crusades, the bombers who are killing themselves and others for God. I mean there is a heck of a lot of people out there saying God told me to kill this man, or these people. it's like ok.... God who is loving and caring and non violent... told you to go on a killing spree... makes sense... then we have all those fun religious wars... if you cna't tell this is sarcasim here.... Oh your Jewish, PAgan? Persicute!!!!! Because we are the only right religion... ok... well evey religion is wrong... i'm sorry.. but look at your belifs... God is perfect, so therefore since they are human made beliefs they are not accurate nor perfect. Same goes for Christianity. that was made after Jesus, and yes hundreds of years after Jesus died Christianity was formed. Not only that, but it was changed to get away from JEsus's original Jewish traditions and beliefs, they even changed his real name Eshua to Jesus. Jesus was Jewish, he celebrated Passover everything, why nto Christians.. .because they wanted to get away from Judism. They also changed it to be more Pagan, yes... Christians follow many Pagan traditions, because a lot of people at the time favored paganism, so to make them happy and to convert they changed and brought holidays liek Yule and such into the reliigon.

now i'm Christian.... and i dont' mean to be hating on Christians.. that is not me.. but i'm just speaking what thoguths are in my head now. Just look at the witch trials. Paganss are peaceful they are not devil worshipers. I used to follow the Wiccan path, in fact i still have the belief of reincarnation, this belief is also a Hindu belief. I also do not beleive in hell or Satan. I dont' beleive it is proper to give evil a name, to give it a name gives it power. now whne i used to tell people i was Pagan i would get weird looks, or i will pray for you... talk about Ignorance. seirously... people who think paganism is wrong are ignorant and neeed to learn aobut it. it's not a bad religion. satanism has nothign to do with paganism. i remeber telling my mother i was interested in Islam, i got scolded because aparently it is a terrorist belief... hahaha... ignorance, don't you just love it. oh dont' be muslim, you willbe looked wrongly on, everyone hates muslims now. Jews were holocaust victims at a point is that a reason not to be Jewish? is the Christian crusades a reason not to be Christian? seiorusly.... i hate people who go up or try to convert you. they annoy me.... i also hate people that are ignorant and are like... hmm... i don't know your religion but mine is better because i was brainwahsed since i was little to believe it, so it must be better. yes... when you are little you think your parents are always right, they wouldn't lie. if mommy says tigers will eat you dont' touch them, you will beleve them, because hudnreds of years they have "proof" of it. same goes for saying if i was a prophet a hundred years from now they will have facts and information saying i am a prophet. now, you can say this can be the same as God, but there are too many things to prove his exsistence. now i knwo people wikll comment... really? what proof, PM me, and i'll explain, right now i'm focusing on the topic of relgion. now right now i say i'm christian, with the only pagan belief of reincarnation. but.. in fact i'm still sort of searching. i'm always searching for a beleifs. Islam i'm looking further into currently. but right now i'm Christian, my friend converted me. i was brainwashed and fearing hell as a Christian child. but now i don't bleievein a hell. i believei n karma and reincarnation. i'm into ARE now. it is Christian but with a Pagan spin to it xp i love Edgar Cassie. but i think instead of saying this is the one only rihgt belief, kdis should be taught all belifs all traditions why people believe and do certain things. i love the topic of religon, i really do, i've done ltos of studies with it. currently i'm studying hinduism. I came up with my pagan bleiefs by hating the Catholic Chruch. i was bullied by Cathlics... so i hated them. with Paganism i was taught to forgive and forget. i still refuse to be Catholic, but Christian i can accept, now i'm nto arghh... Catholics... thye are horrible, it just doens't suit me, but i am a confirmed Catholic. But i am Chrisitan, and i dind't mean to offend anyone by what i said, if i did i apoligize.

Religions are so similar like look at Chritianity and Islam!!! they are similar. and people in those religons are liek arghh... it's the other belief, it isn't always the case, but most ignnorant people are like that

i just can't help but think, if there was no religion in the world... .would there be more peace? since most of our wars revolve around religion.... would there be more peace? But then one must think wihtout God could a person be without godliness? Meaning a world of more corruption and more hate and war and violence? One can not but ponder on this.

[Peace God]

God who is loving and caring and non violent
:confused:...what?

there are too many things to prove his exsistence. now i knwo people wikll comment... really? what proof, PM me, and i'll explain
why not explain it to everyone?
I don't think religions are bad. They are another sense of freedom for some people that they can believe whatever they want.

hahaha you're too funny...you just defined the opposite of religion

[Blood]

I don't mind religious people, but when they start trying to force it down peoples' throats (like Jehovah's Witnesses for instance), then I find that childish and arrogant.

I agree.

[Scarface]

I don't mind religion, but when I get a knock on the door saying join our chuch and let god in your life. That's when It gets annoying. Or the ones trying to thump bible into my head. I am an agnostic so I don't have a preference of a "higher power" I'm just spiritual and I meditate. I leave it at that

[Sage]

satanism has nothign to do with paganism.

It does and it doesn't. Go do some research, if not I'll edit this post later to clarify. Satanism is to paganism as mormonism is to christianity. It's sort of under the same banner but not exactly.

[Asylum]

no pagans don't believe in Satan nor give evil a name, to give evil a name is to give it pwer. so they odn't worship Satan, they believe in evil like demons which thye can summon with dark or black magic, but wicca, and most Pagan people dont' mess with that, that is Satanism stuff they (pagans ) have a pentagram, satans use the upside down pentagram.

AJ- as in response to the New Testement, Old Testement yes God is rathful, the Koran pictures him peacefull too,

because that would take a really long time, i'll write it up and then post it here when i have time, it'll be long though... but i will post it plus why post it here we aren't debating on if there is a God we are debating if religion is good or bad


i forgot to add smethig i hate it that some christian organizations won't help you unless you are christian. for instance some missionaries. oh we will help you... but there is a catch.. you must convert Christian, yes that's right totally kill you religion off, and your culture, you might as well be killing the person... because that whole culture is now gone... wiat... your not going to to turn Christian? well.. then i'll give my help to someone else... or they will help and make you feel guilty for not being Christian... "saving them" by killing off a culture and religion... it's sad

[Sage]

no pagans don't believe in Satan

Satanists don't believe in Satan. You're an idiot.

[jajaja]

Faith is believing in something without evidence. Since when did this become a good virtue? Science adjusts its views based on what is observed. Religion is the denial of observations so that faith can be preserved.

Of course, religion isn't all bad. But it HAS done much more harm than good. Just think of all the conflicts that wouldn't exist if there was no religion, from the ruthless battles in the Middle East to the child molesting scandal in the Catholic Church.

[jajaja]

i just can't help but think, if there was no religion in the world... .would there be more peace? since most of our wars revolve around religion.... would there be more peace? But then one must think wihtout God could a person be without godliness? Meaning a world of more corruption and more hate and war and violence? One can not but ponder on this.


This is an irritating misconception that I have heard too many times. You do not need religion to have morals. Being good from fear of the wrath of God is not sincere goodness. This is shallow at best. There are benefits to the atheist worldview. Life is valued, since this the only one we get. We don't wait for things to get better in another life. We take action now, because this really is our only chance. We live totally in the moment, since that is all there ever is. We want to benefit the world because it is a truly beautiful place filled with all sorts of amazing creatures. Morals are based on rational thought, not irrational gods.

Furthermore, religion is the leading cause of warfare. 9/11 would have never happened if there was no religion.

Why can't we just enjoy the garden without needing to believe that fairies live in the flowers?

[Peace God]

because that would take a really long time, i'll write it up and then post it here when i have time, it'll be long though...


Is it a riddle? An equation? How long could it honestly take?

[xdeviancex]

It's bad in most situations.
Crusades, Spanish Inquisitions, Suicide Bombings, Sacrifices and forcing beliefs into others.
I'd rather the world be free of organized religion.

[Dive to Survive]

hahaha you're too funny...you just defined the opposite of religion

Whatever they want is as in their religion. They dont have to beleive a single set of rules. They can believe in the religion that they choose.

This is why people talk down to you on this forum.

For what? Having beliefs?

Then what is a religion in your eyes?

To me, a religion is a belief that someone holds based on the nature of existence, life, and other things of a sort that explain how things are.

[Peace God]

Whatever they want is as in their religion. They dont have to beleive a single set of rules. They can believe in the religion that they choose.

People can believe whatever they want without religion. A religion only limits someone beliefs to specific things.

[dead]

To me, a religion is a belief that someone holds based on the nature of existence, life, and other things of a sort that explain how things are.

Well then Christianity to you must be a religion.

[Dive to Survive]

Well then Christianity to you must be a religion.

In a way. But its also a relationship with my Saviour

[dead]

In a way. But its also a relationship with my Saviour

To you.

[Sage]

In a way. But its also a relationship with my Saviour

Holier-than-thou semantics.

[Death]

A 'relationship with my saviour'? That's a bit arrogant, isn't it? A religion is a belief in said 'saviour', not actually having a 'relationship' with the saviour that obviously exists period (and yes, that last bit's sarcasm)!