When it comes down to it.... Religion itself should be a sin.

[blacksamurai2]

I want you to think about everything you've been taught your life up until now. No matter how I see it, I just can't consider myself a christian when realizing this myself. Religion is a disease, a disease that will not die out. It has been crucial in many wars since the dawn of man.

Man was a more peaceful race when we were clueless morons, like babies fresh out the womb. Sure we could say that they're were murdering back then, but lets get to the point. When the first man came up with his own "epiphany" and use this idea and gave it to other men and women. Their came sacrifice's, wars, and more inhumane acts.

Look at the Christian God, Greek Gods,etc., look at how they are depicted at punishing us for a crime. These unbelievable acts are supposed to be justifiable? That is only cause we fear them that we would not speak out against them. Hell, one could even blame religion was a major cause of the Holocaust, and I would not say they are wrong.

Have you ever noticed that God has broken every Sin that he made for man to obey, how hypocritical of him! How dare he make these laws that are supposed to be followed accordingly and yet he breaks these rules continually and making his "creations" do the same under his influence?

What are your thoughts.

 

[MomentoMori]

I don't think religion in itself is bad. It's what people do with it (using as justification for hatred/intolerance/violence).

 

[Solar]

I suppose a human being with a single viewpoint and worldview filtered by his own life and timeframe would have a broader sense of morality, the grand scheme of things, etc. than a omnipotent being who has witnesses life through every living being since the dawn of existence

 

[tangerine]

While that was far from being phrased eloquently, it's true that Religion is a "disease". Religion is the most major obstacle in mankind's progress and as such it is a bad thing. Now, don't get me wrong; I don't think that Religion itself if all bad or that Religious people are automatically terrible. Religion does have positive points to pass-on to newer generations in the form of morals and ethics, after all. However, this can (it usually always does) come at the steep price of corrupting a person's mind and thought processes, effectively impeding progress, and it is hardly necessary for Religion to even be involved when teaching new and proper morals to a generation. Once Religion is completely abolished, then mankind will be much closer to reaching its true potential.

Don't bother replying the me if you're just going to give some religious reasoning and argument. This thread isn't about debating points within your religion nor is this thread in the Religion section. This is about whether Religion has (and had) a more positive or negative effect on the Human race.

 

[Et Cetera]

in my opinion, the only good qualities of religion are:
-Providing a code of ethics/set of rules (eg: ten commandments) that tells us what we should and shouldn't do
-Giving hope to people who really don't know where to turn
-Charity

Still, I think we'd be better off if people managed to include those three things in their lives without having to join a society of fanatics, hypocrites, and those especially annoying ones who would try to convert you.
I don't mean to offend anyone who is religious, I know not everyone is like that, but it only takes a few bad apples to spoil everyone's opinion about the bunch.

it is hardly necessary for Religion to even be involved when teaching new and proper morals to a generation.

I completely agree with this. Plenty of people are able to be genuinely good (even if they're not terribly generous and helpful, their at least not bad) without having to assign to whatever religion.

 

[_EX]

I don't think religion in itself is bad. It's what people do with it (using as justification for hatred/intolerance/violence).

Yeah. I agree. you cant blame the religion. It isnt like it says to do all of that specifically.

Most people look past some parts of the Bible because they dont like them, when listening to them would make the world better.

 

[MomentoMori]

but if you abolish religion that means you might be abolishing all the GOOD ethics and morals along with it and that might make us go into a never ending state of chaos and anarchy

I have to disagree with this. Being a religious person does not automatically make you a good person, just like being an atheist doesn't make you a bad person. A non-religious person can still have morals.

 

[Zarin I Yehudahi]

Religion is like a gun - it's not good or evil. It can however be used as a tool for good or evil.

 

[Eyesore]

I don't think religion in itself is bad. It's what people do with it (using as justification for hatred/intolerance/violence).

This.
I used to go to Chruch and met people that, from what I could see, were good people and much better off having Faith.

 

[Orion]

but if you abolish religion that means you might be abolishing all the GOOD ethics and morals along with it and that might make us go into a never ending state of chaos and anarchy

You're deluding yourself if you think 'good' morals extend only from religion.

Behaviour you would judge as 'moralistic' can be seen in animals. Morals aren't a product of religion, nor even a solely human attribute. Morals are developed as part of a social code of practice. Stealing food from a packmate is going to get you kicked out eventually, and impregnating another's mate will probably have you hunted down too.
'Maintaining morality' is baseless excuse to keep religion around, since morality is totally independent of religion. Religion is just (among many things) a way of maintaining a framework of specific morals.

In an atheistic society, laws and punishments for crime would still be maintained. Maybe if you suddenly took all religion away from people a millenium ago, the world might sink into anarchy. But we know that people can still be friendly and compassionate and a whole host of other attributes without having a lick of religion - or even spirituality - in them. But we don't live a thousand years in the past, and we don't need religion to maintain morality, so your point if invalid.

 

[Zarin I Yehudahi]

I personally believe people who are only good and moral because of their religion are pretty sick and stupid.

 

[Shamdeo]

Probably one of the most hamfisted attempts at passing off a shitty rant against religion as intelligent discussion I've seen on this forum.

Not feeling up to dignifying OP with a response.

 

[Orion]

I personally believe people who are only good and moral because of their religion are pretty sick and stupid.

I hadn't thought about this before. If someone really needs such a musical, moth-eaten brocade to possess any trace of morality or sense of goodness, it says a lot about the person. Possibly about humanity in general. Shame on some of us (and all of us for letting it be possible) for letting others be so weak that they need religion to completely define their own 'goodness'.

 

[Cheaken]

Well religion is dangerous because it spreads easily, like disease, and it makes you think there is such thing as evil people, which is really one of the most evil things religion can do.

 

[Orion]

You know, if people didn't have the tendency to take their beliefs to the extreme and use it to justify normally unjustifiable behaviour, I wouldn't even entertain the thought of attempting to clamp down on or discourage any religion. As it stands, I don't think religion is something that needs to be removed, but I think the development of extremists is something to be avoided for all religions.

 

[Solar]

What scares me is people confusing "religious" with "fundamentalist"

As it is, the world's major religions are quite peaceful and some spiritual and if they were followed better then the world would be a better place.

All the religious people in my life are also the most intelligent and wisest I've met, so this whole notion of "religious"="idiocy" is disturbing to me.

 

[Forever Atlas]

Really?

I wouldn't even know where to start with replying to this topic. There have been many similar topics that I have no problem discussing, but the way this one was passed off- I'm with Sham on this one, maybe I just wont even grace it with a direct reply. I'll see where the thread goes and then maybe I'll add my two cents. But other than that, forum insanity maybe?

 

[Infest]

Well religion is dangerous because it spreads easily, like disease, and it makes you think there is such thing as evil people, which is really one of the most evil things religion can do.

I don't think I can agree with you more. If I could, a black hole would appear in my living room. Religion is false. Everyone is entitled to their own aspect of how they should "live their life" and by what "values" they need to live with. To think there is more than one religion in the world, you can't choose or even state which one is true and which ones are false. Remember the Crusades? That really threw a dent onto Christianity. Anyone can come up with bogus ideas and "laws" from religion to control the minds of the population. But I digress really. If you feel that believing in a certain religion makes your life better, than by all means, so do. I'm not putting anyone down for it - I'm just saying that religion holds false promises in the end. -awaits to be flamed somehow-

 

[Eric]

I don't think I can agree with you more. If I could, a black hole would appear in my living room. Religion is false. Everyone is entitled to their own aspect of how they should "live their life" and by what "values" they need to live with. To think there is more than one religion in the world, you can't choose or even state which one is true and which ones are false. Remember the Crusades? That really threw a dent onto Christianity. Anyone can come up with bogus ideas and "laws" from religion to control the minds of the population. But I digress really. If you feel that believing in a certain religion makes your life better, than by all means, so do. I'm not putting anyone down for it - I'm just saying that religion holds false promises in the end. -awaits to be flamed somehow-

Care to expand on that?

 

[Orion]

Care to expand on that?

inb4 science vs religion shitstorm