Is Religion a Bad thing?

[THEHOOLIGANJEDI]

Personally I think it's good to have some spirtuality in ones life. While I do believe in God, I find that many religions are not good b/c of the people who try to interpret it to the followers such as myself, but to serve their own etreme agenda and not the good of the people and humankind. *cough* Jerry Falwell*cough* Does this mean Religion is a bad thing, I think not, but the Religious leaders of the world are what make religion a bad thing, and not necessarily the religion itself.

[Mr Bean]

A religion born in hate and Genocide can never be *a good thing

Religion is not bad, Though I generaly don't like Religion, finding fault with things like native american spirtualism
At least those that don't involve killing me or others to appese the gods

Likewise Buddism and Taosim I can find little fault with and some of my best friends happen to be Zen Buddists

But Chrisitanity/Judism/Islam

No... A religion born in hate and blood should not stand

[Darth Wong]

It depends on how you define "religion". As Albert Einstein defined it, religion was any set of values not based on pure empiricism, which is to say all systems of morality become religions. Using his definition, religion can be good or it can be bad.

But as some of the more close-minded Judeo-Christians define it, a religion must have dogma, scriptures, sentient deities, and rules (in short, a "real" religion must be like our religion). By that definition, religion is a bad thing.

Dogma is a bad thing because it is the natural enemy of critical thought. Scriptures are a bad thing, because they are appeals to authority. Rules based on faith are a bad thing, unless it is understood that they apply to no one but yourself.

[NecronLord]

It depends on how you define "religion". As Albert Einstein defined it, religion was any set of values not based on pure empiricism, which is to say all systems of morality become religions. Using his definition, religion can be good or it can be bad.

But as some of the more close-minded Judeo-Christians define it, a religion must have dogma, scriptures, sentient deities, and rules (in short, a "real" religion must be like our religion). By that definition, religion is a bad thing.

Dogma is a bad thing because it is the natural enemy of critical thought. Scriptures are a bad thing, because they are appeals to authority. Rules based on faith are a bad thing, unless it is understood that they apply to no one but yourself.

If I write a scripture and utter some dogma, will anyone worship me?

I created the world an ato-second before beginning to write this, and implanted all your memories. disprove

[Solid Snake]

If I write a scripture and utter some dogma, will anyone worship me?

I created the world an ato-second before beginning to write this, and implanted all your memories. disprove

Because i created you, and i implanted your memories of doing that!

[Mr Bean]

I'm sorry niether solution is ironic enough therfore it did not happen

So sayith the Bean

[NecronLord]

nonsense, I implanted your memories of irony.

[Mr Bean]

Ahh but why then did you implant a memory of a large piano falling on you as you go outside to get the paper

And why do I see on local TV that your in critical condition?

[NecronLord]

You don't your hallucinating again.

[C.S.Strowbridge]

It depends on how you define "religion".

<SNIP!>

But as some of the more close-minded Judeo-Christians define it, a religion must have dogma, scriptures, sentient deities, and rules (in short, a "real" religion must be like our religion). By that definition, religion is a bad thing.

I think Dogma is essential to any religion. Without Dogma what seperates a religion from a philosophy?

[Mr Bean]

You don't your hallucinating again.

One thing I never do is Hallucinate
Even that time when it was 109 at the Grand Canyon for six hours I was out there hiking along I did not fall into heat-stroke

Oh and shall I prove I'm not hallcinating by busting you back to newbie?

[NecronLord]

feel free,

but you'd only look stupid by doing so

[NecronLord]

how would that prove anything anyway?

[Darth Wong]

I think Dogma is essential to any religion. Without Dogma what seperates a religion from a philosophy?

Nothing. The best religions do tend to be highly philosophical in nature (eg- Buddhism). The worst ones are so wrapped up in their dogma that they actively suppress critical thought.

[Tosho]

Some religions are good, some are bad. Personly I stay away from revealed religion and stick with good ol' Deism.

[Evil Jerk]

Dogma is simply a means of control, that can never be good because it holds people back and turns them into bigotted creeps.

I think some religions are good, being a set of philosophies that doesn't harm anybody who doesn't subsribe to them, but any religion that grasps on to it's followers with things like "do this or [insert divine punishment here]" or "harass, bully and kill anybody who doesn't think exactly like you" is crass, stupid and should be wiped out by carpet bombing.

[haas mark]

And what about paganism? WHich simply discourages organized religion...

[IronicTwist]

It's not fair to condemn an entire system of belief because of some bad examples. All intentions, no matter how good, can be perverted into something evil. I'm sure a sufficiently creative and charismatic person could convince a sufficiently gullible person to start a Zen Buddhist jihad. That doesn't mean that Zen Buddhism is inherently flawed or evil.

[Mr Bean]

All intentions, no matter how good, can be perverted into something evil. I'm sure a sufficiently creative and charismatic person could convince a sufficiently gullible person to start a Zen Buddhist jihad. That doesn't mean that Zen Buddhism is inherently flawed or evil.

Except...

All three religions, Judasim, Chrisitanity, and Islam PROVIDED for going out and kill who you want, people say well its not the Tora/Bible/Koran's Fault but the fact is there are passegs in there SPECFICLY for things like Holy War and such

Islam out right provides for Holy War while Judism and Chrisitanity shar verises commanding people to kill all non-belivers as does Islam

There are not such things in Buddism and Taosim, I leave out Hindis as that religion is so fragmented anything can be justfied for anyone due to the rampent contradictions and self basies of the religion

You point is flawed, We have had over two thousand years of these religions, Some of them in places where other of the violent religions(Islam and Co, and Hindiusm) have raged great bloody wars aginst each other while other religions such as Taosim, and Buddism have sat on the side-lines and refused to fight

[Jack Lain]

Religion also provides for a sense of community and belonging. So as such is not necessarily wrong. Unless one wishes to counter with Jim Jones.

Over all religions have provided money and care for the sick and the poor. They have provided a way for the common man to show compassion for others and created a center of meeting and discussion. If you look at individual instances throughout history you can attribute atrocious acts to almost all the religions. This does not allow for the contribution that many of them have made however. They have all made contributions to the betterment of humanity as well.

I would agree though, that dogma, when taken to its extreme that it loses its humanism, is wrong (or to be ironic, is evil). This shows the loss of the teachings of the religion being examined and allows for bad things to be committed. The dogmatic religions become more infatuated with the carrying out of the acts that show compassion than actually being compassionate. We see a lot of this type of behavior in America. Until the leader of the cult is caught screwing some 18 year old and cries on his T.V. series, begging for forgiveness.

Religion is not bad by itself. But like many things, it can be corrupted for bad purposes. This automatically destroys the message that the religion was originally preaching. Inquisition, jihad, ignorance of science, racism and coercion, to name a few.

So is it inherently bad? No.

Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. <-- Nothing wrong with that statement, whether you interpret in a religious light or simply abide by it in every day life. Religion serves both its original purpose and its unintended purpose. It is up to the logical man to decide where the separation occurs, between the preaching and the practice. And act accordingly.

[weemadando]

And what about paganism? WHich simply discourages organized religion...

Actually paganism depending on what variant you are referring to can be a VERY organised religion, they merely lack the monotheistic and church-defined ideals of western christianity leading to these generalisations.

[lgot]

religion is just one more cultural product of human societies. Human societies can be evil or good. Religion is just nothing, a pale reflex of a society.

[Jack Lain]

Religion or dogmatic belief has lead to some of the most tragic and beneficial events in human history.

How can you write it off as a nothing?

Look at the world trade center you!

[Jack Lain]

And how do you counter the fact that many of today's religions are the society? Defined and accepted as the society?

I am so tempted to let you have it.

Culture is defined as religious beliefs in many lands today.

[Darth Yoshi]

Religion isn't a bad thing. It's just when asses start trying to convert (JW's) or when they encourage lousy ethics that it gets tiresome.