Is religion truly a bad thing?

Question

I, myself am an atheist, but I do not necessarily have a problem with religion. After all, it was what shaped the morals for this country (USA). I am against those who try to convert others and are very extreme and try to bash down others religious beliefs. What do you think?

Lady Di..if you're a Christian..that might be the most hypocritical thing ever said.

aimoooon, I never said anything about God, or Allah or anything like that. I said that religion shaped the morals of America. I also never said it was a bad thing, for you misread my question. I have pros and cons for religion, but I did not choose a side entirely.

Answer 1

religion is not a bad thing. I think its important to have faith...and just because YOU are an atheist, doesn'rt mean you lack faith. It may be in science/evolution, randon ocurance, etc, but i'm sure you have faith in something. What is bad is taking that faith and following it as an "absolute". Religion is "blind" faith, and to have blind faith requires a certin amout of open minded intelligence that what you believ in could be wrong. People who don't have this open mindedness are extremeists and THAT is a bad thing. These are the people that flew the planes into the World Trade Center and blow themselves up in the name of their God. And its not just Muslims either. Christians, Jews, Buddists...all of them have extremists. I think its better to have ideas about your faith rather than beliefs. Beliefs are concrete and harder to change. Ideas welcome open thoughts to other ideas.

Answer 2

Religion can be. I am religious and I would never try to convert any one. I don't have an issue talking about my religion with others, but they have to bring it up first. Anyone who trys to push their beliefs on others is just border-line retarded. I think whenever anything is pushed to the extreme it is bad, not just religion. The crusades, Spanish Inquistion are good examples of this. But then again it is important to realize not all people who are religious are radicals. My boyfriend is not an atheist, but...well he has his own views on religion and God. But we agree on a lot of things as far as religion go. We have the most interesting conversations. I think religion can be bad but it can also be very good. When it teaches children to have morals and values I think even the strongest atheist can agree it is beneficial.

Answer 3

Religion in itself is not a bad thing, as it does lay a moral foundation and rules to live by. The vast majority of religions encourage community support, charity towards those in need, respect of others, and much more. Those are worthwhile values to teach.

The problem is when people use religion as an excuse to justify their hatred of others, thus branching off into extremism. This is where terrorists and religious-based wars come into play. Fortunately, the extremists are a small minority.

Answer 4

I think it is religion that actually separates people from the god source. It is a wall of separation that only gives some glimpses of hope and truth. I would agree that religion has done a lot of good things for individuals and at times for society. But I would use the same arguement to say that alcohol is a good thing because it relaxes people and helps them to have a good time. It would not be honest to just ignore all the negative things that religion, like alcohol, has been responsible for in modern society and in history.

Answer 5

As a Christian I can say that a religion can be a very bad thing. With religion things can grow corrupt, greedy, murderous, deceitful, and perhaps worse than anything the rest of the world can throw at you.

However, being a member of a Faith, is better. With faith, things are more pure, holy, and honest. The Christian faith is what started out by Jesus, the son of God. It was mankind that created religions, and its variable denominations.

you practice a religion. You LIVE a faith. Whether it be Christianity, Islam, Judaism.

I do not practice Christianity. I live in the Christan Faith.

Answer 6

ITS NOT about converting other religions, it s about spreading THE ONLY and one and only word of God. Most religions will tell you its "theirs" that is the ONE religion that is right about the word of God. HOwever there is only one way that can be followed, the word of God written in the Scriptures by the original old prophets and written by Jesus after his coming the first time.
If a religion can trully stick to the dogma, commandments and all that God asks of humans following the Bible precisely (not as many religions form their own precepts and concepts and make up new sects) there would be no problems. Howsever many people have taken it upon their hands that they rewrite all in their heads and make a mockery out of a trully Sacred concept of WHAT IS.

The one church that embraces much down to the very first apostles, its called a Universal church, meaning all people can go to it, do you know what church that is? or religion?
Its the one that has most people in it, and no its not Islam.

Jesus said in the latter days false prophets would spring up everywhere. Beware.
Only those who have preserved the lineage and word of God as IT IS can be considered the faithful and though still sinful will be granted with God's rewards. which are? everlasting life.

If you saw that a colleague at work didnt stick by the rules of yr company and your company was about to break apart bc of it, and you saw all the things they were doing wrong according to your company's rules, would you not try to stop the evil workers trying to tear down yr buildign,yr company, yr livelihood?

Most religions claim that they are "the" one. But trully I say unto you"there is only one way to salvation" and only one set of 66 books writen by over 40 men along and over 2000yrs and all prophecies have come true or most of them , just leaving the ones that are to come as prophecies yet to come true.
Jesus left precise instructions to His apostles on Peter, he left HIS ROCK for which to found a true Church of Christ.
church means "temple" a temple means also "a group of people that form and continue the word of Christ and God's through the gospel.
Christ means:
The word Christ, Christos, the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Messias, means "anointed." According to the Old Law, priests (Exodus 29:29; Leviticus 4:3), kings (1 Samuel 10:1; 24:7), and prophets (Isaiah 61:1) were supposed to be anointed for their respective offices; now, the Christ, or the Messias, combined this threefold dignity in His Person. It is not surprising, therefore, that for centuries the Jews had referred to their expected Deliverer as "the Anointed"; perhaps this designation alludes to Isaias 61:1, and Daniel 9:24-26, or even to Psalms 2:2; 19:7; 44:8. Thus the term Christ or Messias was a title rather than a proper name: "Non proprium nomen est, sed nuncupatio potestatis et regni", says Lactantius (Inst. Div., IV, vii).

CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH
THE TEMPLE MADE OF PEOPLE FOR THE MESSIAH
THE PEOPLE FOR CHRIST

A church is only a symbol, its not precisely the walls and choirs in a building at all, its the PEOPLE who are making up the group revering the messiah.

Jesus means the anointed. Christ the messiah.

If one can follow His dogma and the Bible precisely and understood and lead a way and life that is according to it, that
s yr religion...

there is amassive confusion about religions, church and Christ or other.
If one is far from what i said herein, one is in the wrong religion or even without it, the thinking is wrong. Though and faith are two different things

ITS PEOPLE THAT ARE TEH BAD THING
AND MAKE A MOCKERY AND THEN SOME OF ALL THAT IS.

Answer 7

sure. If i became a Christian i'd say Islam is a nasty aspect. Why? because any conception that calls for dedication and willed lack of expertise in the course of information and moral correctness is a nasty aspect. I also ensue to imagine reality is a good aspect inspite of what you income or lose. notwithstanding, I gained't deny that many good issues have happened contained in the call of religion, yet all those good issues can ensue with out the religion banner.

Answer 8

MOST CONFUSE RELIGION WITH BELIEF/FAITH. RELIGION ITSELF WHEN DESCRIBED CORRECTLY IS A BAD THING, AS IT TENDS TO BECOME THE FOCAL POINT. THE RELIGIOUS CAN BE PRETTY EXTREME BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN TAUGHT THAT THERE IS A CERTAIN WAY TO DO THINGS AT A CERTAIN TIME. ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT IS A CRIME. FAITH/BELIEF IS WHAT SHOULD DRIVE CHRISTIANS. THIS MEANS THAT WE FOLLOW WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS. I DON'T RECALL CHRIST OR ANY OF HIS FOLLOWERS HAVING MUCH LUCK WITH THOSE THEY "BASHED". I APOLOGIZE TO YOU FOR ANY BASHING THAT YOU MAY RECIEVE FOR THIS QUESTION. I AM A CHRISTIAN WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IN RELIGION BECAUSE IT WAS RELIGION THAT KEPT ME FROM REALLY KNOWING WHO GOD IS.

Answer 9

Personal "religion" is only belief.
Organized religion has other priorities and is both good and evil.
History is my witness.

Jesus taught a world forgiveness and love.
A new idea at the time.
His followers brought about the Crusades and the Inquisition.
Good AND Evil.

Answer 10

I look at religions much like I look at labor unions. They served a useful initial purpose but cannot avoid becoming self-serving and corrupt the longer they exist.