Is organized relgion whether christian, heathon or pagan at the root of human problems ?

Question

And should not freedom of worship and right to beleive the way one chooses be of paramount importance rather than the concept of organized religion since some in the world feel it is a violation of human rights?

Answer 1

No religion should be forced upon others. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. It would be easier to live in society if people learned virtues (courtesy, respect, honesty, etc) regardless of their belief (or not) in God.

Best wishes.

Answer 2

there are those who feel alot of ways about alot of things. Martin Luther King, William Wilberforce ( ended slavery in England ), Abraham Lincoln, Washington and many others felt very strongly that their religous beliefs merited actions which have helped greatly in the human rights struggles. There are Christians and those in other religoins all over the world being killed simply because of who they worship. I think you should look into the examples pointing to organized religion violating others human rights. I will admit that those who want to manipulate others using religion in order to gain power/money/material goods is terrible and I can see why many hate that. I see religion as being about bringing others to God and letting Him change them - its and eye opening experience - not a way for others to gain followers.

Answer 3

do i think religion is the root of problems... no. i do hear a lot of people that believe in christian based religions praising god for their blessings and blaming him for their short comings though. religion use to be the only sence of law and rules. at one point in history (and PERHAPS) some people today, need to believe that living a fair/helpful life will reward them with heaven and bad deeds will send them to hell. i don't know what a heathon religion is... but pagan was the first religion and all others stemed from paganism. pagan religions are earth based. my problem with organized religion is that everyone is always trying to push their religion down EVERYONES throats with no respect for our feelings and personal beliefs. it shouldn't suprise me though, the bloodiest battles ever faught in the world were the catholics and protestants battling over who's religion was superior... imagine that MURDER (one of the original 10 laws/ commandments) in the name of god. hmmm. ANYHOW, organized religion is not really necessary, in my opinion. i feel i am PERFECTLY capable of being a good person, helping and giving to others less fortunate, in need, or in a crisis. i don't need the "threat" of heaven and hell in order to be the best person i can. i follow three personal rules:
1. harm no one
2. everything you do will come back 3 times fold
3. do unto others as you would have done onto you

those are the three principles that i live by and have taught my children. i do NOT push any religion on my kids. religion is personal... if i end up with a buddist son, a protestant son, a catholic son, and a wiccan daughter I WILL BE FINE with THEIR choices. religion is personal and i respect that everyone believes something different... AND, if there does end up being a heaven i really don't think they have a different heaven for each religion... do you? people just need to learn to respect one another and who cares what religion anyone is? NOT ME!

Answer 4

You got it partially right.

ORGANIZATIONS end up being evil, even though they may start out with the best of intentions.

We fall prey to the maxim that Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.

Religion, does, definately, fall into this catagory. Once upon a time all the Kings (leaders) and all the nations fell to the will of the Pope and sought salvation in the divestment of power brought about by the likes of Luther, Calvin and Wycliffe and the rise of the Proestant movement that decentralized and fragmented the power base of a "single" leader church, while still leaving intact the religious overtones that a nation could pledge allegences to.

Even the Marxists-Engels theorists fall prey to this concept as we see today in China, which turned from agrarian based, local level collective into a monsterous industrialized polluter that is now allientating the rural populations due to the strengths from the urban based central leadership.

Where once they terraced the mountains, rode bicycles by the millions they now seek out the great Western lifestyle brought about by the Industrial Revolution of Great Britan and the Technological revolution of America.

Charlie Chaplin's great work, "Modern Times," speaks of this.

Where once we were a world or artisans and apprentices we are now a world of out-sourced, globally, mass marketed plastic crusifixes. "Jesus loves you" in big letters on the front and "Made in China" stamped on the back in tiny letters. Billions and Billions served.

Organizations give us fishing fleets that go out by the hundreds and can wipe out a species in less than a decade, as the Bison can attest to in the United States.

A friend of mine basically "founded" a town in Alaska. He got one of those land grants, built himself a cabin, but is now the plumbing supply company for the town that grew around him. Where once he was probably miles and miles from a gas station, let alone a pay phone or running water toilet, today he's probably in walking distance from a McDonald's.

Of course, his locale now probably has alchol problems, sexual assaults, theift, burglary and possibly even murder. If not, it will by 2010.

Before all he had to worry about was the grizzle bears and Carabou!

As the organization gets bigger and people stop knowing each other on a personal basis by name and become just a number on a box (I knew a guy from Aukland and back in 1990 he told me all you had to do was put his name and the street down for mail, the postman knew him automatically, I wonder if Aukland is still that decentralized). Things get out of control, you start making rules to protect those which then step on others. Then you keep the peace by threat of violence.

Humanity falls prey to inhumanity.

This is the nature of ORGANIZATION growing beyond natural limits.

The days of tribal values, where each pulled their load and all provided, even for those who no longe could pull a load and banded together with other tribes for common good, trade of goods and defense when threatened by serious outside invaders, has long gone.

A confederation of hamlets is about as large as anything should get, least we fall prey to the nature of things.

Organizations that grow and grow become what are called monopolies. And when New York needs your house they Ement Domain it for a strip mall so some big business can get bigger by putting in a Registered Trademark location where once your kids swang in the yeard on their swing set.

Answer 5

You sound just like Carl Marx "Religion is the opiate of the people."
I do not believe it is the organized religion that causes those problems, however, it it the same division that is causing those splits in religions that is causing those problems. If there were more unity in the church, there would be more unity in the world, pretty simple

Answer 6

Money is the root of all evil, those organized religions with money gain power to create laws rooted in what they beilieve to be true based on their faith.

Answer 7

no, religion itself is not the root. The root is greed and desire for power over others.
Religion is just one of the vehicles.

Answer 8

Paqanism and heathenism are not organised religions. Please don't lump them in with money making belief scams.

Answer 9

no, but it does separate people and turn them against each other.

Answer 10

No ,it should be the salvation of humankind .