Has religion been a positve force for the human family or a negative one?

Answer 1

It depends....

Religion does encourage people to aspire to higher values of love of self and others, to maintain ethical values, to work towards a just society, etc.

A recent study, however, links the incidence of homicide to nations with the highest levels of religion, while secular nations have lower rates.

As the article below indicates, it is not so much the presence of religion that is the problem, but more the rise of extremely polarized, black and white views that are absolutist in nature.

So, some levels of religion are a very good thing, but extremes and absolutes seem to be a significant factor in the rise in violence in the world.

Answer 2

Totally negative because it breaks appart people into different groups and teaches love for the similar and contempt for the different which will never allow for peaceful relations. It has also delayed scientific progress so that the christian cult wont be offended. Sorry sweetie we had to progress some day, putting people in jail is a little more humane than crucifying

Answer 3

No family is perfect, mine is not an exception, but because we are a religious family, we rely on our Faith to guide us in dealing with one another, and a support for when we are just fed up with each other. My family went to church every day when I was in High School, and knowing that my parents and my brothers and sisters were praying for me, and they knew that I was praying for them, so no matter how many hardships, and no matter how snotty I had been I knew that we were united in God's love. God's love is unconditional and with him help our human love can be unconditional and selfless, that is why I think religion has a positive force on the human family.

Answer 4

Positive.

Answer 5

The CORRUPTION of religion has been an immensely negative force since the beginning of time (yes in the Garden of Eden...). The pure and unaltered Gospel of Jesus Christ will lead to only peace, if men don't let their egos and opinions get in the way!

Answer 6

Negative. A lot of wars in history were fought over religion.

Answer 7

religion can be looked at from both views. And it really works on a person to person basis. In most cases, we all go to church as a family unit because of the enthusiasm of one or two people. (typically the mother and father). In the general case, yes it can be a positive force because it creates a physical manifestation of "community wiht others" However most people have their skeletons in the closet and many still visit the house of God. There can also be an equally likely chance that your child may score drugs from a fellow church goer, find sexual fullfillment from another member in the church, or commit an entire range of sins that violate the basic guidelines of ethics. And the whole idea of church appeals to certain people going through their stages. (That would explain why someone who didn't like church at one point appreciated it later). However in my case I believe in faith without the need to attend church or associate myself with others who congregate in similar affiliation; prayer for blessing, for help, and for forgiveness are the only tools that you will need from what christianity teaches. However in reality to belive in God is enough since the prayers are always met with the passage of time. The vehicle of religion is an organized effort to incite faith in the beilef of a greater force at work. It also allows people people to see a physical metaphor of how we relate with God. When we goto church we add to the collective that summated together all equate to God. AKA: church proves that God is everything and everyone and when we leave church God is still everything and part of us.

No matter how you look at it, negative and positive people will go to church. What america needs to realize is that churches have become a big money maker in this country. What if your husband was a believer but didn't want to go to church unless for something special. If you were religous and enjoyed going but really loved your husband, would you end your marriage? Learn to accept his prefrence and go by yourself. This negative all or nothing message needs to be eradicated and we as a people need to accept that true samaratins would go to church whenever they desired (not every sunday) and be unbiased towards people of any skin color, homosexual , ex-fellon, diseased, substance abusing, jerk-like people in an equal light and proctect yourself for everything.

Answer 8

Both.

However, you should distinguish between organized religion and individual religion. Religion "way of life" offers man an expression of his/her beliefs. Structure religion offer the individual a place to share his/her beliefs, and it offers the individual a mechanism to find his/her beliefs.

Whatever the belief, you will find either an organized group or an splitter group. Man search for meaning begins with belief and continues with practice.

Answer 9

both:
negative because it provokes war and global unrest due to the lack of understanding that you can't force a religion upon the vulnerable.
and positive because in times of need, people know there's a higher power watching over them. that's always comforting.

Answer 10

its actually alot less in the family as it used to be 20 or 30 years ago. since its two income families, everything is fast paced, we take off the weekends to get away. its not like it used to be as i call it one hour a week christain. the rest of the time i see them doing things you shouldn't be doing.