What benefit does religion have in this lifetime?

Question

I'm looking for answers from both religious and non-religious people about the benefits of leading a religious life, but answers about the afterlife or about an alternate reality won't help me. What does religion do for you?

Answer 1

it makes it easy to point at people and blame them They are a (blank) so they are bad

Answer 2

I'm 30 years old and have just recently(within the last couple of months) started reading about Christianity. I still don't feel comfortable with many of the ideas(God, Jesus, etc) but the one thing I've found is that when I try to be a better person, I feel better. There's a mean woman at my work who was sad today because of a family issue. I bought her a card that said I was sorry she's sad and I understand. 3 months ago I never would have done that. But now I know I helped someone's day get better.
So I guess my answer is - if you strive to be a better person, you feel better about it.
I also occasionally practice witchcraft, and have identified myself with it for almost 20 years. I feel that whenever you decide to take the lead in your life and ask for guidance(by doing spells in witchcraft or praying in other religions) you feel better because you're not just sitting back and letting everything happen.

Answer 3

a person needs mental health physical health and spiritual health.Balance
Now the term religion is very broad. One of the most spiritual people I have met was an atheist. and some of the most spiritual people i know are members of religions. Religion focuses the mind through ritual to help one be spiritual. This discipline helps them mentally and physically.
Truth is truth only the sages change, If you look for truth you will find it in religion. If your looking for an argument you will find it in religion too. The choice is yours.
Religion requires spirituality, spirituality does not require religion.
Religion is an exec lent vehicle for Balance.
Religion is also an excellent way to help others through charity. If I want to feel good the best way I know is to help others our church helps the poor sells free trade goods helps sick kids. Ill tell you there is no greater joy than seeing a hungry child fed. IF you want to leave the theology from the books alone you wont need it if you just feed a child that's theology enough.

Answer 4

I believe that religion has fueled much of our intolerance of each other. Religion teaches prejudice and non-acceptance of anyone that does not believe the particular "faith" being discussed by the believer. It promotes narrow-mindedness to scientific fact and theory when religion itself is nothing more than a theory itself, with no proof to support it. All religions claim to be the "true" religion, yet none can prove the claim. And "faith" is not proof.
If all religions (with the exception of Buddhism, which teaches acceptance of all people and their beliefs and is one of the very few beliefs that is anti-violent) would merely modify and make modern it's teachings to promote tolerance and acceptance, we wouldn't see many of the atrocities being committed against each other today. The way most religious teachings are worded, they open doors to different interpretations. And when you get different views, you get conflict. Sometimes you get extremists that either distort an interpretation to cause civil unrest, of the text itself promotes violence.
Any religious text that promotes violence is wrong.
With the exceptions of those few religions that embrace all regardless of belief, living a religious life is not beneficial to society. It is actually dangerous if taken to an extremist's level.

Knowledge and truth are best sources for seeking the way to lead your life. Good luck with your search.

Answer 5

No and nothing, respectively. Essentially, if you think about it on a wide sweeping scale, everything that is wrong in the world now has roots in religion. Middle East tensions, racism and hatred here in America. Religion serves no logical purpose in this new age where science can answer the questions that mythology and superstition answered before.

The best key to life is living it in a way that best suits you and makes you happy without harming others. IMHO.

Answer 6

By "religious life" you may mean that you live life according to the will of God. In my religion, that means living life by obeying the commandments and studying the teachings of Jesus so that you can learn how God wants you to live. Without that guidance, life is not meaningfull in my view.
I've studied science most of my life and enjoy learning about things. Learning about God is interesting and fullfilling to me just like studying physics or other sciences. The more I learn, the more it all makes sense to me.
Leading a life guided by God's word has made me much happier than when I did not do so.

Answer 7

Lead your life according to the commands of our Creator God which will benefit is that religion makes one a better person who respect all God's creation and treat them with love.

Answer 8

There is a difference between spirituality and religion (however, you can be both). Spirituality has helped me in my connections to other people and the earth. It has helped me be less ego-centric and more willing to give back to my friends and family. Basically, it has given me serenity in my quest for the meaning of life surrounding my existential anxiety.

Answer 9

Free stuff from churches. Hasn't anybody figured that out yet? People are joining churches just to get food and childcare instead of welfare. Not a bad idea really. Most of us are starving!

Answer 10

I think that it provides a community atmosphere for those and a sense of hope, where otherwise there might be loneliness and hopelessness. Sometimes it is a last resort for the desperate.

Answer 11

Population Control. Im a Pagan but not that dedicated in worshipping Gods and Goddesses. however if someone steps on my toes they lose a few themselves.