Why is it taboo to criticize religion?

Question

For those of us who are not believers and observe violence provoked and policies shaped by religious convictions I find myself increasingly cynical and downright angry at all religion. I know i'm not alone here. However, people like myself are still reluctant to openly criticize the beliefs of religious people. Religion is afforded this odd respect that I no longer feel it deserves. I would like to see an increase in the dialogue seriously questioning a number of various religious beliefs and foundations. Hopefully, we'll see that happening more and more in the future. I don't feel that morality is dependent on religion in fact, i think religion may even obstruct it. To hell with all this silly religious nonsense!!

Answer 1

It's taboo cause church people are holy. At least they're holier than you, so what right do you have to criticize their beliefs?

Answer 2

I don't think it is taboo, just look at these Yahoo answers, you see religions get openly attacked here. I don't believe in any religion and I agree with you that morality is not dependent on religion and also think it has to be possible to question and criticize religions. However I also think religions deserve a certain respect, simply because it hurts people when what is holy for them gets insulted and also it is not justified to equate religion with violence. You wrote you would like an increase in serious dialogue and I don't see how it can help then to insult others. So, we should keep manners, don't use vulgar language when we speak about what is holy for others, and use serious arguments when we discuss with religious people.

Answer 3

What a great aticulate point of view!

To believe in a oranized religion, you have to completely divorce yourself of all logic and reason. I broke it down one day as I pondered a recent poll that over 50% of Americans prescribed to one dogma or another.

I think religion receives its reverence because of how its passed from one generation to the next from our parents and grandparents. I don't bash it in front of my mother because it will upset her.

The other reason is that "true believers" are a scary lot. When someone uses the circular argument of "faith" as their motivation or reason for believing in anything, there is no way to sway the argument. Religious zealots from every religious factions, have had murderous intentions throughout history for non-believers.

Organised religion is a brilliant manipulaion made up to calm the savage beast. They all believe that they have the magic answer. But which one is the true religion? Most people believe because their parents believed and their parents believed and so on and so forth.

Remember, people used to believe in Greek and Roman mythologies because at the time, they were the prevailing beliefs of the people. Now we call it mythology. Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddist, Hindu and all the other break-off factions of this organised dogma are the modern day version of mythology and one day people will look and have a laugh and say" did they really believe in that stuff"?

If you ask someone the question" do you believe in religion/"

It's like asking "where does Santa Claus park his reindeer after delivering all the worlds presents?" The 2 questions are the same..

Besides, it's just all about funny hats. The funnier the hat of any religious leader, the wackier the message.

Answer 4

The real reason is that religious belief can never by justified without faith, there can be no appeal to reason which leaves the whole thing on very shaky foundations, if you have firm reason for a belief you have no problem with it being questioned.

The Emperor has no clothes but you are always going to be unpopular if you point it out.

Answer 5

I can truly understand your reason for anger and disgrace that is increasingly becoming associated with religion.
As an advent church-goer I share your feelings of disgust. There are still a few of us left that are living right and praying hard for the ones doing wrong.
I am not going to bombard you with scriptures but some thought provoking questions and comments my alleviate your concern:
There are corrupt policemen would you call on them if you need help?
Politicians are bringing the level of morality and values down at an astounding rate, will you stop voting?
School violence is at an all time high if you had children will you stop them from going to school?
The food we eat are literally killing use (organic Spinach, pesticides, hormones, etc.) are you going to stop eating?
Sexual morality in the US is -0.0, it is almost obsolete (soon people my start having sex with animals), diseases are killing people are going to start or stop having sex?

The list of questions is innumerable....
This country was founded on principles from the Bible and a lot of them are done away with due to activists.

You are right about religion... it is the practice of performing something over and over with a sense of disassociation, but living a life based on religious principles is a lifestyle.
Do not let others' disgusting actions stop you from believing.

Answer 6

It is taboo because religion is dogma...a set of rules and expectation given to a people to guide their very souls by. It is taboo because many believe this dogma has been handed to man from some ineffable creative power in the universe.
It is taboo because people are afraid of breaking dogmatic covenants.

Yet, Faith is where we find tolerance and love. Faith is where we are able to look into the unknown and not be afraid. Faith is what would let us all be brother and sister regardless of conflicting dogma.

This is the trouble... Mankind's pride. We want to be right. Religious dogma gives us a pulpit from which to stand and proclaim our 'rightness' to the word. Yet...if we were truly faithful we could weather the storms of doubt from others and still respect their humanity.

When people get Angy about questioning religion...they are coming from a place of pride and not a place of faith...this is dangerous because all religions place the importance of glorifying God (Yahweh. Brahman, Allah, etc.) and the dangers of selfishness.

Faith is where we can all find our peace...religion will condemn us all.

Answer 7

Its not taboo, and religons have been critizied longer than time.
Its just that the Fanatics, use it as a reason to throw rocks, and go radical.....Bottom line, we need to nip it in the bud.

Check out CNN 24/7 the assholes constantly running amock in Iraq the fools have no direction, they want chaos....and the free money we been pumping over there...they say they want the us to pull out..thats a bunch of crap..they know if the us pulls out the money flow will sure slow to a stop...its all a ploy, they use religion to kill each other......they are fools.

Answer 8

ok, your so becouse one religion is bad your going to say that they are all bad? and you have to keep in mind that there are many people for every religion that are not following their religion and yet still saying that they are followers.

and about the morality thing... what are some of the things you are likely to find in a public high school? cussing, drugs, adultery, lying, and useless violince, becouse of my religion I beleave that all those things are totaly pointless and refuse to do them. so if obaying the U.S. law is imoral then I guess I'm one big idiot with a clean history and a good supply of genuine friends.

I'm not saying that criticizing is taboo, by all means, go ahead... becouse of my religion I know that it's unavoidable, and we can take anything you throw at us.

Answer 9

I think it is because people confuse 'religion' with 'spirituality'. A person's spirituality is an intensely personal, private part of his or her life. A person's religion is merely the public 'face' of that internal spirituality. Criticising a religion is fine, necessary even, but all too often this becomes entangled with attacks on spirituality, which is NOT alright, so people tend to avoid criticising religion in order to steer well clear of that pitfall.

Answer 10

I think what needs to happen is we need to voice that outside of yahoo answers. When we are made uncomfortable in situations, for example you're at a work party and the CEO says "Jesus is the reason for the season" we need to voice that it's disrespectful to people that are not Christian. When one always feels in the minority, if we began voicing our beliefs (since they have no problem voicing their's) maybe we can at least raise awareness that not everyone shares those beliefs.

Answer 11

I've asked similar questions several times, only to have them Y!Anked as "chatting".

The reason it's considered wrong to criticize religion, is because religious people are in the majority and don't want their beliefs questioned. They want to be pandered to. It's as simple as that.