Question for religious and non-religious people?

Question

As much debating that goes on here I thought of a few interesting questions. So...

1. Religious or non-religious, not debating on who is right or wrong; are you glad that there are other religions/non-religions then your own? Why or why not?

2. Do you think having other religions/non-religions around helps to make your beliefs stronger? Mostly looking at the fact that debating makes a person look at their beliefs harder to defend it?

3. If your religious or non-religious beliefs were the only one what would be the pros and/or cons of that?

Answer 1

1. I'm an atheist, and yes, I'm glad there are other beliefs out there. Everyone has a right to believe as they choose and it's all just humanity's collective brainstorming trying to answer the unknown. Some of us disbelieve and try to work through science, others go a more mystical and spiritual route. Nobody knows who's right yet, so we're all still just collectively brainstorming until we figure it out. :)

2. Yup, it does. I had a lot of arguements with my family, which made me look hard in an attempt to follow the beliefs they instilled in me. Even when that failed, I still look within myself and my thoughts, fix where I'm wrong, and hold onto where I'm right. I came on here for some further answers, to see what other people thought, both in my situation and otherwise. I have asked a few questions that I couldn't ask my family without sparking a fight that have been answered quite insightfully.

Most of the time, the debates just reaffirm my nonbelief. But sometimes, I learn something I didn't know about my former faith, or even about other faiths, and my perspective changes, if slightly. Sometimes it further cements my nonbelief, sometimes it changes something I thought before. And I'm fine with that. That's what I'm here for, to learn both about myself and others.

3. Well, the pro is that everyone would be the same faith, the arguements would stop, people could focus on what's important instead of arguing about religion.

However, the downside is that people will still find things to fight about, even amongst our nonbelief(like if it's ok to believe in an afterlife or if death is nothingness, for example), and even if not, there's still race, culture, sex, pretty much anything, even if religion was taken away.

There would also be no balance in terms of religion. I hold the belief that you can't have belief without disbelief(among other paradoxes of life, like peace without war, love without hate, light without darkness, you get the idea...) so if everyone were atheists, there'd be no believers, and thusly no balance. You wouldn't have that flip side of the coin so that would be pretty boring to have no counterpoint.

I could also make a bit of a comment about the sameness of it all, sort of everyone being sheep religiously if they all believed the same thing instead of thinking for themselves. And before anyone gets upset, NO, this is NOT a comment aimed at any religion in particular. Sheesh. It's a general statement about if everyone acted the same, it's that sort of sheep/herd sort of mentality. Doesn't matter if we all believed or disbelieved, if we all thought the same, it'd be pretty darn boring and uninteresting.

I'd personally rather seek a balance between belief and disbelief rather than trying to have one or the other become the "only" thing in the world. It just won't happen in my opinion because there's always going to be believers of something and people who don't believe. We just have to accept that and find some way to coexist without irritating each other to death.

Answer 2

1) I'm glad there is a variety of religions, it shows that people are actually capable of independent thought. Instead of blindly following the single thoughts and beliefs of one human and accept what s/he says is truth, they question, they challenge, they discover and get a step closer to the knowledge and wisdom of "universal" truth.

2) Having a variety of religions does not make people's beliefs stronger it weakens it. The existence of more than one religion is a clear, obvious sign that their own religion is not the "universal truth" because everyone would believe the EXACT SAME THING if it were.

Because people cannot use logic to accept the fact that everyone has different beliefs, they give into their fear and try to oppress, convert, or kill all those that do not believe EXACTLY as they do. Its the reason why Hitler & the Nazi party attempted to exterminate jews, homosexuals, mentally-ill, and non-arian races. Its why Christians held the Inquisition, burned witches, are against all forms of abortion, against gay marriage, for prayer in public school, for putting the 10 commandments on public property. It's why Al Qaeda resorts to terrorism to attack western culture and why the Dali Lama can't step foot into China.

3) If my religion were the only religion the cons are that cruelty, violence, and evil cannot be eliminated because there will always be a small group of ignorant and unenlightened people. The pros are that those that become enlightened will gain a true connection to the universe and be at peace with the reality of its true nature. The majority of people will live truely enjoyable lives because they continue to learn, adapt, and make an effort to understand all things and people they experience. The ignorant fools that cling only to a limited view of the universe (only technology, only nature, only one race is superior, only one species is superior, only one book of philosophy has truth, only money/possesions matter, etc.) will suffer because they fail to connect to the universe, without learning, without trying to understand the things and people they encounter in their life.

Answer 3

Hey you asked 3... What religion are you, because you are cheating the Y!A system out of being charged the extra 20 pts.

1. I would like to quell other religions that use illogical arguments similar to Creationism. I think it only holds us back as a cognitive soceity.

2. I feel like soceity is moving forward when I hear someone else give a fantastic quote from Carl Sagan or Richard Dawkins.

3. Pro - Soceity would be more focused on making the world better. Esp in poor countries where religous Fundamentalism is rampant.
Cons - well, a unified belief system is statistically improbable.

Answer 4

Of course I'm glad that there are those who believe differently than I. If we were all the same, wouldn't it get a bit boring? There are many religions because there are many different experiences and ways of being on this little marble we live on. We can't all fit into a single faith paradigm.

Having other religions or non-religions around causes me to examine more closely what exactly it is that I believe. Homogenity breeds complacency. It is like having an inherited faith, something handed down which one never questions. It is in questioning that we find what we truly believe.

I think I answered the third question with the second.

Answer 5

1 Im glad there are non religious groups since if everyone was religious i could be killed for not believing unless they are buddhist the only good religion.

2 Yes disasters,wars, etc really told me the truth of what happens and proving there is no god.

3 Atheist

pros
Not fenced by some ridiculous rules made 3000 years ago
Wont be attacked by a specfic religious group for beliving in something which is not theres.

cons
If your in america people will be biast luckily im not :D
If your in Iran,saudia arabia, you'll probly be killed if someone found out

Answer 6

1. Well, since I'm an atheist, I see religion as a kind of mass delusion or hallucination. So no, I'm not happy to see so many afflicted, no matter what the particular story is.

2. No, other religions just tend to fight each other and try to tell me what to do. I'd be happier if they went away.

3. Peace on earth?

Answer 7

1. I am thankful that there are other religions in this world. It gives people hope and faith in thier lives. Who is to say who is right or wrong in this world. If it works for them, then I say more power to you.

2. Yes, I think having other religions around does in fact strengthen my religion. I question theirs and they question mine. I can decide what is right for me. I have friends that are Muslim and Hindu and we always talk about religion.

3. I think a pro for having a religion is you have faith and there is always hope in this world. There is also explanations for events that are happening that religion can answer. A con of having a religon is that some people push people too hard and hinder their friendships with them just based on religion.

Answer 8

I don't think of 'my' religion versus 'other' religions. I prefer to believe that there is one God who goes by many names. I prefer to have my own personal relationship with Him, and I don't subscribe to ANY organised group who try to tell me how I should act or think. My God is everything and everytwhere, and if He wants to get a message to me, I think He knows how to do it. I don't need anyone else's interpretation.

I think if everyone felt the same way I do, then there wouldn't be people in powerful, controlling situations, disguising themselves as 'men of God', getting rich or powerful, going to wars, or misusing the trust people place in them.

If everyone felt the way I do, we would all listen to and trust that quiet voice in our hearts. We would feel the warm, comforting kindness when we need it.

The con is that probably people would reorganise themselves into some other group. It's a bit like Dr Seuss' sneetches.

Great questions. I enjoyed thinking about them. Thanks for asking.

Answer 9

To answer everything - In order for our civilization to advance, we must accomplish many things - one of which is for everyone to understand that religion is pointless, a truly advanced race would take religion as serious as Santa Claus. The pro here is to advance in the universe, maybe when that happens other civilizations many contact us...

Answer 10

in case you actually are offended with God, to me that includes being non secular. You look to were effectively bought the theory that to be non secular skill you should sentence homosexually expressed love. this isn't so. Biblical literalism and to a lesser volume the King James purely attitude ought to convince you the Bible is homophobic notwithstanding the priority with that view is that it skill you'll must believe God would not love human beings and that the way of Christ is condemnation, no longer loving kindness. that is clearly pretend. There are surely countless Christian denominations, and persons and communities interior those, which help gay marriage and are adverse to homophobia in all its varieties. those contain the Quakers, Unitarian Universalists and the Metropolitan community Church. suitable to gay marriage, the placement is fairly diverse. the hot testomony absolutely expresses worry-free disapproval for any type of marriage, and hence there should be neither heterosexual nor gay marriage. Legally, the themes raised through marriage in step with se are next of family individuals, custody of dependents and probate. those can specifically be addressed through only civil contracts and weddings can grow to be ceremonies without criminal stress. That way, gay and heterosexual marriages can exist with none situation. What desires to ensue is for the employer of marriage to be abolished as a criminal entity, no longer for gay marriage to stay criminal. Heterosexual marriage desires to be banned.