Do you consider yourself inside or outside the sphere of religious maniacs?

Question

"Within every faith one can see people arranged along a spectrum of belief. Picture concentric circles of diminishing reasonableness: At the center, one finds the truest of true believers - the Muslim jihadis, for instance, who not only support suicidal terrorism but who are the first to turn themselves into bombs; or the Dominionist Christians, who openly call for homosexuals and blasphemers to be put to death." (Sam Harris)

Full article by Sam Harris:
http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2007/03/19/opinion/21883635.txt

Answer 1

Okay, this is clearly Sam Harris' opinion. Do YOU have an original thought in your head? Do you consider yourself inside or outside the sphere of religious maniacs? What about the sphere of religious people who are doing their part to make society a better place? Are you in or out of that sphere? It sounds more like you are inside the sphere of anti-religion fanatics. But I could be wrong. Maybe I just misinterpreted this question. Maybe...

Answer 2

Outside

Answer 3

Good question.
I hold spiritual beliefs (which, for the sake of argument, makes me religious), and I suffer from Bipolar Affective Disorder. (Manic depression, in old terms).
So, I suppose, by definition, I must be a religious maniac.
At least some of the time.
Isn't it wonderful how words can be twisted to paint an entirely inaccurate picture of someone? (With no disrespect meant to the article; I haven't read it because I'm far too lazy).
I've gone from peaceful, tolerant, respectful to foaming at the mouth and baying for blood in the space of a couple of sentences.
As for being 'outside the sphere'? Well, I like to think that the light from the 'sphere' has yet to reach my little corner of the Universe.

Answer 4

SO outside!

OK. read the article, I'm not that impressed, sorry to say.

But a good point, though:
"Compassion is deeper than religion. As is ecstasy. It is time that we acknowledge that human beings can be profoundly ethical “ and even spiritual “ without pretending to know things they do not know."

Answer 5

For years I asked the question, what religion was right for me
I was a Mormon, Jehovah Witness, Methodist, and several others and just when I was ready to give up, I walked into a Unitarian-Universialist Church.....WOW.... I was a member of this church when I was 8 years old...I just didn't know it's name yet.......type in ..UUA...on search...and good luck

Answer 6

It would be hard to deny that religious fanaticism has driven many people to the brink of insanity.

Answer 7

Where would you put a no-nonsense, zealous Nihilist with the desire to euthanise the entire Universe for its own good?

Answer 8

I don't consider myself a maniac. And, I'm definitely not an extemist [i.e. abortion clinic bomber or "God hates fags" type] But, I am a Christian, and I'm not ashamed of that.

Answer 9

Right in the middle.

Answer 10

WAY outside.