Does religion narrow your mind?

Question

Don´t make any distinctions on the kind of religion.

Believe it does do that, not in the short term or by intention and we can even seen some positive aspects. But globally, throughout the centuries wouldn´t we be better without it?

- don't know any tribe/country that has no God

- there are MANY important scientists which are religious

Answer 1

Religion absolutely narrows your mind and I say that from experience both as a Christian and being non religious. While I was a Christian I found that religious people were often ignorant to learn anything opposing their religion. (I'm not saying that about everyone but mostly) and without religion your mind is set free to limitless possibilities. The burden that was often referred to as sin while i was a christian was the religion itself and I didn't get rid of the burden until i lost my faith.

Answer 2

Yes, but that is helpful. I think the Divine conforms to our expectations. Our imaginations are huge and anything is possible. So, in this sense, narrowing down the field to a size that we can handle could help. It can also be restrictive. Religion is organized spirituality. It's basically someone else's idea about how things work that got passed on and added to over and over. Sometimes, what works for one person might not work well for another. But, they're stuck with a faith that tells them 'things are exactly like this and never different'. Most organized religion is a social movement and not really a open spirituality where the spirit is freely explored. Some religions are evil and intent upon global conquest and/or total destruction of the Earth. Those are the ones we would be better without.

Answer 3

Every time you make a decision in life, you narrow down your mind a little bit. I'm very narrow minded about the color of grass. I'm pretty narrow minded about there not being a god. On the other hand, if a god would present itself to me in some way I can understand, I'd be willing to believe different. Tho being an atheist, I can't speak for all of them. Some of "us"may not want to see the evidence when it's there either, just like the religious fundies think about the bible. Luckily scientific theories can be changed if there's evidence to do so. Interpretations of bibles and written doctrines can't be changed if the believers are blind for the contradicting evidence. After all,what the bible says is true.
I consider science as true, but if scientists find out after all that evolution is bogus, humanity is created by god and all other stuff we now consider bogus seems to be a scientific truth, yeah, why wouldn't I change my mind about that. But I don't think that's gonna happen any time during my life.

Answer 4

The problem is, religion makes people selfish. Have you ever thought about what missionaries are doing? They don't help people just for the sake of it! They do it to try and look good in "god's" eyes. It's pathetic. Religion does nothing to help people. It only closes people's minds, and keeps them ignorant to important events. It's all about fear. If you don't do this, you'll go to hell. The thing is, nothing exists without reason. This is non debatable. If you deny this, consider yourself stupid. It's everywhere. Is there a reason for hell to exist? No. A useful purpose of any kind? No. Sin? No. God? Hells no. Because god can't exist if it created such imperfection in the universe.

Answer 5

Only speaking for my understanding of Christianity here ... Each of us is given a body, a mind, and a will, which present us with a nearly limitless vista of choices. There are a great many harmful things we can do or say (to ourselves and others), but there are also an equal number of loving, kind and gracious possibilities. Ultimately no one else is responsible for the choices we make, not even God. We are free. But unlike me, God does not laugh or bumble when we turn to Him and ask "What do I do now?" For while it's true that He will not choose for us or limit our freedom, given an opportunity, He will tell us plainly what He wants. He will also encourage us to obey this advice and to trust Him when He says that He holds our best interest at heart.

According to Jesus, God's does in fact desire for each of us to severely limit the horizons of our behaviour, our speech and even our thoughts. There is no denying that this is so. It is not a peripheral matter, but the sum and total of the Christian faith. God's answer to the question "What do I do now?" is profoundly limiting but also limitlessly profound: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strenght and love your neighbor as yourself." This is the narrow-mindedness God desires.

Answer 6

Sorry but distinctions have to be made. Some religions seriouly narrow the mind. Others open it. It would be a different world indeed without the narrow minded, hateful religions.

Answer 7

Nietzsche once said that God was dead, and that people killed God. People were outraged because they took his words figuratively, as if someone had ascended the heavens and took a knife to God. I mean, if he was omniscient, wouldn't he had seen that coming?
But anyway, Nietzsche meant that people corrupted something that should've inspired humanity to do good.

Like Communism and capitalism, religion is theoretically the perfect system for humans to live by, but because people are naturally corrupt, these systems are flawed and lead to suffering and more problems than they solve.

Answer 8

If the intolerance and viciousness of some atheists around here (not you, but those who spew hatred for anyone who believes in God) are any indication, lack of religion narrows your mind even worse.

And I doubt that the millions of people who annually receive food, health care, shelter, job training, schooling, and hospice care from those who love Christ by serving His suffering children would agree that we'd be better off without religion.

Answer 9

I think that narrowly following any doctrine or dogma religiously (*ahem*) with no openess to new ideas, concepts or inspiration will definitely narrow a mind, as well as stunt soul growth.

Answer 10

No one learns with a closed mind.... even Christians, even Buddhists, and any other people who have the ability to think and to reason......

When one opens their mind, can a thing be learned.....

Him who goes to school to play, will play at school, but will not learn the lesson that is being taught as it was not what he sought when he entered the place.....


Your sister,
ginger