Should I feel sorry for the religious? I mean they were just unlucky in the parent lottery and got brainwashed

Question

by their parents

Answer 1

Actually jules you might be very surprised to learn that a large percentage of people who come to believe in God and serve Him are not born and raised in families who practice a religion or adhere to their grandparents religion. At least in the United States I find this to be true. Just because a person or people say "yeah, I believe in God" - What does that mean?
It doesn't mean a whole lot, jules. Often times you ask the person what they mean when they say "yeah, I believe in God." They will get a blank stare on their face and say something like, "well, I believe there is a power bigger than us."

That sounds funny doesn't it? But it's very true. Maybe where you come from religion is forced down peoples throats. That has a way of turning a person bitter and angry. And rightfully so. Religion should never be forced down a person's throat.

The truth is, jules, human beings have a common bond with each other. We are intellectual as well as emotional beings. We experience joy, love, kindness, hope, beauty, compassion, mercy, selfishness, self-lessness, disappointment, frustration, despair, pain, anger, even rage and hatred.

We are all a mixed breed. And we are all faulty. We have both Jezebel and the Virgin Mary inside our souls - all of us - religious or not -and they are never far apart. So who are any of us (including you, jules) to believe that we are too innocent to forgive the person who is guilty of hurting us?

Forgiving fits faulty folks. And we are all faulty. The best of us belong to that club where nobody dare throw the first stone. For us to forgive others, then, has a certain congruity about it, a kind of fittingness, for the mixed bag of vice and virtue that we all are.

All this explains why Jesus was so tough on sinners who refused to forgive other sinners. He saw the laughable incongruity of people who need to be forgiven a lot turning their backs on people who need a little forgiving.

He is tough because the incongruity of sinners refusing to forgive sinners boggles God's mind. There is no honest way to put up with it. The gift of being forgiven and love's power to forgive are like yin and yang. Each needs the other to exist. To receive the gift without using the power is absurd; it is like exhaling without inhaling or like walking without moving your legs.

It is really a question of style. How do you usually respond to people who hurt you? Do you always go for the jugular? Do you plan revenge every time someone treats you badly? Is getting even a way of life? If you never even want to forgive, never even try to remove a hateful memory and restore a right relationship, you are in for a lot of hurt and disappointment..

Answer 2

Yes and no. The way I see it there are ups & downs to religions. I think that many of the morals and things one should remember are very important in being a good person. However, I don't agree with many of the ways and practices that the religious people have.

So no you shouldn't feel sorry for the religious if it is their way of being a good pesron. If their religion reminds them that everyone can come together, be optimisitc etc. then no.

I don't think you should feel sorry for the religious but understand that it's unfortunate that some individuals can be very close minded and willing to sacrifice many things for what several people, who didn't even live during the time verything happened, write in the bible.

Answer 3

Really??? I don't think so.

My sister and I are both born again Christians, my brother isn't. I think at best he's an agnostic. Our parents were nominal Christians; ie. They were fortunate enough to be born English and that made them Christians, they didn't need the born again rubbish.

My sister married another b.a. C. and they had four children. Their eldest has decided on an alternative lifestyle (transsexual) and their youngest is a biker chick who is living with her much older partner.

Where's all this brainwashing?

No-one washes my brain, I'm far too analytical and logical. I don't go to church at the moment (and haven't for years) and although I'm quite conversant with the Bible having been a Christian since I was 17 (41 now), I actually rarely take it out and read it.

I'm also quite conversant on theoretical scientific theories (string, chaos, everything etc)

Answer 4

You should not feel sorry for them. Not all Christians were raised as Christians. In fact, probably most of them became Christians later in their lives and were not raised that way. And besides that, their parents didn't brain-wash them if they were raised as Christians. Being a Christian is a choice that every person has to make for themselves. You will find many people who were raised as Christians but aren't Christians themselves at all. And if the parents are indeed trying to "brain-wash" their children into not exercising free-will, then those parents are not true Christians.

Answer 5

Don't worry about me. I am happy with my life and I have no regrets! I was brought up to have morrals, and I do not for a moment feel like I was brainwashed, nor do I feel like I missed out on anything.


"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 N.K..J.V.

Answer 6

religion plays a supportive roll in many peoples lives. It provides community support and connection with others so people don't find themselves isolated and alone. Unfortunately there is a rise in fundamentalism in many religious traditions world wide at this time. These people generally feel they have the one true faith and eventually start seeing the world as the enemy. Feel sorry for those who waste the positives of religion for the negatives of fundamentalism. Be happy for the rest who get a lot 0f good out of religion.

Answer 7

nicely even as certain more advantageous than in all possibility that is the rationalization the little ones initiate believing yet through the time they get into there youthful little ones maximum now have pcs and they could analyze there faith and verify what they want to believe. Oh accurate to respond to your very last question how do all of us be conscious of there mendacity who knows per chance that philosophy that each and each and every faith is a distinct attitude of one total element. Like that all of us worship a similar element yet from diverse angles is ideal. yet regardless of

Answer 8

The Bible speaks the truth, my parents are dead but I am very greatful to them. They didnot brainwash me. At age 25 I chose to Follow God. There is still hope for you.

Answer 9

Feel sorry for yourself. You will find Christians have a good retirement system and about 1/4 of a second after you draw your last breath, you will be screaming and wishing you had the religion because Hell is hot and the pain is real.

Answer 10

I agree with bigmikejones. You proudly denounce God's existence now, but when the time comes, when you are on the verge of life, you're going to scream and shout and beseech and beg God for pardon, but then it may be too late. I would start doing all that from now; if you won't heed the warning, that's your business. No one will force you.