Are we missing the point?

Question

there are so many types of religions out there. so many beliefs and practices. ( im including the atheist for discussion purposes) are we missing the point where the religion we believe in(or lack thereof) define the way we are?? i mean, its about people right?? how people are and what we do that defines us?? for example i see preachers condemning every other religion and its followers and the atheist saying all religion sucks... your views please. and thanks. no offense to anyone



this is a question asked a while back. I want current views on it.

Thank you JAZ for the insperation

Answer 1

I'm a Christian & I have said for 40 years that Religion Sucks!!! I thought everyone here already got that ??? Religion is the Span of Satan!!! Man can never reach God by mans efforts & that is what Religion is! Christianity is God sending Christ TO US!!! How much simpler can it get??? John

Answer 2

I see no problem in comparing the different religions and deciding which one is superior. You would do this if you were buying a used car, so why not do the same with your religion which is a vastly more important decision. Look at what they say about life, death, the origin of the universe, the purpose of your existence and your ultimate destiny. Look at how believable each one is, look at the depth of the thinking, and most importantly look at the love that is expressed. Then make up your mind, and don't go around shoving your conclusion in everybody's face. Hopefully we will all end up believing in the truth some day, and there will be no more conflicts.

Answer 3

I think that people have taken religion and spun it out of control. I mean what is a true Catholic for example?
Some people believe that religion makes us who we are, however, isn't it all about the person inside, not what we believe. Yes religion does help some of us decide our daily issues but it all boils down to what we are taught, and that isn't necessarily religion.
Priests/Preachers should look in their own backyard. There are catholic priests who are molesting little boys but also saying that it is against God for women to have abortions. Who gives them the right to decide?
No matter what anyone thinks what we do/see/hear learn defines us. I think that people who really use religion to guide them with their daily lives of working/eating/sleeping etc. need to look at themselves because we are a product of our parents not a product of our religion.

Answer 4

It isn't clear what the point is. So I'll synopsize my own views: religion is a left-over from the olden days when human existence hung by a thread, and a failure of the rains (or occurrence of any of a number of other natural disasters) was literally a matter of life and death, and supposing that there were gods that could be propitiated appeared to be a no-lose proposition. Now that we know how things work, the concept is obsolete. See:

Answer 5

I am a non-theist. I really don't care what others believe, as long as they don't push it on me. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that a child molester/torturer/killer, as long as he believes, seems to be given more legitimacy than I. I have been discriminated against for years, simply because I don't believe. I am getting older, and losing patience with those who judge me.
How is it that a non-theist, like myself, behaves like a better Christian than many Christians?
Jesus hung out with the people that many Christians condemn. Explain this lunacy?
It comes down to fear, I believe. It seems that the ones with the most doubt in their hearts, are the most brutal.
I intend no offense to anyone.
I have run into many believers online that are really pretty cool people, and many atheists that I think are crackpots.
I really do want the best for everyone.

Answer 6

I think that we have to get to the point that we realize that God is big enough to encompass everybody, and that what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. I don't worry about contradictions between religions; I believe God is "big enough" to handle a few things that seem totally paradoxical to us mere mortals. It's more about how to behave, and how to treat other people, than about a particular practice or dogma, after all. I think it's only when people become mean-spirited (no matter what they call their beliefs) and God gets left out of the picture (or at least, the decent treatment of other people) that it becomes a problem. I firmly believe that our similarities are FAR more important than our differences.

Answer 7

Good point.

Religion can be a force for good in the world if it brings people hope and inspires them to live a better life. From that perspective, I have no issue with religion.

I try to go out of my way (maybe because I'm agnostic) to avoid blanket statements - because no generalization is worth a damn (including this one).

However, religion can be a force for evil and suffering, and I think we all should be on guard against that.

Answer 8

Religions are founded on doctrines. These doctrines tend to be rather restrictive. This creates all sorts of backlashes that escalate. Many religions are antagonistic to the point of saying that it is not enough to believe what they say, but do things in a defined way or face the wrath of the church, not God.

Answer 9

all religion is based on the same thing so the way I look at it is not matter what name you give to religion you will all end up in the same place even if you belive it or not, nobody can be sure untill the time comes, relgion was to make money, thats all and to make people do what they want, if people belive in ghosts for example they are beliving in relgion, that the sprit or energy lives on, and if you ask an atheist what they belive in i bet you will find most will belive in somthing even ufo's as relgion is only a name given by people.

Answer 10

I read somewhere that the best religion is the one that gets you closest to God, and I agreed at the time. I think most religions start out with some good principals, but in the heat of the moment they forget and go against it. I'm a christian, and I get mad at my friends if they say homosexuals are evil because God says to love everyone.