Religious institutions peddle fear and guilt, politics breeds greed and deception...?

Question

Religious institutions peddle fear and guilt and hate, politics breeds greed and deception. People turn a blind eye to the poor and sick and live in ignorant bliss. We assassinate those who speak up. We wage war to feed our lifestyle at the cost of unseen misery, out of sight out of mind or maybe just change the channel. We are programmed to be selfish consumers till the day we pay for the casket and the plot.
Our progress destroys the Earth, we are the god of all parasites but the earth is doomed anyway...fact; In 4-5 billion years the sun will go nova wiping out this entire solar system, will it even last that long. What does that matter to me? Almost nothing, what can I do?

All these things I believe are true.

But I love my life, I love my family and those close to me, I think the world is a beautiful place, and I am in awe of its beauty and give thanks to someone I don't believe in. I'm a fool because I'm hopeful for our future.

Do you believe there is any hope for humanity???

Skooz, I am a spiritual person, I believe in the power within I believe that is how you conquered your addiction.

I accept some good has been done by people working in the name of God but dont deny the evil that is done in name of God. On the scales has there been more misery or more suffering? Inquisitions/Jihad/Crusades

Semyaza, thank you for your response, your compassion shines through.

Jihad is not the middle-ages, but how about northern Ireland, Kosovo.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful here, I respect all peoples beliefs but I believe it is folly. Gods were created out of awe of the Sun and the stars, we can explain all these things now, there is little mystery left to those who accept the explanations, the earth is not flat and it wasnt created in 7 days.

marcusm15
Thanks for your response, I agree with you but when it comes down to it will we be able to make the sacrifices?
And can the different religions get along or are they hell-bent on war.

Sure thing Skooz, thanks for your response, I enjoyed our debate. Keep up the faith and I will keep up my search.

In this tread I gave an example of the northern Ireland conflict to prove a point. I wonder if those "Troubles" would have continued with such a deep seeded hate if it weren't for the fact that opposing religious beliefs were involved.
I read once that the word 'religion' means bringing together or uniting but isn't it true that it is in fact the complete opposite?

franky44@verizo
Thanks for your response, you echo everything I believe, I wonder how many more there are who agree with us.
I suppose the only option we have is to live our lives by our own conscience and try to limit the harm we do as individuals.
Peace my friend and I raise my glass to your sentiments.

Yeah it does seem like some predestined doom but we have the ability to exist peacefully and compassionately but it seems we choose not too.
Despite appearances I am an optimist at heart but I do not lie to myself or sate my conscience by rejecting my own responsibility for the world we live in. I stand by and do nothing, when good people do that we surrender to the true evils that exist in this world.

ROBERT P
Check out the origins of the word 'Satan' I think you'll be surprised.

Jack P
Thanks for responding with a such a precise reply. I think what you say illustrates how these organizations(while doing some good and containing some good individuals with vocations) are run in an corporate fashion by ambitious people who want to dominate the mind and the soul. I speak of institutional religion and politics here.
I agree, as a whole we may not see much joy but of course some lucky individuals will lead sheltered happy lives but not the majority.

Alex
Thanks, peace to you and yours.

Answer 1

You've been paying attention. Good for you. You're not the only one who has seen the truth behind the facade of religion and politics. The best hope for humanity is not to give up hope. In The Divine Comedy, Dante wrote that over the gates of hell, it says "Abandon all hope, all who enter". In the old books of the bible it is written "Without a vision, the people will perish".

You have opend a real can of worms here, because the issues of todays world can be traced back to the dawn of civilization. The world as we know it today is not that different from the ancient world of our fathers. History has shown that politics and religion have not changed that much over the span of 5,000 years. There have always been wars, famine, poverty, crime, greed, etc... The bad news is, those things will always be around. The good news is, just because the world is going to hell, doesn't mean you have to go there with it.

You have seen and heard with your heart, as well as with your eyes and ears. This is the hope for the future, that good people will do good things to make the world a better place, without looking for a reward or recognition. That in doing good for others, we don't try to "good" them to death by controlling them. There are many bricks laid in the road to hell that are stamped with the words "Good Intentions". For good intentions turn evil when coupled with arrogance. You know the kind I mean. The Temperence Movement of the early 20th century, produced more evil, than it did good. You see, the Temperence Movement was nothing more than pride and arrogance, all dressed up as a "GOOD CAUSE". Politicians jumped on the bandwagon because it would get them more votes. Preachers used it as a way to gain more control over their followers. In the end, the criminals prospered. Gangster activity caused a lot of death and misery.

Is there hope for humanity? Your third paragraph says it all.

Answer 2

Religious institutions have acted as you describe on a consistent basis throughout recorded human history.

Many deeply religious individuals outside the institutional administrations have demonstrated behavior in direct contrast to that demonstrated by, say, ruling priesthoods, in most of the religions we know anything about.

That fact suggests the institutions and the management decisions based on perpetuating formal doctrines are mostly responsible for what you describe, while the followers of various faiths range from the fanatic to the reasonable. The fanatic factions tend to own the power and are the 'soldiers' for doctrine and institution, usually.

Hope for mankind?

Mankind is comprised of individuals. I believe there's hope for individuals, this lifetime, or during future lifetimes.

But I don't believe it's ever going to be easy.

Answer 3

The world is a mess because most people have rejected Gods love to worship the Devil .The Devil has been given a certain time by God to seduce as many souls as he can and it looks like he is winning.God does not want us to choose Satan over Him,but because he has given us freewill He will not stop us from worshipping Satan. So He has given us a choice .To be with Him or Satan.

EDIT .
Even if Satan or the Devil or Lucifer or whatever you like to call him does not exist and there is no Hell of eternal fire (which i have never believed in anyway) you still have a choice .To love God or reject God.I believe that if we do our best to live the life God would like us to live, we will be with him for all eternity.Now even if all of this is not true and there is no God no Heaven no everlasting life are you sure you want to gamble your 70 or 80 or 100 years on earth only to die and then be ressurected to begin eternal life(can your mind focus on the word eternity) either with God or without God( which i believe is Hell, an unimaginable place of darkness and lonliness where you are separated from God for all eternity) So would you like 100 years on Earth living the way you want to by rejecting God or accepting God as your creator to be with Him for Eternity.I know which one i would like to have and you don;t have to do all that much to have it.God wants you more than you will ever know.Most "humans" cannot accept that there could be someone or something higher than they are in the "evolution ladder".They believe they are superior to all living things on Earth which is correct But they reject a higher authority somewhere in or out of the universe.

I know you don't believe in miracles such as the Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin at Fatima 100 years ago. The three children were given a vision of Hell which was apparently so horrific that if sinners could see what they saw they would turn to God .Whether or not this happened is not important. The way you live is.This is the only way to have peace, all other methods have failed and will keep on failing until the world wakes up to itself and asks for help.The biggest mistake God made when he created us was to give us free will. which is the cause of all misery, past ,present and future.

EDIT
Now i know all of what i have just said will be complete rubbish to you .You will pick faults and happily show me where i am wrong.This is your entertainment to mock people who believe in "santa claus".I would never try to "convert" anyone to my religion because that does not work.I have enough problems understanding my own but that is me.
Anyhow i hope things work out for you and you find the answers .You never know we may meet each other at the "last judgement".

Answer 4

"Religious institutions peddle fear and guilt and hate?"

Uh, no.

My relationship with God is one of peace, joy, love and freedom. Before I accepted Christ I was a drug addict and alcoholic, hopelessly addicted to a lifestyle that as killing me. I have been free of all that since July 31, 1985.

I have studied the Bible for over 20 years and have yet to find anything about "fear and guilt and hate." Only those ignorant of the facts of Scripture believe that.

And I know one group that does NOT "turn a blind eye to the poor and sick and live in ignorant bliss." You guessed it, cowboy, the Church, which provides tens of billions of dollars and countless manhours in aid to the poor, sick and needy.

But, being blinded by your hate and ignorance, you wouldn't know that.


edit: Terry O: On the scales there has been FAR more good than bad. You might want to study the Crusades and Inquisition from some non-biased sources to learn what actually happened during that time. It is hardly laudatory, to be sure, but it wasn't nearly as evil as popular culture has made it out to be.

It is also interesting that you had to go all the way back to the Middle Ages and Renaissance to find examples of negative excesses in the Christian Faith.

another edit: Terry O: I cannot answer for Islam and will not defend it. I am strictly addressing Christianity. The Northern Ireland conflict, contrary to popular myth, is NOT sectarian. It is not Catholics vs Protestants, it is Unionists vs Republicans. It just so happens that most of the Unionists are Protestant (and loyal to England) and most of the Republicans are Catholic (loyal to Eire).

As for the literal 7 days thing, I don't know. I believe God created all things, but will not constrict Him in how He did it. And no one has believed in a flat earth since Aristotle's time, and he predates Christianity by almost 4 centuries.

You're a good man, Terry O. Keep searching.

Answer 5

I think that we (humans in general) are doing exactly what we are supposed to. There have been other dominant life forms that got totally anhilated here, and now we're the dominants and it's our turn for extinction. Unfortuntately, we humans (in general, I don't mean everyone) have messed up the planet so much that it will probably be uninhabital by lots of creatures by the time we're done with it.

Answer 6

Great Question!!!
I believe in God, and good over evil. There is hope if we change our (the human race) me, me, me belief system. We do anything to get what we want and expect NOT to pay a price, that's insane. If our thoughts and actions were more God centered or even global centered there would be hope. It is not too late!!!

Scientia Est Potentia!!!

Answer 7

But, and I quote: "But I love my life, I love my family and those close to me, I think the world is a beautiful place...", maybe there's hope after all...we need more people like you in the world!0!

Good luck!

Answer 8

Guilt when you consider that each person has worry and guilt will devour you alive for the relaxation of your are living and your going to want you might simply die and the more serious worry is dieing so i am hoping you spot how guilt might be woreser to are living with. desire i helped

Answer 9

Humanity? When did they evolve? If people behave like primates, can it be called human behavior?
Politicians tax us and tell us what to do. Preachers tithe us and tell us what to do. What's the difference?

Answer 10

Ah I could see you're observant but very anxious...

Don't be afraid of what would this world would bring upon you and your loved ones. Let them come but do your part to prevent things you don't want to happen.

There are lots of blessings yet to come - don't count your curses! Believe in God and His magnificence and you will have peace. If you choose not to believe in God then believe in yourself (and you will know somewhere in time which is right).

This statement hurts!? Ouch!