Do you believe a religious/ spiritual person is wasting their life?
2007-09-17 15:37:29 · 29 answers · asked by swoosh 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
How would he be wasting his life?
I doubt he cares if someone doesn't believe in him.
2007-09-17 15:42:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
"Do you believe a religious/ spiritual person is wasting their life?"
Religious? Yes.
Spiritual? No.
All that belief in personal imaginary friends is straight outa children's books.
When I was seven and first heard about adults believing in invisible sky things I was amazed.
During the intervening 54 years my level of amazement has not abated; it has increased.
Monsters in the sky and under the bed were invented to keep children in line - when you grow up you figure out where your own lines and truths are.
Adults should be mature enough to let go security blankets.
2007-09-17 15:58:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Let's see... yeah that pretty much sums it up.
Edit:
Ok, I read the answers above mine and thought I'd "temper" mine a bit - or explain it some what.
I look at it about the same way as someone who likes their life for Christmas while believing that Santa is real. They may do a lot of good, but much of their time is not directed to real good. Or to put it in to a believer's terms, would you want someone to not know the truth?
The altruistic part of showing others the truth is not the major problem though. While religion is a semi good thing, it also generates side effects that are not good or intended. For example, gay marriage does not hurt anyone or society but it is not allowed due to restrictive laws based on Christian "morality". Similarly, how many women in the past have died or had serious complications due to abortion being illegal (Note: I'm not advocating abortion, just that it should be legal and safe). Other effects include allowing students to skip science as it is against their religious beliefs.
On the whole, and I really hate to admit this, I'm not entirely sure that religion of any sort has helped mankind as a whole more than it has hurt it.
2007-09-17 15:42:04 · answer #3 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Not really, it is good they have something to focus on. The problem is their things are not my cup of tea :D.
Hey, I had been told by some I am wasting my time reading books of all sorts, playing chess, calligraphy, playing RPG with my Wiccan friends and should be out there drinking and be happy. However, I felt happy when I read, write, play chess or RPGing :).
2007-09-17 15:45:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, wasting some of their time and energy, maybe, but that is a person's right. As long as you waste your time and energy in your own home, and don't try to inflict it on everyone else, go for it. I waste a lot of time and energy on silly stuff too. Just not imaginary friends.
2007-09-17 15:45:11 · answer #5 · answered by That Guy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If believing in a higher spiritual power brings comfort and meaning to someone's life, then by all means they should continue to rejoice in their beliefs. It's just that not everyone needs that spiritual belief to have happiness and meaning in their life.
2007-09-17 15:52:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course not. You believe what you want. It helps you go through life, right? Then we're all happy. If someone is so critical of others, they come off as ignorant and arrogant. One thing that I follow to the letter as an Agnostic, is to be humble, and accept opinions and new thought. Because its all instances of morality for me, while for you, its instances of Divine intervention. Just how we look at things in the world.
2007-09-17 15:42:20 · answer #7 · answered by Ghost 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of course not! I know many effective theists.
It's just that they have a little section in their brain cordoned off where logic is not allowed (the god box.)
Heck, lots of people have these kinds of idiosyncrasies, although not all of them deal with talking to an imaginary being in the sky. I don't think theists are any more deluded than your average, everyday person.
2007-09-17 15:47:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't say wasting it, just that they are looking for answers in all the wrong places. Religion is just there to try to explain some of the unexplained things about life, some don't even fully answer them.
2007-09-17 15:45:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends, some do waste their life and some don't. If you are constantly making sacrifices in the only real life you might have for an eternal life which never comes, then I would say yes.
2007-09-17 15:43:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well, it depends on the person. In general, though, I couldn't say that. People rely on all sorts of things to give them peace and happiness. I may not share their beliefs, but they should be able to spend their life doing what they want, as long as they're not hurting anybody.
2007-09-17 15:49:14 · answer #11 · answered by N 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋