Why is it frowned upon to challenge religious ideas and beliefs?

Question

Why shouldn't we follow our reasoning and logic, and question religion just as much as we question political ideologies and other ideas?

Where would we be without our inquisitive nature? Why sould we question everything else but religion?

Icarus: I'm not sure. I'm from the UK and throughout education you are taught to respect religion, much more than anyone else's views.

Answer 1

Many religious beliefs are EXTREMELY fragile - which is why almost all of the religions were so terrified of science - some of them of course going as far as burning, torturing and killing scientists who showed things as being "not quite as stated in the good book".

Amazing the atrocities people are happy to do in Gods name.

Anyway, back to the question, because the beliefs are often very fragile, it is almost too easy to prove most of religion to be little more than "a jolly tale written a few hundred years ago".

Adam & Eve? Okay so why do fossile records not show this to be true?

Noah? Really, where did all the water come from - and vanish again too. And none of this, "ooh it was a miracle - spot of magic". Not buying that tosh.

Then we come on to the bit that REALLY upsets folks - the fact that if the bible/Koran/etc is to be taken litereally than almost everyone single person is going against God's will:-

Wearing cloth made of more than one type of material - that's the death penalty.

Farmer with more than one type of crop in a field? Death again - and burn the crops?

Eating shellfish? That's an "abomination" - same as having a fling with a gay friend.

Borrowing money with interes (mortgage / current account with overdraft) ? Ohh dear, straight to hell for that one too.

And the list goes on (and on and on)

Just like taking sweeties from a baby, it is SO easy that is considered rather bad form to do it. Let the sheep follow what they wish - let those who seek true light find it elsewhere.

As for "where would we be" - most of the churches have roundly condemned everything at all scientific until the point that it has been accepted by the masses and they are forced to "review and re-appraise" their standpoint on it.

After all, they are now trying to "undo science" as we speak - the concept of trotting out "creationism" (or is it cretinisn) as the "real" alternative to evolution.

If the religions all had their way, we would still be pottering about it little mud huts, using medicine men with chants and spells - and spending most of our time telling empty rooms that we are not worthy.

What a pointless waste of life, time and effort modern religion is.

If some form of God(s) exists (and I remain open minded), then I would have guessed we are supposed to be "gettiung on with our own lives, exploring, improving, developing.

Not hiding from truth, grovelling on our knees all the time and kissing runways.

Mark

Answer 2

The reason that this is frowned upon is because for millenia religion WAS the government ( and still is in some parts of the world) and if you question authority and challenge the status quo you're a dissident and rebellious and you are not "playing the game" so to speak. This attitude has carried over to the modern day and now you have everybody fighting over which ones better which ones right etc. and it's only created more problems. Plus, if you challenge something that somebody has been taught from their first days of life you are ,fundamentally, challenging them and their ego...if their beliefs are wrong then THEY are wrong..they identify with their beliefs so strongly that they become part of their identity, and that is the other dangerous part of religion, becausein my opinion you can only know god through the ability to leave all of your Human-ness behind you, then you can hear IT

Answer 3

Because the churches are afraid that it could upset the nice little place it has in our cultures and societies.
Religion was invented to cover the things we do that the human laws don`t cover , and were called sins and the punishments were mean`t to frighten and keep the people honest and in line.
And they are afraid that one day every one will wake up and prove that religion is fake and then what happens to the churches and how they can control the masses
I think it is healthy to be inquisitive and to question all things including religion as it is no good having blind faith ,it requires proof also.

Answer 4

Because religious people think they're always right. I hate dissing religion but am finding myself doing it more and more often these days because I'm seeing more examples of how it can be a negative thing. Religion starts wars. Religion is a bunch of people thinking they are above everyone else and can therefore prescribe how other people live their lives, what's right and wrong. All that crap about sinning. As far as I'm concerned, the only "sins" should be murder, violence and hurting other people. Who cares about sex before marriage or worshiping idols? And why should some people decide how others live? Sorry if I offend people but this is how I feel.

Answer 5

I don't know why some people feel this way. I was told I was promoting hatred for questioning a certain belief. I pointed out that good people don't hate because of questions and that it's a natural part of life. Unfortunately, some people see it as an attack. I don't have to agree with or respect what everyone else believes. That's just ridiculous and impossible.

Answer 6

I agree with you. I think that religion was used as a way to control people in the olden days and now that society is more advanced some of the stuff just doesn't fly. Religion is supposed to be based on faith but there is a fine line between faith and just being ignorant. I do believe in God but I dont think that people should be able to tell you there is a wrong way and a right way to believe in him.

Answer 7

Go right ahead . Years ago someone asked Marlyn Vos Savant the same question . Her answer was that religion and politics make wonderful subjects of arguments and discussions .

Answer 8

It should not be frowned upon to question men professing doctrines.

There is only one road to God. Yet, today, there is a multitude claiming their's is the right road. Yet, there is only one that is truth.

So it is in the best interest of a man to question the doctrines of other men and test them to see if it is of God or of man. The majority of denominations in today's world are laced with the doctrines of men.

Even if only one or two things are wrong with their teaching, it is written that a little leaven leaveneth the entire lump.

So beware of false teachings. They are the ones that add or take away from the Word of God.

Answer 9

The challenge isn't the problem. It's the way that it's done. When communicating with others, it's most effective to come from their point of view and be empathetic. Unless all you want to do is challenge, and not communicate.

Answer 10

You're making the same point that Richard Dawkins makes in "The God Delusion," and I think it's a fair point.

Religion has been very careful, down through the centuries, to maintain its power over the masses using various tactics: alliances with political power; doctrine and dogma; and especially fear. Threats -- whether explicit or implicit -- of pain or eternal torture have been quite effective for keeping people in line and discouraging questions.

I hope that's beginning to change.