why is religion important to you?

Question

im sick of people trying to push their religions on me. I'm Orthodox, however these past years i could say that i have mixed feelings about religion. However, why is it when i discuss such a topic people always glorify their religions and look down on me for not believing anymore.

so im just wonedring, why is religion so important to you?

you say you're a christian, therefore thats your religion i don't understand what some of you mean.

religion is not inate in humans- ? We learn thes things as we go and chose to believe or not. what about humanists? they have no books or stuff like that

Answer 1

I'm also Orthodox, a convert from being an evangelical, fundamentalist, right-wing, bible-thumping protestant.

I'm glad you didn't meet me back then...I would have been one of those who made you sick.

I now realize that, whatever I do continually for a singular purpose, I do "religiously".

There are people who are religious about their praying...or about their drinking.

There are people who are religious about abstinence from sexual relations outside of marriage...or about "hooking up".

There are people who are religious about their community service...or about being miserly.

So, for me, religion is not really a noun...it is an adverb, for it defines how I do something, and not the thing itself.

So, being Orthodox, I don't think of Orthodoxy ("The Way") as a religion.

Rather I am "religious" or, Orthodox about The Faith.

So, as one Orthodox Christian to another, I encourage you not to focus on religion, but rather to ask yourself, "what is the best--most profitable--thing I can seek in my life?"

Once you have that answer, you can be "religious" about seeking it.

Answer 2

First of all, if you're a teen, you're probably a smart one who is going to good college and you'll meet plenty of other people who share your understanding of the meaning of religion. In fact, have you seen Real Time with Bill Maher or any of Bill Maher or George Carlin's stand-up comedy? They comment on the absurdity of religion all the time. I am personally an athiest who was raised, bar mitzvahed and confirmed as a Jew, but I never really believed in it because I knew that everything had been written by man and that most of the stories were simply myths. To me, there was no difference between the Bible and the stories about the Greek Gods, except that the Greek Gods were more interesting. Religion was a useful tool to explain the unknown, but now it's used as a way to impede progress and scientific discovery. Even worse, it's used as a way to oppress certain outside groups, like Gays or people from other religions. The truth is, if any religion is actually right and all others are wrong, all but one of the following is a false prophet: Muhammad, Jesus, Martin Luther, Joseph Smith, Buddha, Moses, etc. So if you believe in Jesus, are you saying that everyone in the Middle East, Asia and North Africa is wrong? Makes no sense. Religion arose to explain the world in which we live and to provide a roadmap to a better life. Sure, I took some of the values I learned in Sunday school into adulthood, but I could have just as easily gotten those values from watching Sesame Street and Mr Rogers...which is probably where I got them anyway. Having a religion is not important unless you're a weak person, it's basically a crutch. Prayer is like wishing, and it doesn't do any good. Imagine if the 150,000,000 hours per week of people being in church in this country (probably an under-estimate) were spent doing charity or some kind of research, imagine how much better of a world we'd live in. Therefore, religion is not only pointless in modern society, it actually impedes progress as a whole and DAMAGES society and effectively shortens the lives of everyone in the entire world.

Answer 3

I'm Orthodox too.I don't really know why am I religious.Maybe it's because I want to believe that there is a better world somewhere, you know,like Heaven.Maybe because when I'm lonely only person that I can depend on in that moment is God.Maybe it's because when people I love die I and I have no one to blame I blame God.I was raised like that.You're right,I mean a lot of people came to me asking me why do have to be Orthodox,Why aren't I Catholic or Jewish or Muslim.They asked me why is so special being an Orthodox when only a small amount of people are of this religion.I said that I don't know and that that is a religion like every other and a lot of people are Orthodox.But I don't know exactly why is religion so important to me I just know that it's part of me and kind of who I am.I don't think that believing is something bad so no matter what other people say I will will always believe.

Answer 4

Because everyone thinks that they are right... It is very human to believe that our beliefs form the truth, when in reality, truth is truth despite what people believe.

Religion has a very negative connotation. To me, people are "religious" because they are trying to fulfill some spiritual obligation. They think by being that way they can make up for the areas in which they fall short... or they are just being human (we like to put our own spin on everything)

Faith is what is important. I am a Christian.

Answer 5

Religion is important to me because I see it in my life. There are beautiful days like today, where i look outside and think, how can there not be a God? The birth of a baby, the flowers, sun, the light, i look at all of this and know that i am surrounded by God's love and grace, and it makes me want to LOVE on everyone.

Answer 6

Religion is a crutch, It keeps us in toe. I believe in a creator but I really don't think he wants us to have all these sects It just causes wars and animosity.

Answer 7

Religions to me are like different "languages" for the laws, both religious or secular or even political laws.

The importance of religion is to be able to communicate with the audience you are addressing. Thus I recommend, as the Bahai and UU, that you learn as many "languages" or religions as you need to interact and learn as much as possible in life. The more you understand, the more you can appreciate and the more wisdom and better decisions you can make with greater awareness of the wide range of truth that is out there to be discovered and discussed.

Note: I believe that in Christ, ALL tribes and religions, even non-faith systems that do not recognize or even question or reject a personal God, all these can be reconciled by sticking to communicating common truths. I have found these "translations" of religious terms into secular meanings:

God as life, love, truth, wisdom, creation, fate, good will
(where Satan is selfishness, separation from truth, falseness,
fear and distrust, division)
Christ jesus as restorative justice or justice with mercy
(as opposed to retributive justice which can be abused as antichrist or oppressive fear-based or corrupt government)
Holy spirit as the healing comfort of truth / human spirit
(as opposed to war, false teachings, idle speech or
false witness, anything that incites division hatred war)
Christianity as charity (distinguishing both true from false)

I think what many Christians forget these days, is that Jesus himself rarely used Scriptures except when debating with the corrupt church pharisees where he answered their rebukes by the letter of the law with more corrections by the spirit of the laws. Jesus spoke with the masses using parables, based on fishing and farming and experiences even poor illiterate people could understand. Somehow I think this art has been lost. As Jesus is here today in the spirit of the people who serve others, I find these true servants speak the language of the people, either by helping them with their needs which takes no words at all, or counseling them with the problems they have, but not by preaching or judging.

There is a former evangelical minister, Carlton Pearson, who gave up his church and walked away because he could not tolerate the false practice of judgment and condemnation to hell that he teaches are against the Bible. Instead he teaches the "Gospel of Inclusion" and wrote a book called "God is Not a Christian." He believes in universal salvation as I do.
I think the difference is he does believe in a Judgment Day, but I think that process is merely people being held to their own standards they preached; so if they preach judgment without mercy, they get that reaction themselves, and if they teach forgiveness acceptance and tolerance they will meet with forgiveness. Some people may get mistaken for the wrong type and be punished if they are innocent or be respected even if they don't deserve it. But in the end I think all people of all faiths or without faith will find themselves connecting with one another and correcting any and all differences that have caused conflict and division in the past.
I believe all issues can be resolved and problems corrected, atoned for, and prevented in the future so that humanity will experience enlightenment and salvation to end suffering and bring spiritual peace and harmony as all religions prophecy.


http://www.centerhealingracism.org Bahai outreach
http://www.houstonprogressive.org/mercylove.html Christian
http://www.bebaptized.org/buddha.htm Buddha on Jesus

Answer 8

To a true believer, religion is not important to them. The relationship they have with their deity is. For example, Jesus is my savior because I am Christian, so therefore I value my relationship with him rather than the whole religion aspect of things.

Answer 9

I'm not very religious in fact i am an atheist.I personally think people find religion because they are either scared of being alone, do not know the meaning of life or scared of death.

Answer 10

regardless of the religion... Faith and spirituality when hope seems to fail. Further it provides a moral compass for the believer. Because of the teachings of my religion I know how I want to be treated and consequently treat people like that.