What is your opinion about religion?

Question

I was just curious what you thought about religion, what religion you believe and why you believe it.

Ok, so I'll just say ( to narrow it down ) what religion do you believe in, if you believe in one at all. If you would like to give the "why", then feel free.

Or, do you think that there should be a "world religion"? One that everyone believes in, that would incorporate many of the current religions in the world today.

Answer 1

Or, do you think that there should be a "world religion"? One that everyone believes in, that would incorporate many of the current religions in the world today.

Since you can't mandate what people are going to believe, I don't think that such a religion is possible without divine intervention.

As a Christian, I believe that some day Christ will return to earth, visibly, and make it obvious to all that the story about him is the true story of mankind's redemption, that he is the ultimate Lord and ruler of the universe. Then we will have that "one world religion" of which you speak. And then folks will look to him for the answers to all the issues that we tend to argue about.

But that is sometime off in the future, quite possibly beyond my lifetime and the lifetime of my children.

Answer 2

I'm a Christian and I am tolerant of others beliefs, but I don't think that everyone is right in their own way. For example Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. John 4:24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.

There are several other verses to go with this, but my point is that if one is truley a Christian you can be tolerant of people but you must stand firm in your own beliefs. If you aren't pushing you beliefs on others then don't be sorry if people feelings get hurt because of your own personal beliefs.

• But doesn't the bible say that prostlytizing is a requirement of a Christian? - Fredbong Sep 17, 2009
• Amen! - Nicole-B Sep 17, 2009
• I meant amen to what philmikki says. - Nicole-B Sep 17, 2009
• We are supposed to share the word of God, but if we are rejected then not be pushy. Read the story about the seventy-two in Luke 10 - Seitheach Sep 17, 2009
• Pretty amazing...you are fighting for us in Iraq, knowledgable about the Word and learning Spanish. Keep up the good work! - Nicole-B Sep 17, 2009
View 2 more commments >>

Answer 3

With a question like that, don't you think you should start off with your opinions?

Answer 4

I don't truly believe in a "religion". My "religion" is really a relationship with my creator, Lord, and Savior. Thus, others might say that I believe in Christianity.

Answer 5

Religion, to me, is essentially worthless. There are no demonstrable benefits that can not be matched or bested via a secular out look. While some may say "look what good religion has done," I say "look what good the people did." The fact that the philanthropist was religious means nothing to me. After all, it wouldn't be fair to judge a religion based on the evils of those who follow it, so why should I judge it based on the good done by the people who follow it? Especially when the actions of men, both good and evil, rarely require a religion to make these actions come to pass. Religion, like everything else, has its faults and its virtues.

Even if religion had only benefits and no detriments it still wouldn't merit some of the more elaborate claims that many religions make. To me the most important thing is to believe as many true things as I can and as little false things as I can. Most modern forms of religion with a personal "god," of some kind necessitate the preclusion of evidence to verify this claim, as well as religions that carry the notion of "miracles," so I can't really get behind this concept. Additionally there are a lot of very evil things that the religions I have been exposed to accept as morally suitable.

I would rather justify my morality by doing what everyone on the planet already does, using cultural norms, rather than using cultural norms and then trying to jump through hoops to get some copy of a book that doesn't allow itself to be changed(only "re-interpreted") to seem like it supports my stance, even though another person could take the same passage and twist it to accept the opposing stance.

Answer 6

Fred, for the most part I agree with what you said... In a global sense, It is more important to be good, than to be religious. It is personally more important to me that you are a good person than if you are a Christian/Bhuddist/Hindu/Muslim, etc.

I would rather justify my morality by doing what everyone on the planet already does, using cultural norms, rather than using cultural norms and then trying to jump through hoops to get some copy of a book that doesn't allow itself to be changed(only "re-interpreted") to seem like it supports my stance, even though another person could take the same passage and twist it to accept the opposing stance.

But, be careful with cultural norms... they change as the culture does. Something that you do in the future will definitely not coincide with things that you do now.

Some cultural norms form the past...

Slavery

Exploitation of child labor

Degradation and devaluation of women

Incest

Cultural norms of the present...

Frivolous lawsuits

The desire to fit norms and standards presented by the marketing industries (with specific reference to physical appearance and standards)

Xenophobia

And so on and so on.

Although most of the cultural norms may or may not have been practiced by "religious" people, one needs to decide for themself if their culture is portraying what is really good.

Answer 7

Although raised in Christian family I do not consider myself Christian anymore. However for me there is clear distinction between religion and faith. The former I consider the root of all evil, the latter the foundation one builds everything else in life on.

• I agree with you that "religion" is bad. - Seitheach Sep 17, 2009

Answer 8

I believe in kind people and their good intentions, though we all make mistakes (but to err is human, right?). As for the existence of any supernatural powers, I'm an agnostic, although I was raised a Catholic.

• One thing Iike about this site, is although we all have different beliefs we are all united in a common cause. - Seitheach Sep 17, 2009
• Nice iza - Heidita Sep 17, 2009
• Well, things we have in common unite, don't they? After all, if we got rid of all our beliefs, prejudices and clothes, we'd be stark naked, vulnerable... and suprisingly alike. - Issabela Sep 17, 2009

Answer 9

This is quite a profound and deep question... maybe you should narrow your question a little bit. Theology and the beliefs of one are usually much deeper than can be answered with a cursory summation.

Answer 10

I believe that every religion is good if the people cling to the basics and allow others to live and practice how they see fit. The problem is... people get too worked up about being "right" or others being "wrong".

Relegion, regardless of it's label is a good thing because it allows others to search for things greater then themselves, it gives them a sense of structure and purpose as well as teaches them how to become "better".

I do have a particular religion that I follow, and believe in, but recognize and respect the choices and agency of others to think and believe as they feel best.

• I agree with that. I am not trying to degrade anyone who doesn't believe in a certain religion. I am just curious as to people's opinions... - hlsbookworm Sep 17, 2009

Answer 11

Nathaniel said:

I do have a particular religion that I follow, and believe in, but recognize and respect the choices and agency of others to think and believe as they feel best.

Beautiful.

Answer 12

Define "religion." Do you mean "belief in the Western Christian God"? Do you mean Christian denominations? A belief in a Creator? Do you include wicca, paganism, buddhism, hinduism, or Scientology?

• anything that you trust/have faith/believe in... - hlsbookworm Sep 17, 2009

Answer 13

Be careful with cultural norms... they change as the culture does. Something that you do in the future will definitely not coincide with things that you do now.

Although most of the cultural norms may or may not have been practiced by "religious" people, one needs to decide for themself if their culture is portraying what is really good.

I agree with you, though our standards are based on our personal culture, so the deciding part of this is essentially almost always already made. Critical thinking skills do tend to sort out the more idiotic things people do, but our cultural tendencies are the dominant factor.

All of these "modern norms" (less of a norm for the frivolous lawsuit, I'm sure it is a norm within the practice of law, but it isn't necessarily a norm within our culture as a whole) are, indeed, cultural norms, but they aren't really a part of "my" cultural norm.

You're a product of your culture. For example, lets go with slavery.

Slavery was supported via the bible, and also so was the devaluation of women, I'm sure you're aware of how sexist Martin Luther was.

But now people say the bible somehow abhors slavery? What happened here? The culture changed and so the "interpretation" changed to fit their desires. It is a commonly observed psychological phenomenon. At the moment I can't recall the exact name, perhaps cognitive dissonance, but essentially you force your beliefs to conform out of a desire to not hold opposing beliefs. Essentially if "the bible is right" and "slavery is right" then the bible must either support or at least not abhor it, however, if slavery is "wrong" and the bible is "right" then the bible must either abhor it or take no stance. The bible was also used, rather nonsensically, to object to interracial marriages. I know, crazy right? But it is what happens when people accept two things with opposing view points. They force one of them to conform.

For example, I would submit that with the same standard that you scrutinize cultural norms you should scrutinize the bible. However most religious people would say "that is blasphemous" and not want to talk about the subject any more. I believe the quality of "good" that you would describe for a person exists outside of religion, completely independent, and changes with cultural expectations. Religious people conform to cultural norms, and then interpret their bibles to conform to their world view. Perhaps they weed out a few things that they, for whatever reason, don't personally agree with. I do the same thing except that I skip the step of "interpreting" my bible to mean whatever I want it to mean. Or, as the more common phrase is used, "cherry picking" with a twist.

• If this is indeed what you believe, just a questions for you, why are you alive and where you are today? What is the point of living, and where will you go after you die? - hlsbookworm Sep 17, 2009

Answer 14

How interesting...

For example, I would submit that with the same standard that you scrutinize cultural norms you should scrutinize the bible. However most religious people would say "that is blasphemous" and not want to talk about the subject any more.

I actually don't agree with much of what is going on in the world... And... there have been previous posts where my stance has been shown to be that there are certain parts of the Bible being missing (if interested you can go here)... but that is a different topic all together.

With regards to Slavery and the appearance of the support of the practice... I believe that the counsel actually comes from the fact that Christianity was a new religion at the time of the writing of the New Testament and the desire was to not 'rock the boat' or to try and bring down the wrath of the Roman Empire down on the young church by teaching against the Empire or encouraging slaves to rebel against their masters. But... of course, that is my interpretation.

• I will view the thread you mentioned later, right now I am heading to the gym. - Fredbong Sep 17, 2009

Answer 15

I my opinion religion and politics do not belong on a language learning site, unless we talk about it as it relates to a nation's culture. I know it is a lame opinion, but I am not a strong believer in anything except maybe in Darwin.

• It is in the General discussions section... so, it is ok per the forum rules. - Nathaniel Sep 17, 2009