Some people, like me, feel that following a certain religion (buddhism for me) is a path to becoming a better person, and to treat others/things with respect and become more aware of their own actions and how that will play apart on someone else.
Why?
- Thread starter Faye
- Start date
I'm not sure I think people should.
I think the following quotes capture well some reasons why people choose to engage with religion and some of why I personally have chosen to engage with religion in the past. There are likely many other motivations and many other paths to reach these same goals.
The argument I'm familiar with for should, is that we are the creation of a Creator whether we accept that nature or not. Either we choose unity with that Creator and accept our nature in peace or we enter the hell of prideful denial and forever war with that nature. In this perspective religion is the map laid out for us to follow to reach unity with the Creator and the path to forever peace.
I think in reality many of the should reasons handed out in the world are motivated by a less altruistic reason and a more self-motivated fear. One who do not choose the same path is a threat and a temptation that can be removed if they are converted.
To me that doesn't take away a potential validity to the more altruistic should, it just also recognizes a potentially self-interested motivation in the messengers.
I think the following quotes capture well some reasons why people choose to engage with religion and some of why I personally have chosen to engage with religion in the past. There are likely many other motivations and many other paths to reach these same goals.
Nausus said:
The argument I'm familiar with for should, is that we are the creation of a Creator whether we accept that nature or not. Either we choose unity with that Creator and accept our nature in peace or we enter the hell of prideful denial and forever war with that nature. In this perspective religion is the map laid out for us to follow to reach unity with the Creator and the path to forever peace.
I think in reality many of the should reasons handed out in the world are motivated by a less altruistic reason and a more self-motivated fear. One who do not choose the same path is a threat and a temptation that can be removed if they are converted.
To me that doesn't take away a potential validity to the more altruistic should, it just also recognizes a potentially self-interested motivation in the messengers.
S
Shai Gar
atheism isn't a religion. that's a lie told by theists who want to try to understand and mock atheists.
Atheism is the LACK of a religion.
Atheism is the LACK of a religion.
S
Shai Gar
It allows people a mechanism to explore some of there deepest thoughts and feelings.
It lends itself to a deep feeling of comfort, having a religious experience can be most indescribable the feelings that you feel the sights that you see.
In short it can be emotionally healthy.
And to put it gently...
It can be a way of finding a sense of community with others who share our beliefs.
Atheism is the disbelief in god/divinity. I don't know whether that constitutes a religion (depends on how you define religion), but it is definitely a religious label and a belief. There are also probably some atheists who think atheism is a religion- maybe the IPU people.
A man who is free of religion would say: I do not know whether God exists or not, therefore I do not take any position and am not concerned by it.
An atheist makes a claim that God does not exist - a statement that cannot be verified by scientific means or rational though. Thus he is religious.
what is a "religion"? do all religious people follow a specific religion? . . . . or do any two followers of a specific religion hold the exact same theology?
i tend to view being "religious" as a mindset rather than a set standard for living. It's a mindset that simply says "there's more to life than what i perceive there to be". is it a foolish denial of cold reality, or is it beautiful, humble wisdom? i don't know. imo, religion is either the ultimate wisdom or the ultimate folly, but i wouldn't blanket that over all "religious" and all "non-religious". a person's reasons for being religious are usually very complex and very unique.
I believe this...
Don't bother me about what I believe, and I won't bother you about what you believe.
My question is, why do people feel so compeeled to "convert" people to their religion? I can't remember the number of times I've said that I am atheist just to have people basicly say that I'm wrong and that I "NEED" to believe in god.
GRRR... Leave me alone religious nuts!
(sorry, touchy subject to me)
Don't bother me about what I believe, and I won't bother you about what you believe.
My question is, why do people feel so compeeled to "convert" people to their religion? I can't remember the number of times I've said that I am atheist just to have people basicly say that I'm wrong and that I "NEED" to believe in god.
GRRR... Leave me alone religious nuts!
(sorry, touchy subject to me)
I'm the exact same to Ortorin here, except that I am religious. And while I've never tried to convert anyone in my life, everyone's always seemed to want to convert me to an atheist. It's just about as - if not more - frustrating, because it comes down to people using your beliefs to wipe their arse with them.
I hardly ever talk about religion, unless it's with my close circle of aquaintances. And even then, I maintain a very distant position, because nothing in this world breaks a relationship as much as talking about religion or politics.
Personally, I'm not a 100% religious person. I believe in God (as a catholic cristian) and I believe in heaven, hell and a bigger purpose in life. I, however, do not believe in the church. I hate the church and all its bigots and fascists. I hate the rules men have imposed as God's, when they're not. They make me ashamed of being bundled in their group at times.
Religion for me is a support in life; I do not often pray, but I remember what I believe in and I find it to occupy an important spot in my mind. It's helped me to stop thinking about somber and fatal ideas at times and in general, it's also helped me to be a better person. So al in all, I hold religion as something very personal, very intimate that I keep for me and myself just as long as no one comes proding with the stupidity stick and asking me to give it up.
I hardly ever talk about religion, unless it's with my close circle of aquaintances. And even then, I maintain a very distant position, because nothing in this world breaks a relationship as much as talking about religion or politics.
Personally, I'm not a 100% religious person. I believe in God (as a catholic cristian) and I believe in heaven, hell and a bigger purpose in life. I, however, do not believe in the church. I hate the church and all its bigots and fascists. I hate the rules men have imposed as God's, when they're not. They make me ashamed of being bundled in their group at times.
Religion for me is a support in life; I do not often pray, but I remember what I believe in and I find it to occupy an important spot in my mind. It's helped me to stop thinking about somber and fatal ideas at times and in general, it's also helped me to be a better person. So al in all, I hold religion as something very personal, very intimate that I keep for me and myself just as long as no one comes proding with the stupidity stick and asking me to give it up.
Onyrica, I believe you hit on two of the most important things I concider about the modern day religon.
#1.) Religon isn't what it use to be. It has been twisted by the men that run the church for their own gains, and that goes back most of the way of history.
#2.) Religon should be something that each person expireances diffrently. I believe whole-heartedly that there are some amzaing messages in the diffrent religious texts that can help people live better lives; but I don't believe that there is a "cookie-cutter" for the typical religious person: everyone is still their own person, no matter their religious preferances.
#1.) Religon isn't what it use to be. It has been twisted by the men that run the church for their own gains, and that goes back most of the way of history.
#2.) Religon should be something that each person expireances diffrently. I believe whole-heartedly that there are some amzaing messages in the diffrent religious texts that can help people live better lives; but I don't believe that there is a "cookie-cutter" for the typical religious person: everyone is still their own person, no matter their religious preferances.
Yeah, I agree with you in that. As a religious person myself, who lives in a family of somewhat extreme religious people, I face by daily the same aspects of religion that I hate.
My family has this tendency to believe absolutly everything the church says, without even questioning it. Even the most disgusting and surreal messages that have nothing to do with the very concept of kindness, gentleness or God himself. Humanity is a disgusting little thing that's used the type of people in my family to make their own form of religion and church for ages past. So yes, I do agree with you in that.
And as I said, for me religion is suposed to be something personal, that you live by on your own. You might want to see others adapt to the same thinking at times - as everyone does enjoy having people share their opinions - but that's very far from actually trying to convince anyone about what they should believe. I'm a firm believer that, as long as you're a good person with good intentions, it could matter less what you believe in.
My family has this tendency to believe absolutly everything the church says, without even questioning it. Even the most disgusting and surreal messages that have nothing to do with the very concept of kindness, gentleness or God himself. Humanity is a disgusting little thing that's used the type of people in my family to make their own form of religion and church for ages past. So yes, I do agree with you in that.
And as I said, for me religion is suposed to be something personal, that you live by on your own. You might want to see others adapt to the same thinking at times - as everyone does enjoy having people share their opinions - but that's very far from actually trying to convince anyone about what they should believe. I'm a firm believer that, as long as you're a good person with good intentions, it could matter less what you believe in.
- Sep 28, 2008
- 41,232
- 246,606
- 4,281
- MBTI
- INFJ
- Enneagram
- 954 so/sx
Not if you accept yourself for who you currently are. Striving to be better can also be interpreted as striving for self acceptance. Things can always be "better," it is a relative term.
The way I see it, the most important reason (or maybe the only reason in some cases) a person would be religious is the fear of death. Any religion is not a religion if we take away the promises about afterlife. Hope for an afterlife and fear of death are basically the only things that can make a man be religious.
If religion didn't promise heaven or hell, I doudt anyone would ever care to give a damn about it. Everything else comes way after that.
If religion didn't promise heaven or hell, I doudt anyone would ever care to give a damn about it. Everything else comes way after that.
From my studies I have found 4 common threads in all religions.
1.) A reason that we are here, and an explaination for why things they way they are.
2.) An afterlife of some sort, be it heaven and hell, or reincarnation
3.) A devil or some other being to blame bad thoughts and actions on
4.) And (the most obvious one) some sort of devine being(s) that rules over everything
You take it as you will, but all I see out of this is a way for people to push off responciblity of their actions, and let them live ignorant without any repercussions.
1.) A reason that we are here, and an explaination for why things they way they are.
2.) An afterlife of some sort, be it heaven and hell, or reincarnation
3.) A devil or some other being to blame bad thoughts and actions on
4.) And (the most obvious one) some sort of devine being(s) that rules over everything
You take it as you will, but all I see out of this is a way for people to push off responciblity of their actions, and let them live ignorant without any repercussions.
S
Shai Gar
*Divine.
And leaving aside my anti-religious bent for a moment, here's the reason religion is to be followed.
And leaving aside my anti-religious bent for a moment, here's the reason religion is to be followed.