Thoughts on religion and it's purpose in life

gluttony85 · 11-08-2006, 15:06

Well, can I say that religion is the ROOT of all EVIL???

freddie: I think this deserves a seperate thread.

Anouk · 11-08-2006, 15:52

^ I agree with you to some level.. I think it's the retarded people though - like those terrorists - who take religion to a different level and twist it so it works out for them..

Thank goodness I'm not a religious person.. I'll stick to reality, thank you very much.. I don't believe in fairy tale stories

haku · 11-08-2006, 16:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by gluttony85

Well, can I say that religion is the ROOT of all EVIL???

That was the one good thing about communist regimes, the ban of all religions, they had understood it was a form of enslavement of the people.

Religions bring hate and destruction, especially the monotheist ones which claim that their god is the only right one, leading to hate of anyone who believes otherwise.

Anouk · 11-08-2006, 17:28

There's only one good theory - see it before you believe it

Some people need a reality check.. And understand we're all in this world together, not just them

So why make it hell while it lasts?

xmad · 12-08-2006, 06:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by gluttony85

Well, can I say that religion is the ROOT of all EVIL???

No,you can't. stupidity+ignorance+power=evil

PowerPuff Grrl · 12-08-2006, 17:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by haku

That was the one good thing about communist regimes, the ban of all religions, they had understood it was a form of enslavement of the people.

Yeah, because Communists totally brought freedom, happiness, rainbows and unicorns to all people.

Though there aren't many good examples nowadays as opposed to some bad examples, some of the most liberating moments in history was brought on by religion. In fact if anything, Communism showed us that without the religion factor people can still be evil.

People are the root of all evil.

Offtop:
I know Anouk.

Anouk · 12-08-2006, 17:26

Haku's just saying that communism was good only because they banned religion.. He didn't say it was a picnic all in all

QueenBee · 12-08-2006, 17:27

I don't think that religion is the root of all evil... and that's alot coming from me.

These people are not doing it because of religion, they're using religion as an excuse. And the people who follow them and look up to them are probably brainwashed, like someone else mentioned here.

I'm all for banning all religions but I'm sure that if they didn't exist, there would be something else that these people would bomb for.

Also, the good people who are religious are never shown on the news, only the terrorists. I must say there are lots of people out there who are muslims/christians/jews/whatever and who don't force their believes on any other person. Oh and they also don't blow people up.

I quite like that rule... but that's only because I am personally not religious etc. but I think people should be free to believe what they want.

(still, bring back that rule, I don't mind

)

dradeel · 12-08-2006, 17:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by haku

That was the one good thing about communist regimes, the ban of all religions, they had understood it was a form of enslavement of the people.

True... in theory almost all were superb. However, it was all done in a very wrong way. Hehehe.

QueenBee · 12-08-2006, 17:33

Offtop:

Quote:

True... in theory almost all were superb. However, it was all done in a very wrong way. Hehehe.

Hell no... screw classless communities.

I don't wanna share!

Winkie · 12-08-2006, 17:57

Religion is not the root of all evil, at least, not in my point of view. Somehow all the religions must have been based on respect, honesty, and tolerance, because otherwise no one would have accepted them back in the old days when they were "founded". I mean, a religion changes something in your life, and if you want to accept that change, the only possibility is that it was a good change, a positive change.
So basically, I think that religion is nothing but a way of giving voice to things people didn't really understand when they didn't have knowledge of (for example) the seasons of the year, or whatever.. They thought of stories that answered those things (Think of the ancient greeks, for example, the way the people in Africa were brown, was just because some boy, a son of some god, took the sun, and putted it too close to the earth, so the earth burned, and some people turned brown.. See? Just a way to explain things people did not understand)
And people didn't understand what happened after they died, or where they were, before they were born. Hell, we don't understand that now either.. We can't *see* that.. We can't *understand* it.. But we want to.. So we make up "stories" (I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings! Please don't feel mad towards me..) like the Bible and the Koran, just to give reason and meaning to the things around us.. Like "There is a heaven and a hell, and if you live your life good, you'll go to heaven, and if you are bad, you'll go to hell".
But well, since there were many people on the world, and they didn't travel as much as we do, or didn't have internet or tv, those stories were different all over the world (though there are some things that are the same. For example: Scandinavian and Greekish myths about gods tell stories about the sun, the rain, etc etc.. Thor, for example, the god of thunder, who could control the rain and thunder, and Zeus, for example, who was the ultimate god in Greek history, and lived on mount Olympus.. They were both extremely powerful)
But, let's continue my rambling

Like I said, there are many different people and they hardly ever met. So the stories developed in different ways, and people mirrored their gods to the people they are.. (For example: 3000 years ago in Africa, there were no "white" people, so I can imagine that their Gods must have been "black" too, since they didn't know there were "white" people too.. It must have been a crazy idea for them to think someone could have a different skin colour)
But when people meet, different cultures meet. Luckily, some of us see that those different cultures, this mix of everything, is a great way to learn new things, and are genuinely interested in what other people have to say, what other ancient *stories* can tell them.
But, unfortunately, other people feel like their stories are the only stories that are true.. So they feel as if the entire world should listen to *their* stories, and that all the other stories are bullshit.. These are the people that turn religion and a way of living, into evil..
Religion isn't evil, in my opinion. The people who give it way too much value, and want other people to think the same thing, those are the ones who are evil. You can never force anyone to belief in your stories, when you use violence and fear. I just wish someone could see that..

Rachel · 12-08-2006, 18:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winkie

...respect, tolerance...

I don't see much of that in most religions these days to be honest.

Winkie · 12-08-2006, 18:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rachel

I don't see much of that in most religions these days to be honest.

Yeah I know, neither do I, but they must have been based on that, some day, long ago.. Don't know if you read the Bible, but Jesus keeps talking about love, and love includes respect and tolerance, right? So it's based on that..
It's just that people turned religion into something they can use for whatever they want.. They want power? They use religion to have power. They want people to listen to them? They use religion to scare people, cuz fear is a very powerful weapon.
People aren't perfect, and that way, they turn religion and other things, in *weapons* that they can use to get whatever it is they want..

Rachel · 12-08-2006, 18:37

Winkie, but when even the leaders of religion are literally breathing hate then who cares what it stood for years ago? What matters is now.

And you talk about the bible? Read Leviticus 20:13 & 18:22, I don't see much tolerence there. And I don't care whether words were twisted over the years, the fact is it is used as a tool to spread hate.

Winkie · 12-08-2006, 18:42

I know, but I've been talking about the time that Jesus is in the bible..

But well.. Let's not start fights over religion, there are enough of those fights already, after all..

Quote:

but when even the leaders of religion are literally breathing hate then who cares what it stood for years ago? What matters is now.

Yeah I know that what matters is now, but we can't change things that are going on nowadays, if we don't understand why they are happening, why they started once. If people want to stop fights over religion, they have to understand why people wanted to believe in a force they couldn't understand. And now there are some stupid, completely insane people, who want other people to believe in the same things. Which is incredibly stupid, I admit, but they don't *want* to see that, they can only see themselve.. Gosh I hate religions, but well, no offence to anyone..

freddie · 12-08-2006, 20:06

In a way communism is a form of religion as well. It's all about faith in ideal... Theoretical communism belived in equality of all people and no personal property. It also shares common ground with religion in a sense that both are utopic.

Sure religions can preach about love and tolerance as much as they won't but it'll be to no avail since territorial disputes are ingraved in our genes. Evolutionary we're creatures of war.

Just like communism in it's ideal utopic state promotes ideas of common public property of all things. That's to no avail as well - people in it's core are individual, selfish beings who - first and foremost - want things for themselves (we are herd animals as well, but when it all comes down to it, survival and progress of our individual being is more instinctive to us than survival of the herd).

So like someone else already mentioned - people are selfish, evil beings. That's the ultimate downfall of any ideology - be it religious or social.

forre · 12-08-2006, 21:05

My religion is unknown (I don't believe exactly in God) but my purpose in this life is to give hope to people. I've learned it from numerous examples.

nath · 12-08-2006, 21:21

I absolutely agree with you QueenBee!

the unforgiven · 12-08-2006, 21:29

Offtop:
grrrr I'm so tired and my english is so bad to make a "great" answer ... may be tomorrow
I also agree with Queenie

Quote:

Originally Posted by forre

My religion is unknown (I don't believe exactly in God) but my purpose in this life is to give hope to people

I second that
wooooow, give hope to people is so important I really mean it

forre · 12-08-2006, 21:30

The purpose of religion, on the other hand, is to give hope to people to give some motivation. Don't you think so?