Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

[Guest]

Hi,

Is Religion and caste or community too important for us??
Why cant we behave as brothers and sisters??
When will people realise this??

Why the fighting??
Please answer this
If u feel this question as usefull
Please recommend people to behave as brothers and sisters..

[varaahan]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

Religion's need is felt more nowadays.
No religion asks men to go to war.
All religions preach love and brotherhood.
It is the ignorant who fights in the name of religion.
In the present day materialistic world one has to turn to religion for lasting peace.

[mhumm2]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

If God created religion it would be perfect, but man created religion to align with what we think God wants. Maybe one of the world's religions has it right, I don't know. So let's try to stay as concrete as possible.

I strive to see it like this:

- There is a God who is love and goodness.
- I believe that if I do good and love others, I will have everlasting life.
- I also believe there is evil in the world.

It is not always possible nor morale and ethical to always do "good" while ignoring evil because they are mutually exclusive. You can't talk to evil and make it change it's mind, you can't reason with evil, you can't just be nice to evil and expect it to be nice back.

I believe you ignore evil to a point, but when evil attacks and tries to kill you, you kill it first!!!

You can have your soap box back now. Thank you.

[flarson]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

Hi,

Is Religion and caste or community too important for us??
Why cant we behave as brothers and sisters??
When will people realise this??

Why the fighting??
Please answer this
If u feel this question as usefull
Please recommend people to behave as brothers and sisters..

Ego. Once you decide that I am separate from you, there is the chance that I can be better or worse, have more or less, know more or less. Instantly everyone has to have something that makes them feel useful. Then they will argue for that and feel loss if others do not acknowledge the value we see in ourselves. The more insignificant the issue is the more energetic the disagreement.

[CVPunk]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

Is Religion and caste or community too important for us??

I'm not sure I understand this question. What are you meaning by "too important for us"?
The only word I see in that statement that has any relation to behaving as "brothers and sisters", would be community.
Religion and caste are very exclusionary terms which would only hinder this behavior.

[Telengard]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

Simple two word answer: Original Sin.

In regards to treating each other as brothers and sisters, it has almost never been the case in human history. Man's natural state is one of willfulness and sin, therefore we are disinclined from truly loving and respecting one another. Otherwise, why would Christ himself find it necessary to command us to love one another?

[CVPunk]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

original sin huh?

the condition of sin that marks all humans as a result of Adam's first act of disobedience.

so your reasoning is because people have free will and disobey? disobedience only comes from the restriction of free will.

so again, we are back to my argument that religion and caste would only cause more fighting.

[Telengard]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

so your reasoning is because people have free will and disobey?

Not exactly. My reasoning is more that mankind, as we exist today, is not properly equipped to exercise free will while remaining in harmony with Gods will. The separation between mankind and Gods will began with original sin. That is why it is the answer to OP's question IMHO.

disobedience only comes from the restriction of free will.

Restriction of free will is inevitable in this world. By exercising your own free will, you may prevent others from doing the same. I want to play video games, but my girlfriend wants to watch TV. One of us must give up our own free will to satisfy the need of the other. Simplistic example to be sure, but I think the rule applies everywhere.

so again, we are back to my argument that religion and caste would only cause more fighting.

You simply can not have a world without caste. Anywhere people gather in groups they will organize themselves this way. Presupposing the existence of God it is only natural for people to practice religion as a means to become closer to Him.

[flarson]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

Religion and caste are very exclusionary terms which would only hinder this behavior.

The best of religion is not exclusionary or divisive. The wrong interpretation of religion and application of that poor interpretation as religion causes caste systems and many other problems. If your interpretation of religion makes you think you are seperate from and better than someone else you have misunderstood.

[CVPunk]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

The best of religion is not exclusionary or divisive. The wrong interpretation of religion and application of that poor interpretation as religion causes caste systems and many other problems. If your interpretation of religion makes you think you are seperate from and better than someone else you have misunderstood.

That's funny... I was going to make a link to that very topic.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/s...,4324447.story

What I find funny is that the bible is held to be true, but the story they stole is from what is now considered "Mythology".

[flarson]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

The best of religion is not exclusionary or divisive. The wrong interpretation of religion and application of that poor interpretation as religion causes caste systems and many other problems. If your interpretation of religion makes you think you are seperate from and better than someone else you have misunderstood.

That's funny... I was going to make a link to that very topic.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/s...,4324447.story

What I find funny is that the bible is held to be true, but the story they stole is from what is now considered "Mythology".

That is not really about what I said. I think the student group has a poor understanding of Christianity, but in the US they do have a right to believe as they want and to act as they want. It is not at all wise to try to force your version of religion on others.

Most of the Bible has been considered Mythology since before it was written down. It is only in the last 400 or so years that western civilization has developed the need to think that the Bible must be literal, factual truth to be true. At the same time mythology came to be understood as "less than true" rather than "more than factual".

[CVPunk]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

I was going to make a long post responding to this but decided against it.

I will say this, the story of Jesus (according to your post) should be considered myth then. Since the story was already told in what is now considered mythology.

As an atheist... religion, caste, or anything else society has tried to use to separate humans, has nothing to do with me treating people with kindness, compassion and respect. Which I don't see much of in those who are religious.

/done

[flarson]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

I was going to make a long post responding to this but decided against it.

I will say this, the story of Jesus (according to your post) should be considered myth then. Since the story was already told in what is now considered mythology.

As an atheist... religion, caste, or anything else society has tried to use to separate humans, has nothing to do with me treating people with kindness, compassion and respect. Which I don't see much of in those who are religious.

/done

I would say that depends on which story about Jesus you are referring to. There is good evidence that a man named Jesus, who was a healer, existed and was crucified by the Romans. Born of a virgin, resurrected in the sense of reanimating a body, and numerous other embellishments? Certainly mythology. That is not to say without meaning.

I do find many religious people that treat others with kindness, compassion and respect. I also find many atheist and agnostic people that treat people with kindness, compassion and respect. No group of people is flawless. If you think carefully you will realize that your statement

treating people with kindness, compassion and respect. Which I don't see much of in those who are religious.

is quite divisive. It generalizes about a group of people in a way that is sure to be wrong. It is prejudice, pure and simple. It is also a behavior that is commonly accepted at the moment because it is aimed at a group that many people like to attack. It is not an example of "treating people with kindness, compassion and respect".

[CVPunk]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

It generalizes about a group of people in a way that is sure to be wrong. It is prejudice, pure and simple. It is also a behavior that is commonly accepted at the moment because it is aimed at a group that many people like to attack. It is not an example of "treating people with kindness, compassion and respect".

on the contrary, I have many friends and relatives who are religious. I have nothing against people who want to believe in religion. I have no prejudices because I do not judge people before I have met them. Religion on the other hand does create prejudice, such as in the link I posted earlier, the fight against gay marriage, the fight against abortion. So religion not being divisive is a very false statement.

[flarson]

Re: Religion Question...But anybody can answer it!!?

The practice of religion as too many people do it is divisive. That is not the fault of the religion itself, but the fault of the people practicing it. In the case of every religion I know anything about some version of the Golden Rule, or love thy neighbor as thyself is the most adamantly stated directive.

That said, people are still people and each person should decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong, and then act accordingly. That is why freedom is so valuable and why it is so important to love your neighbor as yourself. That allows people to disagree and live together, hopefully in peace. It is only when people insist on telling others how to live that we run into problems. That is true whether it is an atheist pushing acceptance of gays or religious people pushing gays to change.

I still think your statement "treating people with kindness, compassion and respect. Which I don't see much of in those who are religious" is prejudiced. You have prejudged religious people, just as certainly as would the statement

treating people with kindness, compassion and respect. Which I don't see much of in those who are black.