How can religion be used to control inner city youths

[superstring01]

There are too many wealthy religious people.

That's a subjective statement. It could be that there aren't enough wealthy religious people, or that there are just too many wealthy people, or that there are just too many religious people (I tend to think it's the latter).

~String

 

[John99]

Mike thinks that religion alone will change people but then there is the chance that they will just become fanatics. God knows we dont need any more fanatics.

 

[superstring01]

Mike thinks that religion alone will change people but then there is the chance that they will just become fanatics. God knows we dont need any more fanatics.

No arguments here. I'm all for people taking personal responsibility for their existence and stopping their dependence on religion to justify and satisfy everything they do.

~String

 

[Crunchy Cat]

No because fatherless children in poor neighborhoods still have less options.

The threat of hitman death or going to a public school and getting a free education is a no-brainer.

 

[Michael]

Never heard of "joes Phili Cheeses Steak" OR "Joes Philly cheses steak" either.

Did I mention I have the worse case of jet-lag ever in my entire life. 5 days. Each of them I spend walking in a half dream (including this interview I had at a biotech startup [I hope i didn't sound too flaky]). Then I crash at 9 and wake up at 3 where I stare at the ceiling for 3 hours or type on the internet.

I'll ask my buddy Rani what the name of the place was. Last night we had dinner at a Cuban place that was quite nice. The free fried bread with mango butter was a nice touch

 

[Michael]

I know education and opportunity are the best ways to motive people to behave appropriately and civil.

But my hypothesis was more along the lines of: If people acted equally uncivil 3000+ years ago, then religion and religious-like belief was probably the best means of controlling their behavior. It was true then it should be true now.

Think about it. The Rulers were either Gods (Pharaohs, Augustus), decedents of the Gods (Julius Caesar, Alexander), were in direct communion with the Gods (Mohammad, Chinese Emperors, Aztec Priests), or picked by the Gods to rule (Kings of Europe, Popes)....etc....


It's quite plain to see that religion has been used to control people from day dot.

 

[Lori_7]

I was thinking about inner city youths (gangs etc..) and how violent the inner cities of the USA can be. Now, I was thinking about the real reason for religion - which is obviously to control behavior. Given the notion that inner city youths really need to have their behavior modified, which religion do you suppose would be the best for controlling them?

I was leaning towards Islam. Its has a simple and easy to digest message and daily regulated behavior combined with a God willing to toast your arse if you screw up is the tried and true method of controlling people's actions.

If the girls stay covered maybe there's less chance for sex, therefor less chance for teenage pregos. The boys new gang is simply being Muslim. No more red's popping blues etc...

Any thoughts?

Yes, I'm not religious so I don't say this often, but you should be ashamed of yourself. Did it ever occur to you that maybe we should help these kids, and not just seek to "control" them by suggesting that they join another gang, or cult, which is basically what religion is? typical...people nowadays don't give a shit about the truth or about what's really wrong with society. just excuse it away and slap another lie on it and hope not to deal with the consequence.

 

[Simon Anders]

I was thinking about inner city youths (gangs etc..) and how violent the inner cities of the USA can be. Now, I was thinking about the real reason for religion - which is obviously to control behavior. Given the notion that inner city youths really need to have their behavior modified, which religion do you suppose would be the best for controlling them?

I was leaning towards Islam. Its has a simple and easy to digest message and daily regulated behavior combined with a God willing to toast your arse if you screw up is the tried and true method of controlling people's actions.

If the girls stay covered maybe there's less chance for sex, therefor less chance for teenage pregos. The boys new gang is simply being Muslim. No more red's popping blues etc...

Any thoughts?

How can religion be used to control inner (government) circles? Can these gangs with their interlocking boards of directors, rotating doors between these boards and public disservice, redistribution of tax dollars to each other and their propensities towards gang violence that they can sit at home and watch on TV and which is carried out by weopons no innner city youth can get his hands on unless he listens not to carefully to a military recruiters
be
brought under control by religion?

Should missionaries be heading into backroom power meetings dispensing the word of God to people who contribute to the existence of inner cities and carry vastly more violence than inner city gang members without even putting their own asses on the line?