What does religion DO?

[Bishadi]

i like to believe, offer material anyone can learn from by observing the literature.

i also find many good examples of wisdom and compassion within

but i saw this article

82% say faith causes tension in country where two thirds are not religious

so i wonder, is that correct?

we don't see that kind of 'news'?

More people in Britain think religion causes harm than believe it does good, according to a Guardian/ICM poll published today

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/dec/23/religion.topstories3

The Right Rev Bishop Dunn, Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, added: "The perception that faith is a cause of division can often be because faith is misused for other uses and other agendas."

with little 5-10 line posts, can anyone share' "what religions do?"

please no political issues. just from your individual experience, so no one o) is called a bad guy by any other team

 

[Lori_7]

they feed codependence and egos. provide a source of power for coercion and control. they make a lot of money. provide entertainment and socialization. and some are charitable too.

 

[sifreak21]

id agree all religion does is create hate persay tension friction between others, just because groups of people want to believe in a higher power which there is absolutly 0 proof. im not an athiest but just dont understand how someone can believe in and give upto 10% of their total income to too something that is 0 proof whatso ever of besides on faith and believe

 

[sifreak21]

they feed codependence and egos. provide a source of power for coercion and control. they make a lot of money. provide entertainment and socialization. and some are charitable too.

haha i think i love you lori

 

[Grim_Reaper]

It screws with an all ready weak mind and delivers false promises.

 

[mike47]

Not everything about religion is bad . For example the ten commandments and many other stuff make sense in religion . I mean what is wrong to forbid stealing, lying, cheating, screwing your friend's wife.....etc ?.

 

[Grim_Reaper]

Not everything about religion is bad . For example the ten commandments and many other stuff make sense in religion . I mean what is wrong to forbid stealing, lying, cheating, screwing your friend's wife.....etc ?.

you mean you cant do any of them things aaahhhh fffuuuccckkkk.

 

[Bishadi]

Not everything about religion is bad . For example the ten commandments and many other stuff make sense in religion . I mean what is wrong to forbid stealing, lying, cheating, screwing your friend's wife.....etc ?.

nothing and perhaps why 'religion' was not what jesus professed

mark 10: 19

the commands thou hast known: Thou mayest not commit adultery, Thou mayest do no murder, Thou mayest not steal, Thou mayest not bear false witness, Thou mayest not defraud, Honour thy father and mother.'

nothing about homage

so from 10 to a bunch of misfit, to about 6; be responsible

i can see the literature having lots of good from almost any belief structure

but 'religion'?

 

[mike47]

Believing in one God and addressing him directly does not give the chance to others to represent God and cheat the public .

 

[Bishadi]

Believing in one God and addressing him directly does not give the chance to others to represent God and cheat the public .

imagine when the kids are awakened, lot's of the corrupt go extinct

anyone ever hear of that 'judgment' prophecy? (any religion)

look around into the eyes of others, they be them, who be doing the hammer thing (ain't no magic man, god, wand or miracle gonna save the day; 'we the people' are who get to experience all the fun)

 

[mike47]

you mean you cant do any of them things aaahhhh fffuuuccckkkk.

I said those things are sins and are terrible things in any society .

 

[Dywyddyr]

I said those things are sins and are terrible things in any society .

Except that you're incorrect on that.

 

[mike47]

Except that you're incorrect on that.

Why ?.

 

[Dywyddyr]

Sin is religious concept. If you don't believe in god then sin doesn't exist.
Plus your statement "terrible things in any society" is incorrect in that I have read (that is to say not actually experienced) societies where a man is considered to be a very poor host if he doesn't offer his wife to guest for the night (Eskimos?) i.e. adultery is not only NOT a terrible thing it's formalised as part of that society.
Murder? State executions/ wars aren't murder by general agreement only: somehow because the society deems it to be "okay" makes it okay, but it's also still the taking of a life. (That gets a bit tricky, especially on the definition of murder).
Bear false witness? Hmm, how many societies frown on the "little white lie"? Falsehood is BAD, bad bad bad, except when it's used for your own good.
I'd say it's probably possible to find examples of cases where breaking the other "commandments" are accepted in society if I was bothered enough to look harder.

In other words you gave a sweeping generalisation as if it were an incontrovertible fact.

 

[Doreen]

with little 5-10 line posts, can anyone share' "what religions do?"

give people a sense of belonging
cause division
help people with problems
oppress people
give people practices and ceremonies that feel good or right or profound
justify good and bad actions
present systems of self-reflection
set up rules of behavior
judge people's urges
give people a sense of what is 'really going on'
give power to certain people over others

I could go on.

 

[Balerion]

I wanted to discuss this in the thread regarding atheist societies, but it's really not worth it, 25 pages later.

What does religion do? At its core it serves as a promise of everlasting life. It is the promise that you will escape death and live on forever. It exists because humans are uniquely aware that we die, and uniquely able to ponder the implications of this. That's where spirituality and mysticism come from, where the ideas of the afterlife come from.

Organized religion obviously was born from that, and probably all took the shape of their founders, much in the same way that the heavens, and even the gods themselves, are analogs to the societies in which they were created.

So it's hard to put any one face on religion. Some groups exist to strictly worship, to save themselves from whatever version of hell their faith warns against; others exist to provide comfort to their congregation, and shelter from the uncomfortable truths one can't help but find when they look. It all depends on who wrote their holy books, or who compiled them, or who is responsible from interpreting them. Often, it is all three.

 

[Bishadi]

Sin is religious concept. If you don't believe in god then sin doesn't exist.

Sin is a word but the concept exists within all mankind. it is called 'bad'

Plus your statement "terrible things in any society" is incorrect in that I have read (that is to say not actually experienced) societies where a man is considered to be a very poor host if he doesn't offer his wife to guest for the night (Eskimos?) i.e. adultery is not only NOT a terrible thing it's formalised as part of that society.

you got it backwards, the 'offering of wife' is the culture, not of being "good"

even to consider the wife a possession to exchange is wrong (that is selfishness at its peak)

ie.. the 'bad' is the lack of compassion for the bond of man/women as a unit whole (as all humans experience)

Murder? State executions/ wars aren't murder by general agreement only: somehow because the society deems it to be "okay" makes it okay, but it's also still the taking of a life. (That gets a bit tricky, especially on the definition of murder).

to you 'right and wrong' is grey

and even in observing murder???????????????

Bear false witness? Hmm, how many societies frown on the "little white lie"? Falsehood is BAD, bad bad bad, except when it's used for your own good.

no misleading of people is "GOOD" as you may think it is OK, but fail to observe the tangent as a was of oxygen (almost like even answering your posts)

I'd say it's probably possible to find examples of cases where breaking the other "commandments" are accepted in society if I was bothered enough to look harder.

In other words you gave a sweeping generalisation as if it were an incontrovertible fact.

the fact is, it aint society that renders 'good and bad' as mother nature does (existence itself)

that is why grinding reality down to the last word (math) is more important than all beliefs

religions and people like you, are why so many have no clue; they false witness with exceptions as being true

 

[Bishadi]

give people a sense of belonging
cause division
help people with problems
oppress people
give people practices and ceremonies that feel good or right or profound
justify good and bad actions
present systems of self-reflection
set up rules of behavior
judge people's urges
give people a sense of what is 'really going on'
give power to certain people over others

I could go on.

no D, you made your pointee

 

[Dywyddyr]

Sin is a word but the concept exists within all mankind. it is called 'bad'

Wrong again.
"Sin" is a different concept from "bad".
And does not exist in all mankind.

you got it backwards, the 'offering of wife' is the culture, not of being "good"

Nope. It's part of the culture and culture decides what is good and bad.

even to consider the wife a possession to exchange is wrong (that is selfishness at its peak)

Of course, that's YOUR perception, based on YOUR culture.

ie.. the 'bad' is the lack of compassion for the bond of man/women as a unit whole (as all humans experience)

Which you can't prove.

to you 'right and wrong' is grey

You misunderstand (as usual).

no misleading of people is "GOOD" as you may think it is OK, but fail to observe the tangent as a was of oxygen (almost like even answering your posts)

And the tangent appears to be yours. Good and bad is decided by the culture.

the fact is, it aint society that renders 'good and bad' as mother nature does (existence itself)

Specious nonsense.

that is why grinding reality down to the last word (math) is more important than all beliefs

Also specious nonsense when it comes to good/ bad/ morality/ culture.

religions and people like you, are why so many have no clue; they false witness with exceptions as being true

Self-evidently clueless rubbish.

 

[Bishadi]

Wrong again.
"Sin" is a different concept from "bad".
And does not exist in all mankind.

do to utters what you would have them do unto U

pretty basic

Nope. It's part of the culture and culture decides what is good and bad.

nope (life and death, it's natural)

Of course, that's YOUR perception, based on YOUR culture.

mom rules

and you are my possession, (how's that culture for you?)

Which you can't prove.

to you, because compassion and responsibility are words you don't maintain or comprehend as something to adher too.

your posts prove that

You misunderstand (as usual).

nope, pretty black and white as you like grey

And the tangent appears to be yours. Good and bad is decided by the culture.

nope; mother nature rules (G&B themselves are man created)

Specious nonsense.

you mean; "it makes sense", but since you don't comprehend it, it's non-sense.... right?

Also specious nonsense when it comes to good/ bad/ morality/ culture.

i guess having conscious choice and being capable of comprehending, is not tied to how mother nature works or mass and energy; but is up to people to make up 'good and bad' ..morality.... culture... (all words that don't even live, unless of mind)

ie.... you out of your league

"religions and people like you,

are why so many

have no clue;

they false witness with exceptions; as being true"

how cute