This is too discuss religions in general. Do not insult each other for having different religious believes. If you're going to argue the religion then at least have a good argument to make. If you want to post in here. Please spell and use proper grammar.
This is an attempt to bring in all the discussions into one thread. I never thought the P&CE forum would be the correct place for the religion topics anyway.
So, specific religions in general, their similarities, their differences, or a more overarching view of why humanity needs religion and the psychological basis for its creation by the human mind?
Given that this thread stays open I have a question I'd like to ask:
Why is it that religions (with no specific one in mind) feel compelled to spread their ideas all over the world? I get that they obviously want their beliefs to be viewed and understood by others... but I feel that it is taken way too far. Shouldn't a religion that is good and respectable also respect other peoples beliefs? There are so many reigions now-a-days how can one person be positive, 100% positive that their views are correct? I mean so positive that that are compelled to thrust their ideas on others.... Wars and genocides have started from far less and I just want to hear reasons from those who believe that this is the right thing to do.
Please understand that i am not, under any circumstances, insulting you or degrading your beliefs if you are one of those that disagrees with me... I'm just curious, and i've never heard a serious answer... anyone who answers me will have my utmost respect.... thanks
Being 100% positive about anything to do with religion isn't the point. The point is you let go just that much to make a leap of faith, you jump and if you make it or not is not the point, the fact that you jumped is more than enough to show that you believed in your cause/belief. In the end that's what makes anything real.
Well religions have this feeling that they are right and everyone else is wrong. Good religions are taught to love everyone even still. They just want to help as many people as they can to "see the light" and sometimes they go too far. I don't know how fanatics got started.
I don't know about other faiths (Islam, Buddhism, et al), but in Christianity the motivation in evanglism (spreading their ideas all over the world) is taken from instruction in the New Testament (known as The Great Commission - see scripture below this paragraph). It is up to individuals to hear or not, to believe or not. Also, missionaries do much more than just trying to convert people. They also feed, clothe, heal, build homes, and educate. And contrary to popular belief, most of them do not require attendance at a sermon to receive those services.
Matthew 28:16-20 The Great Commission 16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Say, for instance though, that you are arguing with someone about which is better: Hillary or Obama... If, say, Im a Hillary fan (Which for the record im not) and my opponent is for Obama I have to accept, no matter how strongly I disagree, that I could be wrong... That in the long run, Obama might be better... That there's that .000000001% chance.
So, here's the real question: Where's the humility??? How can Methodists look at Roman Cathliocs and say that they'll rot in eternal hellfire without looking at themselves and say, "Hey, what if I'm wrong?" How can you have humility with every other subject on the planet except religion.... I guess that's where im confused.
Again, like previous posters I am not sure on Islamic or Jewish religions, but the Roman Catholic religion believes that even people not Catholic can achieve heaven. It's a matter of whether or not they accept or reject good, as the Catholic faith believes God is good, in the sense he is good and all that is good came from him.
And truth be told, you can't ever know for sure. That's a problem, sure. But consider the fact that every major religion on Earth believes in good. Think about it. Would you want to believe in a God that would let people suffer, regardless of religion? No. The image of God is benevolence. In the same way that an employer should decide on his employees based on their work rather than their culture or race, so I believe God would be more interested in the faith in action than what the faith is.
When saying that people aren't required to attend sermons to receive care/beneifts of ministry, I'm speaking aobut those missions of which I have personal knowledge. I don't want to lead anyone astray. I am sure there are some fundamendalist missions out there which do put conditions on personal benefits received in ministry, but those missions I support, and the missionaries I know don't. But I'm glad I made the mission imperative clearer.
Also, I'm a Southern Baptist and, while I may seem to be a rare example, I assure you I'm not. I don't believe someone from another denomination, who doesn't believe exactly like me, is condemned to hell. It isn't "my way or the highway". The Bible is the ultimate guidebook; and yes, I understand that there are many different interpretations, and many people believe it is has been monkeyed around with by different groups over all these many years. What makes the difference for me is what a person tells me about their relationship with God, and whether or not they live that relationship in faith.
I'm against religion. I'm not trying to preach atheism or anything like that; hell, atheism has practically been made into a religion now itself.
I just feel that religion takes away the appreciation of life. We shouldn't care about how or why we're here; it just doesn't matter. What does matter is that we are here, and need to live our lives to the fullest. And life isn't about letting some group completely influence your thoughts and morals; it's about coming up with your own morals, and setting up your own system.
And now that I think about it, this is basically the motto of Buddhism, which I don't consider to be a religion.
just a question here. What the missionaries do is amazing. Do you think that these people would still go to these places if it wasnt for their religion? As you also get people with no religion going to do volentary work because it looks good on their CV. I just think it has a selfish ogenda, just an opinion.
I don't do religion. I don't like the idea of being tied down to a strict set of rules for my whole life in order to achieve everlasting life.
However, I have the utmost respect for anybody who has the balls to be religious. It's a scary thing, committing yourself completely to a concept that you don't understand (or, possibly can't). I'm a science fan; I need to understand something via proof in order to believe in it.
For example: Music has a set of structured rules that have been proven and time-tested. I'm a musician. I understand music on a basic level. I'm in College studying music further so I can understand it better. That's why music is where I place my faith.
The missionaries I know are there because they feel called by God to do that work. They don't always get to choose where they go, and they certainly make many personal and financial sacrifices (it's kind of like the military that way). It isn't the kind of thing a person would spend a lifetime at just to make a CV look impressive. And if there are those who do sacrifice two or three years of their lives in a journeyman capacity, then add that to their CV, well, they made the world a better place, right?
But I think you will find that those who are truly called to the ministry are there for life, not for a short term - whether on the mission field, in a soup kitchen, teaching Sunday school, or in a pulpit.
Yeah it does make the world a better place. No doubt the work these people do is amazing. I just dont think you need a calling from god to go help someone. It should be human nature. Unfortunate that it isnt. Thanks for an non insulting answer.
I can see eye to eye with your theory, maybe thats why I have trouble understanding certain aspects of religion sometimes. As a man of science I believe in the scientific method. I must admit that I don't have the strength to do what religious people do. I need proof, and until I get it everything will just be circumstantial. Very sad when you think about it that way, but it's the truth for me.
You disagree with the notion that religion allows people to appreciate life more, then? Also the notion that religion allows for living to the fullest? Also that within religion, you are not completely guided and influenced?
I have certainly not been given all the answers. I think within my own beliefs, I have set up my own system as you say. And also, do you think on your own your system works? With all that you do not know or understand? Not saying that I know more or understand more, I think no one can understand "the system" of how things are.
I'm just saying that religion is unnecessary. We shouldn't be concerned with how we got here, and we shouldn't be concerned with what comes after death; we should only care about the lives we are living.
Nope. That goes too far. If you take religion out of the picture, you take away the faiths of billions of people on a global scale. People need something to believe in; something that they can turn to when times are rough.
If I may, I would like to state my reason/argument for becoming an athiest and see what people think of it.
Ok, lets say I'm a baptist, and i look at a Muslim and flat out tell him, "your going to hell for what you believe"
Even if this guy is Gahndi, and saved millions of lives and prevented a war without lifting a finger, is going to hell, And you, as a baptist, could be a wife beating drunkered. but you have accepted Jesus into your heart, and believe he died and rose again so, according to the bible, you are going to heaven. Now that is severely unfair, hell, that could be called eliteisim, racism, whatever. But god is saying that the 100,000 (for the sake of numbers) baptists in the world are going to heaven, and the other billions of the world get an eternity of flames and pain. isn't this exactly what the bible is teaching against, racisim hate and the like? Does that make god a lier? and if he is, should we be worshiping a lier?
Thoughts? Do I have something wrong? Please tell me. I'm open to all thoughts, i just wanna get this strightened out
A "wife-beating drunkard" is going to hell in any religion.. most religions (I believe) accept that other people will have different faiths and as long as they are true to their god and don't commit origional sin they will go to heaven. (murder, rape, infidelity, etc.) am i right?
