There's no need to shout ... particularly when you're wrong:hebrew said:
Religion is an ubiquitous and, on balance, positive instrument for cohesion and service.
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Does Religion do more harm than good?
- Thread starter Green Gaia
- Start date
CaptainXeroid
Following Christ
I concur, yet this was my rationale for voting 'No'. Blaming Religion as a whole for the bad deeds of a few extremists is, IMHO, wholly unfair and does a great disservice to those who strive to do good.michel said:...There is a vast number of truly Religious people who do good, as there is a vast number of atheists who do good. Unfortunately the very devout are the ones who make all the noise, attract publicity, and do more harm than good to their own cause.
Scuba Pete
Le plongeur avec attitude...
You know...
Religion doesn't hurt people... people hurt people!
Religion doesn't hurt people... people hurt people!
painted wolf
Grey Muzzle
lust for pwer over others is what causes the problems IMHO.
wa:do
wa:do
Reverend Jeremiah
Member
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful
-- Seneca
-- Seneca
Religion,actually is the worst form of fundamentalism ever implemented into human history,destroying everything and everyone in it's path.
Religion is Leading people down a delusional,deceptive and destructive path of religious,traditional practices.
The very essence of what Jesus came to do, was to eradicate and expose sin and man's endeavors to attain salvation through self imposed works.
The most religious people in Jesus day were the scribes,pharisee, priests who actually falsified the reports of Jesus leading to his crucifixtion because of the fear of an uprise
Religion ,teaches that you must ,bow,wash, where beads,recite,,abstain from certain clothes,foods,drink,and practices,such as marriage, sexuality
Jesus taught relationship not religion, that you must confess,believe, recieve and be saved and Christ will reside within you, a supernatural encounter, quite different then self imposed rules and performances which is the premisis for religion
Religion is Leading people down a delusional,deceptive and destructive path of religious,traditional practices.
The very essence of what Jesus came to do, was to eradicate and expose sin and man's endeavors to attain salvation through self imposed works.
The most religious people in Jesus day were the scribes,pharisee, priests who actually falsified the reports of Jesus leading to his crucifixtion because of the fear of an uprise
Religion ,teaches that you must ,bow,wash, where beads,recite,,abstain from certain clothes,foods,drink,and practices,such as marriage, sexuality
Jesus taught relationship not religion, that you must confess,believe, recieve and be saved and Christ will reside within you, a supernatural encounter, quite different then self imposed rules and performances which is the premisis for religion
scitsofreaky
Active Member
I would say religion itself doesn't, but the people do cause more harm than good it seems. Most religions don't teach killing people just because they don't agree with you, yet people do it any way in the name of their god/religion. People take what they want from religion, and ignore everything else.
Reverend Jeremiah
Member
For those of you who think that religion does not teach killing..or that religion doesnt hurt people..
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." (Exodus 22:18)
Leviticus 20:13
"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
Leviticus 18:22
"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." (Exodus 22:18)
Leviticus 20:13
"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
Leviticus 18:22
"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."
linwood
Well-Known Member
Do you not think these people who show kindness to others do so only because of their religion? Are there not many people who are kind and compassionate, who do not profess a certain religion?
Looking at history, how much damage has been done in the name of religion?
Certainly religious organizations have done good, but is that because of the religion, or because of the people's desire to do good?
I voted yes considering the history of religion.
However it is true as Maize says that these people who do good within their religion would most probably do good without their religion.
They use their religion as the vehicle for doing good.
The flip side of this is also a consideration.
Have a look at that violent history of religion again.
Is it not possible and even probable in many cases that those who cauysed such great harm were only using religion as the vehicle to gain power, money, glory?
Makes you think.
Looking at history, how much damage has been done in the name of religion?
Certainly religious organizations have done good, but is that because of the religion, or because of the people's desire to do good?
I voted yes considering the history of religion.
However it is true as Maize says that these people who do good within their religion would most probably do good without their religion.
They use their religion as the vehicle for doing good.
The flip side of this is also a consideration.
Have a look at that violent history of religion again.
Is it not possible and even probable in many cases that those who cauysed such great harm were only using religion as the vehicle to gain power, money, glory?
Makes you think.
And there are teachings that speak of love and social responsibility as well. You've demonstrated nothing other than your ability to cherry-pick verses to support your presuppositions. That you are no less capable of this than are religious fundamentalists was never in doubt. At issue is not whether the Bible is a flawed text of human origins reflecting human backwardness, but whether or not religion - including the one based on the Tanach - has 'done more harm than good', and your 'answer' seems to have little to do with this question.Reverend Jeremiah said:
scitsofreaky
Active Member
No one has claimed that religions don't teach punishment. Also, Leviticus 18:22 says nothing about killing, it is just stating a "fact." Christianity really teaches that only God can judge us because he is righteous, and from what I have read and learned about Islam, it teaches the same.
Reverend Jeremiah
Member
Im sorry, I shouldnt respond to you like that deut. It was wrong of me and I apologize.Deut. 32.8 said:
Reverend Jeremiah
Member
You pick the verse that doesnt require the immediate slaying in its words, when the verse above it DEMANDS that homosexuals be killed for their love for each other...yet you brush this strong language off as "punishment". Do you consider killing someone who is in a homosexual love affair as "punishment". I dont, I consider it murder. I see no where in those verses I posted that say "god will do the judging and punishing"..No..It SPECIFICALLY say that YOU (thou) shalt not suffer a witch to live...you have been COMMANDED by this religion to specifically kill if you are a beleiver in this religion.scitsofreaky said:
These verses are OBVIOUSLY immoral, and for anyone to defend them, or try to soften the strong conviction in their words is disgusting to me. And also for someone to say that "hey, the bible also has good things in it as well." Is guilty of cherrypicking and ignoring the complete contradiction he posited to defend this dogma with.
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live
...and...
Thou shalt not kill
God wrote both of those verses...LOL...dont insult my intelligence.
Out of curiosity, where did you think you were responding to me, to what were you responding, and what was that response?Reverend Jeremiah said:
Reverend Jeremiah
Member
out of a fit of emotion I posted that I didnt want you to respond to me anymore about this subject..But I am not the censoring type..so I admit that was wrong of me, I edited it so that it would not be seen, and I retract that idea. It was wrong of me to try to stifle your freedom of speech.
ayani
member
i think a religion's capacity for good or bad depends on the humans with who that faith and teachings are intrusted. some will chose to see teachings encouraging love and non-violence in texts, others will see justification for violence and intolerance. truth is, religious texts have both "good" and "bad" in them. what makes sense to one believer may alienate and confuse another. one can ultimately trust that religious texts will ultimately speak to that which is loving and compassionate in humans, or that which is not. whether religion does more good than bad is, i feel, in how you see it.
arthra
Baha'i
I think religion overall is a positive bonding force in human society and can be progressive as well... Unfortunately, unscrupulous people try to exploit it and distort it's meaning for ther own ends.
Also I believe religion is progressive... that is it responds to peoples' needs and can grow to accomodate the issues facing humanity.
Revelations from God I believe have occurred in human history through significant prophets and messengers that have brought needed teachings for humanity.
Also I believe religion is progressive... that is it responds to peoples' needs and can grow to accomodate the issues facing humanity.
Revelations from God I believe have occurred in human history through significant prophets and messengers that have brought needed teachings for humanity.