What makes religion beneficial or harmful to communities?

TransmutingSoul · Apr 25, 2019

TagliatelliMonster said:
What unifies people today, or maybe better said: what could unify people today, is shared cherishing of ideas and values like secularism and humanism.

As all world religions have been given by God so we can share Love for each other in practicing virtues, if a religion has forgotten this aim, then yes, it is better to have no religion.

The only way the world will find peace is rediscovering that God given love and virtues. Man can not do it alone.

I see many do still hold to love and virtue, they just have to find a common path, a path that has been lost.

Regards Tony

TransmutingSoul · Apr 25, 2019

1213 said:
Perhaps, I think it would be important to understand, is it the people who promote something, or is it the religion that promotes.

That is an important consideration. It is indeed the people and their interpretation.

Regards Tony

LuisDantas · Apr 25, 2019

IMO Religion is made or broken by what it actually inspires. Its worth is entirely due to the motivation that it creates and the wisdom of the teachings that it offers.

Unity of belief is not particularly necessary - and I do not think that it is advisable, either.

England my lionheart · Apr 25, 2019

adrian009 said:
It seems to me religion can be of benefit to society when it promotes positive virtues such as love, compassion and justice. People can be motivated to contribute to the betterment of the world and undertake charity. Of course religion isn't necessary for any of this, but for some people it can bring out the best in them.

On the other hand religion can harmful. It can promote division, intolerance, fanaticism and hatred. It can even contribute to wars.

I don't want to single out any one religion or set of religions as I believe we are talking about elements in all the main world religions. The allegedly harmful ones can promote great good and those that are supposedly peaceful have also been implicated in conflict and violence.

I see it like this,religion can promote a community of like minded people but exclude or worse,depending on their scripture,all others.

CG Didymus · Apr 25, 2019

adrian009 said:
It seems to me religion can be of benefit to society when it promotes positive virtues such as love, compassion and justice. People can be motivated to contribute to the betterment of the world and undertake charity. Of course religion isn't necessary for any of this, but for some people it can bring out the best in them.

On the other hand religion can harmful. It can promote division, intolerance, fanaticism and hatred. It can even contribute to wars.

I don't want to single out any one religion or set of religions as I believe we are talking about elements in all the main world religions. The allegedly harmful ones can promote great good and those that are supposedly peaceful have also been implicated in conflict and violence.

Obviously, the world isn't doing well. Baha'is say that they have the remedy to fix it. But, they can't fix it because not enough people believe in it. And, at the rate things are going, the Baha'is aren't going to get to a place to be able to implement the things they believe can solve the world's problems. So, what's it going to take for your religion, the Baha'i Faith, to truly be a benefit to society, rather than just a minor player.

In fact, in a lot of ways, all religions are kind of minor players to the way most people live their lives. How many people, even religious people, live by love, compassion and justice? A lot of us live in a society where vices get you ahead, materially, more than virtues. A lot of people that do live by religious virtues get used and abused and taken advantage of. When will that change? Didn't God say that things would change? That he and his Christ would get rid of evil and usher in peace and harmony? When? Since Baha'is believe this end times promise has already come, what do Baha'is expect in the near future that will turn things around for the better?

Fool · Apr 25, 2019

adrian009 said:
It seems to me religion can be of benefit to society when it promotes positive virtues such as love, compassion and justice. People can be motivated to contribute to the betterment of the world and undertake charity. Of course religion isn't necessary for any of this, but for some people it can bring out the best in them.

On the other hand religion can harmful. It can promote division, intolerance, fanaticism and hatred. It can even contribute to wars.

I don't want to single out any one religion or set of religions as I believe we are talking about elements in all the main world religions. The allegedly harmful ones can promote great good and those that are supposedly peaceful have also been implicated in conflict and violence.

if a religion isn't offering services to help support and foster the poor and homeless, it isn't doing what its called to do as a positive reinforcing institute.

if it is only self-serving, then it isn't interested in community, it is interested in disunity.

Vinayaka · Apr 25, 2019

adrian009 said:
It seems to me religion can be of benefit to society when it promotes positive virtues such as love, compassion and justice. People can be motivated to contribute to the betterment of the world and undertake charity.

I don't think it works when some religions have their own version of this. For example, some religious folks feel the greatest compassionate thing they can do is spread the word about their own prophet, or version of religion. I think that does way more harm than good.

TransmutingSoul · Apr 25, 2019

Vinayaka said:
I don't think it works when some religions have their own version of this. For example, some religious folks feel the greatest compassionate thing they can do is spread the word about their own prophet, or version of religion. I think that does way more harm than good.

We could just share the beneficial aspects. Love would be one.

That could be one answer to the OP.

Regards Tony

Vinayaka · Apr 25, 2019

Tony Bristow-Stagg said:
We could just share the beneficial aspects. Love would be one.

That could be one answer to the OP.

Same problem. Getting to know the prophet is considered a beneficial practice. What Christian preaches love without Jesus? What Baha'i preaches love without Baha'ull'ah? If only. It sounds good in theory, but doesn't work well in reality. Folks' egos are too attached to their version of it to let go.

TransmutingSoul · Apr 25, 2019

Vinayaka said:
Same problem. Getting to know the prophet is considered a beneficial practice. What Christian preaches love without Jesus? What Baha'i preaches love without Baha'ull'ah? If only. It sounds good in theory, but doesn't work well in reality. Folks' egos are too attached to their version of it to let go.

The theory I see is to live and practice Love, that is what I see is the beneficial aspect.

That is what I see many try to do in my community, the more that practice, the better we get at building strong loving communitues.

Regard Tony

Vinayaka · Apr 25, 2019

Tony Bristow-Stagg said:
The theory I see is to live and practice Love, that is what I see is the beneficial aspect.

That is what I see many try to do in my community, the more that practice, the better we get at building strong loving communitues.

Regard Tony

Here, groups like Catholic Social Services, although they have some discriminatory practices, do do a lot of good work. So do many of the inner city churches, feeding the poor and all that. But many are also all talk and no action. But as far as I'm concerned it has to be free from the religious preaching. Homeless people just want food and shelter, not to be preached at. As soon as that's part of the agenda, I'm fairly against it. It's called giving with strings attached.

Dawnofhope · Apr 25, 2019

CG Didymus said:
Obviously, the world isn't doing well. Baha'is say that they have the remedy to fix it. But, they can't fix it because not enough people believe in it. And, at the rate things are going, the Baha'is aren't going to get to a place to be able to implement the things they believe can solve the world's problems. So, what's it going to take for your religion, the Baha'i Faith, to truly be a benefit to society, rather than just a minor player.

In fact, in a lot of ways, all religions are kind of minor players to the way most people live their lives. How many people, even religious people, live by love, compassion and justice? A lot of us live in a society where vices get you ahead, materially, more than virtues. A lot of people that do live by religious virtues get used and abused and taken advantage of. When will that change? Didn't God say that things would change? That he and his Christ would get rid of evil and usher in peace and harmony? When? Since Baha'is believe this end times promise has already come, what do Baha'is expect in the near future that will turn things around for the better?

We're all part of the same humanity and share the earth as a our common homeland. Baha'is view religion as one common faith so we are not alone in our endeavours to make the world a better place but part of a greater whole. We strive to be aligned to positive movements whose aims are similar.

Religion is both the problem and the solution. Its about ensuring we are on the right side of history.

On one hand:

The Purpose of the one true God, exalted be His glory, in revealing Himself unto men is to lay bare those gems that lie hidden within the mine of their true and inmost selves. That the divers communions of the earth, and the manifold systems of religious belief, should never be allowed to foster the feelings of animosity among men, is, in this Day, of the essence of the Faith of God and His Religion. These principles and laws, these firmly-established and mighty systems, have proceeded from one Source, and are the rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated.

On the other hand:

Religious fanaticism and hatred are a world-devouring fire, whose violence none can quench. The Hand of Divine power can, alone, deliver mankind from this desolating affliction….

Vinayaka · Apr 25, 2019

adrian009 said:
Religious fanaticism and hatred are a world-devouring fire, whose violence none can quench. The Hand of Divine power can, alone, deliver mankind from this desolating affliction….

alone? Really? So only your guy can solve it? Not much hope for somebody else contributing? Isn't that a little religiocentric? So much for harmony.

Dawnofhope · Apr 25, 2019

Vinayaka said:
I don't think it works when some religions have their own version of this. For example, some religious folks feel the greatest compassionate thing they can do is spread the word about their own prophet, or version of religion. I think that does way more harm than good.

I believe the time has now come when exclusivity within religion is a great barrier, perhaps the greatest barrier, to peace in the world. Our faith needs to allow inclusion and for us to walk alongside our brothers and sisters who have a different faith or indeed no faith. If it can't do that, its relevance and usefulness becomes too limited and even harmful.

TransmutingSoul · Apr 25, 2019

Vinayaka said:
alone? Really? So only your guy can solve it? Not much hope for somebody else contributing? Isn't that a little religiocentric? So much for harmony.

I see that vision is world embracing. The alone is acceptance of our oneness as a human race within our own selves. I see this is where we are asked to find what we call God or what we do not call God. The good starts with our own self and only we can choose to give the good to all.

Regards Tony

Dawnofhope · Apr 25, 2019

Vinayaka said:
alone? Really? So only your guy can solve it? Not much hope for somebody else contributing? Isn't that a little religiocentric? So much for harmony.

The Hand of Divine power is within each of us.

Vinayaka · Apr 25, 2019

adrian009 said:
I believe the time has now come when exclusivity within religion is a great barrier, perhaps the greatest barrier, to peace in the world. Our faith needs to allow inclusion and for us to walk alongside our brothers and sisters who have a different faith or indeed no faith. If it can't do that, its relevance and usefulness becomes too limited and even harmful.

Then you're withdrawing that quote? "The hand of Divine Power can, alone, can deliver mankind from this affliction.."

Maybe I misread this, but as Baha'ispeak often uses capitalisation and exaggeration for effect, I just assumed the Hand of Divine power is referring to Baha'u'llah, but maybe I was wrong.

Vinayaka · Apr 25, 2019

Tony Bristow-Stagg said:
I see that vision is world embracing. The alone is acceptance of our oneness as a human race within our own selves. I see this is where we are asked to find what we call God or what we do not call God. The good starts with our own self and only we can choose to give the good to all.

Regards Tony

Not what it said, Tony. Period.

Vinayaka · Apr 25, 2019

adrian009 said:
The Hand of Divine power is within each of us.

Then why the Bahaispeak capitalisation? What about atheists? A wise caring atheist can't help. (not that I think the world actually needs changing.)

TransmutingSoul · Apr 25, 2019

Vinayaka said:
Not what it said, Tony. Period.

adrian009 said:
Religious fanaticism and hatred are a world-devouring fire, whose violence none can quench. The Hand of Divine power can, alone, deliver mankind from this desolating affliction….

adrian009 said:
The Hand of Divine power is within each of us.

That is what I was saying, Adrian gave the short version.

Regards Tony

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