How do your religious beliefs affect your actions?

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I visited the Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary for the first time this weekend.

For those who aren't aware of who Jack Miner is, he's considered by many to be "the Father of Conservationism." He was one of the first conservationists to use bird banding to figure out migration patterns, and based on what he learned, he successfully lobbied the American and Canadian governments to enact legislation to protect migratory birds, and was instrumental in getting a six-nation migratory bird treaty signed.

But his conservationism was accompanied by - or more accurately, inspired by - his strong religious faith. While he saw his conservationism as his way of fulfilling a religious requirement to be a "steward" over God's creation, he also famously stamped his bands with Bible verses in an effort to evangelize.

His religious beliefs also informed his somewhat selective attitude toward conservationism: he advocated protecting what he saw as "moral" bird species, like monogamous geese, but advocated the eradication of species he considered "immoral", such as species that engaged in non-monogamous mating or that were predators of other birds. Even while working to protect geese, robins, and sparrows, he advocated - and participated in - culls of crows and hawks.

... so while he undoubtedly deserves praise for the conservation work he did do, and while he planted the seed that ended up with the protection of threatened species of hawks and other raptors, it's acknowledged that he did a lot in the name of religion that is considered questionable today, and that he probably wouldn't have done if it weren't for his religious beliefs.

Jack Miner - Wikipedia

So how about you? How do your religious beliefs manifest in your life? Is there anything you do where you can see that if you didn't accept your religion, you'd see it as bad or pointless, but because of your religion and its tenets, you see it as good and important?

 

[metis]

I visited the Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary for the first time this weekend.

Neat place, although the last time I was there was about 30 years ago.

So how about you? How do your religious beliefs manifest in your life?

My main emphasis is compassion and justice (fairness), which is taught by most religions, and even though I am no longer directly affiliated with any religious body, both the synagogue that was in and the church that I attend with my wife have helped to reinforce this.

Is there anything you do where you can see that if you didn't accept your religion, you'd see it as bad or pointless, but because of your religion and its tenets, you see it as good and important?

To me, human nature speaks to compassion and justice as well, but not necessarily to distant others as humans really are territorial animals. Religion can help bridge that gap, but not all of them do.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

My main emphasis is compassion and justice (fairness), which is taught by most religions, and even though I am no longer directly affiliated with any religious body, both the synagogue that was in and the church that I attend with my wife have helped to reinforce this.

So if not for your religion, you'd have less of an emphasis on compassion, justice, and fairness?

 

[metis]

So if not for your religion, you'd have less of an emphasis on compassion, justice, and fairness?

I don't know. To me, one reinforces the other-- at least in my case.

 

[Revoltingest]

How do your religious beliefs affect your actions?
Not in the least.

 

[Kemosloby]

I post a lot on RF which seems fairly pointless. My religion tells me not to do it since it's fairly pointless, but I do it anyway. Sorry, that was the best I could come up with.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I don't know. To me, one reinforces the other-- at least in my case.

Then we may not be talking about the same thing. I'm trying to get at things where a person wouldn't do them if it weren't for their religion, but does do them because of their religion.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I post a lot on RF which seems fairly pointless. My religion tells me not to do it since it's fairly pointless, but I do it anyway. Sorry, that was the best I could come up with.

That seems to be the opposite of what I'm talking about.

 

[SabahTheLoner]

I wouldn't have adopted a religion that I wasn't comfortable acting by. And even then I see my religion as more of a personal spiritual life than a moral code, so... minimally affected, if at all. I'll mostly consider my beliefs when interacting with others and animals but not as rules.

 

[LuisDantas]

... so while he undoubtedly deserves praise for the conservation work he did do, and while he planted the seed that ended up with the protection of threatened species of hawks and other raptors, it's acknowledged that he did a lot in the name of religion that is considered questionable today, and that he probably wouldn't have done if it weren't for his religious beliefs.

Jack Miner - Wikipedia

And that is fair. It is quite the rare person who deserves support in each and every judgement that he or she did.

So how about you? How do your religious beliefs manifest in your life? Is there anything you do where you can see that if you didn't accept your religion, you'd see it as bad or pointless, but because of your religion and its tenets, you see it as good and important?

I don't know how much of a separation can be made between my religion and me, but it is probably accurate to say that my emphasis on morality and on pacifism informs much of my behavior.

My vocal disapproval of law and military careers come to mind. So do my perhaps rare conceptions of the worth and proper roles of family and breeding.

Come to think of it, there is also my opinion about the worth of discussing beliefs themselves. I don't quite get why so many people prefer to keep them hidden and even seem to believe of that as respectful.

 

[sun rise]

Of course there are many times when my actions don't match up, but my goal and sometimes my action is to put love into everything I do from being pleasant to a checkout clerk to working in a facility distributing food to the poor knowing that every one is my brother or sister, even pig-headed and totally wrong politicians that are leading the US down a dark path - that's a very hard one but at least I recognize the goal.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Because of my 'religious beliefs' I do not attend church services and am no longer a member of any organized "church" (synagogue, mosque, temple, etc.).

I do give to charities and I make purchases based in part on my beliefs related to justice, etc.

I perform a variety of rituals directed toward keeping the local spirits tolerant towards me and my actions.

etc.

 

[Nakosis]

So how about you? How do your religious beliefs manifest in your life? Is there anything you do where you can see that if you didn't accept your religion, you'd see it as bad or pointless, but because of your religion and its tenets, you see it as good and important?

I suspect that's pretty much why I'm areligious. Religious morality always wanting me to do something I wouldn't normally do.

My leaving a religion was usually predicated by some religious authority expecting me to behave in a manner that didn't sit right with me.

I suppose my conviction in my personal morals was always stronger than the morality religion tried to convince me of. After a while I gave up on trying to find a religion which met my moral standards.

 

[George-ananda]

So how about you? How do your religious beliefs manifest in your life? Is there anything you do where you can see that if you didn't accept your religion, you'd see it as bad or pointless, but because of your religion and its tenets, you see it as good and important?

More than affecting any thing I do or don't do, my spiritual beliefs add a zest to my interest in them. It would be hard for me to find zest in a short materialistic existence.

 

[Deeje]

his conservationism was accompanied by - or more accurately, inspired by - his strong religious faith. While he saw his conservationism as his way of fulfilling a religious requirement to be a "steward" over God's creation, he also famously stamped his bands with Bible verses in an effort to evangelize.

A noble stand.

His religious beliefs also informed his somewhat selective attitude toward conservationism: he advocated protecting what he saw as "moral" bird species, like monogamous geese, but advocated the eradication of species he considered "immoral", such as species that engaged in non-monogamous mating or that were predators of other birds. Even while working to protect geese, robins, and sparrows, he advocated - and participated in - culls of crows and hawks.

How did he forget that all creation is from God and that every species has its place in the big scheme of things? Since there is no such thing as "immorality" in the animal kingdom, his efforts were clearly misguided. Predation, polygamy and monogamy work themselves out quite well in nature, without intervention from humans. I believe that all is as it should be for now.

... so while he undoubtedly deserves praise for the conservation work he did do, and while he planted the seed that ended up with the protection of threatened species of hawks and other raptors, it's acknowledged that he did a lot in the name of religion that is considered questionable today, and that he probably wouldn't have done if it weren't for his religious beliefs.

Misguided people do a lot of unwise things with a good motive. But research is required to ascertain what the long and short term implications are for anything we do in a fragile eco-system. A balance has to be struck and these days studies can be undertaken to evaluate what the outcome might be from any action. Classic examples of this are introduced species that are brought into a balanced system. Once the balance is upset, it can impact quite negatively on existing species and cause more harm than the problem they were trying to solve.

So how about you? How do your religious beliefs manifest in your life? Is there anything you do where you can see that if you didn't accept your religion, you'd see it as bad or pointless, but because of your religion and its tenets, you see it as good and important?

I can't think of anything that my religion teaches that would drastically alter my lifestyle or decisions if I were to become anything else.....they are just natural for me. Since I do not disagree with any of them, I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[Ted Evans]

Is there anything you do where you can see that if you didn't accept your religion, you'd see it as bad or pointless, but because of your religion and its tenets, you see it as good and important?

Absolutely...but I am not about to give you an example.

 

[Curious George]

.

His religious beliefs also informed

I believe this is how all beliefs including religious beliefs relate to actions.

 

[DavidFirth]

How do your religious beliefs affect your actions?
Not in the least.

Mr. Van heard that!

 

[DavidFirth]

That seems to be the opposite of what I'm talking about.

Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Revoltingest]

Mr. Van heard that!

Mr Van is a Revoltifarian too.
Typically, he does my bidding anyway.