If Religion Doesn't Make You a Better Person...

[Sunstone]

If a religion doesn't make you a better person, then what good can it be?

 

[zenzero]

Friend Sunstone,

If Religion Doesn't Make You a Better Person...
If a religion doesn't make you a better person, then what good can it be?

It atleast makes keeps me away for sullying the environment by negative thoughts and deeds!

Love & rgds

 

[3.14]

can it make others a better person by proxy?

 

[ChristineES]

Anyone can say they follow a faith, but if they don't follow a faith's teachings, then it will not do them any good. In Christianity, it is easy to memorize verses and a bit harder to actually put those teachings into practice. (the memorization of verses is annoying to me, I would rather people be taught how not to judge, how to love their neighbors and so on.)

 

[J Bryson]

I suppose that it might have to do with how you define "better person". I've known people to become totally insufferable by my standards after converting to some path or another, but those with whom they shared this path found them to be much better people than previously.

 

[bicker]

If a religion doesn't make you a better person, then what good can it be?

Just to be clear, you're acknowledging that religion could make someone a better person (i.e., the kind of person who treats other people better, is more generous and giving of one's self, etc.), but in some/many/most cases, religion does not do that. I see the merit in that assertion of yours. So given that premise, you're asking what else can religion offer that is "good" from someone's perspective. There are a lot of possible benefits (the applicability of each, of course, dependent on how much the person-in-question avails themselves of such benefits):

• A sense of community; a social safety-net; friendship of like-minded people; consolation and support in times of difficulty.
• Intellectual challenge; creative expression; keeping mental acuity sharp.
• A mental break from the routine tasks of life and work.

 

[Alceste]

Religion makes me a better person by giving me something to be better than.

 

[logician]

I think a better question is on the whole, has religion been more of a benefit or a detriment to societies.

I would say the latter.

 

[Twilight Hue]

If a religion doesn't make you a better person, then what good can it be?

Although opinions vary regarding beliefs and methods over a religion, there are some social benefits religion can provide. Social support via membership and charitable organisations come to mind. -NM-

 

[autonomous1one1]

If a religion doesn't make you a better person, then what good can it be?

It can give you the clue about how to be a better person and drive to get there .

 

[Jeremiah]

If a religion doesn't make you a better person, then what good can it be?

It's also good at spreading hate, bigotry, elitism, segregation, and ignorance.

 

[Storm]

"Religion" isn't good AT anything. It has no motives or agency, much less skills.

 

[Jeremiah]

"Religion" isn't good AT anything. It has no motives or agency, much less skills.

Saying the wheels do not move the car, that the engine does, is technically true but the car does not move without the wheels.

 

[Storm]

That made no sense whatsoever.

 

[Quagmire]

If a religion doesn't make you a better person, then what good can it be?

Religion can be a quick and easy substitute for becoming a better person. Observe;


Step 1: I am an average, run-of-the-mill, nothing-special-about-me, person.

Step 2: I just found a tract saying that if I recite the third line of the 19th chapter in the 5th book of the Ring Trilogy I will instantly become a White Wizard and become immune to the influences of Mordor.

Step 3: Now that I am a White Wizard, it goes without saying that I am braver, wiser, more honest, and more steeped in lore than the average shmuck.

Step 4: To take it a step further, I have decided that anyone who hasn't recited the third line of the 19th chapter in the 5th book of the Ring Trilogy must be a servant of Sauron, therfore; not only am I braver, wiser, more honest, etc. than the average shmuck, I am now also Morally superior to just about anyone you can think of.

And the cool thing is; I got all this without having to do anything particularly brave, wise, honest, or moral.

Cool huh?

 

[lilithu]

If a religion doesn't make you a better person, then what good can it be?

At the very least it gives anti-religionists something to feel superior over.

 

[MidnightSun]

It may be a religion that makes you believe something that happens to you when you die so you mightn't fear death. Anyway, I'm definetly not a better person because of my religion.

 

[Jeremiah]

That made no sense whatsoever.

I was simply pointing out that "religion" is a cog in the human machine. Perhaps in the future we can upgrade to Cog Mark II (gray philosophy).

 

[Jeremiah]

At the very least it gives anti-religionists something to feel superior over.

And in turn it also gives the anti-nonreligionist something to feel superior over.

 

[Reverend Rick]

If a religion doesn't make you a better person,

Let's stop right there. Why do you believe religion cannot make you a better person?