Poll: Opposition to religions (the organised kind) - why you might be opposed?

[Mock Turtle]

What possible reason would there be for trying to 'pry apart' someone's beliefs from their actions? People are free to believe whatever they want, and nothing you or I or anyone else can do will take away their ability to do that. THANK GOD! Because if we had the ability to do that we would immediately destroy ourselves with it by insisting that everyone think and believe as we do.

So, in the end, it ALL ABOUT OUR ACTIONS, NOT OUR BELIEFS. The religions don't matter. They are just externalized bits and pieces of the ideas that we humans come to think and believe are real and important to us. And there is no controlling that, nor should there be. So let's stop focusing and blaming religion, and focus on the real problem, and that is human behavior. I think we would be far more effective at controlling human behavior if we focused on the behavior itself, and how it harms us individually and collectively. And stop squabbling over the ideologies that we humans use to try and rationalize and justify such destructive behavior. Don't you?

We have had a long thread on circumcision, and where it is apparently death for the religion if abandoned - or so it seems. Can one separate that, ignoring the many other reasons why anyone would want to perform surgery on a child with no real benefits according to many health professionals? Much the same with homosexuality, which appears not to find favour with some faiths.

I can't see how you can separate these kind of things from the dogma that often goes with religion and where one is expected to toe the line on many issues - the circumcision one being especially relevant it seems. And one could go on - about the various issues in the list. They obviously clicked with those who responded.

You seem to dismiss the controlling nature of religions, and where belief does usually lead to action, unless people are suddenly turning into zombies.

 

[gnomon]

I checked nothing because I found it, honestly and apologetically, uninformative.

To be honest....useless.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Well the poll might not be that useful to some but it surely shows there is a lot of agreement as to why many are opposed to some of the effects that religious beliefs bring with them. Not all of course, and one often is not obliged to accept that which might be dogma or doctrine of one's own belief. I think it does show that it is more the effects that such beliefs have rather than any belief in itself. I think all who ticked most items on the list could probably care less as to what others believed if they just didn't cause so many of these issues, which is my position mainly. One can't just dismiss all these points, and more, when they do exist in reality.

 

[gnomon]

Well the poll might not be that useful to some but it surely shows there is a lot of agreement as to why many are opposed to some of the effects that religious beliefs bring with them. Not all of course, and one often is not obliged to accept that which might be dogma or doctrine of one's own belief. I think it does show that it is more the effects that such beliefs have rather than any belief in itself. I think all who ticked most items on the list could probably care less as to what others believed if they just didn't cause so many of these issues, which is my position mainly. One can't just dismiss all these points, and more, when they do exist in reality.

I hold a different definition of religion that aligns with your poll.

No disrespect intended.

I don't draw much of a distinction between religion and culture. So to rephrase your question, as an opposition to religion, means something different to me and opens up different options.

If that makes any sense.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I hold a different definition of religion that aligns with your poll.

No disrespect intended.

I don't draw much of a distinction between religion and culture. So to rephrase your question, as an opposition to religion, means something different to me and opens up different options.

If that makes any sense.

Yes, I'm not disregarding that culture has probably as much effect as do religions all too often, and I don't see religions as the 'bad guy' in most cases. In many countries we do seem to see religious influences tending to dominate though over much else, and which often results in the effects that many of us will be complaining about - the usual list - attitudes to homosexuality, gender issues in general, equality for females, etc. - such that change might only come from changes in religious doctrines and dogma. And the problem being - they tend to rely on and believe in some particular religious text and teaching that is rather resistant to change.