Religious Intolerance

» Toria6 - Religious intolerance

Dear Ben,

I would like to hear your opinion on why religion exists in the first place? I don't understand it. I am intolerant of religion, not of religions, but of the entire entity it is. What purpose does organised religion serve beyond controlling minds and masses and creating wars and disharmony?
I truly believe in a "God" and deity - but why will ppl sit around complaining about others, over their kosher meal. Or be racists and go to church on Sunday.
My opinion is that religion needs to be done away with - rescue these ppl from their eternal guilt. Please don't think I am attacking you - I would like to hear your thoughts.

-- posted by Toria6

» pink101 - Religious intolerance

In response to Religious intolerance posted by Toria6:

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Check it out starting with post #7.
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http://protestantism.suite101.com/discus...
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-- posted by pink101

» Ben Hughes - Religious intolerance

In response to Religious intolerance posted by Toria6:

Hi

Thanks for your question. I'm sure you can appreciate these are my own views and I could go on for ever about this, but here we go for a start...

I would probably say that "religion" doesn't exist but that it is a word used to describe the worship of God and all the rules and guidelines that come which a set of beliefs and traditions. Elton John also spoke of banning organised religion - see a previous article:
(http://religiousintolerance.suite101.com...

I would say that these different beliefs exist to give thanks to God and to worship God. Obviously, atheists won't do this but arguably have their own forms of "religions" which they devote time, money and lives to, whether it's fame, family, money...

Organised religion shouldn't be about controlling people because God has never wanted people to be controlled either by Himself or by others. The organisation of it all is just about people with these similar beliefs and worship ideas getting together - God said that this fellowship is important.

As for religious people being hypocritical, it's no wonder. We are only people after all and whether we believe in God or not, none of us are perfect. In fat, those who commit themselves to God are sometimes the least perfect of them all but are some way to admitting it and trying to put it right.

I wouldn't say that religion needs to be done away with and don't worry, although I'm a committed Christian I used to be a committed atheist and am used to people speaking out against religion. I don't take any serious questions or criticism as a personal attack. Wouldn't it be nice if we were all perfect? But life isn't that way. Paedophiles exist in the church as much as society, as does adultery, lying and everything else. It's just that some people like to hold themselves up as being religious and perfect whereas actually I'd probably say that religious people, because of their nature, are often more trusting and (should be) more accepting. And others like to take advantage of the situation or use it as an excuse to attack the hypocrisy of religion (sorry, I don't mean that personally against you here).

Religion shouldn't be about social rules in my opinion. It's not about brainwashing or about deciding whose God is right. It's about worship and love and giving the glory to God.

As I always think, religion isn't the problem - it's the people in it that cause the problems.

I hope this goes some way to start answering your question.

By the way, if you believe in a "God" and deity, what do you believe and how dow it fit in with your idea of religion?

» pink101 - Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore

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Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore have written one of the most comprehensive answers to the question posed in this thread.
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Here is a quote from a paper they published in the American Sociological Review, Vol. 10, in 1945. "Some Principles of Stratification,"
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"The reason why religion is necessary is apparently to be found in the fact that human society achieves its unity primarily through the possession by its members of certain ultimate values and ends [held] in common. Although these values and ends are subjective, they influence behavior, and their integration enables the society to operate as a system. Derived neither from inherited nor from external nature, they have evolved as a part of culture by communication and moral pressure. They must, however, appear to the members of the society to have some reality, and it is the role of religious belief and ritual to supply and reinforce the appearance of reality. Through belief and ritual the common ends and values are connected with an imaginary world symbolized by concrete sacred objects, which world in turn is related in a meaningful way to the facts and trials of the individual's life. Through the worship of the sacred objects and the beings they symbolize, and the acceptance of supernatural prescriptions that are at the same time codes of behavior, a powerful control over human conduct is exercised, guiding it along lines sustaining the institutional structure and conforming to the ultimate ends and values."

-- posted by pink101

» pink101 - To Kill Any Site

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A sure way to kill any discussion site at Suite101.com is to respond infrequently, very seldom, or never to any comments posted in any threads.
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What good is a site where hosts remove themselves from any interaction?
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Does someone think what they have to offer is so great that no one should ever take exception in any way?
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-- posted by pink101

» Ben Hughes - Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore

In response to Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore posted by pink101:

But surely religion isn't just about a social system - it's about worshipping God. It may well be good to have a common way of doing it but I feel that this quote takes the God aspect out of religion by appealing to the secular population instead and using secular language to define something which isn't.
Wouldn't it be better to argue that a religion/ritual is just something which people use to connect to God?

» pink101 - Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore

In response to Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore posted by benhughes:
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We could discuss the question you are raising here.
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And, I think we COULD come up with some very interesting findings.
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-- posted by pink101

» pink101 - Purposes and Consequences

In response to Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore posted by pink101:
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For example.
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The intended purposes of religion might be to worship God; but, the consequentiality might be the unification of society.
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-- posted by pink101

» Ben Hughes - Purposes and Consequences

In response to Purposes and Consequences posted by pink101:

I agree, but I also feel that God doesn't necessarily want us to stick rigidly to worship using rules and regulations. Instead, I think he wants us to worship in any way we choose.

If we take the government as an example, they create rules by which we live but it doesn't mean we should reject unification. They give us some guidelines to live by and a sense of identity.

But all of these are really by-products to the reason for "religion".

Where do you put the purposes of religion? Worshipping or unifying? Or has one superceded the other?

» pink101 - Purposes and Consequences

In response to Purposes and Consequences posted by benhughes:

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I think the answer to your last question depends on who is giving it.
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I think human beings created religion for the purpose of getting people into line, i.e., to unify society. From what I have read (in the Bible) religion was created to see to the needs of the poor and widowed.
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-- posted by pink101