Having a religion, good or bad?

Originally posted by Gaurav1
When I say it keeps u on track means it keeps you focused on doing good activities and sinless activities. The Middle Eastern problem probably contradicts this fact though their other intentions are power in particular.

I keep focused on these things without the need for religion. Doing good things is an appropriate way to act - I don't need a god or a religion to tell me to do this.
In fact, the danger of relying on the authority of a church or religion is that they may move you towards positions that are morally and ethically bankrupt. I prefer to keep my own counsel and it works pretty well for me ...

religion is bogus - go-gah!

Originally posted by Gaurav1
Personally I believe having a religion is a good thing since it keeps you on track.

All too often, these tracks (be they religion or any other ideology) will lead you somewhere you didn't originally intend to go to. It may look like a nice track, but that may be misleading, and once you are on it, it may be difficult to leave it. I prefer to find my own trackless path. It means I'll have to make decisions all along, and sometimes I may be lost, but it's my own path, and if I see that I am going somewhere I don't want to be, I can stop and choose a different direction.

Originally posted by Gaurav1
Personally I believe having a religion is a good thing since it keeps you on track.

Religion can be a good thing if you use it to morally guide yourself, such as "Thou shalt not kill, steal,...etc." It becomes a problem when you allow it to blind your reasoning.

The worst comes from when people say you are wrong because you believe in a different religion or a different sect of a religion. Your religious beliefs should be kept to yourself. I don't care what you believe in. Just don't force your religion on other people and we would all get along fine on this matter.

Please note that you and your are not directed at anyone in particular.

Sometimes when u realise that u must stop, it could be a bit too late. When it is a bit too late u could put yourself in a very dangerous position

Originally posted by Gaurav1
When I say it keeps u on track means it keeps you focused on doing good activities and sinless activities. The Middle Eastern problem probably contradicts this fact though their other intentions are power in particular.

That is not my personal observation. In my experience people claiming to follow a religion commit as many 'sinful' activities by the standards of thier religion as non religious people. Infact I believe that many people use religion as an excuse to sin. ie blame it on the devil.

Originally posted by twhitehead
That is not my personal observation. In my experience people claiming to follow a religion commit as many 'sinful' activities by the standards of thier religion as non religious people. Infact I believe that many people use religion as an excuse to sin. ie blame it on the devil.

Some do as you claim, however, you are stereotyping all who claim to be religious. For example, would you say the same about Ghandi or Mother Theresa? I would say that there are two types of religion. Religion that comes from man that attends to the interests of men or religion that comes from God that attends to the interest of God. How about a Biblical definition of religion. James 1:27 says,

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

As we can see, this religion in no way gaurds the interests of men, rather, it is only mindful of the interests that God has which is to reach out in love to those who are disinfranchised and to purify our hearts. An example of a man made religion is to tell someone that if they blow themselves up and kill a bunch of people that I hate then they will go to candy land with 50 virgins in their next life.

Originally posted by whodey
Some do as you claim, however, you are stereotyping all who claim to be religious.

I did not stereotype anyone. I merely pointed out my own observations of people I know. I think things like culture and upbringing have a far greater effect on peoples honesty for example than thier religion does.

Originally posted by twhitehead
I did not stereotype anyone. I merely pointed out my own observations of people I know. I think things like culture and upbringing have a far greater effect on peoples honesty for example than thier religion does.

Unfortunately, our own observations are limited and skewed and therefore often lead us to stereotyping.