Are many people only focusing on the "negative" in religions?

[Evangelicalhumanist]

In discussion we often find people only focusing on what they feel or think is "negative" of any religion or spiritual teaching.
Why is it so? Why do this people see all the good spiritual teaching add to someones life?

Mostly all spiritual/religioues people focus on the good of the teaching they follow, and if there is something negative, they try to understand why the teaching say so. Instead of getting mad or angry at a God or Buddha like those who do not understand spiritual teaching can do.

Why the negativity?

To me, the "positives" are only those things that can make you feel better because of what you believe, even though nothing about your reality actually changes. The negatives, however, are far too often about what we inflict on other people because of what we believe -- and we have no right to do that.

However, if you can give an example of something that one of your teachings actually accomplishes in the real world, that makes reality better for those living, I would be interested to read about it.

 

[Vinayaka]

In discussion we often find people only focusing on what they feel or think is "negative" of any religion or spiritual teaching.
Why is it so? Why do this people see all the good spiritual teaching add to someones life?

Mostly all spiritual/religioues people focus on the good of the teaching they follow, and if there is something negative, they try to understand why the teaching say so. Instead of getting mad or angry at a God or Buddha like those who do not understand spiritual teaching can do.

Why the negativity?

If you're in an exclusive religion, it's much more 'productive' to see others as negative. A tall man feels taller if he focuses on the short man beside him. In religions that aren't exclusive, not so much. There is less of a psychological need.

 

[Nimos]

In discussion we often find people only focusing on what they feel or think is "negative" of any religion or spiritual teaching.
Why is it so? Why do this people see all the good spiritual teaching add to someones life?

Mostly all spiritual/religioues people focus on the good of the teaching they follow, and if there is something negative, they try to understand why the teaching say so. Instead of getting mad or angry at a God or Buddha like those who do not understand spiritual teaching can do.

Why the negativity?

I think it depends on how you look at it. Sure there are good things in religion and spirituality, it can give a lot of hope, comfort and satisfaction to a lot of people. Mostly I think this is on a personal level, but surely it can be used to encourage people to help others that need help, like charity work etc. And for the most part people that like to be religious can do this without causing problems for anyone, which is fine.

But one can't deny that with religions also comes a lot of bad things... No one is going to forget terrorism, certain rules that religious view can enforce on others.

You can also have the religious views interfering with things that it shouldn't and convince people of things that are simply not true. The most obvious one is the theory of evolution. If you watch this video, don't have to watch all of it. What that girl is promoting is outraged and potential dangerous and people teaching others similar things shouldn't be acceptable. Teaching people wrong things on purpose is very bad, and seriously it is worth standing up for and fight against. A person that want to believe in God or spirituality is perfectly fine, but teaching others what is proven to be true as if it is false is not.

And you have lots of people getting hurt from the teachings of religions view which is not acceptable and should be fought.

 

[Nimos]

There is nothing negative, whatsoever, about Islam. But everything about the atheistic worldview is negative. If atheism is a religion, I focus on the negative because I can't stand watching people destroy themselves for nothing.

The majority of muslims are perfectly fine and live peacefully with their religion as anyone else. But you can't deny that some muslims interpret the Quran very differently than you might do. Otherwise they wouldn't blow themselves up killing other muslims, atheists and christians and whoever stand in their way of what they believe to be true. In this case, that happens to come from Islam, maybe not your version, but theirs. So to say that nothing negative comes from Islam is simply not true.

Can you give an example of some atheistic worldviews that is negative?

 

[blü 2]

In discussion we often find people only focusing on what they feel or think is "negative" of any religion or spiritual teaching.
Why is it so? Why do this people see all the good spiritual teaching add to someones life?

Mostly all spiritual/religioues people focus on the good of the teaching they follow, and if there is something negative, they try to understand why the teaching say so. Instead of getting mad or angry at a God or Buddha like those who do not understand spiritual teaching can do.

Why the negativity?

In my case the negativity is usually about some claim made by the OP.

Elsewhere than RF only fundamentalism concerns me. Otherwise, if someone practices decency, respect and inclusion towards others, it doesn't matter whether they believe or, largely, what.

 

[Vinayaka]

We? Did you get a pet mouse you keep in your pocket?

Good point. We should stop using 'we'.

 

[blü 2]

Good point. We should stop using 'we'.

Yes, the editorial We and the royal We are so easily confused.

 

[Thief]

Why the negativity?

fear

it is the knee jerk reaction
you can pull attention by beating the book and pronouncing
fire and damnation

but teaching someone to love his neighbor.....
not so easy

especially in these days of knee jerk opinions
and quick fixes

it's always someone else's job
or blame the gov

 

[Thief]

Questioning is how we can come to a logical conclusion.

religion doesn't rely on logic

so I don't have a religion

but I find the parables of the Carpenter to be.....logical

and often times......horrifying

 

[Spirit of Light]

To me, the "positives" are only those things that can make you feel better because of what you believe, even though nothing about your reality actually changes. The negatives, however, are far too often about what we inflict on other people because of what we believe -- and we have no right to do that.

However, if you can give an example of something that one of your teachings actually accomplishes in the real world, that makes reality better for those living, I would be interested to read about it.

The teaching is there to improve the person who cultivate it, meaning each person will gain different aspects from the teaching. If you cultivate same teaching as I do it's is big chance you realize the truth within the teaching differently than I do. It depends on what you need to improve. But we both would gain morality, truthfulness, compassion and forberance toward our self and others. You would want the best for everyone.

 

[ppp]

In discussion we often find people only focusing on what they feel or think is "negative" of any religion or spiritual teaching.
Why is it so? Why do this people see all the good spiritual teaching add to someones life?

Mostly all spiritual/religioues people focus on the good of the teaching they follow, and if there is something negative, they try to understand why the teaching say so. Instead of getting mad or angry at a God or Buddha like those who do not understand spiritual teaching can do.

Why the negativity?

Why is a frank evaluation of the reality of any claim a negative?

 

[Spirit of Light]

Why is a frank evaluation of the reality of any claim a negative?

Did I specifically point at him? As far as I can see I have not posted directly at anyone, I asked a question that is general toward why people see religion as negative.

I answered his question he asked me, is that to single him out?

 

[ppp]

Did I specifically point at him? As far as I can see I have not posted directly at anyone, I asked a question that is general toward why people see religion as negative.

I answered his question he asked me, is that to single him out?

I do not know who the "he" is that you are referring to. I am responding to the OP.

You asked, "In discussion we often find people only focusing on what they feel or think is "negative" of any religion or spiritual teaching. Why is it so? " and "Why the negativity?" Presumably because you see scrutiny of the where the claims of a religion fail as being "negativity".

I don't see it as being negative. It is how I have evaluated all of the beliefs that I have accepted. As well as those that I haven't.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I do not know who the "he" is that you are referring to. I am responding to the OP.

You asked, "In discussion we often find people only focusing on what they feel or think is "negative" of any religion or spiritual teaching. Why is it so? " and "Why the negativity?" Presumably because you see scrutiny of the where the claims of a religion fail as being "negativity".

I don't see it as being negative. It is how I have evaluated all of the beliefs that I have accepted. As well as those that I haven't.

It is the constant critique that I speak about in the OP especially about critique from those who them self is not practicing a religion they make critique of.

My point being, if a person do not practice the religion or spiritual teaching, how can this person truly understand what the teaching mean? They have no understanding because only those who truly cultivate a spiritual teaching gain the wisdom needed to understand why it say what it does.

It is not enough to study the text and think one understand all the aspect of spiritual teaching. It takes thousands of hours and out takes same amount of time to realize the deep understanding. I am my self not near the full understanding, I have still years of cvultivation in front of me.

 

[Milton Platt]

In discussion we often find people only focusing on what they feel or think is "negative" of any religion or spiritual teaching.
Why is it so? Why do this people see all the good spiritual teaching add to someones life?

Mostly all spiritual/religioues people focus on the good of the teaching they follow, and if there is something negative, they try to understand why the teaching say so. Instead of getting mad or angry at a God or Buddha like those who do not understand spiritual teaching can do.

Why the negativity?

Perhaps they are not getting angry at a god or Buddha.....perhaps they are getting angry at religions that lead people to do bad things.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Perhaps they are not getting angry at a god or Buddha.....perhaps they are getting angry at religions that lead people to do bad things.

So it is the people who are bad, not the teaching. Because if you have a spiritual teacher today who them self has not truly understood the teaching. Yes then they will lead people astray. That is not the religions fault, that is an human error.

 

[Milton Platt]

So it is the people who are bad, not the teaching. Because if you have a spiritual teacher today who them self has not truly understood the teaching. Yes then they will lead people astray. That is not the religions fault, that is an human error.

Since religions are a product of the human mind, religions are imperfect because people are imperfect. They are based upon an imperfect understanding of the world, but since they are dogmatic, they cannot change with understanding. Hence we end up with such things as a prophet who is by today's standards a pedophile, and a god who endorese slavery.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Since religions are a product of the human mind, religions are imperfect because people are imperfect. They are based upon an imperfect understanding of the world, but since they are dogmatic, they cannot change with understanding. Hence we end up with such things as a prophet who is by today's standards a pedophile, and a god who endorese slavery.

Yeah, you have understood religion and it's teaching perfect example of why the OP was started.

 

[ppp]

My point being, if a person do not practice the religion or spiritual teaching, how can this person truly understand what the teaching mean?

When people make claims religious or otherwise, the question should always be, Is there any evidence that the person knows what they claim to know. Is there any evidence that they can know what they claim to know. If not, then one is not justified in believing that claim. Human history is strewn with people accepting and acting on claims for which they had little or no justification. Often to the detriment of themselves and the world around them. Your question (above) presumes that there is more than a purely human element to religious or spiritual teachings. If there is, I would like to know the reasons. Until I do, I am not justified in accepting that presumption.

 

[Spirit of Light]

When people make claims religious or otherwise, the question should always be, Is there any evidence that the person knows what they claim to know. Is there any evidence that they can know what they claim to know. If not, then one is not justified in believing that claim. Human history is strewn with people accepting and acting on claims for which they had little or no justification. Often to the detriment of themselves and the world around them. Your question (above) presumes that there is more than a purely human element to religious or spiritual teachings. If there is, I would like to know the reasons. Until I do, I am not justified in accepting that presumption.

The reason for spiritual teaching is so we humans can end the reincarnation within the physical world, and go back to the original realm of consciousness. The realm is called heaven, Paradise, Nirvana and so on. And no they are not same "place" for everyone.

But since no human tool can measure those realms I guess you will never believe it, no matter how one explain it.