If the world is predominantly religious, why is it such a mess?

[Sha'irullah]

The only thing good that came out of religion is the ability to write fiction but even the fiction spawned from religion is very bad prose

 

[Quintessence]

You must've lucked out, then. I attended several Catholic churches over the years and saw these sorts of problem with all of them. In fact, the only reason I was attending Catholic churches was "suspension of reason, fear-mongering and superstition": my ex, who was Catholic, would end up crying uncontrollably on a regular basis at the thought that I was going to Hell. I told her I'd give the Church a chance because I didn't like to see my wife suffer... and it really was making her suffer.

It is unfortunate that some Christian churches are guilty of this sort of psychological abuse. IMHO, the churches that do this have more in common with dangerous cults than genuine expressions of the Christian religion. I'll grant I hardly stayed in Christianity long, but the dominant theme that was conveyed to me was of being virtuous in the sense of being Christ-like. I can't recall being threatened with hell and damnation even once, and while from a certain point of view one could probably say there was "suspension of reason" and "superstition," I don't think that's a fair way to put it. Meaningful traditions of others may be labeled as "superstitions" by outsiders who do not see their purpose, for example. And, in a sense, internalizing parables requires "suspension of reason" because taking it literally or fixating on whether or not it "really happened" will miss the point of the story.

Absurd or not, there are many records of generals and kings in polytheistic societies consulting oracles or "sacred chickens" (really - it was a thing in ancient Rome) to confirm that whatever gods they worshipped agreed that their enemy was the right one, or that it was a good time for war. If anything, with more gods, it was easier for a war or battle to be "god-endorsed".

Fair enough, though I don't really see the significance of it. Humans are always rationalizing their behavior, and they use all sorts of things to do so. I don't really see a significant difference between "this is endorsed by my gods" or "this is endorsed by my country" or "this is endorsed by my preferred economic philosophy" or what have you. I care less about how someone rationalizes their behavior than what their actual behavior is, especially since various beliefs or ideas can produce very different tangible results or behaviors.

 

[allfoak]

Religion is the opiate of the masses and (seriously) people cannot live life without the ability to alter their state of consciousness.

Without religion society would breakdown.
The average person needs to be told what to do.

The question "what is truth"? would not even occur to most without it.

 

[Robert.Evans]

The fact that religion can be an excuse for violence doesn't mean that there are no other excuses for violence.

haha... so what are you saying. When people fight they make an excuse?

 

[Robert.Evans]

This thread's not about feminism or my take on it. Maybe you should start your own thread about it.

Okay... I feel I know the answer

 

[Robert.Evans]

The only thing good that came out of religion is the ability to write fiction but even the fiction spawned from religion is very bad prose

Is that supposed to be funny?

 

[Deidre]

Okay... I feel I know the answer

God...is that you?

 

[Sha'irullah]

Is that supposed to be funny?

Is the American Republican Party suppose to be funny?

 

[allfoak]

God...is that you?

 

[Spiderman]

Please tell us where and when Jesus said not to rape.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Rape is abuse to an extreme. Jesus also spoke against sex outside of marriage.

 

[McBell]

Where does it say rape in OT?
and that was thousands of years ago... what would be do when we were animals evolving I ask?

round and round the chess board you go...

 

[Debateable]

Don't forget the atheist atrocities.

What atheist atrocities?

 

[Thief]

Because God gave Man dominion.
If God was here...looking over your shoulder....would you do harm?

God is letting spirit become self.
If you are headed for eternal heaven your everyday effort will show that.
If you are bound for heaven......too bad.

I wish the hell bound would just shut up.
This life would become sooooooo much more peaceful.

I made a typo.....I hope no one got the wrong idea.....
that was suppose to read .....bound for hell.....too bad.

 

[Blackmarch]

For a world that is so religion-saturated (Abrahamic faith-based to be specific) ...why is there so much poverty, hatred, violence, bigotry, chaos, war, immorality, oppression, and greed?

Just my random question for the day.

how many people actually follow all the teachings of their faith?

 

[Aupmanyav]

.. what would be do when we were animals evolving I ask?

Did not God create us in his own image? And then breathed into a betrothed virgin to beget a son?