Is personal religion better?

[Syphros]

Religions these days can't stop bickering.

Everyone thinks their religion is right and everyone else is wrong/going to hell.
People have fought wars over religion for goodness sake.

We should stop spreading the different religions and start spreading common goals.

Inner worship is enough, the places of worship are unnecesary. You only need faith to be a believer (religious text helps too).

Your thoughts?

 

[whereismynotecard]

Wooot!! I think that sounds good to me.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

Hinduism is more or les that. Its all up to you.

 

[whereismynotecard]

Well, I don't talk about my beliefs unless someone is ranting on and on about theirs to me... I hate that... People who tell me what I should be doing, based on their religion...

 

[Rolling_Stone]

Is personal religion better? I don't know of any other kind. Institutional religion is just the outer manifestation of a personal experience.

 

[ChristineES]

I already do that. I don't like going to Church anymore, people there aren't friendly anymore. No one greeted me at all the last time I went. When I was younger, there would always be someone there to greet new people.

 

[Mike182]

Religions these days can't stop bickering.

Everyone thinks their religion is right and everyone else is wrong/going to hell.
People have fought wars over religion for goodness sake.

We should stop spreading the different religions and start spreading common goals.

Inner worship is enough, the places of worship are unnecesary. You only need faith to be a believer (religious text helps too).

Your thoughts?

what would you suggest we do with the now unnecessary places of worship?

 

[Mister Emu]

Religions these days can't stop bickering.

When could/did they ever?

Inner worship is enough

Inner worship of what though?

I agree with what rolling stone said as well...

 

[Syphros]

Well, I don't talk about my beliefs unless someone is ranting on and on about theirs to me... I hate that... People who tell me what I should be doing, based on their religion...

Outer influence and conversion corrupts many philosophers, who would have otherwise been noticed.

I already do that. I don't like going to Church anymore, people there aren't friendly anymore. No one greeted me at all the last time I went. When I was younger, there would always be someone there to greet new people.

It varies from Church to Church but I can see your point, my church is filled with people over fifty. I am one of the few people still in their teens.

what would you suggest we do with the now unnecessary places of worship?

Make them shelters and retreats for the poor and travellers of all religions. Like a hostel. The funding can come from the churchgoers who worship at the 'chapel' within the hostel.

When could/did they ever?

Iranian Muslims execute Bah'ai daily. The whole India/Pakistan Affair (Hindu/Muslim). Christians and Jews always collided, Nazi (Christian/Nazi Faith Movement) set up extermination camps for Jews. Saddam Hussein gassed the Kurds.

Almost every conflict/genocide to date has a religious significance behind it...

Inner worship of what though?

Whatever you want...

 

[nocturn321]

Appreciate your desire for common faith. Agree: there should be no denominations. 'Denomination' is a nice word for 'sect'. Denominations will end or, at least, become, marginal sects. Inner faith, the inner relationship with God is primary but it is not enough. Faith has a community. Task: find the common essentials and agree to disagree on the rest.

 

[ChristineES]

Bickering seems to be the norm. Paul had arguments with Simon Peter and with Barnabas. It started way back then.

 

[Riverwolf]

I think the bickering goes a bit deeper than religion, actually. It's more of the childish thought of "I'm right, and everybody else is wrong." Since religion is the easiest way of expressing this thought, most conflicts in the world are religious in nature. Even if all religion was gone from the world, it wouldn't matter; there would still be conflict over yet more trivial things, like how many elements there are, or whether we should use prescription medication or herbal medication, and the like. I know those aren't great examples, but I just woke up.

 

[Syphros]

Appreciate your desire for common faith. Agree: there should be no denominations. 'Denomination' is a nice word for 'sect'. Denominations will end or, at least, become, marginal sects. Inner faith, the inner relationship with God is primary but it is not enough. Faith has a community. Task: find the common essentials and agree to disagree on the rest.

I disagree. The community can be beneficial in most cases but can harbour the hatreds of said communities. My area has a strong dislike for Muslims but I haven't been influenced as I find the traditions and messages beneficial. The ideas in different religions put things into perspective, but I don't agree will all aspects of their dogma.

Bickering seems to be the norm. Paul had arguments with Simon Peter and with Barnabas. It started way back then.

It certainly didn't start with bickering. A man called Jesus was crucified first. He wasn't the first or the last.

I think the bickering goes a bit deeper than religion, actually. It's more of the childish thought of "I'm right, and everybody else is wrong." Since religion is the easiest way of expressing this thought, most conflicts in the world are religious in nature. Even if all religion was gone from the world, it wouldn't matter; there would still be conflict over yet more trivial things, like how many elements there are, or whether we should use prescription medication or herbal medication, and the like. I know those aren't great examples, but I just woke up.

Very true!
...but I have to admit, your examples do need a bit of work!

 

[Onkara]

Religions these days can't stop bickering.

Everyone thinks their religion is right and everyone else is wrong/going to hell.
People have fought wars over religion for goodness sake.

We should stop spreading the different religions and start spreading common goals.

Inner worship is enough, the places of worship are unnecesary. You only need faith to be a believer (religious text helps too).

Your thoughts?

Is there something about religions which makes us want to share it with others.
Inner worship has it limits.

 

[ellenjanuary]

Yes. The individual should define religion. Sharing of understanding can occur without dogma.

 

[no-body]

Is there something about religions which makes us want to share it with others.
Inner worship has it limits.

Yes. For some people who proselytize it's like a kid showing off a new toy car or something "you've just got to see how awesome this is" it seems really petty.

Of course there are many reasons to want to share religion, but that's the vibe I get from a lot of fundamentalist. Well that or you're with us or against us.

 

[LuisDantas]

Sometimes I wonder how come the concept of Dharma isn't more widely known and adopted.

Once one learns of it, this kind of dilemmas vanishes into think air.

 

[Quiddity]

The human species is by default communal. Even "personal" things seep out onto others even when you don't mean it to.

 

[micrurus]

yes, a personal religion is better because 1 man cannot form a lynch mob.

 

[Civil Shephard]

We should stop spreading the different religions and start spreading common goals.

I'm so glad that Jesus put the highest goals out there... but to love was not then and is not now honestly looked at as a common goal. Love, truth and honesty cannot be adequately defined for the mob without every jot and tittle covered.

I'm glad that Moses and Jesus did not keep their religion to themselves. For all the evil those who claim to believe in them have done is truly offset by the good deeds done by those who really do believe in them.

And yet with that... yes... I do believe a personal religion is better. After all I find nothing more boring than braggarts whose good deeds, prayers and praises come most profoundly and humbly from their own pie hoes.

Oops! Shoulda kept my mouth shut!