Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
I remember a time when I learned a great deal about many religions from this site. Some religions I liked less the more I learned about them, and some I thought were fascinating.
But it seems as if for now a new crowd has the spotlight now, and this crowd seems to eager to criticize religion as a whole.
I've noticed many hear love to question religion and criticize it. And I will say some beliefs need questioned and criticized. One that sticks out like a sore thumb is a global flood. There simply is no evidence to suggest such a thing. Or the earth being six to ten thousand years old. It just is not so.
But what it wear that a God created the universe, and decided to leave it at that and see what happens? Or perhaps as Family Guy suggested (or joked rather) than God light a fart on fire to cause the big bang? How do we even really know the big bang happened?
You may say there is a such thing as peer review, but look at the horrors that has produced. Hitler had many who approved of his tactics. Da Vinci had very little support (from the scientific community) during his day. A small group of scientist who agreed produced the atomic bomb, while global climate scientist have been struggling for decades for people to see the urgency of their cries.
Sure religion has produced a few ******** who believe they are better than everyone else, but my next door neighbor believes he is better because he has a penis dangling between his legs. But at the same time some people pray to god and find in this mystical force to strength to achieve sobriety. One religion says man shall not wear that which pertains unto a woman, but yet another religion holds a very special place for transsexuals. One religion sacrificed people to appease gods that are more blood-thirsty than vampires, while another simply teaches that marijuana is a gift from god. And then the most active of the American Founding Fathers believed that God did not play an active role in the events of the universe.
So I ask, given that there are some religious views that are very ignorant of what we know (or at least think) to be true, and while some simply cannot be disproven, why attack religion as a whole? It really can't be proven a Deist who believes God does not play an active role is wrong, or an Agnostic who claims we simply cannot know is wrong, and when Stephen Hawking says science does not prove or disprove God, why the need to attack religion at all? Some people are vile people. They don't need religion. They have used race, money, nationality, blonde hair and blue eyes, or really any excuse they can find. And some will be good in the name of religion. Mother Teresa doubted, but would we know of of her many good deeds had it not been for religion? For some people their God, even if imaginary, is the only source of comfort they have at the end of the day.
As a person, I say religion may do some harm. But in all reality what is 100% free from this? Even marijuana, which many embrace as a harmless drug, is ultimately responsible for various things from nasty allergic reactions to death over drug deals gone wrong.
As an observer I see that religion has done some wrongs, it has done some goods, but today most people just claim (here in America at least) to be Christian and it seems to have a very minimal impact (unless you're looking at Texas.)
As a psychology student I say yes there is some harm. But rather than religion as a whole specifics must be mentioned first, as I know a Priest that simply would not condemn a single soul to Hell (he openly welcomes gays to his church, and he even invited me, as Luciferian and transsexual to diner with his family and made no mentions of God or Salvation), and I know some who condemn anyone who looks at them wrong. There are examples of pastors who believe America is God's country and English is his chosen language, and those who believe we all children of God and in Heaven we will all just simply know what each other is saying.
So instead of criticizing religion, which is a very broad term and no mater how much you wish it could cannot be disproven entirely, why not focus on the real problem which is people? People can be mean, vile, hateful, and vengeful. And people will use anything they can to justify their negativity. It can be religion, or it can be race, wealth, resources, power, nationality, religion, or something very trivial like music or video game preference.
People can be good, people can be bad. We don't have to search long or hard to find instances in which drugs, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, wealth, nationality, or any "insert reason here" is used to justify bigotry, hate, intolerance, or at the same time love, compassion, and unity.
So instead of looking at only a very small sample under the microscope, why not broaden your horizens and look at everything us humans have to offer? I promise you will find different reasons, but similar ends for any cause you look for.
But it seems as if for now a new crowd has the spotlight now, and this crowd seems to eager to criticize religion as a whole.
I've noticed many hear love to question religion and criticize it. And I will say some beliefs need questioned and criticized. One that sticks out like a sore thumb is a global flood. There simply is no evidence to suggest such a thing. Or the earth being six to ten thousand years old. It just is not so.
But what it wear that a God created the universe, and decided to leave it at that and see what happens? Or perhaps as Family Guy suggested (or joked rather) than God light a fart on fire to cause the big bang? How do we even really know the big bang happened?
You may say there is a such thing as peer review, but look at the horrors that has produced. Hitler had many who approved of his tactics. Da Vinci had very little support (from the scientific community) during his day. A small group of scientist who agreed produced the atomic bomb, while global climate scientist have been struggling for decades for people to see the urgency of their cries.
Sure religion has produced a few ******** who believe they are better than everyone else, but my next door neighbor believes he is better because he has a penis dangling between his legs. But at the same time some people pray to god and find in this mystical force to strength to achieve sobriety. One religion says man shall not wear that which pertains unto a woman, but yet another religion holds a very special place for transsexuals. One religion sacrificed people to appease gods that are more blood-thirsty than vampires, while another simply teaches that marijuana is a gift from god. And then the most active of the American Founding Fathers believed that God did not play an active role in the events of the universe.
So I ask, given that there are some religious views that are very ignorant of what we know (or at least think) to be true, and while some simply cannot be disproven, why attack religion as a whole? It really can't be proven a Deist who believes God does not play an active role is wrong, or an Agnostic who claims we simply cannot know is wrong, and when Stephen Hawking says science does not prove or disprove God, why the need to attack religion at all? Some people are vile people. They don't need religion. They have used race, money, nationality, blonde hair and blue eyes, or really any excuse they can find. And some will be good in the name of religion. Mother Teresa doubted, but would we know of of her many good deeds had it not been for religion? For some people their God, even if imaginary, is the only source of comfort they have at the end of the day.
As a person, I say religion may do some harm. But in all reality what is 100% free from this? Even marijuana, which many embrace as a harmless drug, is ultimately responsible for various things from nasty allergic reactions to death over drug deals gone wrong.
As an observer I see that religion has done some wrongs, it has done some goods, but today most people just claim (here in America at least) to be Christian and it seems to have a very minimal impact (unless you're looking at Texas.)
As a psychology student I say yes there is some harm. But rather than religion as a whole specifics must be mentioned first, as I know a Priest that simply would not condemn a single soul to Hell (he openly welcomes gays to his church, and he even invited me, as Luciferian and transsexual to diner with his family and made no mentions of God or Salvation), and I know some who condemn anyone who looks at them wrong. There are examples of pastors who believe America is God's country and English is his chosen language, and those who believe we all children of God and in Heaven we will all just simply know what each other is saying.
So instead of criticizing religion, which is a very broad term and no mater how much you wish it could cannot be disproven entirely, why not focus on the real problem which is people? People can be mean, vile, hateful, and vengeful. And people will use anything they can to justify their negativity. It can be religion, or it can be race, wealth, resources, power, nationality, religion, or something very trivial like music or video game preference.
People can be good, people can be bad. We don't have to search long or hard to find instances in which drugs, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, wealth, nationality, or any "insert reason here" is used to justify bigotry, hate, intolerance, or at the same time love, compassion, and unity.
So instead of looking at only a very small sample under the microscope, why not broaden your horizens and look at everything us humans have to offer? I promise you will find different reasons, but similar ends for any cause you look for.
And considering that in my opening remark I was careful to qualify the culprits by identifying them as "actually certain religious people" I didn't expect anyone here to have forgotten this point in just two sentences. My mistake in overestimating your reading comprehension. :sorry1: I'll recalibrate my Expectation scale for you.