Does Religion Really Matter?

Hi, I just want to talk about religion and atheism and why both sides seem to attack each other.

The world seems to be sliding into difficult times and there is even more grief heading the way of religion and atheism and where our stance should be.

Let me try an example of something i was thinking about. Let's say we are all living back in the simple times. We need to find food, build shelter, reproduce, and help each other as fellew beings. If i saw a fellow man building a shelter, i would stop and help, genuinely. It would be a fun project and to see it develop would be exciting. If i saw a man hunting for food, i would also help. I would help a man in a difficult situation. I would always help my fellow man.

Why does being religious or atheist make any difference to this situation. Would you accept my help in the above circumstance? what about if you knew i was an atheist? would you still accept my help? what about if i was a man of God... would you accept it then? Why does it really matter? Religious or not, shouldn't we all be helping each other?
Also.. couldnt you be an atheist or a Religious person and still want to help in this situation?

Dont use the argument of what religion causes, like wars etc. Because a lot of wars are caused by atheists as WELL as religious people. But the ONE thing they both have in common is they are not good human beings and they are not helping their fellow man... So can't we concentrate on THAT similarity?

I really enjoy listening to people talk about religion, and i really enjoy people talking about atheism and science. It doesn't affect my views at all but i like to hear people's opinions and i will always help people regardless of what they believe.

Whether religion prevails or whether atheism prevails... will not change the fact that to make this world a better place, we all need to change as individuals, and learn to help each other and be kind to each other. Religion and atheism really has NOTHING to do with it. Im sure Rapes, murders, assaults and other crimes are completely random as to whether the suspect is religious or atheist. Its COMPLETELY irrelevant.

I wish atheists would stop attacking people with religious beliefs, and i wish religious people would stop trying to put guilt on atheists.

I hope this makes some sense to some people out there, well, those who dont just want to attack my opinions that is, as they are the type of person im trying to discourage here.... so if you are one of them, please save your breath as you cant give me an offensive opinion or annoy me... id probably just be genuinely interested in it and ask you to pm ha.

Anyway. thanks for reading.

The truth about life is that we are all lost in this crazy experience known as consciousness and with it comes rationality and perception. We are compelled as a race to make sense of all of this

Regardless of religious assumption or lack of assumption they are all just a key element in basic, Ideologies.

So do people WANT these conflicting ideologies? Of course we do
Do we need them for basic human survival? No why would we?
I think humanity needs to finally graduate from kindergarten and move on with a new wider concept of reality and consciousness

Will we? Depends if people are lament and submissive enough to buy into fear and let this world spiral into degradation and extermination.

We all fail to realize that the system is just a system and we can change it whenever we see fit

Fear is a system that controls you and its unnecessary.

I understand this is a conspiracy website however do not allow the things that are true and some not true to ruin your life with fear.

these are problems and we should fix them
its that simple and yes it really is that simple

I believe your quandary can be answered in one quote by Thomas Paine:

"My Country is the World, and my Religion is to do Good."

On some level, this is what I've always thought in regard to religion, and I've given every religion I've come across due time to impress me. Just because none do, doesn't mean I'm not a spiritual person.

I simply believe religion serves two purposes in mankind's regard. It serves the establishment (powers that be) in keeping most self-admitted religious people under some semblance of control, yet it also comforts so many in that it provides hope when none can be found. Hope that there is some higher being in existence. Hope that there is no brick wall of evolution. The hope that is needed to some on their deathbed. Personally, I can't think of any reason that an endless tsunami of relief isn't going to be provided in the end by my own deathbed. I've only had one dream in my life in which I actually went through the process of death (right before my mother died - which is what I attribute it to), and wave upon wave of relief was the only feeling I can remember experiencing.

Would I like to believe there is a higher power (other than those half-human trolls who have all the power on earth), yes, if only for the luxury of knowing I'm not in control of my destiny - that it's already written and I have no influence on it at all. Wouldn't it be nice to simply sit lazily and wait for something to happen? But aren't we each to blame or credit for our own action or non-action in the absence of hope, in the absence of this higher power? I believe hope is produced not by the potential of some imaginary higher entity simply being in existence, but by individual motivation, innovation, drive and refusal to believe every one of us is absent the power to influence our own lives. Indeed, making our own hope is all that is necessary to living. Believing in fate or destiny doesn't make a bad person, but if that person counts on fate, hope or destiny to live their life for them, to provide for them, to make decisions in their life, then they are already dead IMHO. Have any of you ever been skydiving? If so, then you know the pure exhilaration of truly living that waiting for hope, fate or destiny simply doesn't have the capacity to provide.

So, yes. I am an atheist, but my personal religion is to do good. Can you imagine the implication of there only being one rule in life, and that rule being the Golden One:

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

If someone professed that there was a God, and that God only had that one rule (No magnificent churches, no offerings and no magically clean slate after confession), I might very well be the most religious person you could ever run into. Indeed, I suppose I AM a true believer in Karma.

Please excuse me it if seems there was some digression in this reply, but these are the things you think about while doing mindless, purely reactionary data conversion operations for the postal service, and you run out of music to listen to.

of course it matters.

It's the basis on which the world's people form their concept of what reality is.. what consciousness is. and personal behavior / development.

now...

If we could all just arrive at some scientifically provable method of spiritual practice and focus our thoughts, emotions and actions in one concerted direction....

improbable? considering what you know of history, and what you've been SHOWN is human nature...?

sure.


impossible in the face of actuality?
no.
I think it's possible.


-

This brings to memory a time when I had a flat tire. I was in the rain in the dark and working on replacing the tire. A kind woman stopped to help. She brought out a flashlight to shine on my work and offered use of her cell phone if I needed it. I thanked her very much for this. Well, as she stood there, she noticed I have an emblem stuck on the back of my jeep. It's a fish, you know, the ones that have Jesus written in them. Well, mine has Darwin written in it and the fish has feet. She asked me what this represented. I told her it was my statement that evolution and religion can coexist. She then told me how sad a person I was and that she was not going to help me any further. I asked her if she was Christian to which she proudly claimed she was!!! And then I told her, actually, you are the sad person. And she haughtily raised her head and snorted at me and went back to her car. I shouted out, God bless you, lady!! And then went back to working in the dark replacing my tire. I still find this humorous today, just as I did at the time. It's Christians like her that give Christians like me a bad name. lol.

Originally posted by Boniouk06
I wish atheists would stop attacking people with religious beliefs, and i wish religious people would stop trying to put guilt on atheists.

Ditto

I think you're title shouldve been:

"Now everyone shut the hell up and show some respect....a-holes"

But seriously good statement

Of course it matters. The Vatican needs its trillions. Priests need to be rich, too.

Hey guys, some really good replies thanks. Very interesting.

As someone said, or something similar to, "do unto others and you would have them do unto you"

We should all live by that, and then religious or not we would get on fine. I really don't think it matters. There are always going to be the bad oens that stand out on either side and give each side a bad name. But how many people out there have you probably spoken to, got on with, and helped, without even KNOWING their stance.

I was at church on Christmas day and it was full of people celebrating Christmas, praying to God, and trying to be great helpful loving people... But i thought, ... this is humanity.... we're in here trying to be good, yet hundreds of our fellow man are on the streets tonight... and how many bedrooms do we have free yet none of us will ask a homeless person to stay with us.
Sounds far fetched as a thought i know, but i dont know why, i just felt ashamed. We think we are good because we say a prayer? then go home feeling proud whilst our fellow man dies on the street.

I think 99.9% of Christians might as well be Atheist because we don't live to Gods word.

My point is... Religion or not, you shouldn't need a book to tell you how to love and help each other. We should all be doing it for each other.
Imagine a future whereby you stop to help someone in trouble and you talk to each other about your differing beliefs, but you dont mind. You thank the Christian for their help, and then as an atheist you move along, both helpful, both loving, and both not attacking each other. It could happen.

Sorry for the waffling, I just get SO mad when i see threads called.. Proof God exists, or Proof God is a fake etc. People haven't known for 2000 years so dont be arrogant enough to think we can know now.

Oh and dont give me the knowledge that we have now argument. We have less spiritual knowledge now than we did going back through the years. Thats easy to see.

You know I'm kinda getting tired of the typical classification of people's belief systems. Either you're religious or you're an Athiest.

Not that I'm asking for yet another classification, but I find myself in between. When it comes to spiritual beliefs, I only have one.. that is the belief that there must be an architect/creator behind this massive and complex universe(or multiverse) that we inhabit whom/which encompasses all that we can understand or comprehend. And I believe this because I find the contrary to be illogical even by scientific standards.

Now when it comes to anything else remotely religious or spiritual, I don't presume to know anything. But humans have the ability to further our understanding of our existence and the ultimate truth by constantly seeking more and more knowledge to grow and develop as a civilization, this should be something that every one in the world can agree upon regardless of belief system. Unfortunately, be it religion or otherwise, history has shown that whatever 'differences' we possess will always be at the center of the conflict.

It matters only because it dictates the behavior of millions of people and quite a few Governments. Should it matter? I don't think so. It interferes with people's critical thinking. We could see conflict more clearly for what it is. Power, territory, wealth.

I was going to be a smart ass and say with great gravity, "Science has saved more lives than any religion. It has fed more children and saved people from disease. Science matters."

Then I thought, "Science has killed more people through bombs and bullets than any religion."

Between those two positions, I guess religion really doesn't matter.

PS I forgot that you have to state your position nowadays. I'm neither religious or atheist.

[edit on 27-12-2008 by Kandinsky]

Does my position affect my post? people will look differently on my post if they know which way i stand... which is EXACTLY the problem these days. If they didn't know, they would treat me as equal, if they DO know, they will judge....
Either way, i am EXACTLY the same person. I don't change, why should their opinion


But okay... I was raised as a Roman Catholic, i decided i didn't like its ways and so now i call myself a Christian, try to follow the Bible etc. But im also very interested in science. I enjoy a good conspiracy, and im not scared of learning and reaffirming my beliefs, or learning and finding another truth.

Im open minded.

Better to know both sides of a story and choose, than to ignore one and be blind in your decision. That goes for you atheists as well as us lot! lol