Is Religion The Root Of All Evil?

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Ol' Blue Eyes.
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Mibba
October 9th, 2007 at 01:05am
schooldropout:
You can't have a god and not satan. Its a balance, when I used to believe in god this is what I worked out a long with a lot of other people.

Theres god. Creator of hell heaven and earth( apparantly)
Theres statan. Ruler of hell.
Then there is us in the middle. If your good and do everything people say, you'll go to heaven if your evil you go to hell. Simple as.

Its a balance, we are stuck in the middle of beliefs where people think that heaven and hell is real. Face it, there couldn't he a heaven without a hell because where would all the sinners go?
What about reincarnation? Your soul doesn't ascend into paradise until you've cleared all the necessary levels. I'm not entirely clear on the details, but I'm vaguely sure that "hell" is not a part of the equation.
lyrical_mess
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Mibba Blog
October 9th, 2007 at 02:57am
That's pretty much what I believe. And most Hindus, I assume. There's moksha, which is like heaven. Its great and wonderful and stuff but you can't get there until you've earned it. According to Hinduism, you are born again and again as animal forms, and then when you finally get to be human, you must live a good sin-free life and not fear death or be attached to your flesh body to gain entrance to moksha. Otherwise you just get a rest there and you have to come back down and suffer life on earth some more.

Wouldn't you want to get to moksha? Wouldn't you want to be happy and fly around in poofy clouds or however one might envision such a place? I don't see how that would encourage evil. I don't even believe in Satan. He like, God, is a human creation. But he, unlike God, is justification for our prejudices, petty quarrels over things that end up dividing humanity and for anything we commit in the name of God.

In the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan does state that he who commits good with belief and faith in Tash serves only Aslan and he who commits wrong in Aslan's name is a servant of Tash.
The Doctor
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Mibba Blog
October 9th, 2007 at 05:26pm
I don't think it is actual religion that is the root of all evil...it's the people who take the wrong messages from it.

If that makes sense...
Anji
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October 9th, 2007 at 05:38pm
There are usually elements of religion though, that will give some sort of punishment and some form of a reward. Talking to Shruti here, though there may not be a Satan, there is still a place to go for your sins, which is basically back on Earth again. Though there may not be someone who presides over the reincarnation, and it may seem like a minor form of punishment, it still is worse than getting into moksha. It's not as bad as the Christian Hell, but it's hell relative to the beliefs of Hinduism.
John Entwistle
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October 9th, 2007 at 09:15pm
I don'r think it is. My friend thinks that if there were no religions that the world would be better off. I disagree. I think there should be more religion in the world. I think it makes people more civil.
Ol' Blue Eyes.
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Mibba
October 9th, 2007 at 11:03pm
Shadow of a Doubt:
I don'r think it is. My friend thinks that if there were no religions that the world would be better off. I disagree. I think there should be more religion in the world. I think it makes people more civil.
If not necessarily a religion, but some sort of moral code. I think if people had better morals, things would be much different.
NeoSteph
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October 9th, 2007 at 11:53pm
well its said over and over but it's the truth.

People are and they will always find something to fight for or against, if religion didn't exist it would be over land and when that was settled it would be over class. Then people would want to stop war by all becoming the same (communism) but then war would be created in the name of difference.

we are an evil race we live by our seven sins.
Ol' Blue Eyes.
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Mibba
October 10th, 2007 at 05:06am
NeoSteph:
well its said over and over but it's the truth.

People are and they will always find something to fight for or against, if religion didn't exist it would be over land and when that was settled it would be over class. Then people would want to stop war by all becoming the same (communism) but then war would be created in the name of difference.

we are an evil race we live by our seven sins.
Very true, which is why I highly doubt that religion could ever be called the root of all evil. Religion is one of the few reasons people attempt to deny their most instinctual, depraved instincts. Religion gives people a moral code, something to live by. I don't think it's the worst thing in the world. Faith
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October 10th, 2007 at 12:19pm
Ol' Blue Eyes.:
NeoSteph:
well its said over and over but it's the truth.

People are and they will always find something to fight for or against, if religion didn't exist it would be over land and when that was settled it would be over class. Then people would want to stop war by all becoming the same (communism) but then war would be created in the name of difference.

we are an evil race we live by our seven sins.
Very true, which is why I highly doubt that religion could ever be called the root of all evil. Religion is one of the few reasons people attempt to deny their most instinctual, depraved instincts. Religion gives people a moral code, something to live by. I don't think it's the worst thing in the world. Faith
So if there wasn't any religion everyone would be sinful and evil?

Atheists don't believe in God and religion so that does make them evil an immoral?

Religion isn't the root of all evil, but I don't see it helping a lot. As Steph said people are still choosing to live the life of sin and being religious or nonreligious doesn't make any difference.
John Entwistle
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October 10th, 2007 at 07:40pm
Ol' Blue Eyes.:
Shadow of a Doubt:
I don'r think it is. My friend thinks that if there were no religions that the world would be better off. I disagree. I think there should be more religion in the world. I think it makes people more civil.
If not necessarily a religion, but some sort of moral code. I think if people had better morals, things would be much different.


Yeah, that makes sense.
Ol' Blue Eyes.
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Mibba
October 11th, 2007 at 02:19am
Electric Buttsecks!:
Ol' Blue Eyes.:
NeoSteph:
well its said over and over but it's the truth.

People are and they will always find something to fight for or against, if religion didn't exist it would be over land and when that was settled it would be over class. Then people would want to stop war by all becoming the same (communism) but then war would be created in the name of difference.

we are an evil race we live by our seven sins.
Very true, which is why I highly doubt that religion could ever be called the root of all evil. Religion is one of the few reasons people attempt to deny their most instinctual, depraved instincts. Religion gives people a moral code, something to live by. I don't think it's the worst thing in the world. Faith
So if there wasn't any religion everyone would be sinful and evil?

Atheists don't believe in God and religion so that does make them evil an immoral?

Religion isn't the root of all evil, but I don't see it helping a lot. As Steph said people are still choosing to live the life of sin and being religious or nonreligious doesn't make any difference.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that people without religious were immoral. All I meant was that for many people, having a religion gives them a real reason to stick to certain morals and rules. Of course there are others who live good, decent lives without the influence of religion, and I didn't mean to exclude them.
lyrical_mess
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October 11th, 2007 at 06:50pm
Anji:
There are usually elements of religion though, that will give some sort of punishment and some form of a reward. Talking to Shruti here, though there may not be a Satan, there is still a place to go for your sins, which is basically back on Earth again. Though there may not be someone who presides over the reincarnation, and it may seem like a minor form of punishment, it still is worse than getting into moksha. It's not as bad as the Christian Hell, but it's hell relative to the beliefs of Hinduism.


Yes it is. Like, imagine after a long day at work you get home and then all of a sudden your boss calls you and makes you work an all-night shift or something. It'd suck.

But the thing is, in light of the fact that every religion offers reward for goodness and punishment for sins and evil, there is no base to saying that religion is the root of evil.
Hitchcock Starlet
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October 16th, 2007 at 07:08pm
Herr Doktor:
I don't think it is actual religion that is the root of all evil...it's the people who take the wrong messages from it.
Drops of Jupiter
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October 22nd, 2007 at 09:57pm
Shadow of a Doubt:
Without religion the world would be a million times worse. I think religion keeps people civil.

Rubbish, people do not need religion to enable them to be "civil". Plenty of atheists are good people with morals and values. I commend Mr Dawkins
lyrical_mess
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Mibba Blog
October 23rd, 2007 at 03:53pm
I was having a discussion about this with my father last night. There's people here in India who start their prayers when the rooster crows and finish way after lunchtime. And they usually have child servants who are beaten to death for no damn reason. Interesting coinkydink? Heheh...those assholes.

Anyway, what my dad was telling me was, there's usually two parts to religon: How to lead a good, daily life and your relationship with god. These end up intertwined somehow. The first part usually has a bunch of rules about how to do this and how to do that. And people end up kind of ignoring the second part and simply assume god will stop blessing them if they don't follow the "Rules of Life" part to a t. This is absolute bullshit. This causes people to go astray.

I think one of the major problems with religion is that many religious rules are outdated. I mean, a lot stuff was way ahead of its time in some religions, but there's more than enough that can safely be scrapped today. For example, isolating a menstruating woman. This rule was created for cleanlieness. Because they didn't have pads and stuff.

Today, there are some freaking orthodox families I know that make you sit in a random closed off room somewhere and no one can talk to you or come near the room and you get a little handful of rice from a widow. This is not only completely overboard for medevial times, but ridiculous in every sense. There's other stuff like this, only bigger. And these are the things that somewhow turn man into monsters. You are placating no one by beheading Muslims. Stop the riots.
Mycophobia
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October 23rd, 2007 at 05:07pm
well religon can both save people and kill people. I do think it's a root to alot of the worlds problims. I wouldn't say it's the root of all evil though. I has also helped people find hope and bring people together. then agian it has also pulled people apart. I think religion would be much better if people where just more tolerant of others belefs.
Ol' Blue Eyes.
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Mibba
October 24th, 2007 at 01:11am
lyrical_mess:
I was having a discussion about this with my father last night. There's people here in India who start their prayers when the rooster crows and finish way after lunchtime. And they usually have child servants who are beaten to death for no damn reason. Interesting coinkydink? Heheh...those assholes.

Anyway, what my dad was telling me was, there's usually two parts to religon: How to lead a good, daily life and your relationship with god. These end up intertwined somehow. The first part usually has a bunch of rules about how to do this and how to do that. And people end up kind of ignoring the second part and simply assume god will stop blessing them if they don't follow the "Rules of Life" part to a t. This is absolute bullshit. This causes people to go astray.

I think one of the major problems with religion is that many religious rules are outdated. I mean, a lot stuff was way ahead of its time in some religions, but there's more than enough that can safely be scrapped today. For example, isolating a menstruating woman. This rule was created for cleanlieness. Because they didn't have pads and stuff.

Today, there are some freaking orthodox families I know that make you sit in a random closed off room somewhere and no one can talk to you or come near the room and you get a little handful of rice from a widow. This is not only completely overboard for medevial times, but ridiculous in every sense. There's other stuff like this, only bigger. And these are the things that somewhow turn man into monsters. You are placating no one by beheading Muslims. Stop the riots.
I think that your attitude towards the aforementioned religions is incredibly disrespectful. Unless you're an expert on the religion you're referancing and understand the how and why they do things, please don't refer to it in such a derogatory manner.
lyrical_mess
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October 24th, 2007 at 07:36pm
I do not like being left standing outside the temple because I'm on my period. I have just as much right to worship as anyone else. I am a Hindu. I do sit through complex pujas, but only when they're reasonable. In September, we have a ritual for Ganesh. This is mainly for kids and to ask him to remove our obstacles. We also have a goddess thing where girls ask for good husbands in the future, and wives pray for lasting marital happiness.

No one I know would beat a child for being a few minutes late with their puja.

I suggest you reread because I don't understand how you think those views are disrespectful. Please highlight what exactly you think is disrespectful and why so I can explain.
Meski
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October 24th, 2007 at 09:02pm
I would really like to be a Bhudist or whatever. But I've already gotten into my head that no God/s exist. It's really hard to change that now.
Ol' Blue Eyes.
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Mibba
October 25th, 2007 at 02:16am
lyrical_mess:
I do not like being left standing outside the temple because I'm on my period. I have just as much right to worship as anyone else. I am a Hindu. I do sit through complex pujas, but only when they're reasonable. In September, we have a ritual for Ganesh. This is mainly for kids and to ask him to remove our obstacles. We also have a goddess thing where girls ask for good husbands in the future, and wives pray for lasting marital happiness.

No one I know would beat a child for being a few minutes late with their puja.

I suggest you reread because I don't understand how you think those views are disrespectful. Please highlight what exactly you think is disrespectful and why so I can explain.
I should have clarified better, I apologize. What infuriated me was your attitude toward the orthodox religions. Most people I've encountered know next to nothing about those sort of religions, and they don't understand why they are so extreme. Maybe you're better informed, I don't know, but I disliked how you referred them in such a negative tone.
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