Religion: Concept itself good or bad?

[Divinus Arma]

Basically, is it your opinion that religion is destructive or not?

As some recent threads have shown, religion is greatly shaping American politics.

Of course, this is nothing new and religion has been the cause of much good and evil. Crusades, Jihad, persecution, uniting countries, passing on morals and ethics where none existed prior, etc. Good and bad.

So is religion itself a destructive or positive force? Or is it only destructive when it is politically motivated or force upon others?

[bmolsson]

It's a destructive and outdated form of power structure used to create larger societies without actual personal interaction between the subjects (communication is the limit on the size of an empire).....

[Dâriûsh]

Religion is quite alright. It’s just sad when some political faction claims God for themselves. *cough cough* Khamenei *cough* OBL *cough*

[Uesugi Kenshin]

Bad. Religion is just another excuse for people to discriminate and take crazy stances on issues. Though it has done some good the world would be a slightly better place without religion because religion also encourages ignorance.

[Dâriûsh]

I think you’ll find that if religion was abolished tomorrow, people would immediately find some other excuse to kill each other for.

[Big_John]

gonna go with "gah" on this one.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

I personally am not totally cool with religion being discussed as a "concept."

[Divinus Arma]

Alexander, why?

Edit: Religion as a concept. The idea or theory that something or somethings superior are behind the creation or interacting and influencing with us, so on and so forth. "relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity " or "the service and worship of God or the supernatural" or how about "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith" (www.m-w.com)

A concept. Like social structure. or unproven scientific theory.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Well, viewing it as a concept makes it like any organization or man-made thing to appease the masses. While doubtless some here view it as such, I think of my "religion" or my Catholic denomination as an extension of my faith in Jesus Christ. Not a "concept."

[Divinus Arma]

I edintted my last post, but I shall put it in again:

Religion as a concept. The idea or theory that something or somethings superior are behind the creation or interacting and influencing with us, so on and so forth. "relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity " or "the service and worship of God or the supernatural" or how about "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith" (www.m-w.com)

A concept. Like social structure. or unproven scientific theory.

[Divinus Arma]

Well, viewing it as a concept makes it like any organization or man-made thing to appease the masses. While doubtless some here view it as such, I think of my "religion" or my Catholic denomination as an extension of my faith in Jesus Christ. Not a "concept."

With all due respect to your belief system, it is arguable whether or not it is man-made. Any religious belief system is scientifically fallible. Thus, tis a concept in my definition.

[kiwitt]

Religion as concept is neither positive or negative. It is how it's individual members follow it that gives it, it's impact.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

With all due respect to your belief system, it is arguable whether or not it is man-made. Any religious belief system is scientifically fallible. Thus, tis a concept in my definition.

And it is that attitude that makes me hesitant to call a part of my faith a "concept." However, I shall not darken the door of this thread any more, except to agree with kiwitt and Dâriûsh.

[Samurai Waki]

I think having hope and faith in this world is very important to our society, and it does give some people a good moral compass. Humanity is spiritually innate, and to deny ourselves that, would almost feel like denying ourselves the right to eat. I don't know the answers, and I think believing that there is something past our lives on earth is surely less depressing than to think about nothing at all. So Religion= Okay. When Religion and the State intertwine=Bad.

[ichi]

Where religion removes responsibility from individuals, and promotes divine will and fate and a reliance on some supernatural being, that it is not a forcefor good. For example, many believe that God will return in the end days to rescue the believers, and this has the effect of stifling human action to oppose societal and ecological decay.

Faith can be a good thing, if it helps us all get along, helps us deal with the still-unanswered questions in a meaningful way

ichi

[PanzerJaeger]

If you believe in a Supreme Being, belief and worship of that being is naturally good.

If you're a heathen, the charity, kindness, and compassion that most religion's embrace these days are naturally good things.



I completely understand where Alex is coming from. You're lowering the meaning and importance of religion by calling it a concept - thats fine, its your poll, but dont take offense if religious people ignore it.

To people who have found a deeper spirituality, religion is more than simply a concept.



There's an argument to be made that religion has been a negative influence on the world throughout history, and there are plenty of arguments to the contrary, but I think anyone looking at religion today can see the good it does.(well most of them anyway.. )

[Papewaio]

With all due respect to your belief system, it is arguable whether or not it is man-made. Any religious belief system is scientifically fallible. Thus, tis a concept in my definition.

Sorry science uses concepts as well:

con·cept (knspt)
n.

An abstract idea or notion.
An explanatory principle in a scientific system. Also called conception.

or

Something formed in the mind; a thought or notion

Also didn't God start with the word, the concept before creating?

----

As for religion it is a lever, it can be used to hoist people up or whack them around the head into submission. Either way it is up to the weilder to determine the morality of the tool.

[Steppe Merc]

Quite a hard question for me to explain. I think that I do not believe in any sort of relgion. I don't that that religon is necassarily good. Do I think it's evil or anything? I don't think so. I do know that some religous people are good, and some are bad. I'd like to think that without the religon, they'd still be good, but religon itself isn't really good or bad.
Ideally, I'd like if the human race evolved beyond the need of religon, and think it evauntaully will. However, I'd never force anyone to stop believing in any sort of religon (unless it involved human or animal sacrifice or something), and it's none of my buisness if someone wants to worship how they want.

I'm not really sure how that would fall in the catorgories, so Gah it is.

[Samurai Waki]

As far as Christian Charity organizations go they are doing a superb job. Last year I visited a Catholic Mission in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and they have been so much good for that community, like keeping poor families fed daily, caring for children while their parents were working, and also functioning like an orphanage, the Catholic Church donates almost 20 million a year to the general health of Haiti... I am not sure without a powerful organization like this, that these people would have any access to that.

[King of Atlantis]

Religion has saved many from self-destructive paths.

[Roark]

I think you’ll find that if religion was abolished tomorrow, people would immediately find some other excuse to kill each other for.

Agreed.


Religion itself is a good thing, IMHO, or, at least, the principles behind faith. All the major belief systems in the world teach love/compassion as being paramount. All of the main scriptures of these faiths contain the message.

It's only when human beings apply their efforts to promoting personal interests, within the man-made structures of religion, that things get really ugly.

I feel that too many people fail to make that distinction and write all spirituality off as the "cause of most wars in history etc etc etc".

[JAG]

Negative. It greatly distorts many peoples views of their own responsibility and the realisation that they are completely free beings able to make their own choices on all issues.

For this alone it is a negative concept.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I think you’ll find that if religion was abolished tomorrow, people would immediately find some other excuse to kill each other for.

Seconded.

[GoreBag]

Neither good nor bad.

[Spetulhu]

Where religion removes responsibility from individuals, and promotes divine will and fate and a reliance on some supernatural being, that it is not a force for good.

I couldn't have started explaining my "Other" any better than this.

The believers that worry me are those who use their faith as an explanation for everything. Praise the Lord if someone does good, blame the devil if someone does evil. It's not their accomplishments or their faults.

[HunkinElvis]

Religion should be more responsible on how it preaches about people of other religions or atheists. I have seen a lot of religious people who go too far with what their preachers say. God would not like arrogant followers. People of all beliefs are all human. Many different religions stand for love, forgiveness and peace.
For some reason, there are people who tend to divide us. Heck, there could be different religions of Satan who can't stand each other.

[Divinus Arma]

No offense taken if some choose not to answer the poll or respond. If anything, I would imagine an individual's belief system would be more resiliant to challenge.

It does not inspire me to change if logical assertions are not answered.


I actually consider myself a very open-minded person. The more logical an argument sounds, the more I apt to steer myself in that direction with interest and maybe even passion. Case in point: I actually voted for the war, before I voted against it. Wait. That was someone else. Nevermind.


But in all seriousness, regardless of what we label the process involved in religion, call it faith, call it a concept, call it a relationship, call it what you like, the question does remain. Does that process overall cause harm or good? Or is it good only when left to its own devices?