Flanscho
Well-known member
I grew up in a family of scientists. When I was a kid, and other children got baptized, my parents asked me whether I'd want that too. I thought about it, and since this religion stuff didn't make sense to me, I said that I didn't want that (despite all the money the other children got), because it would feel fake to get baptized while not believing.
I think religion can help people who are in dire situations. Who can pray to feel better and think that their belief makes them stronger.
On the other hand, religion has also many disadvantages. It causes people to be violent. Whether it's "you insulted my prophet" or "abortion is murder, let's bomb abortion clinics!", it doesn't matter. It also makes people try to tell others how they should live. "What you do is wrong, because my god says so. So stop it." Sometimes they try to 'convince' other people with violence this way, at other times, they try to use politics and create laws, that forces their ways of living onto others (gay marriage).
I also think that religion makes people value life less. While people like me think that we have only one life and every minute is worth to be cherished, they think "oh well, there is an afterlife anyway". And religious people are often against progress, because it clashes with the ancient rules and rites and traditions they have been taught. Combine those two facts, and you know why the USA is not only one of the most religious developed nations, but also the only developed country in the world, that regularly murders it's own citizens "for justice", even mentally disabled ones.
So, religion got it's ups and downs. I think everyone should do whatever he/she wants to become happy, as long as it doesn't involve hurting others. And that's the problem with religion: many (not all) religious people can't keep it to themselves.
Let's say I go shopping with some religious person, and we have following chat:
Other person: "oh, excuse me for a moment, I have to pray."
Me: "ok, I'll check these shelves for interesting wares until you are back."
Other person: "ok".
(notice, I'm NOT trying to tell that person what I think about the power of prayer)
Other person comes back: "done"
Me: "neat. Hey, what do you think about this t-shirt?"
Other person: "it's nice. And you'll go to hell."
Me: "sorry?"
Other person: "Your lifestyle. It's a fact that you will go to hell and will suffer eternal pain!"
Me: "uhm, but..."
Other person: "Eternal pain I say! In HELL! REPENT YOUR SINS!"
Me: "I'll just be going over there then..."
Other person: "You can run but you can't hide! I will vote for laws to force you to live according to my believes! Do you hear me! HELLLL!!!"
I mean seriously. Why can't they just say "according to my belief, I disagree with your lifestyle. But since your life is yours, and my belief is mine, that's ok".
You don't belief in gay marriage because you think that your god dislikes that? Well then don't marry someone of the same sex. Why do you have to force others to behave the same? It's not your life, you have no right to do so.
Not to mention that people are very selective about their believes. They pick the things they like about their religion, and ignore the rest. They claim that the bible commands you to hate gays, so they do that. But when the bible says "don't wear clothes made of more than one type of fabric", then they say "what utter nonsense, I don't care". They think that doctors who do abortion are murderers, because their belief says so. But when the bible tells them to murder their own wifes if they cheated on you, then that's ignored. They think that their religion is a buffet, where you take what you like in this second and ignore the rest.
But I'm talking too much.
As long as people keep their religious stuff to themselves, and don't try to change my life, I'm fine with it.
Btw: I'm not gay. But I can't stand intolerance.
I think religion can help people who are in dire situations. Who can pray to feel better and think that their belief makes them stronger.
On the other hand, religion has also many disadvantages. It causes people to be violent. Whether it's "you insulted my prophet" or "abortion is murder, let's bomb abortion clinics!", it doesn't matter. It also makes people try to tell others how they should live. "What you do is wrong, because my god says so. So stop it." Sometimes they try to 'convince' other people with violence this way, at other times, they try to use politics and create laws, that forces their ways of living onto others (gay marriage).
I also think that religion makes people value life less. While people like me think that we have only one life and every minute is worth to be cherished, they think "oh well, there is an afterlife anyway". And religious people are often against progress, because it clashes with the ancient rules and rites and traditions they have been taught. Combine those two facts, and you know why the USA is not only one of the most religious developed nations, but also the only developed country in the world, that regularly murders it's own citizens "for justice", even mentally disabled ones.
So, religion got it's ups and downs. I think everyone should do whatever he/she wants to become happy, as long as it doesn't involve hurting others. And that's the problem with religion: many (not all) religious people can't keep it to themselves.
Let's say I go shopping with some religious person, and we have following chat:
Other person: "oh, excuse me for a moment, I have to pray."
Me: "ok, I'll check these shelves for interesting wares until you are back."
Other person: "ok".
(notice, I'm NOT trying to tell that person what I think about the power of prayer)
Other person comes back: "done"
Me: "neat. Hey, what do you think about this t-shirt?"
Other person: "it's nice. And you'll go to hell."
Me: "sorry?"
Other person: "Your lifestyle. It's a fact that you will go to hell and will suffer eternal pain!"
Me: "uhm, but..."
Other person: "Eternal pain I say! In HELL! REPENT YOUR SINS!"
Me: "I'll just be going over there then..."
Other person: "You can run but you can't hide! I will vote for laws to force you to live according to my believes! Do you hear me! HELLLL!!!"
I mean seriously. Why can't they just say "according to my belief, I disagree with your lifestyle. But since your life is yours, and my belief is mine, that's ok".
You don't belief in gay marriage because you think that your god dislikes that? Well then don't marry someone of the same sex. Why do you have to force others to behave the same? It's not your life, you have no right to do so.
Not to mention that people are very selective about their believes. They pick the things they like about their religion, and ignore the rest. They claim that the bible commands you to hate gays, so they do that. But when the bible says "don't wear clothes made of more than one type of fabric", then they say "what utter nonsense, I don't care". They think that doctors who do abortion are murderers, because their belief says so. But when the bible tells them to murder their own wifes if they cheated on you, then that's ignored. They think that their religion is a buffet, where you take what you like in this second and ignore the rest.
But I'm talking too much.
As long as people keep their religious stuff to themselves, and don't try to change my life, I'm fine with it.
Btw: I'm not gay. But I can't stand intolerance.
