Religion's results

[the grimm]

As long as people have existed, Religion existed. But I'm starting to ask myself, is religion a good thing?

the Good things it braught:
+ faith. I know people who probably had killed theirselves if they didn't have a religion to hang on to. The idea of an afterlife for lost beloved ones seems really nescessary.
+ rules. People "stay on the right path" because they believe God will otherwise punish them.

but now, the bad things:
- discrimination. "homosexuals are against the law of God" and many others.
- wars. Religion made and still makes the most wars, even money can't beat it.
- might. Religion gives power, and it's human nature to make use of that. There were times you could buy yourself a place in heaven.

[Comis Patronus]

Religion, by definition, should be a good thing. Without Catholicism, the world wouldn't be what it is today (even the dates everyday XD). Then again, people take religion seriously which shouldn't always be the case.

~@};-

[Saruki]

Honestly. If you want to know my opinion, I think it's mostly the big religions (Christianity, Catholicism) that are giving religion a bad name. Religion is a simple concept-- to follow a way of life, and God's teachings. It's people who really choose to turn it controversial. It's not religion at all, it's just the people.

[LB31]

my famaly is for example jewish, but i think, god is not existed, because when it realy give a god, it must be the paradise here, and not war:O_o:

fazit: religions are only the waste of time

sry, of my bad english:^^:

[Oversoul]

It's not the religions themselves that are the problem it's some of the people who believe in them more than anything else. Wars and the like are started by people, not "Gods".

[the grimm]

I'm not stating anything about God, it's about Religion in general. I'm not talking about things religion are about, just the effects religion itself has.

[Fabi]

The best things of religions are the holidays ^^
Judaism for example has so much holidays, but unfortunately I'm not living in Israel >_<
Yeah, as I said, the holidays are really great and I like to celebrate them a lot :D
Try to imagine... no Christmas without Christianity, no passover without Judaism, no Ramadan without Islam. That would be very poor.

Well, the bad parts of religions are discrimination (e.g. some Arab states won't let you in if you are having an Israeli stamp in your passport and so on), war, religious fanatics.

[Saruki]

I'm not stating anything about God, it's about Religion in general. I'm not talking about things religion are about, just the effects religion itself has.

Religion itself can have disastrous results. Sometimes big religions like Christianity can go out of hand. Sometimes the Bible tells a Christian what to do. The good things and the bad things. The point is, it was all written by somebody in the 12-or something century. There are some religious cults that lead people to believe the religion itself is totally something else.

I think the main point is that stupid people are ruining religion.

[Electron]

Religion has always provided answers to questions that couldn't be answered. It also helps people accept the concept of death in a way they can understand it. Which doesn't mean that what the catholic church, for example, says is correct. But if it helps someone, it's worth it, I'd say. Christianity has a dark history, since it was upheld by the people of the time, who had different visions on what was said in the bible. But it's also an old religion. The claims of walking on water and feeding many thousands of people with only a few fishes and some bread, of miraculous healings... these are things many people today cannot accept as true. However cold it may sound, it could be argued that Christianity is a religion for either fools or people who fear God and can't decide whether they believe or not. It is an outdated religion; modern times require a modern religion.

Science today has provided scientific answers to many things. However, just like the priests, the scientists can't agree on what is correct, and what is not. Thus I say, science is just the new religion for contemporary man. It's a smart religion, relying on mathematical calculations, experiments, deductions... mostly modern delusions. However it inexorably has the same mystical quality as any religion and therefore I proclaim it one.

Nothing is fixed, so any intellectual discovery at all means nothing, and was pointlessly made if it cannot be directly applied somewhere.

[Saruki]

^So you're saying that whatever we discover makes no difference even if it has a point? Intellectual discoveries are made on true things, like gravity and atoms. Those are applied somewhere. Science isn't exactly a religion. It's really a basis of thinking. I don't think it's a good idea to compare science with religion, they are similar but strikingly different.

[Electron]

What does it mean to me if I know the distance between Earth and Proxima Centauri, our nearest star? Nothing, speaking the truth. Neither does the speed of light mean anything to me. Neither do the scenarios set by Einstein, of travelling at near-luminal speeds, of time slowing down, etc. I can't see the practical application of that. What people don't understand is that light, light quanta, or photons, travel so fast because they're so small and have such a small mass. Humans, being much much bigger, won't ever be able to attain these speeds. Most of what Einstein said was simply about "what would happen if...", the "if" condition never being fulfilled.

You say gravity and atoms are true things? But in the past, it was considered that elements were the building blocks of nature. That's why they are called "elements". Next, atoms were thought of as dividable units, nothing being smaller than them. Now scientists know that even atoms are made of something, so you have a whole new branch of physics called "subatomic physics". Do you see a pattern emerging here? There will be always something smaller, something that builds the building blocks (who shall guard the guards? - Who shall build the building blocks???). At some point, humans will no longer be able to devise technology precise enough to see the smaller components. It will then be said that that level is "as small as it goes" - it will just be an agreement, with no practical application, and frankly untrue. Definitely sounds like a religion to me!

Though I do understand your point: science has reverberations in everyday life, unlike religion. TVs were made thanks to science, so were phones, computers, etc. Well, this is because it's a more modern religion than Christianity, it doesn't promise life after death, it promises things fit for the modern man. It is very difficult to see it as a religion, I admit, since human history does not date back very long, so you can't see a pattern. But I am certain it has the characteristics of one. Only it's not as dogmatic and inflexible as Christianity.

If you're not convinced, take a look at philosophy, supposedly the teaching from which science originated: Thales said everything was made of water. Anaximenes said everything was made of air. Anaximander said everything was made of "apeiron", a substance he invented and could not describe, just calling it "something that's there". That sounds strangely "religionish" to me.

I used to call philosophy a "scientifically acceptable religion" but now I'm beginning to think science is it's own religion. Perhaps I'm wrong in the sense that the word "religion" isn't wide enough to accept "science" under it's domain, but I strongly feel they're not that far from each other.

[Saruki]

I suppose you have a good point. Science is a lot like a religon, a more practical approach, maybe.

I will leave this conversation now. o.0

[Electron]

xDD Sorry if I sounded like some freak just then ^^

[Neal]

As long as people have existed, Religion existed.
Not true.

But I'm starting to ask myself, is religion a good thing?

the Good things it braught:
+ faith. I know people who probably had killed theirselves if they didn't have a religion to hang on to. The idea of an afterlife for lost beloved ones seems really nescessary.
This has nothing to do with faith.

+ rules. People "stay on the right path" because they believe God will otherwise punish them.

but now, the bad things:
- discrimination. "homosexuals are against the law of God" and many others.
- wars. Religion made and still makes the most wars, even money can't beat it.
- might. Religion gives power, and it's human nature to make use of that. There were times you could buy yourself a place in heaven.

[Neal]

Religion, by definition, should be a good thing.
The definition of religion has nothing to do with being a good thing.

Without Catholicism, the world wouldn't be what it is today (even the dates everyday XD). Then again, people take religion seriously which shouldn't always be the case.

~@};-

[Neal]

Religion has always provided answers to questions that couldn't be answered.
This is a huge lie.

It also helps people accept the concept of death in a way they can understand it.
People don't need religion to understand death.

Which doesn't mean that what the catholic church, for example, says is correct. But if it helps someone, it's worth it, I'd say. Christianity has a dark history, since it was upheld by the people of the time, who had different visions on what was said in the bible. But it's also an old religion. The claims of walking on water and feeding many thousands of people with only a few fishes and some bread, of miraculous healings... these are things many people today cannot accept as true. However cold it may sound, it could be argued that Christianity is a religion for either fools or people who fear God and can't decide whether they believe or not. It is an outdated religion; modern times require a modern religion.

Science today has provided scientific answers to many things. However, just like the priests, the scientists can't agree on what is correct, and what is not. Thus I say, science is just the new religion for contemporary man. It's a smart religion, relying on mathematical calculations, experiments, deductions... mostly modern delusions.
Um, since when is science a religion?

Scientists do agree on what is correct - they just have different opinions on things that haven't been tested.

However it inexorably has the same mystical quality as any religion and therefore I proclaim it one.

Nothing is fixed, so any intellectual discovery at all means nothing, and was pointlessly made if it cannot be directly applied somewhere.