Being brought up in a ` religion` can have it`s advantages and disadvantages. I was very strict with my kids, and they have later thanked me for doing that, as it has helped them steer clear of some problems. On the other hand it has messed their heads up in other ways, as i taught them that they would live forever, and now i have told them it is not true. They have got good morals tho`, so it has done some good, and was a protection in many ways, as they didn`t hang about on street corners getting into trouble.
CAN RELIGION ACT AS A PROTECTION?
by Dansk 15 Replies latest jw friends
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LongHairGal
FullofDoubtNow:
Even though you say you don't believe in god anymore you still are a moral person. That is because you HAVE principles of morality. The problem in the world is when people question the necessity to even have principles of morality. Then you have the chaos we have now.
I think the reason some people think religion acts as a protection is that its people adhere to a belief system of some sort which keeps them separate to some degree from the rest of the world. Of course, this will vary depending on the strictness of the religion.
I used to get angry when JWs would say that when people left the religion they would fall into immorality because there would be nothing holding them back. This would imply that only THEY have principles and that people are so stupid or childlike that they need a monitor to keep them in check.
LHG -
Sad emo
If I hadn't had a sound upbringing within religion, I would be either dead or in jail by now.
It kept me from going completely off the rails.
And now I have a living faith (maybe comparable to how you mean really loving God) rather than just the rules of religion.
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Jourles
but I'm wondering if having a religious belief actually serves as a protection.
I'm not naive enough to think having a religion means one is unlikely to get into trouble - that's why I stated a real love for God or Jesus
Well, being raised in a corporate environment which masquerades as a religion has predisposed me more or less with a business sense, and not a religious one. So no. I would say that "religion" played no part in my life as providing a protection. Instead, it prepared me with the backstabbings, political games, and other backend office games that you come to expect in the real business world.
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Mary
it showed a group of teenage girls, from 13-18, who were into binge drinking, drugs, self-mutilation, etc. Peer pressure was a major source of the youngsters' doing what they did as they were desperate to fit in. Those who didn't want to get involved in such dangerous activities usually had no friends and ate alone at lunch time.
Ian there are countless examples of people from all walks of life who were into drugs, alcoholism, prostitution (or just bad morals) whose lives were turned around by religion. I think it's a combination of things: the support group, the fellowship can certainly help someone as well as feeling that you finally have some structure and a goal in your life. While religion has certainly caused alot of harm over the centuries, it's also helped alot of people too.
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jaguarbass
Can religion act as a protection? Religious people more so than atheist go to war and die. It doesnt protect them when they go to war and die. I would think most atheist would not want to go to war unless they were really miserable and wanted to die.
I think the best protection for children is good parenting. Raise them the way you want them to turn out. Some people raise weeds some people raise winners.