What Is Your View Toward Religions & "Religious" People?

by minimus 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  minimus

  My take on religions in general is that they all either give hope or some type of contentment for the person who takes their religion seriously. If they're good, they go to heaven or to some better condition. Some religions are more radical than others and these types, I stay away from.

  Regarding those that are very religious, I'm generalizing here, but I think most of them are extremists in one way or another. Here again, I try to avoid any extremists.

  How do you look at religions now that you are out of a cult? Do "religious'' people positively or negatively affect you?
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  changeling

  Can you picture me sticking my finger down my throat and gagging?
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  LongHairGal

  Experience in the JW religion has totally turned me off to religion in general. I feel as though I have had enough for several lifetimes.

  I try to act tolerant towards religious people in general, as long as their beliefs and practices are not a threat to the general public.

  LHG
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  eclipse

  Negatively.

  changeling summed it up pretty accurately.

  Religion and religious bible thumpers make me

  I see misguided, blinded, mindless zealots when I see them.

  Sorry, no offence to you religious folk on JWD. That's just how I feel, and have always felt even before I started to fade.

  Zealousness = Fanaticsm ->

  -> Fanaticsm = Ignorance ->

  -> Ignorance = Stupidity
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  brinjen

  I see religion and spiritual as seperate from each other.

  Religous are people who belong to a religion and are all about appearances

  Spiritual are people who may (or may not) belong to a religion who are decent, genuine people.

  Dubs taught me that....
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  anewme

  I now see religion as a service like say the restaurant industry. You dont feel like cooking but you need to eat so you eat out. Someone else does all the preparation and serves it to you on a plate (with a bill of course) But if you learn to cook for yourself you no longer are at the mercy of the restaurants or fast food industry! And you eat better and feel better!
  
  The basics of most religion is believing in God and doing good to your fellow man, right?
  So practice these at home now and you'll start to feel better, freer and save money at the same time!
  Why go out to worship when you can do it right in your own home!
  
  Thats it. They are just a service you can pay for. Or you can master the art of spirituality on your own and never have to pay for it again!
  
  
  
  
  (worshiping right now as we speak at home on computer with a cup of coffee in hand)
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  undercover

  Ironically, a religious leader once said, "religion is a snare and a racket".

  I have to admit that he was right. About that one thing, anyway.

  As for religious people, if they keep to themselves, I'm fine with them. When they try to force it on others, then I have problems. Not just proselytizing or knocking on doors but in other areas. Groups using their religious influence to try to sway governments and other orgnanizations to bend to their will and what they think God wants. Politicians who claim that God is directing them or they are trying to do God's will as their deciding factor on how they make decisions are dangerous.

  The world would be better off without religion...
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  funkyderek

  My new favourite quote which sums up my feelings about religion:

  In dark ages people are best guided by religion, as in a pitch-black night a blind man is the best guide; he knows the roads and paths better than a man who can see. When daylight comes, however, it is foolish to use blind, old men as guides.
  -- Heinrich Heine
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  flipper

  Was raised by Catholics. At 8 or 9 yrs old I remember thinking the whole God and the Devil thing were like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny - a kind of punishment-reward- behavior control thing and that by a certain age they would tell you so. I knew basically nothing about the Watchtower until this past year, but I've seen over the years what a crutch various religions and cults are, worse yet how being pious to a church is a great justifier for bad behavior. I would rather do business or be in a lifeboat with a moral and ethical non religious person. I know that's a prejudice. I just have a lot more trust and respect for someone who does the right thing because it's the right thing, not for fear of punishment or for want of a reward (God's good will, heaven, live forever). mrs flipper
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  acadian

  Hello all, Merrian Webster Dictionary Main Entry: 1 re·li·gious
  Pronunciation: ri-'li-j&s
  Function: adjective
  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French religius, from Latin religiosus, from religio
  1: relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity <a religious person> <religious attitudes>(a government)
  2: of, relating to, or devoted to religious beliefs or observances <joined a religious order>( of a government)
  3 a: scrupulously and conscientiously faithful. (to government) My view is, that we are all religious in one way or another, but how does our religon affect others? When your religious beliefs affect others right's to life and liberty I don't care for those beliefs. To be religious does not mean you believe in a God in heaven. Your religious belief could be that government is your God as it seems to be for so many. As far as I'm concerned, believe what you want, but don't encrouch on anyone elses right's, not civil, but unalienable right's our birth right's Unless you believe in a master, slave relationship. Acadian