Does someone who considers him/herself “religious” mean that they hold him/herself to a higher standard?
Do you hold them to a higher standard because you know that they are “religious”?
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
I neither hold higher status nor I hold them to higher standard. Judgment is the duty of Allah...
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
In some cases, religious people do show signs by their attitude that their religiosity is a favour to all the human beings. If I found such people, I consider them mentally challenged rather than spiritually enlightened.
On other hand, those who practice religion and don't show off or don't impose their religiosity do impress me, because finding 'naik' people in today's times is a rare phenomenon.
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
Not at all but I do wonder why some people claim to be religious and yet everything their religion warns them against and still think belonging to certain religion makes them superior. It's so hypocritical to me. I find those who stay true to their beliefs more honorable than those so called "moderates." You are either it or you are not. Maybe my thinking is flawed. My thought process makes religion invalid because people are neither this nor that. I admire those who find this contradiction and either renounce religion or reform completely according to their religion. Either accept religion is incompatible in today's world or really live your life according to your religion. To live either way would be more honorable than to distort word of "God" to justify their lifestyle. In the end, you are neither religious nor irreligious.
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
My experience with "pious" people is they lie a lot. I mean a lot.
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
I find the term religious itself to be relative. Now as for those whom I consider to be religious, as far as them holding themselves to a higher standard than those less religious than themselves, I couldn't say as I can't judge intentions of others. However, they would be more careful about things that the less religious may brush off more easily.
In terms of holding them to a higher standard than those less religious than themselves, no. Though if the more religious were to commit a wrong, it would come as more of a shock than if the same were to be done by the less religious while it wouldn't be anymore justifiable due the latter's lack of religiousness.
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
I’ve always found religious people as most judgmental to be honest. And why so, i’ve no idea. I still have this conversation with one of my uncle almost every week:
Uncle: Aaj Jummah kahan parha?
Me: Apni hi masjid men
Uncle: (with a big stare) Men bhi waheen tha mene to tumhe nai dekha…
as if i’m lying.. 
That leaves no room for people like me to accept if they did something non-religious cuz we know we’ll be grilled to the bone after that.
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
Do you hold them to a higher standard because you know that they are "religious"?
I think we do. If not hold them to a higher standard, then we at least expect them to adhere to the basic rules. Many of us say things like, "Oh she wears hijab, but she does xyz"....or ..."she prays namaz and speaks of deen but look at what she did"....."he has a fist-length beard and is always seen at the masjid but look at his contradictions." I'll admit I'm guilty of this too. Then you have the folks who don't consider themselves to be religious ...but... when they see their more religious brethren commit a mistake or sin.....they will say/think "Well at least I'm not a hypocrite. At least I don't portray myself to be religious. At least I don't go around talking about deen when I can't follow basic tenets. At least I am who I am...at least I am more transparent than that maulvi or hijaban or that paanch waqt ki namazan."
Not too long ago tariq Jameel brought up this issue in a brief lecture. He said that a mistake is a mistake...a sin is a sin...whether committed by the religious or the less religious. The sin itself does not increase or decrease in gravity depending upon who committed it unless it was done in ignorance. But when we say things like "ooh she prays but then she gossips"...."he goes to the masjid but then he's does bla bla"....what we are doing is "kisi ki naiki uchaalna." It's like trying to invalidate their good deeds or naikiyan when only Allah knows how much sincerity those deeds were performed with. Perhaps those 5 minutes spent in prayer (before they committed a mistake) were ones of utmost sincerity. The one who is religious is flawed just like the one who isn't. We all make contradictions in our words and actions. If someone is religious doesn't automatically mean they're a saint. If they are committing a sin, it doesn't mean that there is something wrong with namaz or any other ibadat they're doing.....it means that their relationship with Allah is deficient and needs to be improved upon. And that is an ongoing process of ups and downs.
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
Do we hold a beauty pageant contender to a higher standards of physical looks?
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
Do we hold a beauty pageant contender to a higher standards of physical looks?
Yup, we do. Heck...long after the beauty pageant....the contestant could be past-middle age and will still be censured for failing to maintain their once beauty-pageant-worthy looks. Like Aishwarya...she's in her 40s...and has a child...she's in better shape compared to many other Desi women her age and even younger than her....but you'll still find people brutally dissecting her looks. The pageant however is usually a one-time thing....you enter it once and you either win or you don't...whereas religion/level of faith is a matter of continuous or ongoing development that encompasses many aspects of your life...it's more complicated than a pageant. But, yes, I do think that when you're in a position of authority...or when you're acting based on what you believe comes from a divine authority...or when you are part of something that is associated with prestige or recognition (such as contests or even certain professions) you are held to a higher standard. Heck...even the mods here are held to a higher standard than regular members.
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
I think we do. If not hold them to a higher standard, then we at least expect them to adhere to the basic rules. Many of us say things like, "Oh she wears hijab, but she does xyz"....or ..."she prays namaz and speaks of deen but look at what she did"....."he has a fist-length beard and is always seen at the masjid but look at his contradictions." I'll admit I'm guilty of this too. Then you have the folks who don't consider themselves to be religious ...but... when they see their more religious brethren commit a mistake or sin.....they will say/think "Well at least I'm not a hypocrite. At least I don't portray myself to be religious. At least I don't go around talking about deen when I can't follow basic tenets. At least I am who I am...at least I am more transparent than that maulvi or hijaban or that paanch waqt ki namazan."
Not too long ago tariq Jameel brought up this issue in a brief lecture. He said that a mistake is a mistake...a sin is a sin...whether committed by the religious or the less religious. The sin itself does not increase or decrease in gravity depending upon who committed it unless it was done in ignorance. But when we say things like "ooh she prays but then she gossips"...."he goes to the masjid but then he's does bla bla"....what we are doing is "kisi ki naiki uchaalna." It's like trying to invalidate their good deeds or naikiyan when only Allah knows how much sincerity those deeds were performed with. Perhaps those 5 minutes spent in prayer (before they committed a mistake) were ones of utmost sincerity. The one who is religious is flawed just like the one who isn't. We all make contradictions in our words and actions. If someone is religious doesn't automatically mean they're a saint. If they are committing a sin, it doesn't mean that there is something wrong with namaz or any other ibadat they're doing.....it means that their relationship with Allah is deficient and needs to be improved upon. And that is an ongoing process of ups and downs.
Good post.
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
I think we do. If not hold them to a higher standard, then we at least expect them to adhere to the basic rules. Many of us say things like, "Oh she wears hijab, but she does xyz"....or ..."she prays namaz and speaks of deen but look at what she did"....."he has a fist-length beard and is always seen at the masjid but look at his contradictions." I'll admit I'm guilty of this too. Then you have the folks who don't consider themselves to be religious ...but... when they see their more religious brethren commit a mistake or sin.....they will say/think "Well at least I'm not a hypocrite. At least I don't portray myself to be religious. *At least I don't go around talking about deen when I can't follow basic tenets. At least I am who I am...at least I am more transparent than that maulvi or hijaban or that paanch waqt ki namazan." *
Not only that, but what I've seen from people who say things like that is that if someone who is not religious were to do the same type of thing that they'll point fingers at religiously practicing people for, they wouldn't even find it worth mentioning, even for themselves. A specific example I've come across here is that the more religious are criticized for spending time in the masjid on a daily basis, so being away from their families, when those who are away from their family for similar amounts of time due to hanging out with friends/watching a movie etc. aren't the subject of similar criticism and then it becomes a personal matter for them that nobody else should interfere in or comment on.
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Not too long ago tariq Jameel brought up this issue in a brief lecture. He said that a mistake is a mistake...a sin is a sin...whether committed by the religious or the less religious. The sin itself does not increase or decrease in gravity depending upon who committed it unless it was done in ignorance. But when we say things like "ooh she prays but then she gossips"...."he goes to the masjid but then he's does bla bla"....what we are doing is "kisi ki naiki uchaalna." It's like trying to invalidate their good deeds or naikiyan when only Allah knows how much sincerity those deeds were performed with. Perhaps those 5 minutes spent in prayer (before they committed a mistake) were ones of utmost sincerity. The one who is religious is flawed just like the one who isn't. We all make contradictions in our words and actions. If someone is religious doesn't automatically mean they're a saint. If they are committing a sin, it doesn't mean that there is something wrong with namaz or any other ibadat they're doing.....it means that their relationship with Allah is deficient and needs to be improved upon. And that is an ongoing process of ups and downs.
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Or more like trying to present the wrongs of others as a justification for not fulfilling the religious duty themselves that is practiced by the "religious" person.
Do we hold a beauty pageant contender to a higher standards of physical looks?
Not personally, but I suppose that there are some who might. Still, not to the point where they'll say that their being out of shape is not a big deal because of some beauty pageant contender also being out of shape.
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
Does someone who considers him/herself "religious" mean that they hold him/herself to a higher standard?
Do you hold them to a higher standard because you know that they are "religious"?
since you said "religious" instead of religious. That mean you already know they are not what they think. Since you share this question as if we can only answer if we also think they are "religious" instead religious.
So essentially you are asking if we are mad.
To answer you question we are not mad.
That imply when we see some one "religious" instead of religious... we don'e start respecting them for the reason above.
which is we are not mad.
Re: Religion and Moral Standards
Religious instead of religious? Excuse me for not understanding the difference