religions are so unfair to humanity

Society Religion & Philosophy
1

they divide us, and make us fight. any division based on birth is a screwed up one, and religion is the worst of the lot. atleast race distinctions are palpable, and are very often separated geographically, while the religious barrier divides even sons of one land. all of them claim to unite humans, while in course of time all that happens is more divisions and more fights. do we really need them religions?

what if you were born into a diff religion from yours? would you have really cared to dig up material on other religions and find which one was the best? or would you have been defending that religion instead of your present one? be honest.

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

2

religion plays the role that race played in times of colonialism. the whites simly claimed that the non-whites were sub-human, so there was no question of guilt in what they did. they grabbed land, killed people, all that was a 'white man's burden' to make the others civilized.

similarly, communalists claim that the people who worship 1 god rather than 2 or vice verce or pray in direction A or B, are better than everyone else, and everyone else does not have right to life or property. All brabaric attempts to change modes of worrship of others are justified, since you are trying to make them civilized. isnt it?

it works. it serves purpose. you could get ride to political power claiming that. you could gain enormous influence talking this shit, however illogical it may be.

3

hmm, out of curisity, ullu, are polytheistic religions as bad as monotheistic religions in terms of creating this hatred? Or do polytheists have an easier time folding in the God(s) of other religions without malice?

Queer - of course one would probably defend one's own religion as opposed to survey all of them - for one thing - there is always something to be said for the traditions of family, culture, and communal pride.

4

queer,

Excellent subject! Thanks for posting something that does not pertain to Islam/Sikhism/Hinduism being either good or bad.

Your question is valid and I'll answer it honestly. Had I been born into another religion, I would probably be defending it instead of Islam. I can't say that I'm proud to admit this...but it's the truth.

5

queer: we are born to be divided, event the Angels up in heaven dont share the same beliefs, and are appointed different tasks and ranks? Isn't "grouping, "dividing" everywhere? not only religion we are divided based on our gender, race, color, disabilities, personality, mentality, and it goes on and on. Its basically our genetic makeup that contributes alot to this rating, categorizing, pack-like behavior, and frankly there is nothing we can do to change that(not to say its right)

origianlly posted by queer:
what if you were born into a diff religion from yours? would you have really cared to dig up material on other religions and find which one was the best? or would you have been defending that religion instead of your present one? be honest.

Again that pack-mentality comes into play, we tend to follow the people around us, its called rapport. Obiously if you are born in a christian enviroment, in a christian family, with very few if any exposure to other religions, you will adapt and protect christianity. Its just basic human psychology, we adapt and accept as the truth what surrounds us, even if we dont realize it.

o©º°¨¨°º©o LiFe Is An IllUsIoN aNd ReAliTy iS a FiGmEnT oF tHe iMaGiNaIiOn o©º°¨¨°º©o

[This message has been edited by kaka malang (edited October 01, 2000).]

6

Hmm... wierd thread. Let me think what I wanna say....

Munza.... first to you:
Ok, so we were all born muslims, and take many things forgranted. Had we been born in a christian or a jew household, probably the same would have happened. The reason is lack of knowledge. Even if we are born a muslim, it is our responsibility as educated people to accept Islam intellectually and not just because our parents and forefathers were muslims. I believe I was reborn a muslim a few years ago when I actually started reading on Islam, other religions and theology in general. During that time, much to the discomfort of my parents, I even asked questions which are very basic. Fortunately, they understood that I am not becoming an aethist, rather only want to know the truth. When we accept a religion intellectually and not just from our heart, our faith (Imaan) is even stronger and consequently we are not confused by diversions created by Shaitaan.

Now to queer and to this thread:
Thats not at all true. Organized religions in the world do not divide us. Jews, christians, muslims and followers of all divine religions have a single root, which is God. Moses, Christ and Muhammad (SAW) were all the messangers of God. The divides are created as a result of power struggle. I can only give you an example of Islam. Islam does not recognize any geographical boundries, rather any muslim anywhere is part of the Muslim Ummah (nationhood). Whether in Canada or Pakistan or Malaysia or Saudi Arabia, the muslim believe in God, and in the Prophet (SAW) and knows that there is a Day of Judgement where we have to account for all our deeds.

Another important factor to consider. People who are devoid of any religion, often feel a great blankness in them. Just like you eat food to sustain your body, similarly you need religion to fulfill your spiritual upkeep. Many people who thought they were aethists are beginning to wonder that if there is no God, then what is the purpose of our life. A child is born, grows up, marries, has chidlren, works all his life and then dies. Is that the end of it? Doesn't make much sense of it all. Spiritual leaders have tried to fill this blank in all times. That is why we have so many cults springing all over the developed countries. Organized religions are divine and consider themselves superior because these have been directed by God.

Therefore you can not ignore religion or spiritual devlopment from human life. That will create too giant a hole, which can not be filled by materials or worldly gains.

7

I have learned that Islam, at its purist it is the best and I thank god he made me muslim I have studied Islam and I belive if one follows it properly that man will feel pure and far from evil what do you think? If islam is at its purist no one can find anything wrong with it.

8

yes if i was from another religion i would'nt read up on any other religion to much detail and would have defended it ..

9

ullu, your analogy is interesting. you didnt answer the Q, but i guess i know what it would be.

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

astrofan, Muzna, thanx for answering the Q truthfully.

kaka malang, your point regarding angels is a very subjective one, coz i dont believe in angels. :slight_smile: are you saying that we must accept religion as divide equivalent to race, color, disabilities etc.? do you not think it is unfair and illogical that innocent babies be born into different religions, and suffer the consequences? especially when religion is so closely associated with god? why would god want to divide us in his name?

Its just basic human psychology, we adapt and accept as the truth what surrounds us, even if we dont realize it.<

are you agreeing that most people belong to a religion and support that religion because they are born into it?

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

isnt that yet again very unfair?

Pristine,

Jews, christians, muslims and followers of all divine religions have a single root, which is God.<

does that make jews, christians and muslims united? or is that the major cause of bloodshed among the three? crusades, israel, hijackings, kidnappings, bombings; all thanks to belief in one god? did you know that all human beings have a common root, traced back to east africa? we are all literally brothers and sisters! that too without any necessity to believe in a mystery called god!

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

religions explain the purpose of life? no kiddin!

please do answer the question about which religion you would support if you were born into another one.

DesertFox, you too, answer the question please. :slight_smile:

Rizwan, thanx to you too for the honesty. btw, you got a good voice, heard your posts on the voice gallery.

10

Everybody is a muslim at birth, only the shaitan's influance make them into kaffirs.

I was born a muslim and I thank Allah (swt) that I'm still a muslim. I have looked into other religions such as hindu and christianity etc, but I find that they are hollow and are based on myths. None of them stand up to Islam.

If I was born to hindu parents or Isai parents I would have become a muslim after finding out the true qualities of Islam.

Tell me, is there another religion in the world where black, white, yellow and red are all brothers?

Where else, when they pray they are all facing the same direction?

That is unity for you. There is no doubt in my mind that Islam is the only way forward and one day the whole world will embrace Islam.

11

Religion is something which may be changed…
You can never change the color of your skin..
You can never change the race you were born into…
But religion is something dynamic…you may study a religion and decide you like the ideals of the religion and so you convert…once you leave a religion to enter into another you become a part of that religious community…
So ppl try to portray their religion as the best, so as to attract more converts…so in essence religions do not divide ppl…its ppl hungary 4 power who divide ppl…religious diversity is healthy…discussion on religions is also healthy…we learn more about our choices…and based on that we may become more convinced of our religion…

By the way Islam is the best of all…so why dont u guys come over and join the community of Islam ( i mean those who r not already a part of it)

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

12

[quote]
Originally posted by queer:

Pristine,

please do answer the question about which religion you would support if you were born into another one.
[/quote]

queer

I already answered it in my post, the first part which I had addressed to Munza. I would think it is a highly hypothetical question in the first place, because there are lots of "ifs" involved. Still, as I said earlier:

I believe I was reborn a muslim a few years ago when I actually started reading on Islam, other religions and theology in general. During that time, much to the discomfort of my parents, I even asked questions which are very basic. Fortunately, they understood that I am not becoming an atheist, rather only want to know the truth.

So, as I said, a few years back I studied many other religions, and it is my opinion that Islam is the real truth, and of all the divine religions, it is the most perfect. You may disagree but that is your choice.

So, if I were born into another religion, and if I had the opportunity/inclination to study all the different religions there are, I may have again chosen Islam. Lots of people in USA and other countries convert to Islam every day, not because they are under the influence of any islamic scholar, but because they themselves study all the religions and conculde that Islam is the real truth.

Just to give you a small example: Jews consider Moses as the true Messanger and no one after him. Christians feel that both Moses and Christ were true messangers and no one after Christ. Whereas Muslims believe that all messangers from Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses to Christ to Muhammad (SAW) are true and on the right path, whereas Islam is the most perfect form of divine religions.

If you are an atheist, can you give me your version as to what is the purpose of this life? You do agree that a man will live for 50, 60 years and will die. If there is no hereafter, what do you think is the purpose of all this, huh?

Don't Blame me...
C'est La Vie :)

13

Pristine,

I believe you've misdefined the phenomenon. Lack of knowledge is not the problem. It's lack of motivation.

If I were born into a practising Christian family...I would be brought up to believe that my religion is the best religion and I will only find refuge from hellfire if I behave in a manner dictated by the church and bible. I would have no reason to question my faith and would therefore continue to abide by the rules.

It takes a lot more than mere curiosity to motivate a person to investigate and learn about other faiths. So hats off to those that have taken the initiative and done so. You are blessed.

14

[quote]
Originally posted by Pristine:
*If there is no hereafter, what do you think is the purpose of all this, huh?
*
[/quote]

Gotta ask the question - why must there be a purpose to this?

How disappointed would you be if that's all there is to life - live, procreate, and die. Selfish genes and all.

15

And while we are on the subject of other religions, let me make a very interesting statement:

The history of jews at the time of Moses is very interesting. Check out the jewish scripts, the christian bibles and the Quran, and the basic facts are virtually uncontested. You will be astonished as to how much the jews were pampered by God, and how much favors He gave them and they were His favorite nation on Earth. And still, on every given chance, the balked at supporting Him. Their only recourse at any time of "azmaish" was that God and Moses will fight for them and they won't lift a finger to defend themselves. Its incredible. I sometimes wonder what was going in their heads at those momentous times.

16

Doesn’t make any sense to me at all. But then, you are free to interpret life as you wish. Lets say, we agree to disagree on this.

Re: whether I will be disappointed. No chance, buddy!

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

Adios!

17

The Jews were slaves. It was only until the Exodus that they had a chance to reflect on their history and really examine the importance of their God to their past. Give them a break - you cannot expect heroism on a mass scale.

18

I am also talking about the period after the Exodus and after the death of Pharoah.

19

Queer:

[quote]
religions are so unfair to humanity...they divide us, and make us fight. any division based on birth is a screwed up one, and religion is the worst of the lot.
[/quote]

Or it could be argued that religion is just another excuse for humanity to fight over something. I think that most wars are fought over resources these days. After all, USA has troops stationed all over the world today with a massive presence in the Gulf region. And despite huge differences in belief and human rights, America and the sheikhdoms are best buddies.

Pakistan is also in quite close alliance with China, despite it being a communist regime, USA backed fundamentalist Afghans against Russia, so this idea that religion is the only dividing factor might be a bit simplistic.

20

[quote]
Originally posted by tauba tauba:
**Everybody is a muslim at birth, only the shaitan's influance make them into kaffirs.

I was born a muslim and I thank Allah (swt) that I'm still a muslim. I have looked into other religions such as hindu and christianity etc, but I find that they are hollow and are based on myths. None of them stand up to Islam.

If I was born to hindu parents or Isai parents I would have become a muslim after finding out the true qualities of Islam.

Tell me, is there another religion in the world where black, white, yellow and red are all brothers?

Where else, when they pray they are all facing the same direction?

That is unity for you. There is no doubt in my mind that Islam is the only way forward and one day the whole world will embrace Islam.**
[/quote]

Definately agree with everything you've said. But its quite sad that despite the spirit of unity that Islam teaches, we choose not to follow it. We discriminate against, and fight each other, based on our nationalities, ethnice backgrouds and so on...In a Muslim country like Pakistan, Sindhis, punjabis, muhajirs, pathans etc. are divided. If we dont have unity among our own people, how can we expect to live peacefully with the Hindus, Christians, Jews....