Re: Your views on religion at home…
Yes but it is a major part of it.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
But it is not dependant on practising a religion.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
So I did start talking to her about "religion" not being the root but our human mind being the actual root of all evil, our extreme desires etc... but she didn't agree so I changed the topic.
She isn't the first person I've met with these views. I have some folks in my own family like this also. The funny part is that while they condemn religion, they all go out to celebrate religious festivals with much enthusiasm!!
I agree with most people here that religion brings much organization to one's life. I agree that the evil lies in our minds, not in a set of guidelines.
However, not having grown up with any real religion myself, I would not want to have any religion to direct the lives of my kids. It is true that morality can only go so far and religion makes it very easy to stick to the principles (especially for children and adults who refuse to grow up) but I am hoping I'd figure out a way to make principles the law in my household. Much like it is for me personally.
But before then, I gotta figure out my motivation behind wanting kids.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
As a kid I knew my religion was Islam as that was what I was told by my parents. All I knew was that I'm not supposed to eat pork & drink alcohol. My parents never brought religion into me or my siblings' lives, yet we are all good people. I started fasting all 30 days of Ramadan, and praying 5 times a day every day, and going to Masjid some years ago. As I started learning more and more about Islam I became confused. I asked questions to local Imam's and the answers they gave didn't really answer my questions. Once I became an adult I started reading the whole Quran and didn't believe in Islam or Allah any longer.
The truth is, majority of people will follow the religion of their parent's OR will follow the religion of their country (e.g. Pakistan is Islamic country, so obviously most people will be Muslim). Young people can be brainwashed into believing in ANY religion and they'll believe it for the rest of their lives, which is unfair in my opinion. Kids shouldn't be brainwashed, once they're adults they can have the choice to decide if they want to practice or believe any religion after researching everything out there. The concept of HELL & fear is also a major factor in people believing in their religion.
I respect people of all religions equally.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
I kind of see what your friend is talking about religion being the root of all evil, there is a lot of killing, destruction, fighting aand animosity in the name of religion. I mean even in Pakistan there's such a big issue between just shias and sunnis when they're both muslims. But I too like to think that it has more to do with mankind and not religion so much. Religion is just a very good excuse and were it not there, there would be something else to fight about like money, land, power, etc.
I do wish though that religion was not such a polarizing element and there was more tolerance for other religions. It seems with a lot of people, they're so passionate about religion that they think criticizing another religion or way of belief is the way to go. When at least the way I see it religion should be an instrument for teaching tolerance of others. I
think it makes a huge difference though how exposed you are to religion, for those in the West who don't practise at all i.e. don't go to Church, know nothing of the bible, etc understandably they're very apathetic towards religion. If you don't practise there is not much value to it really because you can't recognise the role it plays in bringing that structure to your life. Even amongst muslims its surprising how many people don't practise or understand it. Its like when I was a kid it was such a huge deal to finish reading the Quran, but because I didn't know Arabic it was almost useless, I got nothing out of it. Similarly I find a lot of Muslims go through the motions of praying, fasting, etc. not because they want to do those things but because they think thats what they're supposed to do to fit into society or its part of the culture. In my opinion this kind of practise of religion is pointless. If I have kids I want them to be exposed to religion but also understand why it is the way it is and the reasons behind the rules.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
it's not the Religion but our way of life as to how we perceive things can be the root cause of all evil. Even an atheist who doesn't believe in God or any religion has fallen on evil days.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
IMO.. organized religion is useless and actually detrimental to today's developed societies. The structure, ethics and morales people talk about.. are now common sense.. we don't need the fear of god to stop killing innocent people or raping women or stealing things. It's common sense. I see very little benefits of religion... but a lot of problems and delusion.
The barbarians in XYZ land who have no values or ethics.. they might need to be FEARED into being good people. I do prescribe them reading some fictitious stories of an egotistical megalomaniac controller of the universe.. if it helps them stop killing and raping each other.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
Yes, I do think religion is the root of some evil. We harbor resentment (naturally, we are humans) for almost everything we haven't been used to. Sunnis get horrified at Shia commemorations. Muslims get horrified with Hindu chants. The west is horrified with Muslim Sharia law. And there is much more. Furthermore, we get grouped up way too easily. We don't step back and think..oh wait, perhaps I'm OK with A but not with B only because I've grown up seeing A and not B. Instead, we simply hate B. Black and White.
What's funny is the hoards of youngsters who join groups like "Boycott danish products" and go on the streets and protest with zeal and anger for Prophet Mohammed but when it comes to not dating, not drugging themselves up...poof. Religion riles one up a bit too easily.
All that said, it's nice to have a reference when living life. It's easier to derive good, bad with a 'way of life'. So personally, I choose to stick with a way of life/religion.
But it's not impossible. Because there are examples of people who live without religion, and therefore might not have definitions of moral vs immoral but they surely have a sense of what's ethical and not. Premarital sex might not be immoral to them, but they sure as heck know that cheating is unethical.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
I think it's easy to say that religion partly or wholly the root of evil, but IMO the real issue here is people not following their religion properly. No religion in the world preaches violence, unfortunately religion by Christians, Jews and Muslims has always been used for political or personal agendas. It is important to have a way of life and predefined set of morals. Look at Western society, they have almost completely let go of their religion and their society is going to the dogs. Look at Pakistan today and in our emulation of the West, our society is going to the dogs too. I am by no means the perfect Muslim, but I know that if we all were, we'd have no sectarianism, terrorism or evil of any kind. Don't make religion the scapegoat for human failings.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
^ thats a pretty sweet deal religion has. it gets credit for the good effects (morales, dont kill your neighbour etc etc) but the bad effects (wars between religion, segregation of society, delusion)... oh that's just stupid human emotions..
Re: Your views on religion at home...
Okay. Point out where a religion promotes unnecessary war, evil, racism or discrimination.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
Reminds me of that south park episode Go God Go pt1&2. In the future there is no religion at all, but humans are still fighting each and arguing about which group believes in God the least. You cant blame religion for war, if there was no religion we would still find reasons to kill each other.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
Okay. Point out where a religion promotes unnecessary war, evil, racism or discrimination.
and on the similar note, people should prove that non-religious people are non-violent and non-evil. Outside terrorism, you pick any crime; rape, racism, murder, gambling, theft, serial killings and I am sure that you will find that religion does not play any role in the mind of those culprits. You are going to find equal percentage of criminals in atheist as you would amongst religious people.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
Reminds me of that south park episode Go God Go pt1&2. In the future there is no religion at all, but humans are still fighting each and arguing about which group believes in God the least. You cant blame religion for war, if there was no religion we would still find reasons to kill each other.
Exactly. Now why didn't I think of that before science dammit?
Re: Your views on religion at home...
and on the similar note, people should prove that non-religious people are non-violent and non-evil. Outside terrorism, you pick any crime; rape, racism, murder, gambling, theft, serial killings and I am sure that you will find that religion does not play any role in the mind of those culprits. You are going to find equal percentage of criminals in atheist as you would amongst religious people.
Religious people cause problems.
Atheists don't.
^It would be foolish to make general statements like that. All kinds everywhere.
Religion has both + and - effects. Saying "they are not following it right" is not relevant.
A lot of + effects would happen anyway thanks to a developed modern sense of morals and whats right and whats wrong. Taking religion away today is not going to remove the + effects.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
I would be more supportive of religion if it just stopped at telling people what's good, what's bad, what's right and what's wrong.
I just get turned off with the fictitious stories, segregation of society and delusion that comes with it.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
Not following any religion is a religion on its own. Whatever -ve effects could happen inside a religion could happen outside a religion. Dissing religion for someone's sick mindedness is like me blaming my screwed up mentality on my upbringings and parenting styles of my parents. We've seen that argument a lot and we know that it does not hold any air anymore.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
A very high percentage of people who do not believe in any religion do believe in high morals and ethics. China and major part of Russia are good examples. Everybody in China was not born out of wedlock or does not have STD or is a criminal. Same is true for Russia. So it is wrong to say that only religion can provide high morals and ethics.
Mirch, not everyone in China and Russia was born out of wedlock, is a criminal or commits adultery. True. However, premarital sex and children being born out of wedlock are slowly becoming acceptable due to the absence of religion. That is my two cents.
When you take faith out of the equation...slowly but surely society evils stop looking so evil. Who says having kids of wedlock is wrong? Religion. Who says premarital sex is wrong? Religion.
What do you all think about her belief that religion is the root cause of all evil?
Religion actually gives us insaniyat. So no, I dont believe it is the root of all evil. I think the absence of it is the root of all evil.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
Not following any religion is a religion on its own. Whatever -ve effects could happen inside a religion could happen outside a religion. Dissing religion for someone's sick mindedness is like me blaming my screwed up mentality on my upbringings and parenting styles of my parents. We've seen that argument a lot and we know that it does not hold any air anymore.
Not following religion is a religion? I disagree. Unless you are a strong lunatic atheist.
Yes.. the - effects of religion CAN happen without it too. Nobody is claiming that 'no religion' will mean 'no problems'... I say it will mean 'lesser problems'. It's all relative.
Re: Your views on religion at home...
well only if we knew what wisdom religion offers we wudnt be so afraid of it.