Why is religion on everyone's mind so much?

@OneOfMany Friendly competition? Are you kidding?

Yes, but most sports fans aren't trying to recruit you to their side. There's always that level of friendly competition among rival sports groups, but if you rub a fan the wrong way, it won't leave as much of a lasting impression if you rub religions against one another. I have never been blocked over sports, but I have about religion.

@1hopefulman Lol. Yeah. I know all about rival teams fighting it out. My friends in Serbia would routinely tell me about their bloody brawls with opposing fans before football games. However, fights and such aside, I don't remember any wars being fought over sports in history. Do you?

I feel that times of more religion in the world leads to higher levels of crazy though. Looking back on history, the reminder of different ages is there in the history books. I feel this is often forgotten (though I'm not sure why), but the period of time when Christianity was in control of Europe has been commonly referred to as 'The Dark Ages'. Faith is fine if you practice and it makes you happy to have it, but the more that is placed on the table, the more dangerous the world becomes. It never flows in the reverse. Even the founding fathers of this country regarded religion as a difficult existence, which is why they ultimately made certain that people were free to practice whatever they chose, though most of them did not practice at all. True strength comes from inside. If you feel your faith makes you stronger, then it needs to reside inside you to work.

@OneOfMany thats true about a lot of religious fanatics but some of us believe Jesus teachings the way they were meant. he taught love and peace. have you heard of Edgar Casey ? things he taught i believe in also. but i have never believed in insisting others think as i do. that is where a lot of religious people go wrong

@enlightenedpsych2 very true

@peavey AMEN!! That is why I talk about my relationship with Jesus as well. I want everyone to have the peace, hope, love and joy that loving God has given me!

I understand. Though I'm a little prejudice, I imagine. I can't accept a scrubby looking middle eastern man into my heart, after all the terrorist stuff that's happened over the years. Although I guess he can take on whatever imagine people want him to take.

@OneOfMany The middle east has its share of terrorists but they are not all, by any means. (This is what happens when we lump people into categories) Jesus was far more than a "scrubby looking middle eastern man," but if you won't see past that, there's not much more to say.

Yes, but do you talk about those meds every time you think about how they help you? I eat a bunch of healthy foods and take supplements. I have never had the desire to get out a post to talk about them!

@MALUSE And the beauty of the site is you don't have to read them if you don't want to. =)

I wouldn't mind the occasional "What do you think about this element of (insert religion) and discuss it a little" posts. But I feel pretty force-fed a lot of the time. It would be nice to have a religion-free site.

I've always enjoyed our discussions WorDazza even when we have disagreed on topics, Morgan not so much. I find his writing on this post offensive for the following reason. The title could well be true in many cases but I'll point out the fact that everyone means everyone even someone that refers to themselves as atheist or agnostic. The first line in the post however indicates that religion is a burden. That in my mind is much like preaching atheism's idea that religion must be avoided at all cost because it is something bad. It isn't. Of course, as you wrote once WorDazza much depends on how we think of or define religion. I consider a religious belief a personal thing and exists with everyone even athiest's. Do not our beliefs make us who we are and therefore worth considering even if we have various interests; they are still important to us. Everyone puts faith in something even if it doesn't come under the heading of religion. We still hold on to a belief for the common good. I do understand the annoyances and do not like it either when science and religious topics are put into the same lab beaker. I agree with you on some things but not when our "religion" (not referring to organzations here) or God is put in a bad light because we have a need to put blame on something.

I was seeing a lot of #2 in the posts yesterday, which was part of what triggered this post. I tend to ignore the bible study posts and casual topics discussing the religion itself, but when it's brought into daily life as the reason why everything is so great, and that other people need to feel it too, I get annoyed. After all, the 'other people' part of it is what drags me into the equation. And it's not where I want to be. #1 and #3 I have also seen here from time to time, but they weren't the catalyst yesterday. Thanks for your view on this.

@Bluedoll Being annoyed leads to being offensive. Sure I could have lengthened the title to leave out people who weren't involved, but then, at the time I wrote this, I was addressing the people that had annoyed me in the first place, and they have since responded to this topic. Thus, it got the intended audience after all. I apologize that it offended you, but it was meant to open the door for discussion on something that was bothering me.

@OneOfMany This is what I am talking about, it was a research from 2005

Really? I always attributed religion as a necessity to those who are 'new souls'. Those lost in the human world and looking for guidance. The older the soul, the less the need. :P

@CaptAlbertWhisker Interesting. Though I would need to see more studies done to see more of a connection. One study I want done is the power of a name on life direction and choices. I think if one is given a religious name, they might be more prone to having religion in their lives. I was given a name where there is no reference to religion, so I have no ties to it myself. I can create religions, but I have no faith in them.

It was much like me trying to argue reason into my one friend in high school. I would ask her about someone else's beliefs, and she would reply: "It's good that they choose to belief, but their belief is wrong. There is only one path and they are not following it." So basically an, "I'm right, they're wrong." approach to everything. I certainly can't agree with that, especially when so much of holy books contradict themselves. Look at the bible for instance, and you won't find hell, the rapture, or the trinity within the original texts. They were all added later as doctrines and not supported by the book themselves. Still, people that believe in them will fight you over the fact that because they have always been in what they've been taught, they are obviously real. Things like that get to me.

It is difficult being lonely. I don't belong anywhere, but that's the energy I need to bring change forward, so I'm using it. I have tried dating someone who had no religion, but they were too angry and controlling, and I have recently been dating someone who found their religion again, but that's looking to go no where. So all I have left are my initial plans.

This is a well-reasoned perspective. It begs the question that will people feel the need for less religion if things are more peaceful, or will they continue to draw upon it regardless of that?

@OneOfMany Thank you. Religion if it brings satisfaction, comfort, and answers to it's members questions, it stands to reason that it's members would want to keep a good thing going because their spiritual needs are being meant. Yes religion, the right religion that God approves of will always be around.

There is an overwhelming supernatural presence in the world. There's no denying that. Whether it is a god or something else, that remains the topic of discussion. However, sharing your religion or beliefs is different from preaching them or imposing them on others. It would be like me coming on an always talking about the supernatural here, or telling people about the variety of demons that surround them every day, but they are just not able to see them and able to live happily for it. That stuff is creepy, and though there are plenty of things like that out there, there's no reason to draw people's attention to them.

@NoorNoor Generally, when religions are left on the table, it only leads to bad endings. History is the clear example of this time and again, yet no one seems to learn from this. I'm a balance, so I understand about the need for positive and negative to exist together. Thanks, and take care.

@OneOfMany okay.Religious people think that they want to spread the truth,the love and the peace.I hope They have no intention to hurt people.But the problems happen with intention or without intention. Anyhow all is good.because of the positive and negative world is running.I'm a muslim following prophet muhammad PBUH.I'm happy.peace be with you.Thanks.

@Starmaiden "History is written by the victor." Religion has certainly had more than a few cliff notes added in over time. All you have to do is convince a few generations that something is real, and you have it. They did that with the creation of hell in the middle ages, and the rapture less than two hundred years ago. Who knows what will be added next that will be determined as 'god's will'? They certainly have done their job well. It would be funnier if the first people to change something did it as a joke, and it stuck!

You remind me of the time I referred to the Bible as the "Book of Fear". "God loves you, but he'll send you to hell for all time if you don't serve him!" Sounds pretty oppressive to me!

@OneOfMany I believe the people written about in religion are real and their stories and message genuine, but through mistranslation and misinterpretation they were intentionally manipulated by the evil few who wish to control the masses. They've done a phenomenal job, don't you think? :-)