Religion is just a Tool to be use for Good or Evil
By josefina
@josie_ (10033)
Philippines
May 11, 2019 8:01pm CST
One reason there is so much debate and disagreement about religion is the misconception that religion is about worshiping God and obeying his laws.
But the reality is religion serves Man not "God". As humans we need structure in our lives to give it order and meaning. For some people religion serves that purpose.
The diversity found in the field of philosophical thoughts and religious beliefs have enrich our quality of life by giving it it's moral compass and ethical standards.
In the market of ideas it is natural that disagreement would exist. But the incessant and internecine conflicts that religion have cause throughout the ages defies rationality bordering on madness.
If your neighbor bought a new lawnmower that is different from yours, first thing that comes to mind should be, "Does it perform better than mine?" You may argue with your neighbor about whose tool is more efficient, but it would be inconceivable to do bodily harm or commit murder just to prove your point. Religion does that.
Photo image: Pixabay
15 people like this
16 responses
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
12 May 19
I have come to the same conclusion that religion it like any tool and it can be used for good or bad. It is much like a knife. A knife can be used to prepare a meal or it can be used to stab somebody. If we all agree that God tells us to love one another then there are very few of us that obey God.
6 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
12 May 19
@josie_ Hate and war is not what God would want.
5 people like this
@josie_ (10033)
• Philippines
12 May 19
I'm assuming you intended the word "disobey" in the sentence, " If we all agree that God tells us to love one another then there are very few of us that OBEY God."?
Religion has always cloak itself with a moral superiority yet hidden beneath one finds hypocrisy. Funny you mentioned knives, isn't there a passage about the word of God being sharper than a double edged sword? Church leaders should heed it's warning.
5 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
12 May 19
i 'gree! folks seem to use 'religion' to justify their greed 'n misdeeds more'n anythin' else.
6 people like this
@RasmaSandra (98026)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
12 May 19
I just keep to my faith and belief in the Lord.
4 people like this
@Shiva49 (28387)
• Singapore
12 May 19
God may have created us but we have created also many Gods!
The truth is there is only one creation, creator, but we see many due to our pettiness and ego.
It is sad when even our supposed leaders are out to divide us.
Hypocrisy has risen above the basics of love and compassion - siva
4 people like this
@Shiva49 (28387)
• Singapore
12 May 19
@josie_ I like to understand all beliefs and even the perspectives of agnostics and atheists.
I recall Friedrich Nietzsche: "Almost two thousand years, and no new god"!
We are being influenced by our dreams, thoughts, and intuition.
Let us enjoy the rich variety with an open mind - siva
3 people like this
@josie_ (10033)
• Philippines
12 May 19
The existence of "God" is still an ongoing debate but religion have created God in the image of Man. Just peruse the "Holy" and "Sacred" texts and one finds a God with human frailties.
A quote by Charles Bukowski pretty much sums up our concept of love. “Love is a form of prejudice. You love what you need, you love what makes you feel good, you love what is convenient."
4 people like this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
12 May 19
I guess some people use religion to make others do what they want. I try to be more objective when it comes to learning about other religions. I believe in God, and I pray at night, in my philosophy I practice "treat others as you wish to be treated" and I have been doing good with that!
4 people like this
@Nakitakona (59987)
• Philippines
14 May 19
I know religion cannot save us but it's God's words that could bring to eternal if we follow them.
4 people like this
@Nakitakona (59987)
• Philippines
15 May 19
@josie_ Yap, it's our faith in God that makes whole and healed from our sufferings, trials and challenges.
3 people like this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32760)
• Calgary, Alberta
13 May 19
I think religions are originally created to control people. Its the reason why a Pagan roman emperor convert to Christianity so he can keep his power. Its the reason why some English King made protestantism. We don't need religion to worship God.
3 people like this
@Letranknight2015 (52665)
• Philippines
16 May 19
Honestly, the main reason i go to church every sunday morning was because I had to accompany my Grandma.
But then the sermon last sunday was a reminder of how People should vote for elections. Well, I guess it back fired on them.
3 people like this
@GreatMartin (23670)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
16 May 19
What does religion do? Bodily harm and/or murder?
2 people like this
@innertalks (23742)
• Australia
14 May 19
A short parable about religion and its purpose, and God, and his truth.
The old man had lived a long life within the one religion, and yet at the end of his life, he was still as unsure about the truth of it, as much as he was in the beginning.
What was he to do?
Religion had not provided him with any of the answers that he so much needed.
He prayed to God, and surprisingly and surprised by this, he got an answer.
God simply said to him that, "Religion is the bed you either sleep in it, or you give it to others to sleep in, or you stay up all night not sleeping in it at all."
Photo Credit:
The photo used here was freely sourced from the free media site: pexels.com
Our bed is our own to do what we like with it. Religion is much the same.
@innertalks (23742)
• Australia
14 May 19
It is always better if we choose our own bed, or religion. A bed can be warm and comfortable for us, or hard and lumpy. We make our own bed.
We all need to sleep, so perhaps some type of a bed is required for this, as is probably some type of a religion is needed for some purpose too.
3 people like this
@innertalks (23742)
• Australia
14 May 19
@josie_ Very true.
I also would not like to sleep on a rock, nor even just have a rock for a pillow.
Jesus Christ, of the Christian religion, talked a lot about rocks though, telling us to place our values, our truths, onto a bedrock of rock, so that when others come along, we will not be easily pushed off, or changed against ourselves, or lose hold of our own truths.
Religion might help us to find some truths, but ultimately, I think we must find our own truths within ourselves, and authentically live from them then to be real people, not puppets, hypocrites, or mere followers of others.
2 people like this
@josie_ (10033)
• Philippines
14 May 19
@innertalks _Your use of the bed as a metaphor for religion made me smile. In our lifetime we will be sleeping in many beds and also changing them when they wore out. Although one hear people speak of the "bedrock of their faith", rocks can be uncomfortable to sleep on.
3 people like this
).@YrNemo (20254)
•
18 May 19
@josie_ problem is, lawns keep the heat down in summer (I think). There were years it was so hot and houses with paving around, became extra hot, know what I mean? Other than that, I don't like lawns one bit. I have begun to turn some of mine into flower beds...
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
24 May 19
yes, sadly, religion is too competitive in the our god is better than your god game and it can get deadly
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
24 May 19
@josie_ Yes L Ron Hubbard once said "The best way for a man to make money would be to start a religion." He went on to start the Church Of Scientology
1 person likes this
@everwonderwhy (7355)
•
12 Jun 19
Martin Luther, for example had inluence on Adolf Hitler that maniacally murdered 6 million Jews.
Encyclopedia of Jewish and Israeli history, politics and culture, with biographies, statistics, articles and documents on topics from anti-Semitism to Zionism.
@josie_ (10033)
• Philippines
12 Jun 19
Hitler was an ideologue. He took what was useful in different Christian religion, Tibetan Buddhism, Paganism, Darwin's evolution theory, the occult, Nietzsche's existentialism to support Nazism and his Aryan master race ideology. Martin Luther's reformation had no influence on Hitler's "final solution".
@everwonderwhy (7355)
•
12 Jun 19
@josie_ I disagree. If you've read the Anti-Semitic Father of Reformation, Martin Luther's, ideology, anti-Semitism, his maniacal hatred of the Jews, as I linked above, "The Jews & Their Lies", you'd see the connection. Meanwhile, your list of religions up there probably were also embraced by Nazi Hitler--who murdered 6 million Jews. But I don't think he did.
@josie_ (10033)
• Philippines
12 Jun 19
@everwonderwhy _Hitler like many Austrians at that time was baptized a Catholic. Can you show me a link that he converted to Protestantism, read the writings of Martin Luther or quoted him in any of his (Hitler's) speeches or conversation with other people?
1 person likes this
