[Crimson Dynamo]

In the world?

[Patrick]

It's a load of bollocks.

Just idiots who have nothing better to do than worship some bloke that doesn't exist.

[Smithy]

Yeah, it does

I'm not religious, but if it gives people hope/faith w/e, I don't see the harm

[Pyramid*]

There are millions upon millions of people who have faith in whatever type of religion they chose to follow, and it's a faith that brings them great peace, hope and comfort.

Not everyone who follows religion are fanatical extremists hell bent on fighting for their relgious beliefs.

so in answer to the question: yes, I do think it does good.

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

There are millions upon millions of people who have faith in whatever type of religion they chose to follow, and it's a faith that brings them great peace, hope and comfort.

Not everyone who follows religion are fanatical extremists hell bent on fighting for their relgious beliefs.

so in answer to the question: yes, I do think it does good.

Agree with this.

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Smithy

Yeah, it does

I'm not religious, but if it gives people hope/faith w/e, I don't see the harm

All it does is create conflict.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by Patrick

All it does is create conflict.

No it doesn't, If someone prays in private and it gives them faith how does it cause conflict?

[Niall]

Originally Posted by Patrick

All it does is create conflict.

But anything could create conflict. Like say if you hated the colour blue and i loved it that would cause conflict?

(I know thats a pathetic example btw )

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Patrick

All it does is create conflict.

Really?

Last year, Haj had around 3million people make the journey for the annual pilgrimage. 3 million people. How much conflict did that cause?

Lourdes. Had around 45,000 pilgrims attend on the 150th anniversary in 2008. How much conflict did that cause?

[bananarama]

Originally Posted by Smithy

Yeah, it does

I'm not religious, but if it gives people hope/faith w/e, I don't see the harm

If only it were that simple........Yes it does give people hope etc it enables them to self delude and be content......

However religion also helps many many to self delude and creat horrendous rules and and pontless rituals.......Self delusion turns to serious mental disorders which lead many to do inhuman things and control other peoples lives........

It may be good for some but it creates hell on earth for many........Sadly religion is far far from being harmless.......

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by bananarama

If only it were that simple........Yes it does give people hope etc it enables them to self delude and be content......

However religion also helps many many to self delude and creat horrendous rules and and pontless rituals.......Self delusion turns to serious mental disorders which lead many to do inhuman things and control other peoples lives........

It may be good for some but it creates hell on earth for many........Sadly religion is far far from being harmless.......

That then justifies that it does a little good, although it's pretty much the same for the majority. It isn't portrayed like that by the media, who make it look like the opposite.

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by Smithy

That then justifies that it does a little good, although it's pretty much the same for the majority. It isn't portrayed like that by the media, who make it look like the opposite.

millions die in Africa as a direct result of religious objections to contraception and abortion. Thats just for starters...

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by Zippy

millions die in Africa as a direct result of religious objections to contraception and abortion. Thats just for starters...

or due to the fact they have poor education of contraception and can't afford an abortion

[bananarama]

Originally Posted by Smithy

That then justifies that it does a little good, although it's pretty much the same for the majority. It isn't portrayed like that by the media, who make it look like the opposite.

If something only does a little good and at the price of having a deluded mind......Then a little good does not justify it's existance.......

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by bananarama

If something only does a little good and at the price of having a deluded mind......Then a little good does not justify it's existance.......

Lucky the question is "Does religion do any good at all?" then and not "Is religion's existence justified?"

[Niall]

Religion does do good. It gives people something to believe in after they pass on. Its so bleak to think that after you die there's nothing and that its truly the end. That honestly scares me.

I'm religious but I don't believe in church or anything. I just pray to God when I feel like I need to. But it doesn't cause much trouble. Only fanatics cause problems. :/

[Crimson Dynamo]

hope for what?

it seems a poor trade off for all the harm it causes?

[Crimson Dynamo]

Religion, by its nature, demands that there is NO room for debate

right?

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

Religion, by its nature, demands that there is NO room for debate

right?

Wrong.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

Wrong.

and the movement in islam is where?

and

what is the last line of the christian bible?

[Beastie]

It's fine. You can believe in whatever you want. If it gets you through something then it's a good thing. However religion is your own individual thing, what you, yourself believes in. I don't agree with parents or whoever brainwashing their sprogs, people telling other people who and what to believe in.

People who are very strong with their religion and don't agree with someone else's religion just need to "agree to disagree" unless they can have an acceptable adult discussion on the matter.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by thebeast

It's fine. You can believe in whatever you want. If it gets you through something then it's a good thing. However religion is your own individual thing, what you, yourself believes in. I don't agree with parents or whoever brainwashing their sprogs, people telling other people who and what to believe in.

People who are very strong with their religion and don't agree with someone else's religion just need to "agree to disagree" unless they can have an acceptable adult discussion on the matter.

I agree with you on your points. Religion is/can be a very individual thing and very much open to individual interpretation. Some do have very strong religious beliefs but at the core of any religion, is peace and harmony - and I'm with you on your comment about those who have very strong belief in their chosen religion should accept that their strength of devotion to their specific religion is precisely that, it is theirs, that is their choice - and other have the right to make their own alternative choices.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

I agree with you on your points. Religion is/can be a very individual thing and very much open to individual interpretation. Some do have very strong religious beliefs but at the core of any religion, is peace and harmony - and I'm with you on your comment about those who have very strong belief in their chosen religion should accept that their strength of devotion to their specific religion is precisely that, it is theirs, that is their choice - and other have the right to make their own alternative choices.

at the core of all is a delusional belief in magic

[Stu]

It's that old debate about being at peace versus being realistic. Priests and devouts are more than ready to pen Sunday paper columns about how atheists fail to see that religion brings people great peace, comfort and something to believe in but really ... is religion the only thing that can do that? Get another hobby. The world is full of plenty of stuff to do, plenty of great minds and plenty of great, comforting things.

Nobody believes in religion soley as a form of therapy. Nobody knows The Bible is a load of daft fantasy but believes it anyway for the 'comfort'. At least I don't know anybody like that. They are all willingly sustaining a lie and believing in something that is a load of B.S. In my mind that's not a positive. And it's certainly not a positive to delude yourself and deprive yourself of information about the world so you can preserve your nice, comftorable lie.

Again I'm sounding like a mean old atheist, as I tend to do in these threads, even though I think atheism is a similarly bizarre leap of faith. It's not the search for a higher concoious per say that I am against. Search all you want and take comfort in the knowledge that you think some cosmic force of peace exists ... just don't claim to have the guys autobiography.

I guess the point is do those people need religion to bring them peace and comfort? Of course not. They believe in it either through blisfull ignorance or family upbringing. Plenty of other pursuits could bring them the same peace and comfort.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Stu

It's that old debate about being at peace versus being realistic. Priests and devouts are more than ready to pen Sunday paper columns about how atheists fail to see that religion brings people great peace, comfort and something to believe in but really ... is religion the only thing that can do that? Get another hobby. The world is full of plenty of stuff to do, plenty of great minds and plenty of great, comforting things.

Nobody believes in religion soley as a form of therapy. Nobody knows The Bible is a load of daft fantasy but believes it anyway for the 'comfort'. At least I don't know anybody like that. They are all willingly sustaining a lie and believing in something that is a load of B.S. In my mind that's not a positive. And it's certainly not a positive to delude yourself and deprive yourself of information about the world so you can preserve your nice, comftorable lie.

Again I'm sounding like a mean old atheist, as I tend to do in these threads, even though I think atheism is a similarly bizarre leap of faith. It's not the search for a higher concoious per say that I am against. Search all you want and take comfort in the knowledge that you think some cosmic force of peace exists ... just don't claim to have the guys autobiography.

I guess the point is do those people need religion to bring them peace and comfort? Of course not. They believe in it either through blisfull ignorance or family upbringing. Plenty of other pursuits could bring them the same peace and comfort.

As an agnostic, I understand your point of view and agree with it ... to a point. Do they these people need religion? I would say yes, 'those believers' do - because they have chosen to follow that belief. If some people find to chose religion to find peace, comfort etc, based on something that is highly improbable - that I find high improbable, who am I to say they should find some other form of pursuit?

I know many who in real times of hardship and suffering, who have found their religion a source of great comfort. I personally can't understand what it is they find in it, but it's not for me to say they should find something more tangible, something more believable. Do I think most (even all) of it is BS? Yes I do. However, it's the individual's choice to make that decision to have faith in something that's highly unlikely and if that's what they want to do, it's their life. Long as they aren't harming anyone, it's fine by me.