" I've never disputed that man has done some bad things in the name of God or in the name of religion."
Dude that's so much of an understatement I don't even know how to say it to you.
On a Macro level a huge percentage of the World's conflicts are some how religion connected. That's where religion really is real bane to mankind and always has been.
On a Macro-micro level, religions do help the less fortunate with charity etc. and also waste lot's of money on fancy places of worship etc. But you don't have to be a religion follower to donate time, effort or money. On the flipside religion is the one place that hypocracy is at it's extreme. Also there are so many stupid rules and customs that make no sense and sometimes can cause harm.
On a Micro level lot's of religious people are really good folk because they live the good principles taught by their religion. On the flip side again hypocracy where the religious see themselves on some sort of pedestal. And like in my family religion has actually distanced us so far we may as well not be family.
Well my friend if you're deeply religious and get guidance and well being from it ...God bless you. For me I simply cannot be forced into something I don't see any sense in.
To me if you're going to immerse yourself so fully into a religion that it will run the very way you think and act throughout your life, that religion needs to be beyond reproach. No homo Monks, no Priests who fondle choir boys, no ridiculous practices that cause segregation, no I am better than thou attitude, no killing in the name of God, no prejudging other humans, no human figure heads with no life credentials to be worshipped, no getting rich off the donations by religious leaders, and the list is never ending etc, etc.
If religion is about GOD and not man made it should be 100% proof. A direct line to the creator if he cares enough about us little amoeba in the first place. Not the farce that are religions which segregate mankind and that are causing all the strife that they do. In light of what is I'd say best to keep an opened mind, and try and simply do what's obviously right, then to get caught in a web of nonsense just for the sake of some virtual comfort.
Dude that's so much of an understatement I don't even know how to say it to you.
On a Macro level a huge percentage of the World's conflicts are some how religion connected. That's where religion really is real bane to mankind and always has been.
On a Macro-micro level, religions do help the less fortunate with charity etc. and also waste lot's of money on fancy places of worship etc. But you don't have to be a religion follower to donate time, effort or money. On the flipside religion is the one place that hypocracy is at it's extreme. Also there are so many stupid rules and customs that make no sense and sometimes can cause harm.
On a Micro level lot's of religious people are really good folk because they live the good principles taught by their religion. On the flip side again hypocracy where the religious see themselves on some sort of pedestal. And like in my family religion has actually distanced us so far we may as well not be family.
Well my friend if you're deeply religious and get guidance and well being from it ...God bless you. For me I simply cannot be forced into something I don't see any sense in.
To me if you're going to immerse yourself so fully into a religion that it will run the very way you think and act throughout your life, that religion needs to be beyond reproach. No homo Monks, no Priests who fondle choir boys, no ridiculous practices that cause segregation, no I am better than thou attitude, no killing in the name of God, no prejudging other humans, no human figure heads with no life credentials to be worshipped, no getting rich off the donations by religious leaders, and the list is never ending etc, etc.
If religion is about GOD and not man made it should be 100% proof. A direct line to the creator if he cares enough about us little amoeba in the first place. Not the farce that are religions which segregate mankind and that are causing all the strife that they do. In light of what is I'd say best to keep an opened mind, and try and simply do what's obviously right, then to get caught in a web of nonsense just for the sake of some virtual comfort.