Can we ever really be free as human beings as long as religions exist?
By fbarcenas
@fbarcenas (129)
Mexico
November 21, 2006 9:13pm CST
Will we ever get to the point of self-realization, where the world's eyes are finally opened to the truth? That religion was just created to keep us in line, to provide an order of things, and to allow a select few to manipulate and control us. Maybe as long as there are ignorant people out there, there will always be religion. Maybe we should be working on educating the world, so that they can open their eyes to the truth.
1 person likes this
10 responses
@fbarcenas (129)
• Mexico
24 Nov 06
No, it's not me. It's the masses that are controlled by a select few. Their only fault being that they are week of mind and spirit, or ignorant. It's really the biggest lie ever perpetrated on humanity.
1 person likes this
@bigjim (17)
• United States
24 Nov 06
i agree that sometimes religion is used to manipulate and even subjugate people. but the vast majority of people are religious by choice not compulsion. a large component of freedom is the freedom to choose. the people that tithe 10% are doing it because they choose to. no one is making them. and i'm sure most people don't appreciate being called stupid, ignorant, of weak mind, etc, etc.
your argument that religion should be done away with is more of an imposition on freedom that religion is.
1 person likes this
@bigjim (17)
• United States
24 Nov 06
i'm inclined, to a degree, to agree about churches paying taxes. but it is people voluntarily donating money to an organization. money that they have, presumably, already paid taxes on. flirting with double taxation.
if it would be lawful to put signs and warnings at the churches, then would it be alright for the christians to put signs and warnings about things they don't agree with? bars, strip clubs, whorehouses, abortion clinics....?
1 person likes this
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
•
24 Nov 06
only if we collectivly ignore religion will we ever be free, but vested interest ensures that will never happen
1 person likes this
@fbarcenas (129)
• Mexico
24 Nov 06
You da man!!! Someone who actually understands what's going on..
1 person likes this
@sanell (2112)
• United States
24 Nov 06
I think that there was self realization and that is why there are so many different religions out there. One reason why America came to be was because of many not wanting to follow along with the church of england so they started their own religion so they would not be persecuted.
Anyway, I think we all have our own truth and that is what makes us unique people. It is just want our beliefs are whether god is involved in it or not!
1 person likes this
@charmedone (593)
• United States
22 Nov 06
I think people should be able to have any religion they please. But they should keep it to themselves and not try to force it on other people. I don't think people should try to control other people with their religion. And I don't think people should be allowed to go to other countries and tell them how to live and what to believe.
@gabrriella_a (453)
• Romania
24 Nov 06
i don't think religion is bad... imagine this world without a church.. it is just like you would have no laws... if you want to be free you cannot with religion??? why??? you can do anything you like ,,, on this earth, right?
1 person likes this
@fbarcenas (129)
• Mexico
24 Nov 06
What about the laws of your government? How could you say that? If church disappeared, why do you think that governments would too?
1 person likes this
@fbarcenas (129)
• Mexico
25 Nov 06
Exactly, so why keep what is broken and no longer works properly.
@fbarcenas (129)
• Mexico
24 Nov 06
I don't believe anything is impossible. There has to be something we can do to combat this, right? We can't just sit on our hinnys? Can we? Is education the solution? Maybe we can promote the lesser of two evils, like promote 'Church of the flying spaghetti monster'..a benign religion. A religion that is total pacifism (is there one). I don't know.. just throwing ideas out there.
1 person likes this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
25 Nov 06
Could there be a religion not about controlling people that was controlled by the people?
There are always going to be people who believe there is a higher power in the universe.
Ignorant or not, the world educated or not, eyes closed or not, no matter what the point of self-realization there is probably going to always be religion.
Could we somehow keep the good part of religion and throw out the bad?
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
25 Nov 06
" I've never heard of a religion that said, "You can be whatever religion you wish, and still be apart of our religion." That would be unheard of. "
I have only excerpted a small portion of your comment because your comment's observations concerning my pie in the sky wishing as to religion is mostly correct. There is nothing but this excerpt about which I can comment something other than," Yeah, regrettably you are probably right!".
The Bhai faith, an offshoot of Islam founded in the 1800's, almost is a universal religion and do recognize all the major religions as valid. They have much to agree with, but when it comes down to it, they still have all the shortcomings of any organized religion. Hence, I did not join.
Incidently, as to the religion of peace, Islam, in regards to the Bhai faith, many Mullahs and others within Islam despise Bhai's. As late as the 1970's in Iran, thousands of Bhai were executed for apostasy.
@blueman (16509)
• India
25 Nov 06
i do not agree with that, i don't think religions binds us with anything. i do think that religion guides our actions.
@darkdream (1)
• Romania
25 Nov 06
you are right. i don't understand why many people belive in religion instead of science. i understand that everyone needs to believe in something sometimes but wouldn't be better if they believed in themselfs? why do they think that someoane has to forgive them for the wrong things they do in life?
