The Redundance of Religion - Comments

Here's my opinion and whether or not this can be credited by a scientist doesn't matter to be but I think all religion is real. When people believe in something so strongly that something can, and often does, manifests itself for them. Like, for instance, praying for someone's health and by miracles they are healed. It's not necessarily their God who has done it for them, but their believe that that God can heal that person they are praying for is. That's why I'm wondering if it can be possible that science can back up the practices of religion when it comes to the power the human mind has to change things. I hope I don't sound like a looney because I was actually up all night thinking about this before I read this article...lol

1. If you ask why enough times, science, due it's own holes, can't answer it.
2. Lighten up! True Christans, Muslims, and Jews believe in tolereance of another's religon. The Bible even says that if the person has never noticed another way to life, as long as they belive in what they belive in, unfailingly, they'll be fine. They won't be sent to hell or what ever you want to call it. I was paying attention in seventh grade social studies, the Koran teaches to tolerate other's religons. And the Jewish read the same thing I do as far as I'm concered, Old Testament.
3. The book of Genisis says that God created to world and every thing on it, it doesn't describe in detal what every LOOKED like.
4. As I have said efore, I am a Lutheran, but that doesn't mean I'm blind to the church's holes. And I believe in a faith, not in a religon, because religon is man-made and can be twisted in any way. Hence all the things done for the sake of religon.
5. I also know that when you do look at the early sceintific thinkers, about 99% of them were deeply religous!
6. Finally, science says that the world works a certainm way, why hasn't anyone taken the liberty of using the fundemental rule of science, think, and ask why the world works this way and not another. Why do we rotate aound this sun, why were we made without gills, why not make the pig fly? And so on.

I disagree, strongly--being a Christian, in all honesty, it only becomes "religion" when it's made into something someone merely "does"--out of habit, or routine. A bland "thing" you do to relieve guilt or appease parents, or something that "restricts".

Any belief in God or Jesus should be seen as more than just a ritual. Or a practice. It should be a system of things you wholeheartedly believe. That you have faith in. We, as humans, go wrong when we decide that "religion" doesn't fit in with our "logic" or how we think things go, should go, or would like them to go in our feeble, limited little minds.

In addition, I don't quite like "religion" being equated with ignorance and bigotry.

I agree, there are those who take biblical things to an extreme, but I refuse to be lumped in the same group with them because I happen to share some of the same ideas. Having different moral standards does not equate to holding back progress.

Not everyone who "practices religion" denies science, and I refuse to be labeled as someone who is small-minded, or stops things from moving forward.

As for stem cell research, it is opposed for a reason--a living, breathing baby with a heartbeat is killed in order to extract stem cells, when it's possible to find other methods of acquiring stem cells that do not end a life before it begins.

I'm not quite sure if what I said made sense, seeing as I'm a bit groggy from lack of sleep, but I hope the general meaning can be extracted from the words.

A really well written article, detailed and informative.
I would just like to point out, however, that Religion is not, and never will be, redunant. Your points are valid and yes, I do agree with them, however, people have and always will need faith; as you have said it offers people a safty net for what they can't understand. However, I don't believe this safty net it always a bad thing. I know many people who are willing to except science and religion together, and who would never criticise others who 'believe in' the big bang theory or evolution.
But yes, Relgion does cause problems; and again I agree whole heartidly with your article. People just take it too far.

Again, a really good article, and I think you're a very talented writer.

Hooray! I loved the way this article was written, and especially the employment of reason over bigotry and logic rather than spite to get your point across. However, as Hamlet said to Horatio,"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy", and with this i agree. Or rather i don't disagree; i believe in science because my belief in science makes me feel secure and happy, and my belief in science is no less a belief than that of a Christian or a Muslim. As long as people are insecure with reality (just as i am) and unsure of their own moral judgments, religion is not redundant. That's not to say i agree with religion and the atrocities committed in it's name, but i think the problem lies not in the principles themselves but in people inability to think independently and individually.

To reiterate though, i really really really (yep thats 3) liked your article, from how it was written to how you responded to others comments. If there were more articles like yours on Mibba, and if everyone was able to have independent thought without arrogance and with eloquence i would not feel the urge for violence so frequently =]

Gabe

This is wonderful!
And completely right!!

I agree with all of it.

This is what I think.

I believe in spiritualism, I mean they can't prove or disprove that there is a god,a heaven and a hell. Yet they can prove that their is spirits..

Oh, I think forcing beliefs out of society is wrong. No one should be told "you can't believe this". Like you said, when you force it out, it made people unhappy and there were rebellions, you're totally correct there. Its just logically for me, it makes no sense.

I have one other point to make:

Communism tried to vanquish religion back in WW2. My Grandma was in the middle of that (plus she was a christian) and told me about this, just for reference.

Taking away religion only made people unhappy and more chaotic.

Thank you for respecting my opinion. =) You are a very logical writer.

"More often, it is the people practising it who slip up, and not the faith itself."

But if no one was practicing it, that would eliminate alot of problems. But, you're allowed your own opinion. I respect that =]

I may not be religious myself, but I don't agree with this piece.

Religion does not promote ignorance and fear. In fact, it's usually the other way around. People who are ignorant and fear promote religion, giving others who have faith (such as my Mother) a bad name. They do not all deny science, neither try and stop the world from moving forward. I'm a very scientific person myself- however, I'm not an athiest and believe in a fusion between science and some sort of higher being. Stem cells are frowned upon because a lot of people don't like the idea of sacrificing the life of an unborn child (or embryo, whatever you would like to call it), even if it is to save others. Likewise, playing with genectics is not a comfortable subject because of the fact it is humans messing around with nature. And humans have good intentions, but frequently mess up too.

My opinion is science proves there is something out there. Just my opinion. I know I could be wrong. But, the thing is, religion is not always the problem causer-
More often, it is the people practising it who slip up, and not the faith itself.