Ten years ago, Jesse Ventura, then the governor of Minnesota, told Playboy magazine:
"Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers. It tells people to go out and stick their noses in other people's business. I live by the golden rule: Treat others as you'd want them to treat you. The religious right wants to tell people how to live."
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Do you agree or disagree with this view of religion?
Do you think that religion is a positive or negative force in society? Why?
Just a point he said organized religion...not religion. I think I can agree to a great extent with this view. Organized religion generally forms a doctrine that can corupt the original intent of religion which is spirituality.
Religion as an institution can be either a positive or negative force depending on the persons concept and how they use it. Religion as mere belief in something greater than ones self regardless of what that greater thing may be can be very positive or very negative.
Religion is human made and in such is only as great or evil as those who follow it.
Do you agree or disagree with this view of religion? I dont think its for the weak minded i think its for all types of minds
Do you think that religion is a positive or negative force in society? It can go either way
Why? it can be positive when not shoved down someones throat which is a big negative in my book
stephanie/cloth diapering/full term bfing/extended harnessing mama
I totally agree religion/God is for the weak-minded who are looking for something to fill some void in their lives. They lack faith in themselves.
IMO, religion is the problem, not the solution, and although people would still find something to go to war over, I think more people have died in the name of God than any other reason. It causes hate, violence, intolerance, death and destruction; the negatives far outway the positives.
Well I can tell you the peolpe I know from church and my family are not weak minded. I think in this day you actually have to be pretty strong to have faith, with all the oposition.
I think that religion can help a society. If Christianity were followed like it should, people would treat others right. However many people do not practice what they preach.
Check out Jacob's jouney on my home page!
Do you agree or disagree with this view of religion?
My view of organized religion, insitutions, meetings - it's not something God needs, its something people just do. I don't think there's any shame in getting support from a group of believers from time to time, though. Organized religion is a bittersweet thing, really. No matter what the religion, people are going to be nothing more than people - imperfect, flawed, learning, growing, hateful, nice, vindictive, generous, etc. etc. A person could get hurt. A person could get encouraged.
Organized religion is not important. Love is - and having a relationship with the One who authored "love" should be the goal of the individual person. I promise - church will never satisfy your soul.
Do you think that religion is a positive or negative force in society? Why?
Both. (Explained above.)
I disagree with this quote. I have lived with and without Jesus Christ. When I lived without Him, I was weak. In Christ I have freedom.
I don't agree in "religion" that makes a bunch of rules like you can't eat this with that or this on a certain day of the week, etc. That stuff is leftover from many years ago when they didn't have food safety and risked getting sick (ie by friday, the meat was rotten). We have a responsibility to put things in context.
HOWEVER, the rules such as the Ten Commandments and the rules Jesus spoke of (ie Love God with all your heart..., and love your neighbor as yourself...) are not to make God happy, they are to make US happy. How content are you when you are lying, stealing, committing adultery, and being greedy, for example? These things make us miserable. How do you feel when you lie to someone? God wants us to have joy, not misery. This could be why so many people suffer from depression (when it's not organic). I know I felt depressed, anxious and worthless when I was breaking God's "rules." Being right with God has granted me a freedom I never thought I would feel.
So of course God is important in society. Yes, even churches. Churches are places for us to be together, and hear God's Word to learn how he wants us to live. Why is it weak to align ourselves with other people? After being with other Christians, either at church or community, I feel stronger. Isolating myself leads to more destruction. I wouldn't want to live in a society without "religion."
Gina, 36 years old, happily married for 13 years, mother of 5 wonderful children, SAHM, Christian, breastfeeding with child-led weaning, disposable diapering(i'm a sell out-cloth diapered 1st 2), utilize public school, survivor (but changed forever) of a brain tumor, ACOA
I don't think its for the weak. While i don't believe in religion and I don't if i believe in god or not I have seen it bring people out of some rough times. ex. My little brother is in the air force and a guy he was working w/ stole some money from a guy while my brother had his back turned. Well this guy said my brother knew about it and asked this guy to hold his 1/2 of it. Now my brother is sitting in jail for something he didn't do but he believes God has plans for him and that this is just a test and he has stayed strong while most would have broke down by now. I am happy that he has something that can keep him going while he has no one to talk to (besides on the calls he can make on Saturdays). My only issue w/ religion is in the people (not all people just most i have came across including my brother) like to push and push the issue. I do not push you into not believing in god I just ask for the same respect.
No. I don't believe it is. many people have died for their beliefs. . how is that weak? I endure a lot of backlash, insults, cruelty cause I am a Christian. . . if i weak I would just roll over & not stand up for my beliefs. I am an outcast in many social areas cause of what i believe.. esp where I live in CA. so no. I don't believe it makes me weak.
"Blue Sunday. . Go Colts. . gonna be a blue sunday"
Do you agree or disagree with this view of religion?
I find any organized religion creepy and believe not much good, if any can come out of it. Just as an example, the mormons.......most mormon mothers are high on prozac and their kids on lithium because somehow and very mysteriously they all suffer from ADHD.....IDK maybe I would need that aswell if I had 12 kids, lol. They say that they are because its the only way they can cope with their bizzare lifestyle.
Do you think that religion is a positive or negative force in society? Why?
It can be both.......it's positive if you keep it to yourself and negative when you unleash it onto society.
I do not believe that there is a god or jesus for that matter, I believe the bible is a fascinating account of very good fiction. I was raised catholic and have no interest in any of it now. I do believe in myself and that is really all that matters to me. I cannot tell my kids about something that I don't believe exists, something like the easter bunny and santa, they will find out soon enough that there is no tooth fairy either.
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on Oct. 17, 2009 at 2:52 AM