Does this person mean "organized religion" and not "religion"?
Presumably, this person doesn't have a relationship with God...
<<<<Statement>>>> Remember, "god" is nothing more than a nonsense word created by man to explain away all of the things we can't yet understand.
<<<<Response>>>> I don't need to explain away all of the things I don't yet understand. I am human...very limited...and will NEVER understand everything. I'm okay with that.
<<<<Statement>>>> Religion is a disease of the mind, born of fear, which has done nothing but bring untold misery down upon the human race.
<<<<Response>>>> No doctor has ever told me that I have a disease of the mind. Nor do I have fear. Nor have I ever brought "untold misery" upon anyone since having God in my life.
SO, MY QUESTION IS THIS: Does the person making these statements mean "organized religion" and not "religion"?
Rico Toasterman JPA2009-10-19T09:14:19Z
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Yes, I think so. Moreover, he/she is probably conflating all organized religions with the more virulent brands of so-called Christianity.
All too often the anti-theists on this site confuse all religions with intolerant ones, not realizing that believing in God isn't even a requirement for all religions. That coming together for shared fellowship, community, ties to traditions, the comfort and pagentry of rituals can all have value quite aside from any spiritual paths individual members of religions are pursuing.
The religion I was raised in taught me that its scriptures were for formulating and asking questions about the universe and our spirits (not ghosts, not souls, but the animating force within us) and not for finding pat answers. It taught that asking the questions can be scary, but needed to be done, even when the answers weren't immediately apparent.
Having nothing to go on but your statements, I think the person who wrote this is an atheist who has no regard for people who do believe or for the possible benefits of belief. Personally I don't find this kind of intolerance any better than dogmatic religious intolerance. I find it to be just as sanctimonious and equally debatable.
The person in question appears to be a one-note fundamentalist of atheism. Sadly, every group has at least a few.
I doubt they make the distinction between organized religion and other forms of spirituality, nor do they care that there actually is one. Best to ignore them and move on. :-)