A question for evryone in R+S?

Was it significant that you omitted Judaism from your list?

Freudian or intentional?

because its religion its your strongest belief for anyone. When somebody tells you your wrong you don't know what to do besides argue. imagine the world without religion it would be a peaceful place. Just think how many wars were started b/c of god. Why does anyone even care how we got here or what happens when we leave the point is we are here and just enjoy it because the truth is we are only here for a little bit so make the most of it. Stop living in the past and future look at the time we have here.

You are a christian so it is difficult for you to be objective. But you seem to be open and fair minded so I will try to explain it.

I speak for myself. I see the majority of religious beliefs as harmless. Believe what you like. No effect on me is the popular attitude. Then the extremists come along and fly planes into buildings, kill millions based solely on faith, fight wars, seize property and teach prejudice and nonsense in schools. Not to mention the uncounted millions of dollars that are NOT being payed in taxes like the rest of the US has to do.

Most people believe 'it's not bothering anyone' because it is not bothering them. I believe it bothers everybody in one way or another and we are too indoctrinated to realize just how much.

I too do not try to discredit or disrespect anyone's beliefs. Until they impact my life which happens more than you realize.

Next time you are standing without your shoes for hours at the airport think about the ways in which religion impacts your life. Or the next time you hear about 'Intelligent' Design being fought in the courts again think about the wasted tax money and court time. Or any time someone brings up the Holocaust remember how they chose who would die and who would not.

It would be nice if religious beliefs didn't matter in how we see each other, but the reality is that the nature of religion does not allow for that.

Religions get into politics, they infringe on the rights of others, and they affect the lives of every last creature on this planet.

Therefore, it is our responsibility if we care about the future to also care about religions and their effects.

I don't hate people based on their beliefs. I don't hate anyone. I hate ideas. I hate the effects those ideas have on the human race.

You forgot Pagans and Taoists ;-)

I agree, but there's a few things in the way. One problem is when people feel threatened by those of another religion/no religion. They are concerned they won't be able to live their religion or that they'll be forced to live like they're some religion they're not. When the battle reaches public space or touches law, this explodes.

Then there's those who think everyone has to be like them... and even that it's their very religious duty to make this so! I think this is the height of arrogance, and that a re-examination of the principles involved may be beneficial.

people just can't exist in this world and all get along. they come to find out that their own individual shortcomings and selfishness have nothing to do with their religious beliefs and it shames them so they must point to their religion for blame or justification. the problem with people is that they lack an understanding of history and where certain religions stemmed from and how they all came to exist....most people don't take it upon themselves to pick up a history book and find out that most beliefs are man made and only came into this world through war and slaughter. props for having your own original beliefs and faith.

Why people do that is simply that they feel that THEIR religion is the TRUE, ONLY religion out there. It's sad because there are so many different ways to "display" one's religiousness and discreditation and hatred is nto the right way.

If we all lived together in peace and harmony, life would be so much better!!

I think your viewpoint is self-evidently silly and even you don't believe it if you think about it. How we perceive each other is based on thousands of factors from some as minor as the type of shoes we wear to some as major as whether or not we are violent. To everyone our beliefs about the nature of reality are at the core of our search for security and survival, and thus the truth or falsehood of those beliefs are at the root of our search for security and survival. To imagine that such core beliefs could be irrelevant to our perceptions of each other, or even should be irrelevant is unrealistic, which comes as no surprise from someone who has just bluntly stated they will cling to their beliefs despite all proof to the contrary. That's real flat-earther thinking.

Belief informs action. A person's beliefs shape their attitude toward others, and the way they treat others. So while your Utopian ideal is appealing in a way, it is also unrealistic. There is nothing tolerant about religion, it is inherently divisive.

And if you're an atheist, it's ten times worse. Look at the statistics. 96% of America's country's eminent scientists are atheists, and look at how people perceive them. Atheists are least likely to be trusted out of any group. The Bible calls us "fools", and so do Christians, because of their belief in what that book says.

I don't hate Christians, but there are things about Christianity that I really do hate, and I speak up about it.

The entire point of this forum is to open dialogue among those of different beliefs and philosophies.

If someone chooses to interpret valid questioning of their beliefs as "insulting" or (my personal favorite) "bashing", then that is their own issue, not everyone else's. They only make themselves look petty in the process.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. I do not disrespect anybody on this section either, there is no point of condemning someone because they have a different belief in something.