Do people REALLY need religion to tell them how to live?

Question

Humans would have came to the conclusion without religion. We have instincts, after all, assist us differentiating right from wrong. Instinct, coupled with logic, reasoning, and our emotional aptitude tells me that the additive of religion is completely irrelevant.

A religious person (or nation) can be just as "evil" as an atheist "godless" person (or nation)--or just as good. This works both ways.

Why do people feel that we HAVE to have religion in order for people to simply "do the right thing?"

Answer 1

No. Religion is the root of all evil, if you ask me. Oh sure, the road to hell is paved with the best of intentions, but it's still a road of lies and deceit.



But never underestimate the stupidity of people. People need to be told how to think because they aren't smart enough to figure things out for themselves. People need something to hope for, so all these religions have some kind of messiah and afterlife. People need to be afraid of bad things happening if they do bad things, so all these religions have demons or devils or some kind of hell.

Most people are sheep, so of course they need a shepherd.



But not everyone. Some people realize that it is too convenient to blame the devil for all that is evil, and to credit a god for all that is good.



We need to realize that human beings are responsible for all the good and all the evil of the world. Human beings should be emboldened by the good we can achieve and chastened by the wrongs that we do. But accept the reality of it - we do evil, not the devil. Human beings kill people. Human beings lie and cheat. Human beings control the religions of the world.

And human beings are capable of great evil and well as great good.



The world needs more people to think about the answers to the questions they are asked, rather than a blind, knee-jerk reaction based on faith. Faith is refusing to think about doubt or reason. Faith is all about pushing rational thought aside.



The greatest evils have all been wrought in the name of religion. The Crusades. The Salem Witch Trials. The Inquisition. The countless child abuse cases involving priests - made to be unnaturally celibate as a form of control by a centralized religious authority - as well as other abuses in churches and aboriginal schools.



I do the right thing because I don't feel good about myself if I don't. I am not part of any religious group. God doesn't tell me what to do. The devil doesn't try to lead me astray. I haven't been brainwashed by any sermons. I don't feel hate towards minorities of any kind. And I understand that being a majority doesn't automatically make you correct.



But I know I am not going to go to war with someone to try and force my beliefs down their throat. I am not going to abuse children in my care. I am not going to torture false confessions out of people.



I am not a Christian, and I am proud of it.

Answer 2

Because sometimes religion can be something

that confused people about the world can, like

relate to.

Becasue we don't know why we are here do we?

or with solid evidence of how we were created.

I myself are far on the side of science and evolution

but i do see if from a religious point of view.

were the creation story can be the answer,

or God could be the answer and the way to live,

personally. i don't believe this and i really like you comment about

the religious person. (A religious person (or nation) can be just as "evil" as an atheist "godless" person (or nation)--or just as good. This works both ways.)

Answer 3

Yes, and no. Consider this:



**************



When asked on one occasion: "What is a Bahá'í?" 'Abdu'l-Bahá replied: "To be a Bahá'í simply means to love all the world; to love humanity and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood." On another occasion He defined a Bahá'í as "one endowed with all the perfections of man in activity." In one of His London talks He said that a man may be a Bahá'í even if He has never heard the name of Bahá'u'lláh. He added: --



The man who lives the life according to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is already a Bahá'í. On the other hand, a man may call himself a Bahá'í for fifty years, and if he does not live the life he is not a Bahá'í. An ugly man may call himself handsome, but he deceives no one, and a black man may call himself white, yet he deceives no one, not even himself.



One who does not know God's Messengers, however, is like a plant growing in the shade. Although it knows not the sun, it is, nevertheless, absolutely dependent on it. The great Prophets are spirits suns, and Bahá'u'lláh is the sun of this "day" in which we live. The suns of former days have warmed and vivified the world, and had those suns not shone, the earth would now be cold and dead, but it is the sunshine of today that alone can ripen the fruits which the suns of former days have kissed into life.



(Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 71)



The Jews await the Messiah, the Christians the return of Christ, the Moslems the Mahdi, the Buddhists the fifth Buddha, the Zoroastrians Shah Bahram, the Hindus the reincarnation of Krishna, and the Atheists - a better social organization! Baha'u'llah represents all these, and thus destroys the rivalries and the enmities of the different religions; reconciles them in their primitive purity, and frees them from the corruption of dogmas and rites.



(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. vii)

Answer 4

You are pushing the assumption that being good people is all religion is for. No religion agrees with that. Maybe Pastafarianism.



How many people have lived and thought about this subject? Could you or I possibly think up all the possibilities they have? No! Therefore, religion, other peoples' thoughts on it, are a valuable resource to help us make sure we aren't missing any bets.



Provided we are open-minded enough to look into all of them.



Our final decision is a personal matter.

Answer 5

I don't believe that true religion really mandates how we live. I believe that it can give us the tools to find truth or connection with god ourselves. I think a lot of times, others have had that connection and tried to pass on the details by producing holy books. Other times, I think that those commands in the books are meant to help us access our spirituality. For example, in the Old Testament are dietary laws that are scientifically healthy. I think that unhealthy living can cloud your spirit just as it clouds your mind. Parables by Jesus exemplify ways of life that cleanse our hearts and minds so that we may live without burdens of guilt and shame. I'm not saying that I think all the rules have that effect, but I think there are pearls within many holy texts that can either open our minds or bring to our conscious minds truths that we always new but never actively addressed. We bury so much of our guilt and shame, as well as goodness, so deep inside that we almost don't know it is there. Passages from holy texts can help us confront those things so that we may finally leave them behind. But I think that even with those books we must still work within ourselves to have true understanding and faith.



However, I believe that it is more than possible to live moral, and even spiritual, lives without any assistance from religion. They're more like nice study guides that help you examine yourself.

Answer 6

no of course not.

religion is just a guide for most.

there is a couple of people here and there that where fed religion so strongly in their day that end up kind of psycho over time.

but religion is a way for people to have a motivation, a motivation to do good, to be a good person and not be cruel.

religion was meant to be a handbook of life to help people on their way and keep the world a peaceful world.

there is plenty of people that are really good without religion-

Answer 7

you're mistaken when you say religion is for showing us how to do the right thing. for one thing it's not about doing the right thing. the bible is the story of how we came to be and who created us and how we are to relate to God. there is only one truth and one bible and one faith. the bible tells the story of God creating man and choosing the jews as his people and showing them how they should treat him and what they must do to be able to come to him, and that one day there would be a savior. the jews had to sacrifice animals and give offerings for their sins so they could be counted as righteous before God. Then Christ came and he was the ultimate sacrifice. he paid for all our sins. so that all we have to do is place our faith in him and we will be forgiven and made righteous as christ.



to say that humans would come to the conclusion on our own is ridiculous. do you think people who steal will eventually figure out that it's wrong and just stop? or people who commit adultery will just stop? your conclusion about us being able to use reason and logic and make decisions based on our instincts is funny since God gave us our instincts logic and our conscience. you think we were taught these things. if there was no God we would do whatever we thought was right and whatever we feel like doing. like many people do today.

Answer 8

Usually people who do actually think such things hold the belief that believing in god is the most important moral choice. It really never made sense to me, but then again that's probably why I'm not religious.

Answer 9

i think not. religion was created to control men and to scare them into doing what they want them to do.



if you look at it closely, there are some things in the bible that contradicts itself. it says to love one another, and then tells you that it is not normal to be gay or lesbian, which then promotes hatred towards these poor people. i mean, if religion wants us to love everybody, why can't we love them (gays and lesbians) as well and just let them be. as long as they are not hurting other, can we honestly say that they are considered immoral?



i think it's going to be a whole lot better if people just do the right thing, with or without religion.

Answer 10

You are right, People don't have to do anything. If you find something that helps you keep on track, be happyer, and improve your life. Why not. I am a Soka Gakkai Buddhist and I joined because it made sense to me, cause and effect, plus I support the organization goals for a more harmonious society. As in our Charter:



Purposes and Principles

1. SGI shall contribute to peace, culture and education for the happiness and welfare of all humanity based on the Buddhist respect for the sanctity of life.



2. SGI, based on the ideal of world citizenship, shall safeguard fundamental human rights and not discriminate against any individual on any grounds.



3. SGI shall respect and protect the freedom of religion and religious expression.



4. SGI shall promote an understanding of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism through grass-roots exchange, thereby contributing to individual happiness.



5. SGI shall, through its constituent organizations, encourage its members to contribute toward the prosperity of their respective societies as good citizens.



6. SGI shall respect the independence and autonomy of its constituent organizations in accordance with the conditions prevailing in each country.



7. SGI shall, based on the Buddhist spirit of tolerance, respect other religions, engage in dialogue and work together with them toward the resolution of fundamental issues concerning humanity.



8. SGI shall respect cultural diversity and promote cultural exchange, thereby creating an international society of mutual understanding and harmony.



9. SGI shall promote, based on the Buddhist ideal of symbiosis, the protection of nature and environment.



10. SGI shall contribute to the promotion of education, in pursuit of truth as well as the development of scholarship, to enable all people to cultivate their individual character and enjoy fulfilling and happy lives.

Answer 11

God handed down rules through the prophets. The Bible is 1/4 prophecy and the reason the Bible is so popular is because people want to know their future. So far about 1/2 of the prophecies have come true, which is evidence of God's word

Answer 12

Your answer lies in these words."the weaker minds" look for an easy way through life but as weaker minds are weaker they end up going through life following stupid instructions and they also have to pay for it all and in the end they receive nothing at all other than what all person receive at death, usually; a burial and that is all that anyone gets after death.

Answer 13

Everybody needs something to believe in. Without it, life would be pointless. If you chose to believe in a God, it truly makes your life happier. It takes away a lot of stress and gives meaning to your life. You truly enjoy every moment of life. If you go behind riches, then your life becomes stressed and heavy. Have you noticed that most of the successful people are old? Or the famous would love to be normal?

Answer 14

No, of course not -- however teaching HUMANS how to "behave" from a very young age is absolutely essential. I don't care what your religion or non is -- discipline is necessary. Period.

Answer 15

Yes. God made us and knows best. You can choose to accept it or deny it. There are always rules in any society or for that matter religion. It should be a personal relationship with God and not a religion so to speak. You are right in saying that people can be nice without being so called religious. A nice person who is not religious still follows rules or they would not be nice. He or she could steal, take your wife etc. There are rules and they were given by God our creator. Good luck

Answer 16

It's not a religion, its believing in God that he sent his only son Jesus to die for you and me that we sinners can be saved. God left the bible for us to study it ask him for wisdom and he will give it to you like he did to Salmon in the bible.God is a good and awesome God. Just remember don't judge others as like you would not want to be judged from others. God is our judge!

Answer 17

I don't.

I know plenty of non-believers with wonderful morals and they happen to be the most generous people on the planet. I'm not sure where you're even getting at with this question.

Answer 18

i dont know about other religions but with christianit its not telling you what to do its a choice. weve already been forgiven but because we love god and spend time with him we become like him. its pretty cool.



as for rulers makeing them do it i dont know. it just kinda messes things up.

Answer 19

Religion has cookies - such as "eternal life!", "God loves you!" and "The people you don´t like are going to suffer for all eternity!".



It´s pathetic.

Answer 20

You really need the bible to direct mankind how to live their lives in a way that is (pleasing )to Jehovah God. Religion is available for groups of people to worship together in the same manner.



The bible says "All scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching for reproving, for setting things straight.

Answer 21

You don't need religion, you need a relationship with Christ Jesus, your Creator and Saviour. Invite Jesus into your life, and you will receive the free gift of EVERLASTING LIFE, and be with God forever.

Answer 22

Good people do good things.

Bad people do bad things.

For good people to do bad things, that takes religion.

Answer 23

Some people aren't as rational as you or I.

Answer 24

yes of course otherwise we live like animals.

Answer 25

I've never needed it and am a pretty "good" guy.