Does religion make us better people?

[Magical Realist]

Or does it in fact make us worse people? Are we better people for believing in sin and judging people for their thoughts and actions? Are we better people denying ourselves pleasure and self-fulfillment for the sake of meriting some afterlife reward? Are we better people for believing based on authority and tradition rather than on reason and evidence? If you are religious, how has religion made YOU better? If you are atheist or agnostic how would it have made you worse?

 

[Buddha12]

does religion make us better people?

not at all

 

[Hapsburg]

Are we better people for believing in sin and judging people for their thoughts and actions? Are we better people denying ourselves pleasure and self-fulfillment for the sake of meriting some afterlife reward? Are we better people for believing based on authority and tradition rather than on reason and evidence?

I don't know what religion you see people practising, but my religion does not involve such things. My religion embraces pleasure as sacred, and is about the enjoyment of life, whether our own or in nature. And while certain things in it are based on traditional practices, it recognises tradition as malleable. This change and adaptability isn't fought; it's part of its identity as a religion.

If you are religious, how has religion made YOU better?

It has certainly inspired me to be more conscious of the environment. Something I did not particularly care for until I developed a spiritual focus on nature.

 

[wegs]

Spirituality "does a body good," I think...but in terms of organized religions...I think they have done more harm than good. Now, we can look at charitable organizations and missionaries who have at their helm, some organized religions. There has been a moral good brought about through then, but was it because of them? Meaning, would the same people who give of their time, talents and money, if they were not part of organized religion, be total apathetic misfits? Lol Probably not.

To me, religion can't force someone to be a good person. I've met all types in religious circles, and for some, religion hasn't done much for them except make them feel superior to others.

I consider myself to be spiritual as a believer in God, more than a "religious" type, but not sure how many make the distinction.

 

[lightgigantic]

Or does it in fact make us worse people? Are we better people for believing in sin and judging people for their thoughts and actions?

Its a difficult argument to suggest we would be better if we didn't judge people by their thoughts and actions

Are we better people denying ourselves pleasure and self-fulfillment for the sake of meriting some afterlife reward?

once again, pursuit of long term goals tends to strengthen character as opposed to weaken it

Are we better people for believing based on authority and tradition rather than on reason and evidence?

false dichotomy on a slippery slope

authority and tradition can be governed by reason and evidence and reason and evidence can be governed by authority and tradition

If you are religious, how has religion made YOU better? If you are atheist or agnostic how would it have made you worse?

Being a gross materialist means that one can do no better than identify with the mind , which, by its very nature dishes out a greater concomitant ratio of suffering fro every act of pleasure pursued .... what to speak of defaulting to a more bodily platform of identification (which tends to be more the standard)

yes it certainly explains why the united states is invading muslim countries including the most populous ones like indonesia .... wait, they aren't invading indonesia ...... hmmm, I guess they must be fighting about things that are not so alien after all

 

[arauca]

Does religion make us better people?
////////////////////////////////
Does a driving book make you a better driver ?

In Christianity practice makes you a better person,

 

[scorpius]

Does religion make us better people?
////////////////////////////////
Does a driving book make you a better driver ?
In Christianity practice makes you a better person,

do you practice everything that bible commands?
if not,why not
www.evilbible.com

 

[lightgigantic]

do you practice everything that bible commands?
if not,why not
www.evilbible.com

a question that atheist hate sites simply aren't resourced enough to answer .....
:shrug:

 

[arauca]

do you practice everything that bible commands?
if not,why not
www.evilbible.com

Your link have picked up many of the evil thing people have made thought time .
Can you find the good thinks that Jesus have thought , and don't be so partial , I can tell you that If it were not because the teaching I would not restrain my self and I would send you some were you would not like, So thank Jesus !

 

[R1D2]

Does religion make us people any worse?
There has always been a religion.

We all believe in something. I will believe there is a GOD and I will kick the bucket and die at some damn point.

Hope there is a valhalla when I go, or a jesus to ask questions too. Or a Buddha to show me peace, or a Merlin to share some cool magic tricks. Or Druids to share learning. And I don't come back like the Dog I AM

 

[wynn]

Or does it in fact make us worse people? Are we better people for believing in sin and judging people for their thoughts and actions?

You yourself judge people by their thoughts and actions.

Are we better people denying ourselves pleasure and self-fulfillment for the sake of meriting some afterlife reward?

Are we better people denying ourselves pleasure and self-fulfillment for the sake of bowing to mainstream materialist standards?

Are we better people for believing based on authority and tradition rather than on reason and evidence?

Well, are we?
When bowing to mainstream materialist standards, one is still bowing to authority and tradition, and actively denying reason and evidence.

If you are religious, how has religion made YOU better? If you are atheist or agnostic how would it have made you worse?

That depends on what you mean by "religion".

 

[geeser]

Does religion make us better people?
////////////////////////////////
Does a driving book make you a better driver ?

In Christianity practice makes you a better person,

"'Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion." - Steven Weinberg.

 

[lightgigantic]

"'Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion." - Steven Weinberg.

what's an example of a good (religious) person doing something evil?

 

[geeser]

what's an example of a good (religious) person doing something evil?

Are you serious! I'll take it you are. You mean like good devout people praying to there god, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-medicine-prayer-son-died-spared-prison.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/23/herbert-catherine-schaible_n_3138001.html
or there is always this. http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/

I personally don't think any religious person can do good things, whilst they are under the influence of there particular brand of delusion. They can assume the role, but when push comes to shove they will revert to the evil doers, that religion makes them.

 

[arauca]

"'Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion." - Steven Weinberg.

We all are born selfish. We are thought to be not selfish from our early age . Who teaches your kind not to be selfish . Ask Steven Weinberg and yourself.

 

[arauca]

Are you serious! I'll take it you are. You mean like good devout people praying to there god, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-medicine-prayer-son-died-spared-prison.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/23/herbert-catherine-schaible_n_3138001.html
or there is always this. http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/

I personally don't think any religious person can do good things, whilst they are under the influence of there particular brand of delusion. They can assume the role, but when push comes to shove they will revert to the evil doers, that religion makes them.

Why are you lumping every religious person into one packaGE . Why are you choosing outstanding events . I like to know what Atheist organization send help to disaster ares or doctors to do charitable work in Africa or Asia .

 

[Magical Realist]

We all are born selfish. We are thought to be not selfish from our early age . Who teaches your kind not to be selfish . Ask Steven Weinberg and yourself.

Jesus was the most selfish prick on earth. "I'm the magical son of God and if you don't accept my teachings I'll come back some day and burn you in eternal hellfire." I can't think of a more selfish and arrogant attitude. No wonder he got himself crucified.

 

[Magical Realist]

what's an example of a good (religious) person doing something evil?

http://www.salon.com/2013/08/03/the_10_worst_examples_of_christian_or_far_right_terrorism_partner/


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jones

 

[arauca]

Jesus was the most selfish prick on earth. "I'm the magical son of God and if you don't accept my teachings I'll come back some day and burn you in eternal hellfire." I can't think of a more selfish and arrogant attitude. No wonder he got himself crucified.

What are your bases to call Jesus selfish ? What are your teachings ? Hell fire : I don't think my body can tolerate more then 80 C so you are full of the brown stuff

 

[Sarkus]

Or does it in fact make us worse people?

What does it mean to be "better" or "worse" as a person?

Are we better people for believing in sin and judging people for their thoughts and actions?

Everyone judges, whether religious or not; it is not in the job description only of the religious.
Surely the difference, if that is what you are looking for, is in how one establishes that which to judge by.

Are we better people denying ourselves pleasure and self-fulfillment for the sake of meriting some afterlife reward?

Do all/any religions do that? Some do, for the most austere, but only if judged from the outside. Who are we to understand what motivates those individuals.
And surely even non-religious forgo pleasure and self-fulfilment in seeking the longer term goal. If religion pushes the length of that term beyond death, does that invalidate the process? "No pain, no gain" and all that malarkey.
[Qupte]Are we better people for believing based on authority and tradition rather than on reason and evidence? [/quote]Someone else has already pointed out the false dichotomy presented here.

If you are religious, how has religion made YOU better? If you are atheist or agnostic how would it have made you worse?

I am an agnostic atheist. Staying within my flavour of religion would have made me miserable, the way staying within a loveless marriage makes people miserable: you can still respect and appreciate the other but at the very core there is a fundamental difference that can not seemingly be overcome. Perhaps if you stay too long you come to resent the other.
As it is, I can not make myself believe... it will require something I can't imagine to convince me to believe. And to have stayed in an environment where such belief is a requisite would have made me miserable, if not overtly physically, at least intellectually.
Yet my immediate family are religious. Are they"better" or "worse" people as a result? I might not agree with all their choices, but is that not always the case?