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Religion Is Selfish!

TheAnti-SantaTheAnti-Santa Posts: 137
edited September 2006 in A Moving Train
Am I alone in this belief. Everyone scrambling to impress God to try and get themselves into heaven. Saying they are doing Gods will but really they are doing it for themselves as they don't want to go to hell or to rot in the ground no longer being. I'm sure many ppl will deny this but I bet a lot less would have "faith" is there was no reward at the end of it. Why does everyone need a reason to be nice to each other and something to believe in beyond this existance. I personally prefer knowing that when I die, I die. Live life while you still have it!
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Comments

  • wolfbearwolfbear Posts: 3,965
    I tend to agree with you. I know some "religious" people that fit your example to a "t". However, I'm sure there are religious people that aren't that way, and are truly trying to help others. There are always "good" people, and "bad" people everywhere. I just don't think religion has anything to do with it. :)
    "I'd rather be with an animal." "Those that can be trusted can change their mind." "The in between is mine." "If I don't lose control, explore and not explode, a preternatural other plane with the power to maintain." "Yeh this is living." "Life is what you make it."
  • kenny olavkenny olav Posts: 3,319
    I'm sorry but how else are pastors going to convince people to go to church every Sunday and give up 10% of their income? Pastors got to feed their kids too!!
  • dharma69dharma69 Posts: 1,275
    I have less of a problem with "religion"....dogmatic as it can be. More a problem with the individual/group interpretations of it.

    All too often a perfectly loving "religion" can be aborted into something discrimatory, profit-making, that justifies violence against (fill in the blank), us-against-them, our way is the only way, and yes...the "buy your way into Heaven".

    Religion is....a blessing and a curse.
    "I'm here to see Pearl Jam."- Bono

    ...signed...the token black Pearl Jam fan.

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  • AbookamongstthemanyAbookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    TheAnti-Santa wrote:
    Am I alone in this belief. Everyone scrambling to impress God to try and get themselves into heaven. Saying they are doing Gods will but really they are doing it for themselves as they don't want to go to hell or to rot in the ground no longer being. I'm sure many ppl will deny this but I bet a lot less would have "faith" is there was no reward at the end of it. Why does everyone need a reason to be nice to each other and something to believe in beyond this existance. I personally prefer knowing that when I die, I die. Live life while you still have it!


    Man, when I posted views similar to this in a thread a few months back, some people went apeshit!
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    People are selfish, religious or not. It's not religion that makes them selfish. Welcome to the real world.
  • twin1twin1 Posts: 902
    I am a Christian. I renewed my faith a little over a year ago. I view it more of a personal relationship with my creator, not for brownie points, but because I love him and believe in what Jesus stands for and like to share with others. My brother in law calls it a crutch and people can call it what they would like but, I view it as a connection that comes straight from your heart. Everyone has motives for things that they do, some are pure hearted and some are not, but there is good and bad in everyone regardless of what they say that they are religious or not.
    Our love must not be just words, but True Love, which shows itself in action,
    No one needs a smile more than someone who fails to give one,
    After you die...you know how to LIVE!
  • AbookamongstthemanyAbookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    LikeAnOcean wrote:
    People are selfish, religious or not. It's not religion that makes them selfish. Welcome to the real world.

    Yeah, but religon can amplify selfish tendencies into self righteousness, where as they don't feel the selfishness is wrong anymore. When i'm selfish, i feel guilt. religon justifies your selfishness and negates your guilt in adament believers.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    Abookamongstthemany wrote:
    Yeah, but religon can amplify selfish tendencies into self righteousness, where as they don't feel the selfishness is wrong anymore. When i'm selfish, i feel guilt. religon justifies your selfishness and negates your guilt in adament believers.
    Well, the same can be said with politics. Religion and politics seem to go hand in hand. People gain power and push agendas that benefit themselves rather than the agendas of the many.
  • hailhailkchailhailkc Posts: 582
    Abookamongstthemany wrote:
    Yeah, but religon can amplify selfish tendencies into self righteousness, where as they don't feel the selfishness is wrong anymore. When i'm selfish, i feel guilt. religon justifies your selfishness and negates your guilt in adament believers.

    How can you know what adament believers feel? When I'm selfish, or when I do something wrong, I feel guilt and remorse too. The very opposite argument could be made that people who honor no religion or faith tend to NOT feel much guilt or remorse for their wrong doings, since they only answer to themselves instead of a "higher power".

    Either assumption is kind of presumptious if you ask me.
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  • AbookamongstthemanyAbookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    hailhailkc wrote:
    How can you know what adament believers feel? When I'm selfish, or when I do something wrong, I feel guilt and remorse too. The very opposite argument could be made that people who honor no religion or faith tend to NOT feel much guilt or remorse for their wrong doings, since they only answer to themselves instead of a "higher power".

    Either assumption is kind of presumptious if you ask me.

    I'm talking about when your beliefs state how you should view others (homosexuals, abortion patients, unmarried couples, other religons, etc...). You believe their way of life to be wrong. I don't feel guilt about any actions as long as they don't affect others. There has to be a logical reason why it is wrong besides the bible says so, for me.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • BleacherSlushieBleacherSlushie Posts: 10
    Religion is not selfish? Believing and knowing that there is an afterlife is selfish is absurd? Why are we here in the 1st place then, to be worm fodder at the end of the day? There are to many coincidences in life, religion or no religion, to make you think that there is some greater existence. Wake up and see the light! Live life to the fullest. Dude they just proved the Exodus on the Hisory Channel last week, you should start praying!
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Abookamongstthemany wrote:
    I'm talking about when your beliefs state how you should view others (homosexuals, abortion patients, unmarried couples, other religons, etc...). You believe their way fo life as wrong. I don't feel guilt about any actions as long as they don't affect others. There has to be a logical reason why it is wrong besides the bible says so for me.

    The Bible is right because the Bible says the Bible is right....
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • AbookamongstthemanyAbookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    keeponrockin wrote:
    The Bible is right because the Bible says the Bible is right....


    Ooooh, now that makes all the difference in the world.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • AbookamongstthemanyAbookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    BleacherSlushie wrote:
    Religion is not selfish? Believing and knowing that there is an afterlife is selfish is absurd? Why are we here in the 1st place then, to be worm fodder at the end of the day? There are to many coincidences in life, religion or no religion, to make you think that there is some greater existence. Wake up and see the light! Live life to the fullest. Dude they just proved the Exodus on the Hisory Channel last week, you should start praying!

    praying for what exactly?
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • Bu2Bu2 Posts: 1,693
    Peace would be nice.

    I'll pray for peace.
    Feels Good Inc.
  • bluejourneymanbluejourneyman Posts: 421
    It is better to believe that the bible is true- finding out that it is not true.
    Furthermore, What happens if one does not believe- Finds out that it is true.
    Can't you see that there's light in the dark.
    Nothing's quite what it seems in the city of dreams.
    (Wolfmother)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Grand Rapids 2006
  • BleacherSlushieBleacherSlushie Posts: 10
    The transition to the Age of Aquarius or a new zodiac sign is never easy.
  • AbookamongstthemanyAbookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    Bu2 wrote:
    Peace would be nice.

    I'll pray for peace.

    I'll work towards it and promote it. :) If you are wrong about god, praying wouldn't accomplish much... so it is unreliable. We can do both if we choose.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • bluejourneymanbluejourneyman Posts: 421
    TheAnti-Santa wrote:
    Am I alone in this belief. Everyone scrambling to impress God to try and get themselves into heaven. Saying they are doing Gods will but really they are doing it for themselves as they don't want to go to hell or to rot in the ground no longer being. I'm sure many ppl will deny this but I bet a lot less would have "faith" is there was no reward at the end of it. Why does everyone need a reason to be nice to each other and something to believe in beyond this existance. I personally prefer knowing that when I die, I die. Live life while you still have it!
    Please read Ecclesiastics :)
    Can't you see that there's light in the dark.
    Nothing's quite what it seems in the city of dreams.
    (Wolfmother)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Grand Rapids 2006
  • AbookamongstthemanyAbookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    bluejourneyman wrote:
    It is better to believe that the bible is true- finding out that it is not true.
    Furthermore, What happens if one does not believe- Finds out that it is true.

    In order for me to fully believe in something, it has to come from the logic and reasoning inside me, not just blind faith and a hope for a blissful afterlife. If i believed despite my own questions and concerns, I would be fooling myself. Some come to a logical conclusion about God existing and that's fine, but I just don't see it the same. i just can't believe in something as a just-in-case measure. Life insurance salesmen....yuck!...they're always bullshitting you!
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • bluejourneymanbluejourneyman Posts: 421
    Even us that believe in God are unable to use our intellectual reasoning to prove it; read Pascal.
    Can't you see that there's light in the dark.
    Nothing's quite what it seems in the city of dreams.
    (Wolfmother)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Grand Rapids 2006
  • AbookamongstthemanyAbookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    bluejourneyman wrote:
    Even us that believe in God are unable to use our intellectual reasoning to prove it; read Pascal.

    thats my problem with it. what makes us believe? bc people before us told us to?
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • hailhailkchailhailkc Posts: 582
    Abookamongstthemany wrote:
    I'm talking about when your beliefs state how you should view others (homosexuals, abortion patients, unmarried couples, other religons, etc...). You believe their way of life to be wrong. I don't feel guilt about any actions as long as they don't affect others. There has to be a logical reason why it is wrong besides the bible says so, for me.

    You seem to have a distorted view of how Christians view other people. Nothing in the Bible or our faith states that we must view the entire homosexuals way of life as wrong. I view their sex life as immoral in the eyes of God, but the Bible speaks of plenty of other types of sin as also being equally wrong…sin that I've participated in. Sex outside of marriage, lust, envy, greed, etc.

    You seem to think that people who believe in the Bible have a higher sense of self worth, and a tendency to look down upon others who haven't been "saved" or "converted". We don't think we have some type of free pass.

    Besides, there are plenty of non-Bible based, logical reasons why any of those types of lifestyles/actions you've listed can be negative.
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  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    i said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. - ecclesiastes 3:17

    no one can impress God. if you waste your life trying to do so, then you are the fool who walks in darkness.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • Bu2Bu2 Posts: 1,693
    THAT is where it's all gone wrong, IMHO!

    Should I cheat on a test just to get an A+?? Of course not!
    Should I help an old lady across the street just to score "points" with God??
    Of course not!!

    It's NOT the end-all and be-all that matters, here, people!! It's the MATTER that matters!! It's the day in and day out!! Not the end...

    It's facing yourself in the mirror each day, and hoping to see a friend!

    Jaysus Chrikee. Live while you CAN! Die only when you must...
    Feels Good Inc.
  • bluejourneymanbluejourneyman Posts: 421
    God. I love that girl :p
    Can't you see that there's light in the dark.
    Nothing's quite what it seems in the city of dreams.
    (Wolfmother)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Grand Rapids 2006
  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    remember people, organised religion is a social construct. it is not God judging you, it is other Men. if one truly believes, then to him/her God is everywhere. One does not need to attend a place of worship to commune with one's maker. You are your own temple. love it. love yourself and you'll be fine.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • bluejourneymanbluejourneyman Posts: 421
    Read Acts :)
    Can't you see that there's light in the dark.
    Nothing's quite what it seems in the city of dreams.
    (Wolfmother)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Grand Rapids 2006
  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    bluejourneyman wrote:
    Read Acts :)

    will there be a pop quiz after, sir?
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • bluejourneymanbluejourneyman Posts: 421
    I'll need to talk to you after class, Ms. Cate.
    Can't you see that there's light in the dark.
    Nothing's quite what it seems in the city of dreams.
    (Wolfmother)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Grand Rapids 2006
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