I wish 42 was the answer

[tigersflight]

I was reading someone's lj ( scoradh ) , who, in turn was watching religious debates on youtube and came across this:

Religion is a mental illness, of which the defining feature is delusional belief in an invisible being who is always watching you and will punish you if you don't follow their will (the paranoid delusions found in schizophrenia are often

Comments

[funnythat]

So I'll say right away that I don't think I'm a cynic. I still believe that people can change the world, and that religion drives some people to do things for the better (in other circumstances, I agree that it is quite the opposite). And I don't think I am naive either. I choose to try to see the best in things and people, and I'd rather not go through life being offended or getting angry at every little thing that comes my way. I don't have the energy to form black and white opinions about every single little thing, so I can't be bothered being offended by most things.

But I digress. I can't help but think that definition of religion may be a wee bit harsh. Yes, I definitely agree that there are religious fanatics in the world who have lost the power of rational thought, but a wide majority haven't. I think religion has the very basic right idea - do right to yourself and other people and you'll be sweet. But, I do agree that all the madness surrounding that idea does contravene it, most of the time. It is, for the most part,

[whitetenchi]

I'm thinking I agree with you on your comment that religion is 'programmed'. Not in the sense that is is brainwashing per se, but that religious families (attempt to, anyway) bring up religious children, religious communities etc. I wonder if religion is really that important and such a necessity in life, if a person was raised completely isolated from any sorts of religion possible. Would that imagine up a religion of their own? (Obviously that's how the first ones came to creation) Or would they live a life based on physical and emotional necessities, rather than (like you say) the constant Do's and Do Not's of religion

[penguinonice]

i agree with basically all above, also with the fallible human nature that creeps up on you.

it really would be a lot easier if 42 was the answer.

Re: Obligatory Other Side of the Coin

[funnythat]

I definitely agree with you that there is a clear difference between religion and faith. As you know, I do envy you your clear sense of faith and..I suppose, direction. Therein lies the reason I tend to not associate with religion, because you're right - generally it's not a relationship with whatever you believe in because you're shallowly following sets of guidelines for your own personal "I didn't have sex before I got married, therefore I will go to Heaven" gratification.

I do believe in something - but I haven't strictly defined it just yet. I don't know if I ever will, as frustrating as that is. So I'm loathed to call myself atheist any more (I used to believe in nothing at all, but that has changed) buuutttt by the same token, "agnostic" is generally (generally) associated with "Believe in God but don't associate with denomination" which is what I am not. I don't believe in God, but I do believe there's something

[penguinonice]

i reiterate: it really would be a lot easier if 42 was the answer.

[tigersflight]

We R dEEEEEEEEEEEEEp.

Like a duck pond in the Gobi Desert in a drought XD