I personally respect the beliefs of Hindus, Buddhists, Jainists, Pagans etc far more than Muslims and Jews

The reason is Islam and Christianity's have by far the worst history in terms of intolerance, starting wars and persecutions of anyone who doesn't follow your faith.
Also in the core doctrines taught by other religions is morally better than that of the Bible and Quran.

I find all religions to be man made and simply myths but a Buddhist or Jainist surely deserves more respect than a Christian or Muslim, whose holy books preach that unbelievers should all be put to death, in the midst of other extremely violent and intolerant beliefs.

Wow, thx Xavier, I totally agree! It seems like common sense but some people are so mired in dogma and commited to indoctrination that they will not listen to reason. They choose to be ignorant and stubborn in ridiculous beliefs. Religions like Buddhism are so much more laidback and open to new advancements. Even meditation has it's obvious benefits in calming a person and bringing them back to self possession and the present moment. Buddhism, hindu, etc. is also alot more fun and intellectually stimulating.

---

I would also like to add a quote:

Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and spritual; and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity. If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism. -Albert Einstein

Quote:I personally respect the beliefs of Hindus, Buddhists, Jainists, Pagans etc far more than Muslims and Jews

How for nice you.


My position:

No belief "deserves" respect.Period.Sweeping generalisations I've seen about any major religion (including the Abrahamic faiths ) are not supported by credible evidence.

The history of Islam is characterised by long periods of religious toleration not found in Christendom.


Hindu (broadly speaking,with its MILIONS of gods) beliefs are as loopy as those of any Christian. Jains are worst than either,carrying ahimsa (non harm) to the platonic extreme of reductio ad absurdum.

At best, Buddhism is a sophisticated version of most forms of Hinduism.(neither have a systematic core of beliefs nor canonical holy books)

'Paganism' from the Latin 'paganus' meaning 'country dweller', has no precise meaning as religion.


The religion called 'Wicca' is a cobbled together mess of the more attractive aspects of what is assumed to be Druidism, (almost nothing is known about the Druid belief system.) plus bits of ancient fertility cults. This religion was largely invented by Gerald Gardner,an eccentric British civil servant,in the 1950s.

(February 24, 2012 at 12:59 am)padraic Wrote: No belief "deserves" respect.Period.

This. In spades.

(February 24, 2012 at 12:59 am)padraic Wrote: No belief "deserves" respect.Period.Sweeping generalisations I've seen about any major religion (including the Abrahamic faiths ) Are not supported by credible evidence.

I agree that other religions should be placed under the same skepticism and scrutiny as the Abrahamic religions.

Do you not just think its inaccurate to imply that all religions are equal in terms of what effect their particular beliefs would have on society, and some religons are much more harmful?

I would surely much rather have a big spread of militant fundamentalist Jainism than militant fundamentalist Islam where I live.

Well, there's a good point: Buddhist's don't go into a tizzy when you name a teddy bear after the Buddha, or, the Dalai Lama, or Dogen, do they?

Personally I'd rather not have militant fundamentalist anything if I had the choice. Doesn't matter what noun you attach to it, once you put militant and fundamentalist together there'll probably be a few tears before bedtime.

(February 24, 2012 at 1:01 am)Stimbo Wrote:

(February 24, 2012 at 12:59 am)padraic Wrote: No belief "deserves" respect.Period.

This. In spades.

But everyone has beliefs. I believe the sun will rise tomorrow and I will wake up from slumber, although it is not 100% guarenteed. I also believe that if I drive through a green light on my way to work that it will be safe because other drivers will stop at red lights, but this too is not 100% guarenteed. I believe that certain people love me and I love them. So why don't THESE BELIEFS deserve respect???

You are grossly fooling yourself if you think you hold no beliefs on your ever-decaying life! You may be ignorant of them, but nonetheless, you believe in MILLIONS of things, both positive and negative, it is your choice.

Buddha is a wise man, beliefs are merely impermanent and relative.

I'm certainly in harmony with your views. Some religions deserve far more respect than others for sure.

The jealous-God religions of Judaism, Islam, Catholicism and the myriad of protesting Protestantism of Christianity deserve absolutely no respect at all. They deserve no respect because they give no respect. They even hate each others guts. Christians especially love to use Jesus as an excuse to hate. They actually hate 'in the name of Jesus'. It's seriously disgusting.

The Eastern Mystical religions do not spread such hatred in the name of any God. In fact, many of them are actually more like spiritual philosophies.

Wicca is also a religion that does not attempt to use a God or Goddess as a hate tool. They simply believe "Do as ye will and harm none". And they don't accuse non-believers of being enemies of God.

Any religion or spiritual philosophy that truly practices love (unlike the hateful and hypocritical Abrahamic Religions), should most certainly be respected. After all, love should be respected.

The Christian claim to have the copyright on 'love' with their Jesus idol. But in truth they are hypocrites who use Jesus as nothing more than a battering ram to spread hatred toward everyone who refuse to support their bigotries in the name of Jesus. So their idea of 'love' is actually extreme hatred. They are the greatest hypocrites on the planet. Of course the vast bulk of them are actually innocent sheeple who got brainwashed into supporting the cult via fear tactics that if they don't support the cult Jesus will hate them.

It's seriously sad stuff.

Quote:Do you not just think its inaccurate to imply that all religions are equal in terms of what effect their particular beliefs would have on society, and some religons are much more harmful?

In my observation there is no such thing as a pure or homogeneous religion. The notion of any one religion being more harmful the another is meaningless to me.

My position is: ALL religions were invented by men for men,for a range of reasons. All reflect the times and culture in which they were invented.They also reflect the personality,needs,prejudices and neuroses of the inventor(s) The same is true of all believers.EVERY believer chooses the emphasis his religion will have for him. He has no choice; all religious belief systems are so contradictory and/or vague,that it is impossible to take them on face value. Hence they are adapted to suit.

Eg the extreme conservatism of say the Saudi Wahabi Muslims everything to do with their tribalism and maintaining the corrupt status quo and very little to do with high moral or spiritual ideals.

Extreme Islamists who go around blowing things up,use a narrow minority definition the word" jihad" not shared by most Muslims.

I'm NOT saying the extremists are not 'true Muslims',of course they are.I'm trying to get past the idea the person's actions necessarily reflect his beliefs.Plus to accept that all humans beings lie,constantly,and we all rationalise,constantly to allow us to do what we want.


To judge any of the Abrahamic faiths soley on their holy books is a prejudice of selective reading :for every negative and hateful verse (and there are many) there is at least another positive and loving verse. To judge hundreds of millions of people by the behaviour of a few hundred or a few thousand is stereotyping and the acme of bigotry.

Thought for today

Quote:Show me your idea of heaven and I will show you what is missing from your life (anon)

As Forest Gump would say: " ---and THAT is all I have to say about THAT"