Does Religion make you nice?

[Paul the Human]

Chicken, a lot of Christians like to believe that atheists lack morals and empathy and... general niceness... because they do not have 'god' in their hearts. That is simply not true and is designed to make them feel superior (after all, they have god on their side). Whether someone believes or not has no effect on how nice that person is.

[Minimalist]

Just saying that most religious folk are nasty does not make it so

But many of the sanctimonious sons-of-bitches go out of their way to prove it.

[Watson]

[Paul the Human]

You need an avatar, Wats.

[Entropist]

The big picture is more than just religion, but the belief in the notion of absolute truth-- that there is such a thing and that one can and does possess it. The more strongly one believes they are in possession of this (religious or otherwise), the more strongly everything is viewed in black and white terms, with no middle ground. The world isn't so simple as that-- one ends up having to fit a lot of square pegs into round holes. Ideology ends up trumping reality. At the extreme end, it results in people being killed, either for their own good or for the good of the ideology.

As far as religion goes, the rise of secularism is the only thing that has really kept it at bay in developed countries (something which the most fanatical resent I imagine). And it has even helped tone down most religious beliefs. For the most fanatical in the developed world, their bark is worse than their bite (and perhaps most (though still not all) of them don't have the courage to truly act on their convictions.

Of course, their was a belief in absolute truth that motivated Christians like MLK or Dietrich Bonhoeffer. But by and large, the notion of possessing absolute truth ends by appealing to the more cruel aspects of human nature, rather than focusing simply on empathy (metaphysics not required).

But these are the more extreme cases. Coming back down to the boring ordinary world, I think religion has a tendency to encourage hypocrisy. This is in part because of the nature of religion, but also of course, because of human nature. Human beings lie to themselves, propping up their own image, patting themselves on the back and so on (even many animals do this in their own social setting). Religion only amplifies this natural tendency. Looking back on Jesus' tirades against the Pharisees (according to the gospel accounts) should it be any surprise that Christians today inherited the same traits? This isn't because Christians have failed to live up to Jesus' standards, but rather it is part and parcel of the belief in absolute truth.

Shorter version: If someone NEEDS religion to be nice, your doing it wrong.

[solja247]

I had to ask for my own curiousity, does religion make you nice? I guess if anyone wants to reply the article below is open to read :-D

Nope. Not at all. I could tell you story after story of what 'Christians' have done to my family and me or to other people I know.

As a tell people, 'You want find Jesus at church.'
And that is mostly the case...

[Watson]

If only I could add one myself, Paul. But unfortunately, the operating system I work with limits me in what I can do. (Read: I'm using a piece of shit!)If i had one, though, I'm sure it would be Sherlock Holmes related!

@All- I really don't think that this question should be answered with some kind of long, idealogical diatribe(not to accuse anyone here of doing that.) It's simply a matter of who is nice and who is not nice, and that is not dictated by religion or lack thereof.

[Bull Poopie]

But these are the more extreme cases. Coming back down to the boring ordinary world, I think religion has a tendency to encourage hypocrisy. This is in part because of the nature of religion, but also of course, because of human nature. Human beings lie to themselves, propping up their own image, patting themselves on the back and so on (even many animals do this in their own social setting). Religion only amplifies this natural tendency. Looking back on Jesus' tirades against the Pharisees (according to the gospel accounts) should it be any surprise that Christians today inherited the same traits? This isn't because Christians have failed to live up to Jesus' standards, but rather it is part and parcel of the belief in absolute truth.

Shorter version: If someone NEEDS religion to be nice, your doing it wrong.

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"I long to be free—desperately free. Free as the stillborn are free." ~ E.M. Cioran







I have to agree with Entropist. Religion, the church or whatever. My opinion is that religion can actually change a nice person into a hateful person. The church today and has always been a great influence upon people. If alot of the religious leaders would step down and take a hard look at themselves and see what their Jesus would of done and instead of playing a would be god then they would accept people more freely and lead their flock in a more pleasant manner.

But Paul it can, it can be a big effect/ influence on people today. Like what I forgot his name said about christians and none believers not associating and that is very true. They are not even suppose to marry because it is sinful. When I was a catholic of the preist protested that in one of his masses. Hell if you didn't belong to the catholic church in general of the catholicism religion the preist denied you getting married in the church and you had to go else where. My point is that religion can have an effect on how nice a person becomes or how they donot become. Religion can turn a person to think hateful thoughts or become violent just as quick as a pastor commiting a crime. It depends on the church people and who is in the pastor/preist seat running the show. Religion can have a greater effect on someone espcially if they already been linked to the bondage of it.


Bull-Poopie

[Watson]

*facepalm*

[Godscreated]

But these are the more extreme cases. Coming back down to the boring ordinary world, I think religion has a tendency to encourage hypocrisy. This is in part because of the nature of religion, but also of course, because of human nature. Human beings lie to themselves, propping up their own image, patting themselves on the back and so on (even many animals do this in their own social setting). Religion only amplifies this natural tendency. Looking back on Jesus' tirades against the Pharisees (according to the gospel accounts) should it be any surprise that Christians today inherited the same traits? This isn't because Christians have failed to live up to Jesus' standards, but rather it is part and parcel of the belief in absolute truth.

Shorter version: If someone NEEDS religion to be nice, your doing it wrong.

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I have to agree with Entropist. Religion, the church or whatever. My opinion is that religion can actually change a nice person into a hateful person. The church today and has always been a great influence upon people. If alot of the religious leaders would step down and take a hard look at themselves and see what their Jesus would of done and instead of playing a would be god then they would accept people more freely and lead their flock in a more pleasant manner.

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But Paul it can, it can be a big effect/ influence on people today. Like what I forgot his name said about christians and none believers not associating and that is very true. They are not even suppose to marry because it is sinful. When I was a catholic of the preist protested that in one of his masses. Hell if you didn't belong to the catholic church in general of the catholicism religion the preist denied you getting married in the church and you had to go else where. My point is that religion can have an effect on how nice a person becomes or how they donot become. Religion can turn a person to think hateful thoughts or become violent just as quick as a pastor commiting a crime. It depends on the church people and who is in the pastor/preist seat running the show. Religion can have a greater effect on someone espcially if they already been linked to the bondage of it.


Bull-Poopie

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