On a small scale I'd like to know why the religious people who post here, bother. Some seem genuinely interested in thoughts of "non believers" but still try to argue their case of why their religion is right so if not directly seem unavoidably linked to the other types of people who post here. The ones who preach their religion as correct and actively try and convert others.
This brings me on to the wider scale of why does religion feel the need to get involved of all aspects of everyone's lives? The churches dish out rules and regulations that can and do change over time, such as what it's believers (and I guess all those they are actively trying to recruit) should believe, like evolution. On more local scales you get individual members of churches handing out leaflets, and preaching outside schools to try and convert people. You get religious lobbies in centres of power trying to effect government policy.
Why is all this? Why can't religion be contempt with it's message and see that if it held true value people would come looking for it, without having it forced down their necks. Why can't religion see that in countries that where religious people are less numerous, overall society can and does benefit (sweden, denmark, holland are all good examples). Why cant religion learn from it's mistakes of the past where it's spread has only come at the cost of lives and happiness? Why can't religion just be a personal thing closer to the beliefs of the apologists who claim it's a loving and tolerant thing (despite it clearly not being that at all?)
As much as a rant as a question, because to me I see it that as a man made thing, religion has man made traits of wanting control, power and influence over it's fellow man. But I would honestly like to hear opinions of others on the board, both religious and not.
This brings me on to the wider scale of why does religion feel the need to get involved of all aspects of everyone's lives? The churches dish out rules and regulations that can and do change over time, such as what it's believers (and I guess all those they are actively trying to recruit) should believe, like evolution. On more local scales you get individual members of churches handing out leaflets, and preaching outside schools to try and convert people. You get religious lobbies in centres of power trying to effect government policy.
Why is all this? Why can't religion be contempt with it's message and see that if it held true value people would come looking for it, without having it forced down their necks. Why can't religion see that in countries that where religious people are less numerous, overall society can and does benefit (sweden, denmark, holland are all good examples). Why cant religion learn from it's mistakes of the past where it's spread has only come at the cost of lives and happiness? Why can't religion just be a personal thing closer to the beliefs of the apologists who claim it's a loving and tolerant thing (despite it clearly not being that at all?)
As much as a rant as a question, because to me I see it that as a man made thing, religion has man made traits of wanting control, power and influence over it's fellow man. But I would honestly like to hear opinions of others on the board, both religious and not.
