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Are religious people selfish?
January 25, 2017 at 5:21 pm
The title says it all.
Are the religious of the world more selfish/self absorbed than others?
My experience has taught me that it is so. Their whole worldview as that their lives are a wreck adn this mysterious but benevolent Deity cares about them and their lives.
Their whole worldview is centered on their relationship with Him and His plan for them.
I don't know if this is the case, but if that is ones worldview, ones cares/concerns for other people and things are limited. Why is it that so few religious people are concerned about the rainforest or the plight of the Kurds/Palestinians what have you. It doesn't relate terribly to their loving relationship.
Idk if religion makes people selfish, but I think it makes them uncurious. They have it all figured out so to speak (their thinking is done for them) so they don't care about causes or people that are different.
Just my two cents.
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RE: Are religious people selfish?
January 25, 2017 at 5:24 pm
I'd say not necessarily. I'll call them out for faulty reasoning every day of the week, but I don't see why they'd be more selfish. Some of them certainly are and they stand out far more because of it.
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RE: Are religious people selfish?
January 25, 2017 at 5:26 pm
I believe their worldview is.
I also think organized religion is more conducive to dividing and dehumanizing other people.
Those who don't believe are less valuable and less human than those who do.
I do think it fills a void for most people. Those without successful or full lives tend to gravitate toward it the most.
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RE: Are religious people selfish?
January 25, 2017 at 5:28 pm
I'll settle for no better off in this regard than anyone else, but they tend to think they are. People are pretty fucked up on the whole. Clearly, whether or not design was involved, there was very little intelligence involved.
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RE: Are religious people selfish?
January 25, 2017 at 5:35 pm
They are less curious and more rigid than atheists and freethinkers. Therefore, they are less accepting.
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RE: Are religious people selfish?
January 25, 2017 at 5:36 pm
To be fair, I've met some very rigid atheists.
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RE: Are religious people selfish?
January 25, 2017 at 5:37 pm
Christians are self centered to think that a deity specifically cares for and speaks to them. But they also do a lot of good in the world.
I think we're all selfish whether we're religious or not.
Even caring about other people can be selfish in a way, because it makes us feel better about ourselves and less uncomfortable about the world around us.
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RE: Are religious people selfish?
January 25, 2017 at 6:06 pm
OP, selfish, not any more that any other person with an investment in a belief system.
Self absorbed? Compared to what? 14 year old boy and his penis, not even close.
I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem.
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RE: Are religious people selfish?
January 25, 2017 at 7:13 pm
Lot's of interesting assumptions here.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
