Zone1 Even if you don't believe in God, It's better to be religious

[DGS49]

What does it mean to be "religious"?

You obey the Commandments - even the little ones between the lines. You are kind, patient, and considerate. You go to Church. You pray when it is appropriate to pray. You give your available time and money to the Church and/or to charity. You structure some of your life around the Sabbath and religious holy days. You join organizations that further your religiosity. You say the things that believers are (more or less) obliged to say. You help your spouse to be religious, and you teach your children to be like you. When your kids' "activities" conflict with significant religious observances, the religious observances take precedence.

OR, you could be un-religious, non-religious, or anti-religious. In which case you do "what you think is 'right,'' you are considerate when it is in your own best interest to be considerate. You never pray, your Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are devoted to self-absorbed pleasure seeking. You vote for Democrats and consider yourself "empathetic" by doing so. You tell yourself and others that you are a "good" person. You marry someone who is as indifferent to religion as you are and avoid associating with religious "fanatics." You teach your kids to be similarly unreligious, so there is never any issue with religious stuff interfering with soccer practice, play dates, or screen time.

I submit that whether you believe in God or any particular theological structure or not, it is better to live in the former way than the latter. Christian, Mormon, 7DA, whatever. Religiosity is the better way to live.

Just as it is better to treat your "loved ones" with respect, kindness, consideration, and affection, whether you are feeling the love at any particular moment in time or not.

To quote the late Charlie Kirk, "Prove me wrong."

 

[shockedcanadian]

Pascals Wager

 

[frigidweirdo]

What does it mean to be "religious"?

You obey the Commandments - even the little ones between the lines. You are kind, patient, and considerate. You go to Church. You pray when it is appropriate to pray. You give your available time and money to the Church and/or to charity. You structure some of your life around the Sabbath and religious holy days. You join organizations that further your religiosity. You say the things that believers are (more or less) obliged to say. You help your spouse to be religious, and you teach your children to be like you. When your kids' "activities" conflict with significant religious observances, the religious observances take precedence.

OR, you could be un-religious, non-religious, or anti-religious. In which case you do "what you think is 'right,'' you are considerate when it is in your own best interest to be considerate. You never pray, your Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are devoted to self-absorbed pleasure seeking. You vote for Democrats and consider yourself "empathetic" by doing so. You tell yourself and others that you are a "good" person. You marry someone who is as indifferent to religion as you are and avoid associating with religious "fanatics." You teach your kids to be similarly unreligious, so there is never any issue with religious stuff interfering with soccer practice, play dates, or screen time.

I submit that whether you believe in God or any particular theological structure or not, it is better to live in the former way than the latter. Christian, Mormon, 7DA, whatever. Religiosity is the better way to live.

Just as it is better to treat your "loved ones" with respect, kindness, consideration, and affection, whether you are feeling the love at any particular moment in time or not.

To quote the late Charlie Kirk, "Prove me wrong."

For some people, maybe.

I think it depends on the person.

Some people have a view of the world that isn't compatible with religion, and religion would just grate.

Religious people are often a certain type of person who wants to be controlled, wants to be promised empty promises. Others can't cope with that.

 

[toobfreak]

Even if you don't believe in God, It's better to be religious​

Ignoring altogether the implication of your remark whether its conclusion is right or wrong, but by logical extension alone you cannot make that claim above. Only an atheist can truly decide for themselves whether they are better off or not without something they have probably never even known nor needed.

 

[BreezeWood]

You obey the Commandments - even the little ones between the lines.

what desert dwellers use to persecute and victimize the innocent - false commandments made up by liars as moses to perpetuate their own legacies having nothing to do with either religion or the heavens.

- the very reason for the 1st century events and its tragic conclusion.

 

[DennisPTate]

What does it mean to be "religious"?

You obey the Commandments - even the little ones between the lines. You are kind, patient, and considerate. You go to Church. You pray when it is appropriate to pray. You give your available time and money to the Church and/or to charity. You structure some of your life around the Sabbath and religious holy days. You join organizations that further your religiosity. You say the things that believers are (more or less) obliged to say. You help your spouse to be religious, and you teach your children to be like you. When your kids' "activities" conflict with significant religious observances, the religious observances take precedence.

OR, you could be un-religious, non-religious, or anti-religious. In which case you do "what you think is 'right,'' you are considerate when it is in your own best interest to be considerate. You never pray, your Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are devoted to self-absorbed pleasure seeking. You vote for Democrats and consider yourself "empathetic" by doing so. You tell yourself and others that you are a "good" person. You marry someone who is as indifferent to religion as you are and avoid associating with religious "fanatics." You teach your kids to be similarly unreligious, so there is never any issue with religious stuff interfering with soccer practice, play dates, or screen time.

I submit that whether you believe in God or any particular theological structure or not, it is better to live in the former way than the latter. Christian, Mormon, 7DA, whatever. Religiosity is the better way to live.

Just as it is better to treat your "loved ones" with respect, kindness, consideration, and affection, whether you are feeling the love at any particular moment in time or not.

To quote the late Charlie Kirk, "Prove me wrong."

Studies are showing that Prayer, even by Atheists, still get results!

I guess our Creator likes to hear from us even if we are still wrestling with doubts and questions?

2.​

In recent decades, the relationship between prayer and healing has moved from the realm of personal belief into the domain of scientific investigation. A growing body of research, conducted under rigorous clinical conditions, suggests that prayer may indeed have measurable effects on physical health. Studies published in respected medical journals and reported by major news outlets such as the BBC have found statistically significant improvements in outcomes for patients who were the recipients of intercessory prayer – even when they were unaware they were being prayed for. These findings span a range of medical conditions, from heart disease to AIDS, and have been echoed in the work of researchers like Dr. Larry Dossey, who has extensively explored the healing power of prayer. Together, this emerging evidence points to the possibility that prayer taps into a form of transcendental consciousness – one that may influence health and healing in ways science is only beginning to understand.

Studies show prayer to be effective under scientific controls​

On October 25, 1999, BBC News reported, “Healing Power of Prayer Revealed” about a study at a university hospital in Kansas City, U.S. about scientific evidence of healing through the power of prayer. The massive study found that patients admitted to the hospital with heart trouble fare better if someone is praying for them. This study supports NDE research findings which demonstrates the reality of a transcendental consciousness. (CBS News)

Prayer has been linked to improved outcomes in heart and AIDS patients​

A massive 1999 study based at a university hospital in Kansas City and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has found that patients admitted to hospital with heart trouble fare better if someone is praying for them. On average, the 500 patients prayed for had 11% less complications during their stay in hospital. Another study into AIDS patients found significant improvements in the number of infections acquired when intercessory prayer was given. (PubMed)

Prayer and the Near-Death Experience - Near-Death Experiences and the Afterlife

Near-Death Experiences and the Afterlife profiles Prayer and the Near-Death Experience . Did you enjoy reading this post, we have more!

near-death.com

 

[sparky]

To quote the late Charlie Kirk, "Prove me wrong."

'religion' is a business ...... there are some 3000 religions on this rock......one is expected to take one's marching orders (per se) from the church , who will impart their own interpretation(s) of what one is required in order to do business with them.....faith is not required


'faith' is something one can have....no church, organization, doctrine, hazing or commitment required....

~S~

 

[shockedcanadian]

For some people, maybe.

I think it depends on the person.

Some people have a view of the world that isn't compatible with religion, and religion would just grate.

Religious people are often a certain type of person who wants to be controlled, wants to be promised empty promises. Others can't cope with that.

Hehe, "want to be controlled"? A better description would be " understand that there is a larger power in the universe who is in control*. Let us say for instance that the bible isn't correct, or is only partially correct with many errors for its time, that still wouldnt necessarily nullify G-ds Commands or how they were communicated. It still wouldnt guarantee that man is the alpha predator, alone in the universe. .An acknowledgement of a higher power, after years of delving into the subject.is actually.logcial to me, Ive considered many theories. It certainly makes far more.sense than the assumptioms and mind.bending required for the big bang theory to be the answer for instance.

 

[shockedcanadian]

'religion' is a business ...... there are some 3000 religions on this rock......one is expected to take one's marching orders (per se) from the church , who will impart their own interpretation(s) of what one is required in order to do business with them.....faith is not required


'faith' is something one can have....no church, organization, doctrine, hazing or commitment required....

~S~

Yes, you can read the.book yourself but community is important also. Communities of faith are what Atheists and communists fear most. Their.fragile.ego.and control forces them to pretend to be G-d and thus organized religion is their greatest.enemy. They shall be judged and it scares them deeply

 

[frigidweirdo]

Hehe, "want to be controlled"? A better description would be " understand that there is a larger power in the universe who is in control*. Let us say for instance that the bible isn't correct, or is only partially correct with many errors for its time, that still wouldnt necessarily nullify G-ds Commands or how they were communicated. It still wouldnt guarantee that man is the alpha predator, alone in the universe. .An acknowledgement of a higher power, after years of delving into the subject.is actually.logcial to me, Ive considered many theories. It certainly makes far more.sense than the assumptioms and mind.bending required for the big bang theory to be the answer for instance.

No, really it's about being controlled. Some people find life overwhelming and want someone to take control of parts of their life so they can feel better.

It's not an insult.

The problem with your "understand that there is a larger power in the universe who is in control" is that we don't even know if there is a larger power who is in control. Most likely it's just chaos.

 

[shockedcanadian]

No, really it's about being controlled. Some people find life overwhelming and want someone to take control of parts of their life so they can feel better.

It's not an insult.

The problem with your "understand that there is a larger power in the universe who is in control" is that we don't even know if there is a larger power who is in control. Most likely it's just chaos.

I was praying even as a kid and Ive had an angel on my shoulder at various moments in my life. Where did the chaos you suggest come from? Who formed.the universal LAWS that.guided this chaos?. Who provided the energy? That is way before.we dissect earth and the laws on this planet. There must be an initial spark and source of creation, a Genesis if you will...

 

[frigidweirdo]

I was praying even as a kid and Ive had an angel on my.shoulder at various moments in my life. Where.did the chaos you suggest come from? Who formed.the universal LAWS that.guided this chaos?. Who.provided the energy? That is way before.we.dissect earth and.the laws on this planet. There must be an initial spark and source of.creation, a Genesis if you will...

Sure, you've prayed so much, and for what? Your life is a total mess and you come on here complaining about it.

Something tells me you wasted your time.

 

[shockedcanadian]

Sure, you've prayed so much, and for what? Your life is a total mess and you come on here complaining about it.

Something tells me you wasted your time.

Only time will prove or deny if I wasted my time,.G-d.hasmgiven.me strength and.guidance. It's difficult to overcome abuses within a system but be it Soviet citizens,.East Germans, Iranians or a.caste system in Canada, in time, citizens will become.free if the good.and righteous elsewhere support them. There is of course, the issue of the soul as well. The consequences for the good.and evil doers in this world, yet to be determined...

 

[frigidweirdo]

Only time will prove or deny if I wasted my time,.G-d.hasmgiven.me strength and.guidance. It's difficult to overcome abuses within a system but be it Soviet citizens,.East Germans, Iranians or a.caste system in Canada, in time, citizens will become.free if the good.and righteous elsewhere support them. There is of course, the issue of the soul as well. The consequences for the good.and evil doers in this world, yet to be determined...

And that's the thing. You make up this thing about some abusive dictatorship, and then you make up a God to deal with it all.

If it gets you through, then great. But you seem to need that non-reality.

 

[shockedcanadian]

And that's the thing. You make up this thing about some abusive dictatorship, and then you make up a God to deal with it all.

If it gets you through, then great. But you seem to need that non-reality.

Belief it or not in G-d doesn't assist me in this world.any more.than it helped.the victims of the Eastern Bloc, systems are man-made constructs. In time, a nation will succeed or fail on the.principles G-d provided us, all I can do is remain the Messenger. History has.confirmed this time and again. These values have been the best guide in history, for nations and the sum of its parts. In fact,.my belief in G-d hurt me in the past and it kept me loyal to the abusers. This is no longer the case.

 

[frigidweirdo]

Belief it or not in G-d doesn't assist me in this world.any more.than it helped.the victims of the Eastern Bloc, systems are man-made constructs. In time, a nation will succeed or fail on the.principles G-d provided us, all I can do is remain the Messenger. History has.confirmed this time and again. These values have been the best guide in history, for nations and the sum of its parts. In fact,.my belief in G-d hurt me in the past and it kept me loyal to the abusers. This is no longer the case.

So God goes from being this huge helper, to someone who does nothing.

great.

 

[JoeB131]

To quote the late Charlie Kirk, "Prove me wrong."

Well, that's easy.

You don't need a religion to be a decent human being.

Sure, the Bible has a lot of commons sense rules, like "Don't murder people". It also has a lot of silly rules like, "Murder people who pick up stick on the Sabbath" and "murder people you think might be witches", which we all ignore today.

But if we are getting into the "Pascal's Wager" kind of thing, it's a good idea to worship God because if he exists, you're going to be in trouble if you don't, but if he doesn't, you have nothing to lose.

The problem with that becomes, "Which God?"

What if you get to the afterlife and find out the Muslims are right?

What if I get to the afterlife and I find out that Shintoism is right, and Amatarasu wants to have a word with me about "Yellow Fever"?

Here's my thought. If your God is truly benevolent, he's going to judge us on how we live our lives, not how often we grovel in front of him on Sunday.

 

[1srelluc]

Glad to see people coming around.....Agnosticism is the way to go. You can hedge your bets while starving the modern church beast at the same time.

 

[JoeB131]

Glad to see people coming around.....Agnosticism is the way to go. You can hedge your bets while starving the modern church beast at the same time.

Not sure how agnosticism would be any better to appease a God who will not only send you to hell for not believing in him, but will send you to hell for belonging to the wrong religion.

"You can't send me to Hell, I was a Mormon! Where's my own planet to rule?"

"Nope, sorry, wrong religion. Off to Hell you go!"

 

[Hafar1014]

What does it mean to be "religious"?

You obey the Commandments - even the little ones between the lines. You are kind, patient, and considerate. You go to Church. You pray when it is appropriate to pray. You give your available time and money to the Church and/or to charity. You structure some of your life around the Sabbath and religious holy days. You join organizations that further your religiosity. You say the things that believers are (more or less) obliged to say. You help your spouse to be religious, and you teach your children to be like you. When your kids' "activities" conflict with significant religious observances, the religious observances take precedence.

OR, you could be un-religious, non-religious, or anti-religious. In which case you do "what you think is 'right,'' you are considerate when it is in your own best interest to be considerate. You never pray, your Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are devoted to self-absorbed pleasure seeking. You vote for Democrats and consider yourself "empathetic" by doing so. You tell yourself and others that you are a "good" person. You marry someone who is as indifferent to religion as you are and avoid associating with religious "fanatics." You teach your kids to be similarly unreligious, so there is never any issue with religious stuff interfering with soccer practice, play dates, or screen time.

I submit that whether you believe in God or any particular theological structure or not, it is better to live in the former way than the latter. Christian, Mormon, 7DA, whatever. Religiosity is the better way to live.

Just as it is better to treat your "loved ones" with respect, kindness, consideration, and affection, whether you are feeling the love at any particular moment in time or not.

To quote the late Charlie Kirk, "Prove me wrong."

There are pseudo religions such as climate change believers, progressives, left wing ideology and these are destructive