When does a religion stop being evil?

[Sofiyya 1,687]

How does that happen? What are the signs? How far back in history do the bad acts need to be?

This is not a bait thread, so don't come here to bait or post paranoia. Atheists and agnostics welcome.

Edited November 20, 2010 by Sofiyya

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

When does a religion stop being evil?

When it has it's followers focus exclusively on their own individual relationship with whoever or whatever their God is and do so in private. In other words, when religion no longer looks to proselytize.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

When it has it's followers focus exclusively on their own individual relationship with whoever or whatever their God is and do so in private. In other words, when religion no longer looks to proselytize.

Yet, faith is inherently gregarious. How about gathering together to worship and raise their children in the faith?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Yet, faith is inherently gregarious. How about gathering together to worship and raise their children in the faith?

I don't see a problem with that. Family is private. As are houses of worship - or at least I think they should be. Open those houses to those that want to enter. Just don't try to drag - and I use this term loosely - anyone into your house of worship. Let them come of their own free will and if they don't, so be it. No proselytizing.

Proselytizing is kind of like the door man at the strip club that tries to lure passers-by into the establishment. Not cool.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I don't see a problem with that. Family is private. As are houses of worship - or at least I think they should be. Open those houses to those that want to enter. Just don't try to drag - and I use this term loosely - anyone into your house of worship. Let them come of their own free will and if they don't, so be it. No proselytizing.

Proselytizing is kind of like the door man at the strip club that tries to lure passers-by into the establishment. Not cool.

Isn't proselytizing protected by the First Amendment?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Isn't proselytizing protected by the First Amendment?

That's not the issue, is it? You posed a specific question - when does a religion stop being evil? I answered that question. The first amendment has nothing to do with that. Nothing at all.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

That's not the issue, is it? You posed a specific question - when does a religion stop being evil? I answered that question. The first amendment has nothing to do with that. Nothing at all.

It's not intended to be a static question. Answers take it where it goes. Your answers are appreciated, but open new doors. I'm also interested in history because I'm fascinated by the idea that time negates negative acts committed in the name of religion and, somehow, they become renewed again. Have you noticed that?

[웃 910]

When u realize god does not exist

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

It's not intended to be a static question. Answers take it where it goes. Your answers are appreciated, but open new doors. I'm also interested in history because I'm fascinated by the idea that time negates negative acts committed in the name of religion and, somehow, they become renewed again. Have you noticed that?

Sure, nobody wants to talk about the crusades anymore and all the barbarism that they brought about. To me, however, all the violence committed in the name of God - whatever God - leave a very bad taste in my mouth. I'm not particularly religious as you might guess. Have no problem with people that are - many of my friends are very religious and belong to various faiths. I just don't subscribe to the idea that anyone would need to "convert" someone else or that there should be a punishment of some kind for people turning their back on a faith they followed or were brought up into. I belief in freedom. Freedom of speech, choice, expression, religion, etc. Proselytizing doesn't fit in with that - at least for me it doesn't. In order to proselytize, you necessarily have to invade someone else space. And for me, your freedoms end where mine begin. Besides, has the perceived need to expand the flock not been and does that perceived need not continue to be the main source of religion turning evil?

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I'm not a big proselytizer myself, since I know that God has the power to enter the heart of whomever He chooses. Also, Islam teaches me that His plan is that we not all believe the same anyway. It's a test.

Expanding the flock is a major part of faith. Without expansion, it dies out. Abrahamic faiths are jealous and each prescribe punishments for leaving or corrupting its path. No doubt, evil has been and continues to be done to protect ground gained and to accumulate more. I'm not sure how that can be justified.

[웃 910]

You can travel 186,000 miles per second for tens of billions of years and still not come to an end. Nufff said. God is man made here on our tiny earth

Edited November 20, 2010 by Lord Infamous

[Henykat 16]

Religion stops being evil when you stop borrowing from it to use terms like "evil".

[DEDixon 39]

You can travel 186,000 miles per second for tens of billions of years and still not come to an end. Nufff said. God is man made here on our tiny earth

so your answer is when everyone becomes an atheist.... not going to happen, enuf from you.

[웃 910]

so your answer is when everyone becomes an atheist.... not going to happen, enuf from you.

There is no right answer. No religion is evil...feel better?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

God has the power to enter the heart of whomever He chooses.

Expanding the flock is a major part of faith. Without expansion, it dies out.

You said that God can enter the heart of whomever he chooses. Doesn't that ensure that faith won't die out?