And do religions forbid it?
125849
I think its healthy..expecially if you don't have a significant other. Not sure if religions forbid it, I sure hope not, because we all do it....
655249
A good point. Religions are supposedly faith-based, but then tack on requirements to keep that particular label. Even an agnostic has to meet the requirement of believing there is no God, so I guess the answer is no religion meets the parameter of not requiring anything to be a part of it.
364678
It is a personal choice and everyone has the right to take action independently. If somebody feel that the thoughts of another religion more comfortable and sensible, then he or she can do it, there is nothing wrong with that. However, it should not be with an aim for material benefit, to insult or to harm others. All of the religions teaches to respect the entire world. So, according to my view there is nothing wrong with it.
505843
Separation of church and state means that religion is not forced upon you, it does not mean that religion is illegal.  If some kids want to pray, let them.  If they talk about their religion, it's the same as talking about sports, music, fashion, whatever.  They have the right, and you have the right to listen or not, as you wish.
226351
First, not EVERY church preaches exactly the same way, so it is silly to bulk them all together.\n\nSecond, this is still a country that values freedom, including freedom of religion.  Banning the church from being involved in any aspect of life is both unconstitutional and offensive.\n\nThird, it is clear that you've never served in the armed forces in a life or death situation.  People who face death daily are far more likely to seek guidance from clergy.  Barring access to clergy for someone in that circumstance is unthinkable.
671801
No, because the people who cling to a religion are people who need discipline and restraint in their lives. Underneath all that "Jesus loves me!" euphoria they hang on to deep fears of divine wrath. Without their religion to hold them back, I honestly believe some of them would have no qualms about murder, rape, stealing, etc.
159076
Quote\n========\nIslam is the official religion and prevades all aspects of life and the observance of any other religion is not accepted here. Public display of non-Islamic religious articles are not permitted and will get confiscated if found. Non-Muslim religious services are illegal. Travel to Makkah & Madinah, the cities where the two Holy Mosques of Islam are located, is forbidden to non-Muslims. The importation and use of narcotics, alcohol and pork-products is also forbidden. Penalties for importing drugs are severe and include death penalty.\nUnquote\n========\nThis is from the survival section in Jeddah today guide 2006.\n--------------------------------------\nMy opinion is this is the country of Islam, and is an Islamic Monarchy.\nIf some European countries such as Greece, do not want to build a Mosque for the muslims there since the 1970's. Then Saudi Arabia, has the right to do what it sees right.
323731
Yes, it is.  My religion does not preach this, and it's one of the reasons that I chose to believe what I do.  Actions have consequences.  People should be made to deal with them, even if it's just a guilty conscience.
248431
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." \n\nThis has absolutely no bearing on Tax Exempt status for different organizations including churches.  There are rules that an organization must follow in order to gain and maintain Tax Exempt status.  In the case of Churches or Religions, the assumption is that this organization is doing work that is charitable in nature.  \n\nIf you are truly interested in reading more about Tax Exempt Status and the organizations that qualify, read Publication 557 from the IRS.  One passage from this Publication that may help you understand the Government's position in the taxation of Religion and Churches is this: \n\nTo determine whether an organization meets\nthe religious purposes test of section 501(c)(3),\nthe IRS maintains two basic guidelines.\n1. That the particular religious beliefs of the\norganization are truly and sincerely held.\n2. That the practices and rituals associated\nwith the organization’s religious belief or\ncreed are not illegal or contrary to clearly\ndefined public policy.
499395
When our forefathers created our government with "seperation fo church and state", they were trying to PROMOTE religion! The idea was to allow people to believe in a faith of their choosing. (Keep in mind that back then, many nations, such as England, had a government endorsed religion.) It was never intended to prohibit religion.\n\nWe ARE one nation, under God. We have the freedom to choose how we believe and worship God, but God is central to the reason why our government arose in the first place. The pledge stays! Even if they TRY to remove it, we will be vocal and recite the original version with pride!
456329
Nice question, mate. I guess if the muslims said it was part of their religious observance, they'd be allowed to continue. Somehow don't think it would work if the Christians tried the same trick, though.
22597
not all people are of or concerned with the religion that deals with this phrase\n\n\n\nyou already answered your question\n\nand it is irrelevant
623542
all religions could collide as one. but people won't be too tolerant about it.
75622
NO one has a right to impose his / her religion on anybody. But he can work to spread his religion and its on the other person to accept it or not. None of the religions of the world teach to impose the religion by force.
357779
I really don't know specifically what biblical writing forbids it, but many years ago, I had an experience with my father who is a fundamentalist Christian, a self-styled Christian therapist, whose psychiatric practice is completely based on biblical principles, and I asked him if he would be interested in reading a book I had discovered that has been helpful to me in understanding how I came to believe in God.  The name of the book is THE TAO OF PHYSICS, a book on the nature of the differences between Western (European roots) civilization's science with its philosophical base in Aristotlelian logic (deductive reasoning, etc.) and Eastern (Asian roots) civilization's existential philosophy based on intuitive reasoning.  \n\nAfter my experience with the book where physics is put into laymen language instead of mathematical equations, I was able, for the first time in my life, to understand the nature of the universe/reality, with the result that simply put my Faith in God onto firmer ground.  At the time (I was about 22 years old at the time and very confused/dysfunctional), I was in desperate spiritual need to understand my faith, or my despair, and the contradictions I had experienced in society and its religions.  This book had served to strengthen my faith by clarifying for me that Western Science and Eastern Philosophy are running to the same goals but coming from opposite ends of the intellectual spectrum.  Western logic/reasoning is at odds with intuition/illogic.  Through its explanation of the physics involved in how the universe operates (a universal truth that Eastern philosophers have understood for thousands of years prior to Western civilization and its deductive reasoning), I was able to understand the impossibility of God is quite possible, and that the universe is such an elegant phenomenon that it must be the creation of some larger phenomenon.  It is a completely closed system of both intuitive chaos and logic that, because of this very duality in its nature must be constituted by a higher power, something larger, more powerful, more inclusive than itself.\n\nNow, back to the issue of my father's response to the book.  He would not even put it in his hands though I told him how much it had helped me understand my faith.  I had thought it would help him in his own struggle, but he told me that his belief forbids him to even touch the fabric of the book, much less read it.  All I can say is that it is that kind of closeminded thinking that really frightens me because that kind of religious zealotry founds the very history of Christianity (the Inquisition, the slaughter of the Crusades) as well as the other fundamentalist (Islamic Jihad as interpreted by fundamentalist Muslims) religions in the world, Islam included, where God not only excuses murder and distruction in His/Her name, but actually rewards it.  These people are dangerous because they are forbidden to listen to the truth when it is put before them.  They are exclusive rather than inclusive in their religiousity, and that is not the same thing as being religious or spiritual, to say the least.\n\nOver the years (I am 57 now.) of my seperation from my father and his faith, I have come to realize that these people's reactions come from their fear that their faith may be explained away as false beliefs, and that they cannot afford emotionally or spiritually to put it to the test in the real world.  But, it also uncovers very clearly the ultimate despair with their own beliefs because they demonstrate by that refusal to learn from the world that they believe that it is possible for their God not to be the perfect and all powerful entity to whom they have given their very lives.  On top of that, add to it, if you will, their own fear of personal failure coming from their very distinctive definition of man's nature as a fallen creature.  This is the basis of those believers saying that the world could and would deceive them.\n\nGod&
50317
I don't beleive so. Maybe in Saudi Arabia you can be condemned to death, but in the USA definitely not. Islamic laws in different countries and among different cultures are different. My opinion is that nobody can condemn you to death because of your religious beliefs.
597065
Yes, but not to the exclusion or detriment of any other religious belief, and purely on a voluntary basis.