Or do you think that independent spirituality is better for people? In other words, is religion to some degree leading people down a different path than they would otherwise take?
127323
It depends on the person. Organized religion, yes does lead people down a different path then fate would possibly have it...but some people do not have such a strong will to follow their own independence. Organized religion can provide guidance for some people who are easily influenced, especially for the better. In other cases though, there are people who detest organized religion because, well, it does change people's mind frames greatly. Guess it really comes down to if you're a type A or type B person. intereseting question.
153240
I think each religion is a way for people to make sense out of their lives. It's a way to find purpose or meaning for the things they do each day. I don't believe there is any one correct religion. And I doubt that God (howeer God is defined) looks upon earth and decides that he likes some of us better than others simply because of the way he is worshipped. (I'm using "he" only as a convenient word.) In fact, I believe that God does not particularly appreciate it when people use hatred against each other simply because of a difference in religious practice. As Buddha said, "There are many paths to the top of the mountain."
66016
I think every religions teach us to do something that useful for human and nature. Religions do not teach us to do destructive. Religion is a path who lead us to essential of God. For example: If I going to another city, I can use car, train, plane, or ship. These will bring me to destination city.\n\nWhich religion is the best, right or wrong, let God decides it. At least we have do the best we can do, and if we die, let people memorize us as a good man.
347481
Religion is all about controlling people.\nIf you have reached the stage where you have realised that religion is retricting you, then its time to drop religion, and become an independent spiritual person. Then you make your own rules. There is no need to be a sheep all your life.
135206
Absolutely not.  I honestly believe that I am not religious just for any reward of afterlife.  I believe that doing what is right is good for its own sake.  And I believe that being religious in my case helps me to be good.
457894
Spiritual.  By the way, the difference between religion and spirituality is two fold:\n1.  Religion was devised by man, spirituality is a gift from God (or your higher power).\n2.  Religion is for people who are afraid of going to hell, and spirituality is for people who have been there!
66151
Religion is very important to many people.  To some, it plays less of a role in their lives.  But for others, it is the central and most important factor in their lives.  So it is obviously important.\n\nIt is important to give people a workable vision of the world.  It gives them a way to view the world and to find their place within it.  It gives them a way to strengthen their own character traits, and to overcome bad traits.  (By things like prayer, meditation, contemplation of scriptures, and knowledge of lives of saints, etc.) \n\nReligion gives people a purpose and a way to strive for that purpose.\n\nReligion influences how people view themselves, other people, and the whole world in general.  It plays a role in how they will vote in elections, how they will raise their children, and even sometimes what career they will choose.\n\nReligion also can serve to give one a sense of belonging to a community.  It helps to give a society a common goal to strive for, which can be reached better as a group than as an individual.\n\nReligion shapes you in ways you are probably totally unaware of.  Even when for generations, people have stopped being religious, they still retain the influence that religion has had on their lives, even if they are not aware of it.  Whether someone is an individualist or a communalist very often derives from religion.  Whether you think of time as eternal, circular, or very short and coming to an end.......all that is from the influence of religion.
283885
I would say, 'yes,' not simply due to religious beliefs but rather focusing on the sphere of psychological studies.\n\nMany psychological studies have noted that those with spiritual beliefs tend to live longer, live healthier, and become far more productive in society. These same studies have noted a very strong connection to prayer and the same effects.\n\nNow whether this is due to the truth of spirituality and religious beliefs, or is due to just what people feel about things because of their beliefs, is something that science cannot (and has not tried) to answer. I strongly recommend that you visit the American Psychology Association website and search their documents for more on this subject.
125686
There is no best religion - only the spiritual path that fits you best. An awful lot of trouble stems from different faiths declaring themselves the righteous path .... maybe there is NO religion and faith is a figment of peoples deep desires to be led and comforted by an intangible entity, being or force ... I don't know. I just know that none of them are 'best'.
576347
religion is important for people to feel that they belong and to have meaning in their lives.  most can't live their life to just enjoy it, but need a purpose to it and need something to follow.\n\nbut can you imagine a world without religion, no religion could be its own religion.  everyone would believe the same.  nobody would feel superior over another and treat others like inferiors.  nobody would be battling and killing one another because of beliefs.  \n\ni don't know, maybe it would be a better world with everyone having the same understanding of life.  people would treat one another better and see each other as equals.  interesting concept, but this will never happen - that's for sure.
559956
quite well said.\nNice religion isn't it??\nJust like any other religion I've encountered.
73083
Absolutely. Religion allows people to "escape" death. Rather than deal with reality, it allows them to live in a childish fantasy world...one where they never really die. Instead they get to live forever with their magical sky daddy.
112915
I was baptized Catholic as a baby and raised that way throughout my early childhood. After a while my family stopped going to church, and I went on a period of self-exploration. I studied different religious ideas, beliefs, doctrines, etc. and pieced together what made logical, rational, reasonable sense in my opinion. From that I formed my own personal path. I followed it, and preferred not being a part of organized religion because creating my own path meant that my faith could grow and change as I grew and changed (and learned more) instead of remaining fixed and never evolving into something better.\n\nThen a friend of mine introduced me to Wicca. It takes a lot of work and study (I am still), but it allows solitary paths. Its lack of dogma also allows for your faith to grow and change. The more I learned about it, the more it coincided with the beliefs I'd already put together through my soul-searching. Since then I have considered myself a solitary Wiccan.\n\nI think this is the proper way to go about finding religion. Everyone's always saying things like, "I've found religion," or (specifically), "I've found Jesus," but more often than not, IT finds THEM. They believe it because they were raised to believe it, and/or people told them to. They didn't find it for themselves, or even bothered to figure it out. I formed a religion to fit me, rather than conforming myself to fit a religion.
671293
Personally I don't proliferate that belief. I raise my children to embrace humanistic characteristics like love for each other, tolerance and basic right and wrong. (Things that are otherwise often described as "Christian Values" but in reality are values embraced by all enlightened people regardless of their faith or belief in a God.) I think most people do proliferate a belief because they either don't know any other way or they would rather believe and be wrong than not believe and be wrong. I also think that religion was invented as a way to subjugate the masses and keep them in line. I think it is still working.
421250
Maybe in the big picture.  However, I have a lot of friends and family that subscribe to one religion or another.  I would not want them to all die because of it.  \n\nI do wish that people were not so fanatical about their respective religions.  Religion is all about making a person feel better about the randomness of the world, how does being mean and judgemental make a person feel good? (Your question was mean and judgemental, does it make you feel better?)
99188
Alan Watts wrote that to define oneself by a particular religion is to commit spiritual suicide.  Getting locked into a faith as defined by others who say you must believe such and such does very little to expand one's spirit.\n\nI believe that reading and exploring and gaining an understanding of what others believe is beneficial in beginning to find our own spiritual center.  You are doing a good job of questioning.  Don't ever stop.  I am 56 and I am still sorting through my beliefs and have come to the conclusion that I will probably do so until the day I die.  Spirituality is a very personal journey.\n\nIf I was pushed to identify myself by religion/belief I would have to say Taoist however, I feel that once I label myself that I limit my growth.  Once one uses that label Christian, then one limits one's spiritual exploration to christian texts, the same with muslim, buddhist or the striped sock gang.  By remaining open to all ideas I think we have a greater chance of working together on this planet and possibly resolving our differences once and for all
311521
I don't necessarily discard all others as truths for anyone else, just for myself.  I did a lot of studying on religions before I settled on one that was right for me in every way.  I felt disconnected to the religion I was raised in, so I began a spiritual journey that led me to the religion I am happy in today.  I hope that everyone can be as happy in their religion.