Religion....  It is the opiate of the masses.  What is your opinion?
349702
Nah, the new opium of the masses is shopping....ie commercialism !!
322739
I think that there are two types of religious people, there are the "this is my religion and it tells you how to live your life" this is never a good way to look at religion and causes wars and personal persecution on a large scale, so for those people belonging to a religion is a bad thing for everyone. Then there's the "this is my religion and it tell me how to live my life", these people have a positive effect on society because they are living what they believe is a good way of life, such people are normally the Charity workers and the people that give without wanting to receive, for these people belonging to a religion can only be a positive thing. its a good thing to have a personal faith but it does not have to be attached to any religion. In my case I believe in myself and my own existence (its the only thing I can be 100% sure of)
964073
I came to this conclusion about politics and religious types a few years ago and I will share this with you now ok...\n  Religious people feel the need to believe there is a greater force out there so that they think their lives have meaning. They have a Bible, they follow the Bible, they think that if they do not do exactly as the Bible says they will not go to heaven. Part of the Bible is to spread the word of God to as many people as possible. Part of the Bible is also that mankind has freewill to make their own choices and do as it pleases. \n\n      So the problem I have with religious zealots is that they remember the first and forget the second. \nWhy would someone want to join a religion where you come across sounding like a half baked loon to anyone you talk to about God?\n Wouldnt it be better to be loving and accepting of everyone and happy with yourself to the point where people ask you wow why are you so happy what are you doing right with your life? Rather than trying to cram it down our throats and legislate morality.\n Teach through example, be a good kind tolerant person who respects peoples wishes.  Uh there is more to is, but yeah Jesus would most definately be a liberal.
722668
It's not so much the religions as it is the politics of the religion. Having faith is just having a belief - it's the religious DOGMA (telling you how to live, etc.) thay causes the problems. Why everyone wants to think that everyone else should believe in their particular brand of faith is beyond me. Why can't we all just get along. Different strokes for different folks, is what I say.
337280
Most people have to be told what to think.  Especially about religion.
1182968
I personally always uphold my inner well-being to that of society. What sort of fulfillment am I to receive giving myself to society? We live in an extremely individualistic culture in America, and that's just the way that I like it. Look at the nazis, communism and even media standards set by everyone else. No not healthy. Jesus the Christ (if you believe) stood up and frankly stated screw society, give all to what is inside of you (the kingdom). Me, me, me! My anthem.
544910
I prefer not to categorized by that obnoxious distinction.\n\n"Religion" has been the cause of most of the bloodiest wars in history. It is also determined by the United Nations to still be the number one cause of wars. Even today, that is why the United States is in Iraq.\n\nAlthough I was raised a  Christian, I have studied Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Gnosticism, most other religions as well as the philosophy of Buddhism.\n\nI've tried to take the best of these and reject the worst of these and combine them with my physics and scientific background to come to where I am now.\n\n"RELIGION" just sides each one against the other and too often blind people from seeing the overall picture.  It is beautiful, they do not know what they are missing.\n\nI guess you would call me "spiritual".
290206
It's not the religion itself. It's the birdbrains that think God is talking to them and telling them to do idiotic things. They're found in all religions.
1178756
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.
144896
They don't need religion to be moral.  Religion is a tool used to control the masses.
140522
orrnancy and WT&WJ have it right.  Religion can be detrimental to a person.  In "religion" one can get so caught up in trying to "do all the right things" and such that they get burned out.  Religion was not what we were intended to have.  We were intended to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, not to think that we have to serve people all the time.\n\nDon't get me wrong - serving is a great thing, but if that's all you focus on, then you're going to be hurt one of these days.  It's the same with anything else that you feel you are required to do to get into heaven.  All that's required of you is to accept Jesus as your Savior, and the rest of the things in "relgion" are simply perks that you can do to show the rest of the world how much they need Jesus.
351545
Here's the shot on that.  I am answering the question you asked upfront and not your added comment; too complex.  I am a psychologist of a mess of years and I have had opportunities to study people in closed systems.  Meaning I talk with and see them and this gets to be deep.  Here's what I've learned about these Religious Groups (Christian, Catholic, you name it) They be the majority and the majority have most all smoked on some bomb marijuana.  You see them out front their church, you take a picture and not a one of them look like they'd even have sex.  They look like never having had a few totes.  They don't look like they'd ever smoke a cigarette.  They look wholesome and holy and gracious and oh my, see them on Monday through Saturday and they do not look the same.  Weed is basically the least important matter with police so busy dealing with an ever crazier society.  They keep it illegal for the bigger bucks and the court employment and they don't care that their prison systems are getting bigger due to their smallest problem.  Oh joy, if were just weed they had to control.
1013777
Not all religions are, just a lot of them. And yes, it's a great way to control people, I'm sure that's partly why they were created.
667875
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.
539429
Religion seems to be used for social control.  Still, I live and let live as long as a theocracy is not promoted and established.  So far, here in the US, we still have freedom FROM religion too.  I'd like to keep it that way.
946988
I thought everybody already knew that religion, or the fanatical, misguided practice of it, was the source of violence in the Middle East.  And why do we keep electing religious whackos in this country????  Because a majority of the voting population cast ballots based on their religious beliefs.  So, is this country run by the Christian Church?  It sure feels that way to me.  I am a Republican, but am feeling shut out by the Christian fanaticism.
254606
Religion covers a wide range of people. If religions is a mental illness, then the majority of people on earth are mentally ill.