religion, take it or leave it??
492095
Religion gets on my nerves as well, but fortunately not that many people bring it up in real life.  For the few that do "I'm not religious" almost always suffices.  When it doesn't, I start asking the hard questions I know they've never thought about until they shut up.
461923
There is no BEST religion. In order to find yourself spiritually, you should do some research, look around, study what it is that people really believe. Then you can make you own decision. The world would probably be a better place if more people would try this and not blindly follow the first Leader to come along. Just be informed.
956953
i don't think that my "religion " is the best.  just the best for me.\n\ni would not even begin to try to rate other religions.\n\npick the one that is right for you.\n\nblessed be
218284
My goodness, do you realize you are blaming religions, the one set of groups who are really trying to change these conditions?  If we removed all religion and their followers, would you really trust the remnent of mankind to run things?\n\nOh, I agree, religions are often superstitious short-cuts to what could be a reasoned, scientific, socially conscious life.  However, I don't trust you are most human beings to live such a life.  I suspect you would revert to "me, Me, ME!", and without the social constraints of religion would put little thought into your own behavior.\n\nI'd love an ordered, reasoned society.\n\nI don't think we are ready for it.  Religions are a great bandaid until we get a real cure.\n\nGive them credit for the last couple of milenium.
242653
"FIND YOURSELF" it took a while but I did it and I recommend it to anyone.  Forget what the church says, organized religion in the modern day is little more than corrupt brainwashing.  For once, follow your hearts.  Form your own oppinions because your mind and heart say it is right, not because a man of God tell you to think that way.  If you find that with no persuassion you still seek out God or whoever, than that is your way, but if you find you stray from their teachings, than perhaps you need something more than they could offer you.  None are right, none are wrong, you cannot prove otherwise and arguing is pointless.  Let God make the arguments and choose the rightcheous.
236708
I believe in God, but religion is to binding. There are good values in every religion. Everyone beleves differently, but when any religion is broken down, God is the basis. So to me religion is not important, and does not limit me to my worship in the lord.
976522
Don't treat religious people with kid gloves.  Tell them the truth at every chance you get.  This is the only way to get rid of religion.
1032501
(Note: I was raised Catholic and now consider myself agnostic.)My observations of religion throughout history:  Religion has always been there.  All religions give guidelines for how to live life.  Many people have died for the sake of religious beliefs.\n\nReligion has always been there...  How many religions (including all of the "extinct" religions) have there been?  How many do you worship?  Do you really have reason to believe that yours is the right religion?  Haven't you noticed that most children worship the same religion as their parents?\n\nAll religions give guidelines as how to live life...  the 10 commandments: dont kill, dont steal...   Yup that these types of things sound good to me.  Did I really need a list of things I should not do?  What about torture?  Why isn't that on the list?  Through education I developed a moral compass and a concious.  A way of knowing what is right and wrong.\n\nMany people have died for the sake of religious beliefs... This is my beef with religion.  It unites those within it, but it divides those of the different religions.  If its such a good thing why do so many die in its name?\n\nSo why am I not atheist?  I honestly don't know if there is a God or not.  Maybe God did create everything and is now on the sidelines.  I hope their is a God.  I really do.  My dad's passing was one of the hardest experiences of my life.  I hope he was not reduced to nothingness.  Still I must be honest with myself.  I DONT KNOW.  Anyone who says they do is lieing in my opinion.  If they did really know then it is no longer a question of faith.  Sure if I met God I'd worship him/her/it/them.  But I'm not going to blindly follow ANYTHING, much less something as powerful as religion.\n\nIf there is a God and they stand in judgement upon a person's death I do not believe that God will care if we went to church on Sunday, gave money to the church, or repented before our death.  They will care how we lived our life.  Did we try to improve the lives of the people around us?  Did we try to do the right thing?  Did we treat others as we wish to be treated?  And if there is this judgement followed by a heaven/hell, I believe I will be meeting my dad in heaven.  Until then I will try to do the right thing, not because of religion, but because ITS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
754820
Good question mate!\nI... don't know if I would, honestly. I'm not religious but I am spiritual, and if I lost that part of my life... It sounds terrible but it depends on who the person was. I'd save anyone I knew in a shot, but a stranger? \nFeel guilty saying this so I'm gonna stop!\nOne. x\n- ACTUALLY, the main part of my religion is morals and the rest is science and optimism, so I would have to say yes. It would be the right thing to do, and since I claim to care about morals I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't denounce my beliefs for them.
111029
I think that the more church is separated from the state, the better. There are maters of religion, and matters of the phisical world. \nPhisical world should be sorted out by pure reason. \nReligion can not be (please anote that I don't mean that religion is something wrong or stupid - merely, that many things in religious matters are a matter of faith).\n\nOf course, religion always does influence the local culture, and that can't be avoided. \n\nIn the case of Iraq, I think it would be a good idea to separate the worldly and religious matters. As Julius Caesar once said, "What belongs to God, give to God. What belongs to Emperor, give to Emperor". \nHowever, taking into consideration the way Islam covers both mundane and religious issues (I'm not a Muslim, nor an expert on the topic, but got interest in the subject to claim that I have an idea of what I'm talking about :)), it would be very, very hard to divide those two matters. Not something that can be done quickly.\n\nNevertheless, I think it would be a good goal to go for.
891287
Again, good point. Religion is the great distraction...
176979
Consider it a blessing. it's easy to have faith and believe in something when no one disagrees with you or makes it uncomfortable to do so. now you can say you have faced adversity and STILL went to church and still upheld your belief. it's not the same as risking being fed to the lions, but hopefully you get the point, sometimes you have to stand up for your beliefs with more than words. have courage.
921787
Depends.  A lot of people are raised to be of a certain faith.  These people often don't question what they are taught.  In that way, it isn't a real choice because they just believe what their parents/church told them to believe.  However, it becomes a choice if the individual thinks about what they believe - accept or reject certain aspects of different religions and make a decision to follow or not.
1116447
Hmm...Well, do what other bullshit religions have done: name it after your religion's savior, which I suppose would be you. Don't martyr yourself though. That can't be fun.
929689
Totally something you have to pray about. God will give you the answer. I have a friend in the methodist church and with some of the things going on, he wanted to leave. He feels God wants him to stay and try to change things.\nSo...pray about it.
608008
It's nice that you have found a way to put religious differences aside and focus on just plain loving everyone. I personally do not believe in a god, and choose not to belong to any religion, but I respect those who do as long as they respect me. Everyone is built differently, everyone thinks differently, we can't judge anyone on the way that they are. \nI think debating is healthy, as long as both sides respect eachother, it can be a learning experience. I wouldn't stop the debates, but I would stop people from putting down other peoples religions because they're different.
768758
Lots of big issues right now.\n\nI wouldn't call it religion, at least for me.  More of a serious hobby.