Are people really as religious as they want others to think?
967797
Christianity is the "the devil made me do it" religion.
441360
everyone believes they are right, and also feel that others should believe the same. the problem isn't that there is no tolerance. Take Christianity for example, if you believe and I don't, you go to heaven and I go to hell. on the other hand, for fundamentalist denominations of Islam (some of them) feel that if you believe and I don't, then I will go to hell, but YOU will go to hell if you don't convert me. so that certain aspect doesn't help things....
1065712
People who believe in something think there is no wrong.
352170
i think people claim that their religion is the best because they believe in it, because they are convinced that this is the best way to reach God. but as long as you respect the other persons' beliefs it is not a problem. the problem arises only when you try to force the others to believe in your religion or when you harm them for being the members of a religious group. this proves that the ones who do such things are not the servants of god.
1169983
Many religions have the concept of proselytising, which means it is their religious duty to 'save' or convert others to their faith. It doesn't matter if outside people are interested in their beliefs or not, or if in fact, they have their own code of morals or ethics. It's just part of the faitholder's religious duties. It does tend to numb the brain though, doesn't it?
145211
Many people don't see religion as casting all humans as inherently bad.  For some of us, for example, our belief in a higher power incentivizes us to do good even when society would permit us not to.  In my own personal conduct, integrity is the hallmark of everything that I do and say.  I trace that integrity to a belief that at some point in the future I will have to answer for (i.e. justify) my every choice, word, and action.  In other words, even when it appears that no one is observing my conduct, I behave because I believe that Someone is.  It has become fashionable in political circles to mention one's religion, and particularly one's fundamentalism, much in the same vein as one lists other credentials (i.e. education, business experience, and political involvement to date).  I am tremendously skeptical that many if any of our political leaders truly believe the faith they profess.  I am convinced that if more of them anticipated justifying their conduct to a higher power, the world would automatically be better and, for example, the war in Iraq might never have begun under such false pretenses.
1071659
Probably because there are questions being asked.  A lot of people find religion interesting and have opinion on the whole idea.
903692
They sure seem to have some different opinions about God don't they Kennyboy.\n\nThey all want to be right.\n\nIf they can't even agree amongst themselves, how are the rest of us supposed to believe that this stuff is the truth?\n\nLove and blessings Don
287085
I actually can't give a satisfying answer to your question, but I want to sympathize.  All of the most outspokenly religious people I know -regardless of age/gender/beliefs- act very self-righteous and devout in public but are really hypocritical in their personal lives.  I think this combination of righteousness and hypocrisy stems from their firm belief that they and only they follow the true religion and all others may be worthy of pity but are going to hell nonetheless.  They do not realize that morality and religion are not co-dependent; you can be moral but not believe in their god, and you can believe in their god but be completely amoral as well.
735315
Those who follow rationality do not object to religion existing, but to the way the religious claim to have special knowledge.  In fact people follow religion without really understanding it or knowing why it exists.
1156962
I have to agree with you. I have argued with my mother in law on countless occasions about this. Everyone believes in something. I do believe there is a superior existence , I do not, however follow any specific religion. In any religion there is always some kind higher existence. There is no TRUE fact proven (in any religion) on what and or who is right. I find people tend to quote things from the bible but don't actually know what they're talking about. And to those who believe that everyone should have a faith, I do. I believe there is something, or someone who will show us our true religion, everyone, as a whole. I apologize if I have offended anyone. That was not my intention.
320036
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.
442133
Most of them seem to be religious, the more religious,  the more prejudiced.  The sad part is that these are the first people to claim that they are not prejudiced,  but their conversation gives them away.  Since religious people live in an artificial world anyway,  most of them never catch on to themselves and remain prejudiced for life.
898372
Hi, I am rational Spirituality,\n\nI would love to say "yes", but that would be unrealistic.  The realistic answer is that humanity is not yet ready for that point.\n\nAnd people argue vigorously about religion, because their dogma is not supported with evidence, and I believe, that it is the insecurity in people that drives them to be aggressive about their particular form of belief.\n\nThe notion here is, that "the louder I shout and the more people agree with me, the more likely am I, or my belief, to be true".   Which is a mistake.\n\nThe Truth need not be shouted or argued about vigorously.  Those with intelligence and with Divine guidance within their hearts, recognise the Truth when they are guided to it.\n\nWhen all people find the Truth, then there will be nothing to argue about, and hopefully, there will be more peace.
676138
When a human being wholehartedly believes in what he/she thinks is the truth, automatically tends to believe that the truth he/she found is THE TRUTH, and that everything else is false. Why? Because humans don´t like to make high stakes on something that may not be real. So, if they did make high stakes, the desperately NEED their beliefs to be TRUE, what immediately means that the others´ are not. \nSo they argue, they fight and they even would kill (take a look at history) in the name of their God.\n\nI´m an atheist, but I don´t want to convert everyone. To each his/her own! Even religious people accept that "the paths to God are diverse".\n\nTolerance should be the natural outcome of a little humbleness... which humans tend to lack.
628058
Yes, absolutely.  This is why I study religions and am majoring in religious studies!  There is more than one way to be human, and when you learn others' religious beliefs, you can see that very clearly.  We tend to take so many things for granted and not realize they are even "beliefs" but we assume them to be "facts."  But then when we realize that other people look at it differently, we can see that we were just taking certain things for granted and there is no reason to do that.\n\nThere is wisdom in all religions.  Why limit yourself to the wisdom of only one?
919744
I guess we ask questions to ensure that our point of view is validated.\n\nMaybe we don't really care what other people think?  Maybe we already know that our belief is the perfect belief for ourselves and we are only here (on this yahoo site), to prove our point.\n\nObviously....I don't think that...but I don't think that other people think that either.    Some people just insist on forgetting that God made everyone equally.