[Palmer Eldritch]

Religion only seems to serve divide, death and war. Why follow?

[Wondergirl]

Religion doesn't divide. It's the humans, the followers, who divide.

[Palmer Eldritch]

If it's humans and followers that divide, is the route of this religion

[Wondergirl]

If it's humans and followers that divide, is the route of this religion

A specific religion? ("this" religion)

No, it's how the followers interpret the religion. Almost all religions have the Golden Rule as their basis.

[Palmer Eldritch]

A specific religion? ("this" religion)

I forgot the commer, it wasn't 'this religion' it was 'is the route of this, religion'

I agree with the golden rule, but is religion just another tool to use to manipulate

[Wondergirl]

it was 'is the route of this, religion'

I agree with the golden rule, but is religion just another tool to use to manipulate

And who takes "routes"? Who uses tools to manipulate? People do. "People," not religion, is the problem.

[Palmer Eldritch]

Your right, it's people and not the other way round. People use god as a tool and not the other way round. So is religion just a destraction or worse a tool of hatred and divide.

[Wondergirl]

So is religion just a destraction or worse a tool of hatred and divide.

It can be, depending on what the adherents/followers twist it to be. It can also be the opposite.

[CravenMorhead]

People are dangerous. It is all a matter of what tool they use, be it patriotism, racism, religion, or just general hatred. You can't make it about religion, or faith as a whole. Most religions say, "Wouldn't it be nice if you were good to your fellow human being?", fleshed out thousand fold of course. It usually isn't the faith to blame but those who're using it as a tool.

[Precious7]

If it's humans and followers that divide, is the route of this religion

Although we have seen religion as one of the important factor on what's going on in the world today. However, It is not the dangerous one, Half knowledge of the religion is dangerous and ignorance is cherry on the top. People like to blame on other things for all the evil deed, they do. "My people are destroyed, bcos they don't know me''.
If people claim themselves a follower it doesn't mean they are. You can see their fruit and know them. People, hungry of powers and ''self seeking selfish'' often use the religion to dictate others, but God knows there heart. And He has nothing to do with them. There are people who really follow it to help other people but some use it to fulfill their own agenda. And there are people who don't look and try to enquire themselves for their own good but instead follow these people's examples and wrong things they have done in the name of religion, thinking that this what it means to be Religious.

[Precious7]

I have a kitchen knife! I use it everyday to cut vegetables and prepare delicious food for my Fam. One day, my kitchen knife flew by itself and tried to poke my little puppy. I am sure My knife is here to serve how to poke, and war? Why should I use it? I should use my hands to tear the vegetables to make it edible and chewy, bite size.
Oh one more! If my kitchen knife is a tool, then its surely a tool for hatred of puppy.

But I suspect my Kitchen knife flew by itself, I think somebody mishandled it while cutting vegetables and it fell on the puppy and scared him. Sigh!

[misspurple77]

A specific religion? ("this" religion)

I forgot the commer, it wasn't 'this religion' it was 'is the route of this, religion'

I agree with the golden rule, but is religion just another tool to use to manipulate

That is how I see the Abrahamic religions yes. I believe that the I believe that the Talmud, Bible and Koran were written by misogynistic homophobic men, because among other things, this is what is written in all of these books:

1. Slavery is OK! Leviticus 25:44 states that you may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. You are even allowed to sell your own children! Sanctioned in Exodus 21:7.

2. People that work on the Sabbath should be put to death. Exodus 35:2 clearly states they should be put to death.

3. Eating shellfish is an abomination, for which you can also be put to death Lev. 11:10.

4. Of course homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance, so homosexuals should also be put to death

5. They were also abliest, or at least towards the visual handicapped: Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight.

6. You should even be stoned for planting different crops in the same field, or wearing garments of different kinds of thread Lev.19:19.

7. You should even stone people that curse and blaspheme a lot. Lev.24:10-16.

8. And people that sleep with in laws, should be burned to death Lev. 20:14.

Well if you write those things in a book and say that that is Gods will, it appears to me as if you have some evil intentions and want people to kill each other!

Nowadays they say that all three religions are peacefull, but I really don't agree with that. There is enough in those books to make them dangerous!

[misspurple77]

Religion doesn't divide. It's the humans, the followers, who divide.

At the moment you chose one religion, you divide yourself from the others. Pi in Life of Pi tried it, but you really can't be all religions at once. You can't believe that Jesus died at the cross and resurected and that God exhanged him for Jude and had Jude crucified in his place, like the Muslims do.

[Wondergirl]

At the moment you chose one religion, you divide yourself from the others.

I don't agree. I get along just fine with atheists, agnostics, Mormons, Baptists, Catholics, Hindus, Muslims, deists, wiccans, and everyone else. The thing we must all have is respect for each other's beliefs.

[smoothy]

Religions on average aren't dangerous... people are. But there are and have been certain religions and cults that encourage its members to do harm. So there is no one right answer for this.

[Wondergirl]

Religions on average aren't dangerous... people are. But there are and have been certain religions and cults that encourage its members to do harm. So there is no one right answer for this.

The ones encouraging harm and certain interpretation of beliefs are the humans who have decided that's what the religion says. It always comes back to the humans.

[smoothy]

The ones encouraging harm and certain interpretation of beliefs are the humans who have decided that's what the religion says. It always comes back to the humans.

True. And Atheism isn't innocent of that either. The Three largest Genocides in recorded History were caused by avowed Atheists. Chairman Mao, Stalin and Pol Pot. All people... people with an evil agenda.

[Precious7]

That is how I see the Abrahamic religions yes. I believe that the I believe that the Talmud, Bible and Koran were written by misogynistic homophobic men, because among other things, this is what is written in all of these books:

1. Slavery is OK! Leviticus 25:44 states that you may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. You are even allowed to sell your own children! Sanctioned in Exodus 21:7.

Hello, Mispurle, thanks for posting it here, I didn't recognized that other thread was closed and I answered all your levitcus questions.

2. People that work on the Sabbath should be put to death. Exodus 35:2 clearly states they should be put to death.

3. Eating shellfish is an abomination, for which you can also be put to death Lev. 11:10.

4. Of course homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance, so homosexuals should also be put to death

5. They were also abliest, or at least towards the visual handicapped: Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight.

6. You should even be stoned for planting different crops in the same field, or wearing garments of different kinds of thread Lev.19:19.

7. You should even stone people that curse and blaspheme a lot. Lev.24:10-16.

8. And people that sleep with in laws, should be burned to death Lev. 20:14.

Well if you write those things in a book and say that that is Gods will, it appears to me as if you have some evil intentions and want people to kill each other!

Nowadays they say that all three religions are peacefull, but I really don't agree with that. There is enough in those books to make them dangerous!

I know this famous Leviticus manipulate twisted letter, people post every where to validate their own personal hatred towards the God or other religion, and its people.

I have an answer surprise surprise! I can give you answer for 1- 10 if you insist, and for now I will give you short onne- Go and read the word by yourself, read it in its context, why it is written, it it what god needs, is it what's HIS true nature? know the purpose why it was written for, without any biased judgement, read it with other several scripture which talks about it. And read it with open heart. Read it without choose and pick attitude etc etc!

As I said Ignorance leads to destruction, ''My people perish bcos they don't know me''.

The very reason you used this Leviticus manipulation twisted letters bcos, you don't know what you are talking about, whom you are talking about, that's becos you don't read, that's bcos you don't believe it. You don't have full knowleged of what it says, you like to copy paste and pick, which satisfies your own selfish agenda of hating God and putting yourself above everything.

[Wondergirl]

Leviticus was written to help a very disorganized group of desert people get their act together so they could become a strong nation. Leviticus is not full of rules for us; Leviticus was rules for them. And back then, thousands of years ago, there were valid reasons for those rules.

[Precious7]

I say it!
People! Stop blaming it on religion, stone, leaf, tree, color, food, animal etc etc. You have the power to choose, If you want to harm you will.
Its you who are evil, or hurt, or intolerant etc etc. Don't blame on anything, anyone. If you have the Power to choose your Belief, then You certainly also have the Power to Choose your action, whether its evil or good.