The Pro's and Con's of Religion/Spirituality

[XenoFish 105,442]

I would like this to be a casual discussion regarding the benefits and negatives of religion and spirituality. This is not meant to be a god bashing thread. So I want to ask the members,

What are the pro's and con's of religion/spirituality?

How does belief affect your life in a positive way?

How does it affect your life in a negative way?

What are the benefits that spiritual/religious beliefs given you?

What has your spiritual/religious beliefs taken from you?

[spartan max2 15,520]

As a no longer spiritual, from my observations, I think the general pros and cons are,

Pros: 

Feelings of Security, Sort of the idea that in the end, no matter how hard life gets or how much injustice there is things will ultimately be good for everyone in the end. 

Having Community, people who are religious typically have whole communities around it that is great for a person.The friends I have who are religious have very active caring communites.

Having a feeling a mystery to the universe, ghost, spirits, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Cons:  It can cause people to follow morals that are sort of inhuman. For example making a 16 year old think that sex before marriage and mastrubation is shameful and evil, can cause alot of confusion and make people feel horrible to go against what is natural human tendencies. Being gay, etc.

It can cause people to not act. I think the other side of the feeling of security is that it can cause people to not want to make changes to the world because they feel it will all work out in the end anyways.

For a minority of believers, belief actually causing more anxiety then security from the constant threat of hell or punishment.

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by spartan max2

[papageorge1 5,653]

Let me preface my answers by stating my spirituality is as a follower of Advaita (non-dual=God and creation are not-two) Vedic (Hindu) philosophy. 

21 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

What are the pro's and con's of religion/spirituality?

The pro's are an increased sense of love, peace and happiness at all times. The universe exists for experiencing positive growth.

If you genuinely believe you are following truth then any seeming 'con' is narrowness of vision. The universe is smarter than me.

21 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

 

How does belief affect your life in a positive way?

 

I can always remember and know that I am eternal bliss, love and happiness beyond physical circumstances

21 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

 

How does it affect your life in a negative way?

 

It doesn't. Any negativity would ultimately just be wrong perspective.

21 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

 

What has your spiritual/religious beliefs taken from you?

Once understood properly, there are only positive additions.,

 

[Desertrat56 16,804]

32 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

I would like this to be a casual discussion regarding the benefits and negatives of religion and spirituality. This is not meant to be a god bashing thread. So I want to ask the members,

What are the pro's and con's of religion/spirituality?

How does belief affect your life in a positive way?

How does it affect your life in a negative way?

What are the benefits that spiritual/religious beliefs given you?

What has your spiritual/religious beliefs taken from you?

The pros and cons of religion/spirituality depend on the person's beliefs.  Some religions preach god as love but also emphasize humans as unworthy.  That is a con, worthiness is necessary for our mental well being.  On the other hand most religions do have community that everyone needs as well, if the communtiy is supportive that is a pro, if it is not, then there is the con that it is an unhealthy community no matter what the beliefs.  In my mind it is not the specific religion or beliefs but the people who lead and follow in the community of that belief system, which varies in each community.

So, the pros and cons have nothing to do with the religion or spirituality, but rather the interactions in what ever group one joins to practice those beliefs.  I know of churches that are toxic to the members and churches that are supportive.  I also know of non-religious spiritual groups that are toxic to the members and non-religious spiritual groups that are supportive of the members.  So the pros and cons cannot really be linked to the religion or spiritual practice

I say a lot about the judaic religions and what I think are issues, why I don't adhere to any of those religions and those reasons have led me to explore my own understanding of the universe and how I fit into it.  There is a lot to offer a searcher or one who wishes to understand, but there is so much garbage mixed in and so many different ways to interpret most of what are called scriptures that it is easy to get lost, disillusioned or just turned off by it.  And talking to people you find they have interpreted those scriptures to mean what they need at the moment.  I have no problem with that as long as they don't decide everyone has to understand the same way they do.

Belief can affect your life in a positive way if it is a belief that can keep you moving when it feels like all ods are against you.

It can affect your life in a negative way if you think you need to attain some ultimate goal of perfection that is unattainable, if it causes you to constantly feel guilt for being who you are, causes you to ignore important things you need to look at about yourself and your relationships.  It can also affect you negatively if it causes you to only trust outside authority even when your knowing is opposite or different from that authority.

The benefits of my spiritual beliefs are that I don't know everything and am not supposed to, also the understanding that everyone on this planet is here for a different reason and I don't have to worry about anyone but myself as far as non-physical life is concerned.  I can help people when they ask, I do feel responsible for my loved ones and know that the responsibility is not to control anything they choose in their lives but to support them on their journey of being human on planet earth.  I also know that I can't be perfect, that is not why we are here, to please some deity or complete some mission.

My current spiritual beliefs have taken the fear and guilt and worry about being a good human being and the fear that a deity is judging my every thought.  I am the judge and I can let some stuff go and just be human on planet earth, accepting what I think is "wrong" with me, working on what I think I can do better and not worry about what anyone else thinks.

[lightly 8,454]

Pros ?    I just feel everything is part of the whole.  (each part is the whole?)..  but ,as soon as I Think about 'it'. . l separate from the whole.  So, I take a breath , stop thinking, . and I'm home!  .  

 Cons?  People who  jump on someone's belief and say things like...Ohh ,your just imagining things!  

Well, I imagine I am !   

peace.

Edited December 20, 2019 by lightly

[Jodie.Lynne 14,071]

>sniffs the bait, senses the trap, pokes it with a paw, then departs<

[XenoFish 105,442]

35 minutes ago, Jodie.Lynne said:

>sniffs the bait, senses the trap, pokes it with a paw, then departs<

That's disappointing. Plus you're basically accusing me of creating a troll/flamebaiting thread. Kinda tired people doing that.

[Jodie.Lynne 14,071]

3 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

That's disappointing. Plus you're basically accusing me of creating a troll/flamebaiting thread. Kinda tired people doing that.

Isn't that basically what you said you were doing, in another thread? In order to watch the 'usual suspects' have a go at each other? Or did I misread your intent?

Besides, my views on belief (for me, personally) are known, so I'm just going to make some popcorn and await the slow moving train wreck.

[XenoFish 105,442]

9 minutes ago, Jodie.Lynne said:

Isn't that basically what you said you were doing, in another thread? In order to watch the 'usual suspects' have a go at each other? Or did I misread your intent?

Besides, my views on belief (for me, personally) are known, so I'm just going to make some popcorn and await the slow moving train wreck.

Nope. I was predicting the future of my thread and other threads like it. This will go to hell like they all do and I suspect the same people (as always) we be the source of its destruction. I'd like honest answers to my questions and that is all. 

[Sherapy 28,487]

29 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

That's disappointing. Plus you're basically accusing me of creating a troll/flamebaiting thread. Kinda tired people doing that.

The pro or con for me is based on what I observe is how the beliefs are applied as far as behaviors go.

I read each person as a unique expression of how they apply their beliefs.

 

For example: some use their beliefs to be holier than the next guy, some choose the belief to be better than and feel a need  lord it over others, typically these types were not their best selves, my sister, for example, uses her faith to avoid being accountable for her own actions. For her, she can do whatever and be forgiven. 
 

Some use it to become their best selves. For me it is compelling to see a person choose to be a good person with no religion nipping at their heels. 
 

My step Dad is a shining example of being humble, kind, and generous, his faith nurtures these types of behaviors, those that are preachy to me, or think it is their moral duty to tell how others how to live are most likely in need of this kind of policing themselves. 
 

I look at a persons behavioral patterns and go from there. 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by Sherapy

[Jodie.Lynne 14,071]

@XenoFish OK, I'll give my honest opinions.

 

What are the pro's and con's of religion/spirituality?   

Speaking only for myself, I see no benefit ( or 'Pro's' ) to belief in that which is. IMO, unprovable. Although I can see how people can gain comfort from those beliefs and a sense of community from like minded people.

Again, for myself as a non-believer, there are no 'con's' to consider But I have noticed the eerie coincidence wherein a believers god has the same dislikes as the believer. 

How does belief affect your life in a positive way?

It doesn't?

How does it affect your life in a negative way?

The beliefs of others can often have an negative impact on non-believers, as the believes feel that they are responsible for making others live by their god's morals.

 

Your last two questions are not applicable to me.

[Sherapy 28,487]

12 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

Nope. I was predicting the future of my thread and other threads like it. This will go to hell like they all do and I suspect the same people (as always) we be the source of its destruction. I'd like honest answers to my questions and that is all. 

Simply Bill and to a large degree Die Checker, Hammer  and Guyver are really inspirational examples of their religion.

Each in different ways.
 

 

[spartan max2 15,520]

18 minutes ago, Sherapy said:

Simply Bill and to a large degree Die Checker, Hammer  and Guyver are really inspirational examples of their religion.

Each in different ways.
 

 

You should tag them and invite them to the fun 

[zep73 6,851]

8 hours ago, XenoFish said:

What are the pro's and con's of religion/spirituality?
Pro's: Comfort and easy answers to life's mysteries
Con's: You live your life in someone else's fantasy

How does belief affect your life in a positive way?
I can humor a hypothesis. That's the closest I come to belief, but it's temporary.

How does it affect your life in a negative way?
It doesn't

 

[Sherapy 28,487]

35 minutes ago, spartan max2 said:

You should tag them and invite them to the fun 

@DieChecker, @Guyver, @Hammerclaw, @simplybill

Edited December 21, 2019 by Sherapy

[third_eye 47,144]

Take it away George... 

Quote

 

[00.03:12]

~

[Sherapy 28,487]

1 minute ago, third_eye said:

Take it away George... 

[00.03:12]

~

Love George!!!!!

[third_eye 47,144]

Just now, Sherapy said:

Love George!!!!!

Then let's have another George... 

Quote

 

[00.04:41]

~

[Sherapy 28,487]

6 minutes ago, third_eye said:

Then let's have another George... 

[00.04:41]

~

Love this George too!

[third_eye 47,144]

1 hour ago, Sherapy said:

Love this George too!

Let's get another George on board.... 

Quote

 

[00.10:24]

~

[GlitterRose 26,638]

To me, there's a big difference between religion and spirituality.

Religion insists it has the answers, and to me, spirituality is just hopeful.

So the pros would be that it gives me hope, makes me feel warm and fuzzy, helps me to strive to be a better person. 

It doesn't promise me any reward or threaten me with any punishment.

I would say the only con would be that it could be all just wishful thinking, but oh well. 

[Sherapy 28,487]

25 minutes ago, GlitterRose said:

To me, there's a big difference between religion and spirituality.

Religion insists it has the answers, and to me, spirituality is just hopeful.

So the pros would be that it gives me hope, makes me feel warm and fuzzy, helps me to strive to be a better person. 

It doesn't promise me any reward or threaten me with any punishment.

I would say the only con would be that it could be all just wishful thinking, but oh well. 

I like this. Great way to look at it.

[Sherapy 28,487]

36 minutes ago, third_eye said:

Let's get another George on board.... 

[00.10:24]

~

Oh my, you are on a roll 3rd.

[GlitterRose 26,638]

And I guess the only thing it's taken from me is a bit of cynicism.

Not too bad a trade.

[third_eye 47,144]

25 minutes ago, Sherapy said:

Oh my, you are on a roll 3rd.

Well, let me rock to a stop while I'm ahead... 

Quote

 

[00.04:56]

~

No George of the jungle... I promise.. 

~