Tackling Some Religious Commonalities

I'm going to try to write about religion in a hopefully non-controversial way because what I'm writing about is equally offensive to all religions, (but not that offensive).  Many people say that all religions originated from the same roots.  But that's not true to most people because if it was, all the religion-following  people would be of one religion and live in peace.

What I find interesting about many religions is that the description "God-fearing" is supposed to be a good thing.  Why is it good to fear what controls the universe or pervades the universe?  That would mean you would have to live your life in fear.  Or it just may mean that it's assumed you're going to do something wrong so you better be afraid of the implications.  Why not put a positive spin on the "consequences of believing"?

Another common thread with all religions is that we must continually praise God and  repeat God's name over and over.  If God is so wise and powerful, does God really need affirmation from us?  If I believe that God is great and that I am appreciative of God, wouldn't he know it?  God is omnipotent after all.  Why does anybody have to tell God overtly?  These questions may have "by-the-book" answers, but I don't know enough about all the religions for a satisfactory answer.  One other question for which no religion has given me a good answer is "why do babies die?"  Every religion has its own excuse, but no justified explanation.

Some religions like to convert people to their way of thinking.  I can understand that if you think your one way of worship is the right way, you want to share that with whoever you can.  But what about all the people that existed before the religion did?  Are they damned for not having known?  And if not, then one would hope that a forgiving God wouldn't hold it against a person living today in the middle of a rainforest who hasn't learned about the one true way.  The way I see it, if God wanted there to be one true way to believe, God would not have allowed all these other religions to exist.  And shouldn't the first religion be the most valid?  I would think that the direction to the one true faith would be obvious and heavily favored by events that occur courtesy of God.

The last area where I see religion pushing similar agendas is with their views on detachment from worldly possessions.  If God put us on this worldly planet, why would he want us to detach ourselves from the nice things that are available to us?  I guess you could say it's a test, but that's a bit mean.  One theory I have on why religion tells us to detach ourselves from our things and money is so that the temple/church/mosque/synagogue and its clergy can have more of them at our expense.  As far as I'm concerned, God doesn't need money because God already owns all the money and God should be able to move it around at will.

When people refer to God as "my God" or "our God", then they are supporting the idea that if I start a new religion tomorrow, that I will be creating a new God.  That would mean that man created religion instead of God creating man.  But then, who says there's only one God per religion?  Monotheistic religions tend to look down upon the idea of polytheism.  Perhaps it's because that concept does open the door to the creation of new religions and resulting new Gods.

Even though I'm a Hindu who's more philosophical than religious, these questions I have make me believe in religion with a grain of salt.  I believe in God mostly because I feel this universe is too well thought out to be just random, and karma makes sense to me in the way it explains the balance of the universe.  I apologize if I have offended anybody and I would hope that many people comment below so we can have some good philosophical discussion.

+ Atul

Comments

[chancelucky]

Atul,
you mostly seem to be describing the tendencies of monotheistic religions. For whatever reason, they always seem to have very high maintenance Gods.

[Dave P]

Atul

It's impossible to discuss religion and not have controversy because not everyone views things the same way-even within the same religion.

I think fearing the wrath of God is one of many aspects. I tend to have a more positive view. God has blessed us and often we take these blessings for granted and need reminders that we often receive through the experiences of the lives of others. I don't have a good answer for why babies die.

Religion is faith-based so if you're a true believer, you rely on that faith when you cannot have concrete answers to questions.

I think that religion is a very personal thing. I respect a person's right to believe or not believe in a God. A big problem I have is when people use/hide behind "their god" to make it their life's work to cause harm to others.

God sent his Son to show us how to treat others. Our true riches are in heaven and not here on earth.

Churches do seem to talk a lot about donating money to them and it can be a turnoff at times. It is an individual decision not one that anyone should tell you what to do.

One item that you don't touch upon is religion in a relationship. I think that
it is important that the two people have similar religious beliefs. It would be tough to be a child from 2 parents who feel strongly about their differing religious beliefs.

Religion can be a strengthening force and also a divisive force.

No offense taken. You ask valid questions and make us see things from a different perspective.

Dave

[Atul]

CL,

Perhaps I am referring to mostly monotheistic religions, (which includes Hinduism since it is classified as polymorphic monotheism), but some of the older polytheistic religions involved human sacrifice!

Dave,

Glad I didn't offend. Your right that religion is about faith and not so much about analyzing things. But I think you hit on an area which I didn't talk about, that religion is a personal thing. Organized religion makes it more of a cultural and institutional thing. I guess some organization is needed for a religion to keep going without morphing into something completely different. I've been there when it comes to considering marrying somebody with completely different religious beliefs. Part of what made it difficult for me was figuring out how to raise the kids.

I do wish religion would bring us together more than it divides us. Somehow, with my critique of religious commonalities, I feel I have opened the door to bringing us all together in trying to figure out why our religions are the way they are.

[trevor]

God-fearing like you said is not living in fear of God but it is respect. God gave us rules to follow which is for the good of us. God gave us free will and it is up to us to do what you want to do, feel to do or even need to do. but there is always a consequence in everything that we do. "cause and effect" as they say. or "we shall reap wat we sow". the Bible says that the consequence of sin is death(which is eternal damnation) God gave us free will. its up to you to abuse it or not. live in fear of God?? i don't think so. coz if people lived in fear of God, there wouldnt be murder, rape and all the evil things this world has done. then again, religion is just a way man searches for God. it is made only by man. the important thing is having a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus. HAving faith in Him alone.

[Atul]

Trevor,

Thanks for the comment. I understand what you're saying about God-fearing, but to say that this concept is necessary to do the right thing is somewhat pessimistic about humanity. There are many atheists who are genuinely good people even though they don't fear punishment. They do good things from their heart and based on their values. If everybody was afraid of God, then most people wouldn't do any bad things either, but the parallel is that people who do illegal things aren't always deterred by jail.

The idea of reaping what you sew is shared with the Hindu concept of karma. You can believe in that without believing in a particular religion.

I never thought of it the way you put it, but that's a perfect statement, "religion is just a way man searches for God." But the fact that you advocate one religion doesn't prove to me that it is the one true religion, just as I don't believe mine is. It is my true religion and that's all. Even then, it is flexible and always adapting and changing as my relationship with God changes and as encounter new life experiences.

[leo]

Atul,
I can only agree with you and Trevor that religion is indeed man made, for how can a created being searches or reaches the Creator God on his own if God does not chose to reveal Himself.Therefore the proof of a true religion is that this religion must not be man made but a religion revealed by God the Creator Himself.And there is a religion that fits this description.No one can disprove that God came into human history in human flesh to reveal to man the way to God, yet He was God who in history seen by many who rose from the dead to give everlasting life to those who believe. All other religions so called deity are all still in the grave.The faith in those who believe in the revealed God in the flesh and His written word is not blind faith, it was proven and authenticated by God himself in history through Jesus Christ, His Son

[OfficialDebate]

God-fearing is not meant literally.

[Atul]

I think for some people it is meant literally. If it isn't then what does it mean? God-respecting? If that's the case, then I think it should be said that way.

Atul