Thoughts on religion
Sweden being one of the most atheist countries in the world made me grow up thinking that a personal stance on religion really isn't that important. It's only after coming to the UK that I find myself in situations where I need to ask these difficult questions as a way to relate to others.
These are some bits and pieces floating around in my head...
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There is good and bad with everything.
Taking an extremist point of view only acts to provoke and is rarely a good solution (sorry Dawkins, I agree with what you do, just not how you do it).
If the harm and suffering of the many, regardless of faith, is seen as the ultimate evil and love and compassion held above all else, then religious practices are not in and of themselves harmful.
We are afraid of asking difficult questions to religious people in fear of offending them. In principle I don't like this, but when viewed from the point that religion has deep emotional roots it is perhaps a natural reaction.
There are countless degrees of religiousness. Everyone have their own relationship with God. Many do question their own religion, which makes them feel torn in their faith.
Why not just agree that spirituality is worth striving for and renounce the framework in which it is presented?
But then the framework lends power to the spirituality so it's perhaps not that simple...
I'm a pretty tolerant person but I can not respect people who take the words of the bible or any many century-old "sacred" scripture literally. Sorry. It's stupid.
At the same time, its in the interpretation of the scriptures that a lot of religious split and conflict lies embedded.
What a stale mate...
Most people who grow up without religion are happy to live their lives without it.
Many who grow up with religion are happy to stay with it.
In the end, we all need to make a stand on how to interpret the world around us.
Unless the views of your religion causes unreconcilable conflict within you most people are probably happy to continue with the world view that they've been brought up on.
These are some bits and pieces floating around in my head...
---
There is good and bad with everything.
Taking an extremist point of view only acts to provoke and is rarely a good solution (sorry Dawkins, I agree with what you do, just not how you do it).
If the harm and suffering of the many, regardless of faith, is seen as the ultimate evil and love and compassion held above all else, then religious practices are not in and of themselves harmful.
We are afraid of asking difficult questions to religious people in fear of offending them. In principle I don't like this, but when viewed from the point that religion has deep emotional roots it is perhaps a natural reaction.
There are countless degrees of religiousness. Everyone have their own relationship with God. Many do question their own religion, which makes them feel torn in their faith.
Why not just agree that spirituality is worth striving for and renounce the framework in which it is presented?
But then the framework lends power to the spirituality so it's perhaps not that simple...
I'm a pretty tolerant person but I can not respect people who take the words of the bible or any many century-old "sacred" scripture literally. Sorry. It's stupid.
At the same time, its in the interpretation of the scriptures that a lot of religious split and conflict lies embedded.
What a stale mate...
Most people who grow up without religion are happy to live their lives without it.
Many who grow up with religion are happy to stay with it.
In the end, we all need to make a stand on how to interpret the world around us.
Unless the views of your religion causes unreconcilable conflict within you most people are probably happy to continue with the world view that they've been brought up on.