What next in the world?

[pardouncia]

I'm beginning to think that religion is the root of hatred, arrogance, war, death, and strife in our world. Serbians are uprising over the secession of Kosovo. They are upset because it's their spiritual heartland. Hadn't they been told those Serbians living there could continue living there with no restrictions? This isn't supposed to be another

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[pardouncia]

It is what religion motivates people to do, in the name of religion. Twisting the ideals, or even not. Or do you, as a Christian, believe all religions are equal? They aren't Christians, those that consider this land holy. Thus their religious motivations are highly different than those a Christian might have. However, forget you the Crusades? The Spanish Inquisition? If religion had not existed, then the darker side of man would not have been expressed in such horrible ways. It is often the source of negative motivation, creating zealots and fanatics. Zionism is in itself a religious idea. Look at what that did. One cannot forget that to put any ideology in human minds will result in these types of situations. I think it unfair to disconnect that which motivates the negative qualities from the negative actions. Years of dogma in civilization after civilization, in the name of religion, have been the cause of countless deaths. Yes, humanity in of itself has these darker qualities, but it takes a molding of minds, the mentality

[pardouncia]

I didn't post this to argue. I was making a statement, perhaps in many parts opinion. It is frustrating that I cannot seem to post anything like this without getting argument. You took much of what I said as insult to Christianity directly when it was insulting religion itself. Organized religion, the mass mindset it creates, and the generational blindness it can build in people toward thinking rationally, even if it means not following suit with what they might have been told or read, often leads to dangerous situations. People rise up and fight and kill and hate based on ideas that themselves are the cause of their anger or 'righteous' zeal. They may twist the ideas, but it is from the ideas that they get to where they are. Any significant belief system in human culture can cause this. Atheists are often arrogant and irrational themselves when it comes to defending their beliefs. I wasn't defining any one religion. But any belief system. That Atheism is of in itself a religion in a sense these days just proves the human need to

[pardouncia]

To say what I posted was nonsense is another insult, however. I did not say religion is the source of evil ideas. It is the instigator of evil actions due to the motivations of ideologies, often very fanatical in cases, but it has happened throughout history with every major civilization and every major, and even minor, religion

[pardouncia]

But if we were without flaw, why would we be tempted to eat the forbidden fruit? The ability to be tempted to sin is a flaw. That's the only question I have. And obviously, I have many issues with the Bible, but being faithful have not lost belief entirely. It is only when you truly read what's written and watch the world without bias or preconception that you begin to question. Often there are no real answers.

[pardouncia]

Ah, but if we could choose to do evil, the impulse or ability to be tempted, then is that not a flaw? God wanted obedient, loving children, but giving them the ability to choose they could not be perfect. Nor could the angels. And in their own ways found evil. Evil is the choice itself. But the human form, the human mind, is setup in a way to constantly be tempted and find difficulty in not sinning. That is something I find questionable. If we were not given such curiosity, such arrogance, which are human traits, then would we have taken the bait? Sentient beings could be far less flawed than we likely started out as. It becomes a process of wondering why we were able to be tempted. If we were perfect children, then why would we be tempted? And if we will be perfect someday in heaven, what's to stop us from being tempted then? How will we be so different? You can ask question after question, and I find myself doing so. To not do so would be to go blindly without ever using logic where it goes contrary to what you've been told. And