The Pro's and Con's of a (Christian) Religion

[LittleHamster]

Pro's
1. Plants a seed in the minds of people about God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
2. Teaches people correct behavior and proper way of thinking.
3. Brings people together during mass or Sunday get-togethers (as Jesus said "if at least two of you get together in my name, I will be there")
4. People may be given assistance (usually as a result of prayer) whether they are aware of it or not.
5. Keeps the majority of Humanity from self-destructing.
5. Salvation after death.


Con's
1. Religious leaders can subject people to abuses such as false doctrine, money grabbing schemes, sexual attacks and brainwashing or mind-control.
2. Church rituals can trap people in an endless routine that leads them nowhere.
3. Sometimes the lack of even minimal, true understanding in religion can causes wars with other groups of people.
4. Sometimes the lack of even minimal, true understanding in religion can cause friction and separation between different types of Christian faiths.
5. Religion can cause friction within families.
6. Restrict people's freedom of expression and thought.

[1over137]

We are restricted of thought?

[LittleHamster]

Some Christian denominations don't like their followers 'thinking' too much. This borders on abuse/mind-control.

A basic example for me: I tried to use reason to understand some aspects of Christianity with some people once upon a time, and they told me to just have faith. And they were happy to take my money during collection time.

[LittleHamster]

The Amish come to mind as being not too big on the 'thinking' part (but they do have some good aspects in their religion too).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish

"As time has passed, the Amish have felt pressures from the modern world. Issues such as taxation, education, law and its enforcement, and occasional discrimination and hostility, are areas of difficulty......The Amish do not usually educate their children past the eighth grade, believing that the basic knowledge offered up to that point is sufficient to prepare one for the Amish lifestyle. "

[Furstentum Liechtenstein]

Pro's
1. Plants a seed in the minds of people about God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
2. Teaches people correct behavior and proper way of thinking.
3. Brings people together during mass or Sunday get-togethers (as Jesus said "if at least two of you get together in my name, I will be there")
4. People may be given assistance (usually as a result of prayer) whether they are aware of it or not.
5. Keeps the majority of Humanity from self-destructing.
[6]. Salvation after death.

Just a little correction is needed here: religion doesn't bring you salvation.

FL

[LittleHamster]

Thanks F.L. I probably could have worded that better. Try..

6. Leads you in the direction of salvation

[RickD]

When I think of cons of the Christian religion, one particular "con" comes to mind. Kent Hovind.

[Lonewolf]

Even though I wholeheartedly believe that Christ is the Way and the Life, and His atonement paid the price for our redemption, I do however believe wholeheartedly that the atonement is extended to the whole of humanity, past, present and future, in some way rather than just simply becoming a Christian as we have come to conceive of confessing, per say.

[Cloud]

Con's
1. Religious leaders can subject people to abuses such as false doctrine, money grabbing schemes, sexual attacks and brainwashing or mind-control.
2. Church rituals can trap people in an endless routine that leads them nowhere.
3. Sometimes the lack of even minimal, true understanding in religion can causes wars with other groups of people.
4. Sometimes the lack of even minimal, true understanding in religion can cause friction and separation between different types of Christian faiths.
5. Religion can cause friction within families.
6. Restrict people's freedom of expression and thought.

Hopefully I'm not needlessly reviving a dormant thread. But...

Is there a worldview that is immune to these things? I don't see one of these that is exclusive to or necessitated by Christianity. In fact, the problem seems to be people - not the worldview. People seem to be the cause of these things.

Maybe I'm wrong - but it seems all too demonstrative of how broken people are. (Insert altar-call )

[Philip]

Even though I wholeheartedly believe that Christ is the Way and the Life, and His atonement paid the price for our redemption, I do however believe wholeheartedly that the atonement is extended to the whole of humanity, past, present and future, in some way rather than just simply becoming a Christian as we have come to conceive of confessing, per say.

That is called universalism - that is, if you believe that the atonement is applied to all in the sense that everyone is saved apart from faith in Christ. If true, how would the wicked receive justice? Why do missions? Why not just live as narcissistic lives as we so desire?

[Lonewolf]

Even though I wholeheartedly believe that Christ is the Way and the Life, and His atonement paid the price for our redemption, I do however believe wholeheartedly that the atonement is extended to the whole of humanity, past, present and future, in some way rather than just simply becoming a Christian as we have come to conceive of confessing, per say.

That is called universalism - that is, if you believe that the atonement is applied to all in the sense that everyone is saved apart from faith in Christ. If true, how would the wicked receive justice? Why do missions? Why not just live as narcissistic lives as we so desire?

I thought so, and I even said it myself in a prior post but somebody else said that it wasn't
Personally, I do think that I have some universalism beliefs, to be honest about it.

[Philip]

Wolfie:

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

Jesus is the gate!

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

[Lonewolf]

Wolfie:

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

Jesus is the gate!

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Yup, I've read those passages many times, and I do believe what it says, but I don't believe that we understand them the same way, but thank you Phillip.