Is religion "Life Changing" in a Good way,. or in a Bad way or do people act according to their nature regardless of their personal religion ??

It depends on what you already had in your mind & soul when you were born . If you have a tendency to negativism or pessimism you will act bad in the name of your religion without any wisdom . But if you are a positive , loving person you will take all the hints from your religion to behave better to all ( people , animals , nature ) . Never underestimate the heart independent of any religion .

All of the above

I just like the fact that religion can make some cats,and all of mankind sicker because of over indulgence!

Here's the kicker. The first video, and many videos like it, rests on a 'Rationalism vs. Religion' worldview (a false dilemma) while speaking out against the black and white thinking they see coming from orthodoxy. It's not much of an improvement over religion's use of The Forces of Good™ vs. The Forces of Evil™ dualism. It's the same ship.



Yes, many will use religion to rationalize, justify, or even blame their very human behaviors on others. But not all people use religion that way. Not all religions are even orthodoxies (built on correct faiths you must have and dogma). there are in fact many other choices on religion. There are many interpretations of orthodoxies and orthopraxies and where people take any of it depends on the person. A person can take any monotheism to a beneficial or very dark place. Same goes for any ideology, religious or other. Religious or other!



Oddly enough, many of the rants or catchy videos against religion have not jumped the Monotheism vs. Rationalists (atheists, agnostics, spiritual but not religious) track. They're still very much on it. They don't know all the possible forms of religions they can choose from that exist or that could be made to exist.



Head. Desk. Slam.

"Religion" is how man screwed up the relationship with God.
God never said "Thou must be religious!"

There are good and bad people, within religion and without, and I don't think that a preponderance towards religion will make a bad person good, or a good person bad.

I'm of the belief that we ALL should live like that good old "GOLDEN RULE". If we can describe and identify God (s) It's NOT God ...... It's "The God Business" , Rules for illiterate, uneducated, illogical folks.... Otherwise an occult form of tribal/group/gang systems. Yet, there is a little niggling place in my mind that says It's mathematical in narure and you just haven't figured it out yet!

I believe it is a mixture of good, bad, and nature. Religion to me, if allowed to control the life on an individual (and I have known/still do know people whose lives it controls), can become a sort of catch-22, when good intentions become burdensome on others, and frustrating to themselves, where life becomes less enjoyable for the fear of doing something wrong that could ruin their afterlife, literally living for death. A person's natural behavior will govern how religion may play a part in their lives, but culture, upbringing, and experiences will also help to determine the outcome. While religion plays a powerful part, it cannot be totally blamed for what people do turn out bad.

Robbb
I dont think religion has anything to do with goodness. Goodnes is the result of thousands and thousands of years of social evolution, which is the result of the way the chemicals that make up our cells are combined. For mahy people in a good environment goodness comes easily . for others among us that have had to go through some sort of unbalancing truama for example it is a lot harder.

I don't feel religion makes a good or bad person. I feel their soul determines that

I think religion creates lots of bad because it feeds self-aggrandizement, ego, superiority, and a lack of respect for others who are not members of your particular religious club. History is filled with examples of people going to war or obliterating other societies in the name of religion, and victimizing individuals who did not fit in with social stereotypes. Religion brings out the worst in human nature and encourages it.

In adults, religion makes little difference. Religion, however, provides a systematic method for teaching morality to the the young. This instruction may be good or bad. Presumably those receiving a "bad" religious education will not compete effectively and morality will continue to grow and enhance human society.

A study of history demonstrate religiously tolerant societies are more successful than than societies which repress freedom of religious expression. Examples of tolerant societies include Solomon's Isreal which thrived for 500 years in the Levant; an area where other "local" governments have never lasted for more than 100 years. We know Solomon's Isreal was religiously tolerant because Solomon build places of worship to at least three different Gods. The Roman Empire which permitted local religious practices; the Caliph's during the middle ages; and America provide still more examples.

Ancient examples of religious intolerance are harder to find because such societies rarely last more than 100 years or 5 generations. Modern examples include Hitlers Germany, the Soviet Union, etc. Whether societies are wiped out because it was God's will or natural selection, I will let other debate.

I think most people are born selfish. We want fed, we want picked up, we want our diaper changed. It doesn't stop there, it just keeps on going.
Knowing that there is a purpose for life can make people better.

Religion is a component of culture. Culture teaches you "bad" and "good", but whether you choose "bad or "good" behavior depends on an internal compendium compiled from your early life, the people you associated with throughout life, your own decisions and so on. That is rather uncertain though because not many solid case studies really show the innate and learned components of right and wrong. In fact can't find any.
....At least that's the sociological answer.

while i belive that finding faith could deffinetly encourage an improvement in one's behavior and lifestyle under the right circumstances ,i also belive that most people are pre-disposed to act however their surroundings dictate for the simple reason that its a survival mechanism we all have eg..(do what we have to)

and im sure you noticed i said "faith" not religion because they are two completely different things (that are always confused) in my opinion

Most people will use religion to further their nature.

Predators will use it to prey on an unsuspecting flock, while people who are spiritual will try to help others as best they can.

It can be both good or bad, depending on the person involved and the circumstances.

I think if One follows the TRUE teachings of the Bible.(No matter what affiliation) This keeps One on a more balanced Life course.This doesn`t mean your perfect or want lost it (temper ,etc.) on different circustances.To ME it keeps me more focused.
On the other hand if your Combative and disagreeable (Not A Judgment) by nature that just the way it is. This doesn`t mean one can`t change. (This change of course is a two way street.) A good natured person can take a reverse path).
I don`t think people are BORN Bad or Good.
...JMHO Only....

I was raised Catholic. Now I'm agnostic. Long story. But, I am a nice person; I try to help people when I can; I'm even tempered; kind; a generally good person. Now I look within myself for "truth", what's right or wrong. I think my parents had a lot to do with the person I became. Maybe more than religion. I think at this point, anything I need to know or feel is within myself and within the earth and all its living things. Can't really explain it but that's how I feel. I'm finally pretty much at peace with myself and others.

Religion Originally was about Nature and Fertility
and Peace and Love and uniting people together for a common Goal so all Generations could benefit from helping each other
Example
Everying pitches in to do a Farm helps Grow it farm harvest then everyone enjoy the fruit of thier labors
another Example everyone pitches in to build a bridge or help those need help
uniting people together in peace and love and Friendship to improve all of mankind together

Then Men who Craved Power and Greed Got involved in Religion
and Twisted this simple concept
into making Profit off saving your immortal Soul

Twisted the Concept of the Creator from a loving into
HATE and Violence and Prejudice and Arrogant

and used Religion to Divide and Conquer and Tear the World to Pieces

People are pretty much people all the time. There are a great many people that mis-use and abuse religions for their own agendas every minute of everyday! The real belivers are in the minority and, unfortunately, are passive when it comes to defending their beliefs from the usurpers!

Religion makes good people better and bad people worse. That's the way it has always been and the way it will always be.

People who are really spiritual can outgrow their bad habits and become better people.

Did not Russia do away with religion, at one time? Yes, now that I think about it. The history of Christianity in the Soviet Union was not limited to repression and secularization. Soviet policy toward religion was based on the ideology of Marxism-Leninism , which made atheism the official doctrine of the Soviet Union. Marxism-Leninism has consistently advocated the control, suppression, and the elimination of religion

That's precisely what is taking place in the United States now. For progressives, government is the new God.

Political parties aren't religions. And I am a Conservative and an Atheist.

What did I say that you think contradicts any part of your comment?

There is no one rule about something like that. Just way too many variables to simply generalize. People don't always act according to their nature regardless of their religion or lack of religion. Even there, variables come into play that there is no simple answer.

I personally see harm from many aspects of religion, and any good that comes from it would be very easily replaced.

People act according to their nature regardless of their religion.... or no religion.

Like anything else, it's what you make of it.
Now, for a $100.00 love offering, I can have someone consult Uncle Billy's pet black snake and put in a few good words for you.
Say halleluiah; say amen.

My religion works for me! It's been a foundation for me by which I live by.

Religion doesn't change people, I am the same person as an atheist as I was when I was a christian. There are many good people and evil people in each religion and without religion. Some use religion as an excuse to do good and some use it as an excuse to do evil. Bottom line is if religion makes you feel like your life has changed then enjoy that.

Essentially people act like people nothing else none of us are all good or all bad we're all a mix of both it's up to the how we act that determines which one describes us some people use religion to do good others to do bad it's by their own actions not that of their religion that we should judge them because religion or the lack of religion doesn't decide someone's actions they do.

All of the above....

There are people who "see the light" all the time and turn their lives around. I don't know any names, but a bunch of them convert while in prison.

Lots of people kill in the name of Religion. I don't know if they are killers by nature and use religion as an excuse, but during the "Crusades" thousands of people were murdered by people who probably wouldn't have killed a bird if that Church hadn't commanded them to.

And finally, me. I am an example of a person who is a person without a religion and is acting according to my nature: Good or Bad?

My faith has had a very profound affect in my life and fundamentally changed me certain aspects of my personality, how I approach life and deal with people.

With this qualification: only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can rein in the sin nature that all men have. Not all the religion in the world can substitute for that.

The people on Sodahead who claim to be Christian's have no boundaries when it comes to bad behavior,. none. They cuss, though sometimes in a childish way (like saying Fruck to someone), it's still cussing. They post the same thing a dozen times, not knowing basic decent behavior. I feel I would have to explain basic decency,. then religion, then Christianity to them. I'm an Atheist and I know more about Christianity than they seem to.

The bad behavior you speak of is hardly monopolized by the faithful.