Does Religion Make You a Better Person?

This isn't 100% true but a lot of the statistics are accurate.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EQi96Fd5o8Q

Please discuss the wrongs and rights of this flick.

 

In my case - yes.

 

Wow, thanks for sharing that. I support that video. Religion plays no part in my life at all. I don't need it to know how to be a good person. I have strong beliefs on this but I'm not hear to bash anyone else for what they believe so I'll keep it to myself.

 

Religion can get you to do "good" things that make you "better". In the end you become a collection of good or bad things done in the past that is either approved or disapproved by others.

 

Maybe on the surface. Perhaps it forces you to do things that would appear genuinely "good." But, what matters more: the action or the motivation?

 

Understanding made me a better person. Religion can be beautiful but is so often minsunderstood and abused I almost can't blame the simpleton who confuses the actions of certain individuals with a bunch of beliefs that can be (and are) differently interpreted.

 

In my case also yes =)

 

I think a lot of people who "find" religion do so as they are seeking to improve themselves or their life.

I don't think religion makes one a better person. How a person lives their faith or religion may though.

Teachings and learning even through life experiences can change a person. If someone seeks religion for that reason then it probably will be a betterment to their life.

If it is sought instead from ego then probably not.

 

I have not tried at Religion when I was young to know the answer for sure. I did go to a Catholic Elementary School with the result of resisting arrest.... which by itself in later life was a good thing mind you.

 

1) Correlation does not mean causation.
2) The USA is one of the few countries founded by rebels and revolutionaries. Maybe rebellious countries are less moral (Iranian revolution, Bolshevik revolution, Maoist revolution, ...)
3) The USA has not state religion. A few of the states in the video have state religions (Norway/Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway; UK/Church of England, Presbyterian Church of Scotland)...
4) The clip claims the USA is one of the most "religiously developed" nations. I'd argue that the theology prevalent in the USA is infantile, naive, hyper-literal, and uncritical. In contrast--even though countries like France and Italy are secularizing, their roots in Roman Catholic theology have a stronger sense of complicated and nuanced theology which encourages philosophy and engaging in complex moral debate.

Ultimately, I think it is a banal video.

 

When a flower is graced by the rain does it become more beautiful for the rain's grace? If the water you grow with is pure then what else can your growth be?

 

Exactly... This video is somewhat misleading. It has good points... I dont know where those statistics come from... But I can believe that most of the prison population is likely christian, because most people here in the USA are christian! It is the same old everyday propaganda techniques being used by people on one side or the other every day. It basically throws out particular statistics, facts, figures. And leads negative feelings toward a particular thing: religion.
Now, I am strictly non-religious. But im a proud citizen of the USA, and do not want to be enemies with my fellow americans. I love my freedoms, which are the same freedoms that a majority of my fellow citizens, who happen to be religious enjoy. Spreading propaganda like this against each other is not in either of our best interests... But unfortunately, we have many people who get a thrill out of one-sided black and white arguments.
Now, im sure there are many videos out there with all kinds of facts, figures, and statistics that can be used to make individuals like myself look bad. I dont like to label myself, but im sure many of my religious peers would categorize me in the atheist/agnostic group. What kinds of things do these people say to make me look bad? Well, they say things like secular governments tend to be communist/socialist, that they do not care for human life, are pro abortion, pro euthanasia, pro eugenics. They love to put people like me in the same boat as stalin and his communist regime... Which is quite ridiculous... You might as well say that because stalin had a moustache that every man with a moustache is a communist.
So... these other countries mentioned which are much less religious than the USA are just overall "better" than the USA? Tough to say, im sure the only way an individual can know for sure where the better place to live is is by actually living there... Perhaps I could travel to a place like Japan, where, the people are, as a majority much more like-minded than my fellow americans here... The problem is though, I cannot communicate with them I dont speak their language. Another problem, I have read enough history to be aware of all the racism, and prejudice that mankind is capable of. Remember the jim crow south? Remember slavery in the USA? Just look at all the prejudice going on today in the USA toward illegal mexican immigrants who do not speak english. Can anyone tell me the kind of treatment I would get were I to travel to Japan to live there?????? Would I be welcomed anymore than people in the USA welcome the illegal immigrants from mexico who only speak spanish? Doesn't matter if I love evolution, totally non-christian, love anime and video games. Only thing that will matter to them is im white and dont speak japanese, and that my country nuked their country back in the 1940's. Im not saying japan is full of evil nasty people. Im just saying that people will be people and that prejudiced feelings are universal.

 

It all depends on the "religion". Religion can be a mind-crippling disease or a force that gives life meaning and purpose. Does "religion" mean simply a belief in God or a more elaborate body of beliefs and practices? And what is the content of the beliefs and practices? My life was changed, I think for the better, when I found new meaning in a passage in Genesis and came to see God in all people. But I'm reading a book for a Christian study group on the history of Christianity that's downright depressing in documenting the nastiness and atrocities that Christians have inflicted on each other, as well as on non-Christians, in the name of Jesus. I recall in these Forums several months ago a young Christian man who concluded that Satan must have made him because he was gay. I remember thinking to myself: "where is Richard Dawkins when you really need him?"

 

I have to agree it might depend on the religion but in cases I know, family and some friends,,, yes they believe it's made them better, problem is it made them think they are better then everyone else. My Aunt is unbelievably hard to be with because you can't do enough right in your life because it seems she thinks she does it better, a few others in the family and some friends the same,,, it's awful what it has made them feel and others stepping away from them, sorry to hurt anyones feelings but I find it hard to get along with peeps who have to change every event into a bible reading.
I am not religious because when I was a kid my parents told us we were not baptized so that we could choose our own religion later in life. I checked out the Catholic side of things,,,, nope, too many flaws, checked out a few others and many more, but totally different flaws I found. Better I read the bible, and I did, and take my own interpretation from it, I am just Not a follower, I have my own path and hopefully I do right, just like someone in one religion hoping they are following the right path.
Most friends tell me what they like about me is I do what I want and am no one's sheep. I live my own life my way.
My worker recently said I sometimes look like a homeless person. I asked my BF today what he thought. He said "Yes, sometimes you do and it's cool having people think I was put on this earth to take care of you" and he snickered... His honesty is what I like about him, hahahahaha
But ya, no one is gonna stuff me into a fad, or a religion to make me Better where I must do things I don't want to, I have too much fun the way I am.

 

make you a better person? nope. not at all. not in the least. the morality of consideration does. but what you believe in or don't has not a blessed thing to do with it.

 

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/15/most-holy-water-contaminated-fecal-matter-study/

 

Flowers seem to do well on water and fecal matter, YouFreeMe Interesting article nevertheless, one of those things you could expect but never think about until you hear it!

To nuance the first sentence: I think it does not all depend on the reliigion as we can see different people deduce different conclusions regarding purpose, morality etc. from the same religions. So it depends on both the religion AND the individual wether it has a beneficial impact on their personality or not

 

Good point made here.

 

'If the de-vil gets down-in-ya spit him out...' :ack2:

 

I suppose it's variable. Some xtians never mention their religious beliefs and you (I) never really know they are religious until it comes out by accident. They are known by their actions. In other cases, having done business with PROFESSED christians, those that make SURE you constantly know their beliefs upfront----let's just say it pays to get everything in writing BEFORE you start a job for them. Had one in Florida tell me of his slick business machinations and ended by saying--"but that's just business." Which he thought was somehow OK and separate from regular life. So, I guess people adjust their beliefs to their advantage in many cases.