Originally posted by: Rayden
Originally posted by: ghostman
You should be proud that you have the ability to question your beliefs rather than blindly accept whatever is spoon-fed to you. Better than being a hypocrite, like so many "religious" people have turned out to be. I think the first response is as good as you're going to get in this thread (with doze's response being the worst).
Can you be "spoon-fed, blind, hypocrite" and not religious? Implied in these statements is an entrenched correlation between religion and being unable to think for yourself. How come no one ever blames non-religious people of not thinking for themselves? Why can't people grow up in a religious home, follow their parents' religion and think for themselves? If your religion is to mean anything to you, you have to question it at some point and decide if you really want to follow it or not. I think we can both agree that people who don't question their faith are doing something wrong. But can we agree that intelligent people who think for themselves can choose religion?
Yes, intelligent people can choose the religious path. But let's be honest. A lot of religion IS spoonfed to you when you're young. My family is not Christian (far from), but growing up in America, I was inundated with a lot of religious tidbits. I didn't think to question the statements in the Pledge of Allegiance, US currency, or wonder why they had a weekly event on Saturday at the park with free food, contests and gospels reciting when I was 5, 7, or 10 years old. TV shows (sitcoms even) talked about God, going to church, weddings with priests, etc. as if it were common knowledge. I grew up occasionally crossing myself and praying to God the way they did it on TV, talking to God the way I wish for a bday present, having never attended church and never knowing what the bible was. And remember, I'm from a family that was NOT religious. Had I been brought up by a Christian family, I may be arguing the opposite point right now. So yes, I believe religion, to a large extent, is spoon-fed. And yes, impressionable children will accept things blindly (Santa Claus, tooth fairy, bogeyman). Even intelligent adults will (UFOs, conspiracy theories, WMDs in Iraq) if they hear it from the right people. When you grow up in a Christian community and everyone accepts God as truth, who are you to question it?
There were negative connotations in HOW I structured my statement, but I still stand behind WHAT I said. If one can grow up and independently choose religion on his own, then so be it. I have nothing against religion, in itself. I think it serves a good purpose, usually. I believe people WANT a solution for what's unexplainable or hurtful and if religion can help reduce the trauma, then it's worth it. But I don't view people who have faith to be better than those who don't and I find the "holier than thou" (excuse the intentional pun) attitude that some have to be laughable. It's worse when you witness what I call "religious hypocrites" (I'm sure you know some... just turn on the news), who violate the very teachings that are preached in their church every week. These are people who clearly were brought up to go through the motions of church, prayers, etc., but who have no respect for what they preach. I think the OP would be worse off going through the motions of his religion, than thinking about the conclusion he has managed to decide for himself (despite his spoon-feeding).
To answer your question: Yes, I feel you can be spoonfed, blind and a hypocrite and not religious. You can also be independent-minded and a devout Christian. I have nothing against what people end up choosing on their own. I do have something against (call it bitterness) religion imposing itself into my life (And I don't really mean the "God" statements printed on coins and whatnot... I can understand tradition/history and religion's role). Even though religious people feel they are "saving me" and they are "trying to help", that is a personal belief that I do not share. Lots of cults do the same and I don't see much difference in the two.