Being religious doesnt make you a better person

[WHAMPOM]

Another business that wouldn't get mine.

And the better for it? And the rest of the World TOO?

 

[DrPizza]

Another business that wouldn't get mine.

Just thought I'd quote you before pointing out that even Christian groups are saying this exact same thing. http://www.christianpost.com/news/a...sconnect-between-beliefs-and-behavior-103935/

Perhaps you should avoid going into Christian churches as well, since the Bible says the same thing? I'll let someone else sum it up:

Christians are “God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). And these last four words “to do good works” epitomize the behavior that glorifies God and makes Christ real to others. Granted, there are obstacles in our daily lives that can encumber our minds and hinder our spiritual progress, but only if we let them. Nonetheless, Christians are called to live lives that are “holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1), and exemplary Christian behavior that allows us to fully commit ourselves to serving the Lord is made possible as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit who enables us to do the Father’s will (Romans 8:9). Indeed, “the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Christians are a chosen people, belonging to God so that we may declare His praises (1 Peter 2:9). To “declare His praises,” then, it is essential that we spend time in His Word not just so we can learn how to behave in Christian fashion, but also so we can battle against the schemes of Satan. As the apostle Paul pointed out, without this biblical knowledge we are not only subject to buying in to every new teaching that comes along, but we can also fall prey to “the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14). However, knowledge alone is not enough; we are called to do more than to know and believe. Christians are to be “doers of the Word” (James 1:22). As the apostle James informs us, we are deceiving ourselves if we think we are spiritual by only hearing the Word. Hearing is not the same as doing. “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17, 26). Faith must be demonstrated by actions.

 

[trenchfoot]

I think what this phrase does is make a direct challenge to hypocrites. There are a whole lot of folks who behave contrary to their beliefs if it becomes convenient to do so.

Rationalizing one's way around a belief to effect an immediate solution to a problem is so much easier than directly facing the conflict between belief/behavior and ruminating over it. More times than not, human nature will take the path of least resistance, beliefs be damned, especially when a snap decision is called for.

 

[realibrad]

I can't agree with that.

Not much I can say if you don't explain why you don't agree.

Depends on whose morality we're using.

Somethings are objectively moral. If you want to talk about objective morality, feel free to pm me, because, it would be too long to go into here.

I would argue that if you do not act in accordance with your stated beliefs, then your stated beliefs are not your actual beliefs. If someone tells me he will steal from me when I'm helpless, and then willingly refrains from it when I am indeed helpless, I can only conclude that he didn't really believe that.

No. I can believe in standing up to bullies, but if I were put in the position, I might back down out of fear. My beliefs would not lead me to what I think should be done.

Why wouldn't I be able to? You mean like the government enforcing stiff penalties if I do?

It does not matter why. If you believe it does, please feel free to explain why.

 

[Moonbeam]

Without a capacity for morality a person can't be good. Without a capacity for morality a person can't be evil. This is a paradox that can be resolved only at a higher level of self understanding, when the illusion that morality is a something that has a separate reality ceases to exist. There is only love. That is the God conscious state, the state of unity, the ending of duality where the lover and the beloved disappear and love becomes being.

 

[Humpy]

As someone mentioned, your behavior just exposes what you truly believe.

Though it only partially exposes what a person believes at that moment.

Not acting on a hot piece of willing jailbait doesn't expose one's full beliefs surrounding jailbait. It only shows that they believe the risk currently outweighs the benefit. That could change tomorrow.