Someone posted something about people that use religion for there own means.

[RandomThoughts]

The comment was in a different thread, but basically it was someone saying they don't like how some use it to hurt people or treat people wrong.

There is another thing that is done more often. There are people that want to use religion to get people to accept hardship without standing against injustice.

They will exaggerate the parts about long suffering, and ignore the parts about defending the poor and helping those in hardship. In my view, part of that help is delivering justice, with compassion of coarse, to those that are causing much harm.

But they want people that will give, and only thing they will take is abuse. I think standing up for those in hardship, helping someone that is treated unfairly, is a better way for people to act when they can. And that includes helping create just societal systems to accomplish that.

There are some that try to use religion to pacify people into accepting things that are wrong.


On a side note, I am due beer and travel money, and many experiences.

[Lars39]

1. I agree.

I've seen the preying and fawning up close, and it is an ugly thing to behold. Opiate of the masses,indeed. :(

[freshwest]

2. I agree with both of you.

[rurallib]

3. I believe you have earned that beer and travel money

See Skinner.

One of the reasons I have a full 180 on religion is that from what I see it is used to cover some of man's greatest inhumanities to his fellow man. Basically what you said.

[RandomThoughts]

4. I understand the nice thought you say on that topic.

But I am not in the process of earning beer and travel money. That is already due from years ago.

I am doing what I have always done, think and talk about things that interest me.

I also can see where spiritual thoughts really can help people learn to help people.



And anyone that has the beer and travel money, knows were I live and how to send it to me already. I don't know if Skinner has more beer and travel money then he needs, that would not be for me to judge, but it would not be anything earned by posting.



I also like to share the great things I have heard in music over the years.

Collective Soul - Shine (Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m0bI82Rz_k

[nolabear]

5. That's why Marx said "Religion is the opiate of the masses."

GMTA

[freshwest]

6. ...

"Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people." (Karl Marx)

It was never meant to be an addiction, just something on the way while fighting oppression, but it has become one, hasn't it?

I don't mistrust those seeking to transcend this realm, but those who use that to suppress life's yearning to be free, for their own power.

We've seen the channeling of our instinct to comprehend life's biggest questions, used to serve base aims.