Does Religion cause violence?

Violence and Religion

 

Looking at history, I believe that Religion can and did cause violence. There was massive destruction and violence in order to have a large number of converts into a religion. Also, there seemed to have been a large number of people who had been forced to convert.

 

 

However, I don't believe that because there is relgion that there has to be violence. It kind of reminds me of the discussion of the British Philosopher, McGinn, that we talked about in a previous class. As long as those of a religious faith was able to criticize another religion but were not allowed to persecute others for their beliefs.

 

 

 

There are certain things that lead to violence that should be avoided such as:

 

Uncritical Obedience: Important factor that leads towards violence.

Dualistic Thinking: Thinking that there is "us" and then there is "them"

                                    Us=saved; They=not  saved.

Focus on the next world: Focus is not on reality or the present

Celebration of Martydaum: Giving one's own life in order to defend a religion

Zealous Puritanism: Purify a religion from "fake" believers

 

 

 

If there were certain religions who were to rid themselves of some of the beliefs from above, I believe the world would be a lot less violent due to Religion.

Define God

September 6th,

Define God

 

 

Is there a way to define God? In my own opinion, everyone holds God in a different standing. He may be someone that they go to often, where as others occasionally think about Him. Personally, I usually only think about him if I am in a tough position or during certain holidays.

 

 

Also different religions have different beliefs on God.

There are Polytheists who believe in many gods, Henotheism which means that there are many gods but there is one supreme god, Monotheism which is the belief in only one supreme god. There are also Pantheism, Atheism and Agnostics.

 

 

Richard Dawkins came up with a 7 point scale which could help answer the question: "Do you believe in God"

 

#1-No Doubt

#2-Fairly certain, but have some doubts

#3-Lean towards belief but not confident

#4-Exactly Middle or maybe have no opinion or can't decide

#5-Leaning towards rejection that God exists

#6-High degree that God doesn't exist but there is still doubt

#7-Certain God doesn't exist

Philosophy opposed to Theology and/or Religion

September 6th,

Philosophy

 

In class, we discussed how philosophy is the nature of the self. It could also be the nature of an alternate reality. Compared to Theology and/ or Religion, I believe that philosophy comes out of whatever is studied. It is what is to be believed about Religion or the study of theology.

 

 

For example, in each religion there are teachings that each person should take away. However, I think each person will respond differently to what they have learned and have opinions. This is their philosophy to what religion/theology is teaching the human race.

 

 

With philosophy there is a need for tolerance, as we had brought up the British Philosopher, McGinn. He said that tolerance was not refusing to criticize a person's beliefs or ideas, but also not persecuting someone for what they believe in.

Theology vs Religion

September 6th,

Theology vs. Religion



In class we discussed the difference between Theology and Religion. Through the discussion in class it was said that Theology is a study of religion from the inside whereas Religion is a study without being a part of a religion. In Robert Van Voorst's book, Relg, Theology is the study of a religion based on a religious commitment to that religion, in order to promote that religion (12-13).

I always believed that this was the other way around. That the study of Religion was actually being a part of a certain religion and that Theology didn't necessarily have a certain religion. However, after talking in class about this I realized that I have been wrong in thinking this.

The study of religion involves many religions and not one, while having knowledge and being able to discuss about certain things within a religion is strictly theology.

Religion Survey

September 4th,

Religion Survey

 

What surprised me most about the results of the Religion Survey

 

 

I guess what surprised me the most was that I took four years of Religion in Catholic High School and I have just began to realize that I learned a basic Catholic teaching of that religion when I was raised as a protestant Christian. Also, even though I did have four solid years of Religion class, I don't think I was able to learn a lot or at least take away anything from those classes.

 

 

During the survey, I realized that I was not able to answer a lot of the questions including the questions involving the Christian Faith.

 

This survey made me doubt if I am Christian because that is who I am and the religion I belong to, or if that is just the faith that I grew up with.

Community, Problem and Different Dimensions

In class we discussed that in studying religion and in religion in general, the sense of community is very important. I do agree with this because without the sense of community and people who agree with the same ideas I don't think there would be religion.

Also, Religion starts with a problem. I think that this is very similar amongst Religions. Humans want salvation and want to know that they can be "saved" or at least want to find an answer to a certain problem. How religions differ, however, is the way each religion or community takes care of a problem. The means of overcoming the problem is what religion is formed from.

There was something that I didn't quite understand during the lecture which was the different dimensions such as the emotional, aesthetic and cognitive dimensions? I wish we had gone into further discussion about these.

What is Religion

What is Religion

Religion is something that I can't define. Although I would like to believe I have some idea what religion is, I also believe that religion is what people make of it. However, my idea of religion is that it is simply something for me to believe in and debate upon. I have thought a lot about whether I am Christian because that is what I believe or if that is just what I have grown up to believe.

I often think that there are other religions that would be better suited to my own tastes and although confucianism isn't really seen as a religion, I often believe that I am more suited in that direction than Christianity. I'm also really interested in the South Korean culture and they are impacted greatly by the confucious teaching, so I think I am also influenced by that.