Is It Wrong To LIKE Certain Religions?

Because as I've said before, I do kind of admire certain religions, or specifically the people who belong to them.

I live around many African Americans. And it is not too hard to see the positive effect their religion has in their life. It gives them purpose and meaning. And it makes them more compassionate. Being religious makes African Americans less likely to support the death penalty. For reasons I have never been able to fathom, it makes white Americans more likely.

And I have always admired Jewish people. Compassionate, hard-working, socially-minded. I think I have always admired these qualities in them. (Of course all the aforementioned qualities could be ascribed to African Americans too, don't forget.)

Anyways, as people become more "woke", we realize our old ways of thinking are not as innocent as we once thought they were.

So I just have to ask, is there anything wrong with doing this? For admiring one religion, above another? Because I do respect all religions, of course. But I have especially noted certain qualities in certain religions.

Thoughts ?

 

I see it slightly differently...

The importance of organized and official religion is often misunderstood. I'm often vocal if not supportive of the religious, but it's very important to remain objective about it and really internalize it; it's not going anywhere... it's part of life, every Sunday, Friday, Saturday Sabbath, or Holy day. We need to be able to interact on a level that is conducive to unity. Growth...

My observation isn't that it's more relevant in marginalized demographics. And to that end (my community is prominently Hispanic), I believe that religion bridges the gap so to speak and allows people from various heritages and nationalities to unite; despite the different underpinnings of their ethinicities.

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I wouldn't criticize admiring a religious group (born-again Christian, Roman Catholic, hasidic Jew, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh).

I think that's probably the start of something positive.

 

I have found myself admiring certain religions as well.

Such as Islam for its ideal of universal brotherhood and equality, Christianity for its service-oriented nature and ideal of charity, Jews for their inclination towards higher culture and knowledge, Bahais for their promotion of inter-faith unity, Confucianism for emphasis on ethics and virtue , the Jains for their emphasis on non-violence, the Prajapita Brahmakumaris for their emphasis on feminine values, female empowerment and leadership, and so on.

I would say that this may be because some values, while being of a universal nature, are given a fuller expression in certain religions that they almost seem to embody them or seem to be synonymous with them.

 

nothing wrong with liking any or all of them. the only thing wrong is when people who think they are following one of them try to tell everyone else what to pretend about what is not known.

 

I like certain parts of some of them. Nothing wrong with that. If you break down all the belief systems you get , a belief in a Supreme being, we have a soul that lives past this life, an after life, and a code of moral conduct. Where they differ is in an image of the higher being and the code of moral conduct. I call my self spiritual and not religious . The big problem I have with most of the belief systems is the idea that the God of that system is better than the God of any other system.

 

Such a strange question. Has it come to the point that we feel sheepish about being religious? I think it's the most important thing in my life. Like Saint Paul, "I am not ashamed of the gospel"(Rom. 1:16), although I'm often ashamed of the things done in its name. I feel the same way about other religions, too, which I turn to for perspective in understanding my own. Each of them, an atheism, contains insights which the others miss. But all of them reflect their human origins in being fallible and flawed. I'm reminded of the Buddhist parable of the blind men in the Tittha Sutta, each describing an elephant, in terms of the part he encounters. Rather than a top-down revelation from On High, the history of religion suggests a bottom-up evolution responding to the exigencies of the times and natural selection, which is always a somewhat messy process.

A complicating factor in religion is that it is multi-functional, serving needs for individuals, rulers and the ruling class, clergy, and society in general. This has been both a source of strength, in providing mutual reinforcement, and a source of distortion and division, as human agendas get confused with divine ones. If we keep this in mind and allow for it, we might appreciate the positive contributions of religion while recognizing the questionable human elements leading to division and violence. I'm drawn to the life and teachings attributed to Jesus in the gospels--peace, love and understanding, including society's outcasts and least advantaged. But the exclusivity and emphasis on believing unbelievable doctrines, while probably helpful at a stage in its development, are, in my opinion, drawbacks today.

 

One should be careful with religion......... They are meant for control!!

We can love God much better IN OUR OWN TIME!!!!

 

Careful, yes. There are advantages and disadvantages to organized religion. The biggest draw for me is a community of people who share my values. That, of course, can carry the disadvantage of groupthink. My particular church, the United Methodists, is going through the throes of division over the gay issue, which some feel strongly about. Basically, there are three sides: those who don't want to accept gay marriage & clergy, those who do, and those who would like to change the subject in the interest of church unity. To me, the issue has low salience, but I find it hard to relate to people who cling to scriptural passages that made some sense in the 6th century BCE but don't seem relevant to life in the twenty-first century C.E. Fortunately, the folks in my Sunday School class share my views, and for all practical purposes are my church. The folks one floor down are basically practicing a different religion.

 

I would think that the answer to your question depends in it's entirety upon why you like a certain religion. If it's because a certain faith tradition "...gives them purpose and meaning. And it makes them more compassionate", those are indeed admirable traits. If, on the other hand, one were to admire a religion for it's ability to reinforce your petty prejudices, rationalize the scapegoating and oppression of others, and enforce white cisgender straight male hegemony, I'd say that you have a problem.

 

One feature of all religions that has an obvious benefit is how it emphasizes the importance of family. Religious families seem to stay together more and interact more, especially with older generations. There's a bit more respect.

And these features are ubiquitous among religions, so if you value family ties you're more likely to identify with your religion.

There are other things that organized religions do that are good too, such as helping those in need.

But again these are really just good people doing good deeds no matter the religion, so I'm not sure how much credit to give the teachings as opposed to just people's inherent good will to others. Many atheists/agnostics do the same.