Do you believe all religions are the same, or that some are worse than others?
There is no question that some are worse than others, but all of them breed wrong thinking at one level or another.
I'd say that fundamentalist takes on the Abrahamic religions are probably the worst right now. Though, Scientology leaves a great deal to be desired. On the other hand, Jainism seems very docile compared with fundamentalism.
I believe Sam Harris would agree with you.
@Athena Yesterday I had a debate with a friend about lots of Sam's views in an Egyptian cafe over blueberry flavored hookah. It turned pretty argumentative. Sam is one of the intellectual and spiritual persons I really admire who is also vastly misunderstood. One thing I learnt from the heated conversations is that using Sam's name for certain ideas are not very helpful; rather objectively discussing Sam's views, arguments and it's legitimacy and asking questions like Sam does are way more helpful. Some people, specially in the left, are unnecessarily antagonistic towards certain people, may be also vice versa; whereas the focus should be the topic not the person who is discussing it. Just sharing my experience.
Just using the word believe makes me cringe. I'm more scientific in my thinking. I tend not to believe in anything. So, yes, they are all bad because one is required to believe without proof, just because someone in a puppet said so.
Pulpit.
I also removed "believe" from my vocabulary. I tell people I don't believe anything, mainly to see how they respond. That does not mean I don't speculate about many things. I do that all of the time and have always read a lot of speculative fiction, yet I remain a skeptic. I require scientifically derived evidence.
They are similar in that there is worship of a God or Gods, and reward and punishment for good and evil.
What sticks in my craw about religion is that anybody that tells me I am going to hell if I don't follow their religion is a pretty crappy person, and it makes me really really not want to be a part of that religion.
I view them as all the same; At best a way of ancient peoples trying to understand their world and to express their cultural values along with defining who they are as a people and at worse they are a scam to separate fools from their money.
Some are absolutely worse then others. Scientology, for example, flatly denies that mental health problems actually exist. They say any psychological issues can be healed through their "technology", and will actively try and stop someone from getting medication for such issues. And that's just the tip of the iceberg for that horrid cult.
So yes, some systems of faith are fairly benign, but others can be actively harmful to the practitioners, and even outsiders to the faith.
Some are worse than others. For example, Heaven's Gate convincing members to participate in a mass suicide in order to reach an extraterrestrial spacecraft following Comet Hale–Bopp.
I call that a win. I mean, yeah, it's sad that they all died, but at the same time, they all made society a bit better by doing so and removing that particular stupidity from the whole.
I think each aspires to the depths the others degrade.
Ex : christianity eyes islams control with envy.
Subjugation of the human condition is the destination, they just have different cars to get there.
Taken just at their basic core belief systems, religions like Jainism, Buddhism, and Satanism are certainly less harmful than the Abrahamic religions.
Most religions have similar principles, however, some are worse than others, but it also depends on the person practicing; are they moderate or extreme?
There are lots who lead peaceful lives, comfortable in their faith as well as others who are non believers that are miserable. I've known some super negative non-believers/atheists.
I think the answers are relative. Nothing is worse or better than any others. It only matters to you, right? You like certain things and I like others? That doesn't make mine better than yours or vice versa. What is important is that we respect each other in our points of view and in our differences. It's a joyous thing to be able to think differently and have our thoughts, wishes, dreams and ideals that are wholly ours and if we can share that with others who are accepting of our differences, than that is the ultimate ideal. My two cents.
Not same. Some are worse. Because they haven't originated at the same time, they haven't gone through the same conversation, they haven't been followed or preserved by the same culture which again had a different survival and expansion mechanism geopolitically, been endowed by power, wealth, knowledge unequally. However, a human being(a knowledgeable one!) from any cast or religion always has the option to have a better interpretation, to be skeptical, critical, humane and take a rational position.
Christians are the worst they think islam is but if they could they would behead bad women in the streets more christians hanging witches and starting war than any other
I do believe that Christianity was, at one point, the worst. I agree, there are passages in the bible that are more barbaric than one can imagine. However, Christianity has had a reformation in the last few hundred years. The heinous acts committed and supported are no longer perceived as they once were. Even fundamentalist Christians don't believe people should be stoned to death, for adultery or homosexuality, or killed for working on Sunday. Those who do are the exception and considered to have mental health issues.
I don't totally agree yes some have conformed to society's norms of no stoning but in their hearts they would want it to make a come back and what they are doing to our country is so maddening I can hardly stand it I think id stone any one of those trying to take away my rights to control my body or laundering money for candidates or making laws to teach religion (theirs only) @Athena
I think the degree to which the religion is transparent with open ended views tend to feel more safe. I'm thinking Unitarian. The more opaque and authoritarian the more ripe for abuse.
The more we rely on someone else for God The Matrix re likely we are to have a bad time.
Good question. There are good and bad people, I wonder if more bad people are drawn to the more judgemental and oppressive religions. Maybe the opposite is true and meek sheeple are drawn to the oppressive regimes. Of course, if you're born in to it then it's not your fault initially, but hard to get out.
Thanks for the thought...