Why do people preach religion as if it were a product?

[MasterAdnin]

I do not know if this topic has been discussed already, if it has my apologies. Very commonly I see people preaching religion as if it were something for personal gain, or as if the person was going to gain some worldly possession. In my opinion and according to Islam, this is wrong.

I feel that one should, first of all, not preach to those who are not of their faith. Let them be and if they choose not to believe, let them. It is a personal choice and others should not interfere in this regard. Secondly, it is wrong to market a religion as if it will bring others worldly gain. I strongly feel that the point of religions is to make one feel good about themselves, to benefit from each other, and to benefit mankind. Many people who try to preach to those who do not follow their own set of beliefs commonly say things like, "The road to salvation lay with us, yadda yadda."

What do you guys think.

Salaam,
Adnan

[Ummagumma]

If you don't love (our interpretation of) God, you won't go to heaven.
Or:
If you don't love (our interpretation of) God, you will go to hell.

Carrot or stick, it's all the same deal. The 'protection' of your immortal soul.
Surely by now people know about religion, so if they want one, they can go and find one that suits them. I guess there are quite a few versions that give extra 'heaven credits' or whatever to those that go and try to talk others into their version.

[MasterAdnin]

If you don't love (our interpretation of) God, you won't go to heaven.
Or:
If you don't love (our interpretation of) God, you will go to hell.

Carrot or stick, it's all the same deal. The 'protection' of your immortal soul.
Surely by now people know about religion, so if they want one, they can go and find one that suits them. I guess there are quite a few versions that give extra 'heaven credits' or whatever to those that go and try to talk others into their version.

Preaching itself is not correct. Perhaps if someone wishes to know and they approach you to ask about your religion, it is okay. To bother someone by forcing them to listen to your religious beliefs is wrong and only pushes them farther away from religion.

Salaam,
Adnan

[Sleeper]

Why do people preach Atheism? Believers are power. Easily controlled believers are how you control anything, liberal or conservative.

[Justinian]

Why to people preach Atheism? Believers are power. Easily controlled believers are how you control anything, liberal or conservative.

I've never seen somebody preach atheism without religion being preached to them first.

[Sleeper]

I've never seen somebody preach atheism without religion being preached to them first.

Justinian, I am citing you rather than the less intelligent statement to keep my sanity.

I like speaking with people who can not deal with the flipside of their ideas. You may be right, though as the number of Atheists in the world changes, so will that possible truth.

Atheism is a belief, maybe not a religious belief, yet it is still a belief thus my statement, believers are power, applies to it.

While something like this should not have to be explained, I will do it simply. Has Dawkins likely converted anyone in the world to Atheism, or rather, has a single person read his books, believed his ideas, and then recommended someone else buy the books. If so, than having people believe him, and by extension Atheist groups, certainly gives him economic power and I would say more.

If it is the word Atheism you are hung up on, not Justinian, then replace the word with any other belief or belief in non belief (any idea), and then counter argue my argument.

Twenty to one this ends in failure for me and the respondent.

[Justinian]

I like speaking with people who can not deal with the flipside of their ideas. You may be right, though as the number of Atheists in the world changes, so will that possible truth.

I'm sure out of all the atheists, there are many who would indeed preach it without reason ... but at nowhere near the scale of an actual religion. Generally, the topic at least has to be raised before an atheist will spout atheism, does it not? Yet it seems that drinking my morning cup of coffee is enough of an excuse for Christianity to be preached to me.

Atheism is a belief, maybe not a religious belief, yet it is still a belief thus my statement, believers are power, applies to it.

Yes, but there is no Church of Atheism, no atheistic System of Beliefs. Atheism is not an organized religion, thus it is difficult to manipulate its 'believers'.

While something like this should not have to be explained, I will do it simply. Has Dawkins likely converted anyone in the world to Atheism, or rather, has a single person read his books, believed his ideas, and then recommended someone else buy the books. If so, than having people believe him, and by extension Atheist groups, certainly gives him economic power and I would say more.

If you're an atheist who was converted by Dawkins and not your own rationality and reason, you deserve a fish slap or two.

If it is the word Atheism you are hung up on, not Justinian, then replace the word with any other belief or belief in non belief (any idea), and then counter argue my argument.

Twenty to one this ends in failure for me and the respondent.

Ah, an interesting notion! Let's do that. Your statement, altered:

Why do people preach Atheism? Believers are power. Easily controlled believers are how you control anything, liberal or conservative.

The problem is, when applied to any organized religion, I completely 100% agree with this.

[Dayman]

Why to people preach Atheism? Believers are power. Easily controlled believers are how you control anything, liberal or conservative.

Atheists are not believers, I thought I went through that with you.

That's besides the point, how do you manipulate people that don't believe using religion? Just an example is all I ask.

[MasterAdnin]

Atheists are not believers, I thought I went through that with you.

That's besides the point, how do you manipulate people that don't believe using religion? Just an example is all I ask.

People can be manipulated no matter what beliefs are being preached. The uneducated masses will listen to anything which promises a better life or rewards.

Salaam,
Adnan

[Ummon]

Why do people preach Atheism? Believers are power. Easily controlled believers are how you control anything, liberal or conservative.

Because atheism is a belief.

The Believers of Atheism are the most controllable:

1) if their life ends, to them everything ends, therefore a threat to their life will make them desist from any activity, preach any value, submit to any authority.
2) their well being is the highest reward they can imagine, so you can always buy them, provided you can pay enough.
3) as the Belief of Atheism is relatively devoid of tenets, it doesn't hamper free trade and capitalist exploitation.

[Ummagumma]

Because atheism is a belief.

The Believers of Atheism are the most controllable:

1) if their life ends, to them everything ends, therefore a threat to their life will make them desist from any activity, preach any value, submit to any authority.
2) their well being is the highest reward they can imagine, so you can always buy them, provided you can pay enough.
3) as the Belief of Atheism is relatively devoid of tenets, it doesn't hamper free trade and capitalist exploitation.

Maybe in your world.
1) A direct threat to anyone's life will make them self preservationist, Some folks might pray for divine intervention, others won't.
2) Are you really implying that Deists are incorruptible? Some folks don't need a fear of hell to be a good guy. Even Priests have their price - it's more about the individual rather than their faith.
3) Whereas religious exploitation is a good thing.. Oh, I also though you could be atheist and socialist - are the two opposed to each other?

[Ummon]

Maybe in your world.
1) A direct threat to anyone's life will make them self preservationist, Some folks might pray for divine intervention, others won't.
2) Are you really implying that Deists are incorruptible? Some folks don't need a fear of hell to be a good guy. Even Priests have their price - it's more about the individual rather than their faith.
3) Whereas religious exploitation is a good thing.. Oh, I also though you could be atheist and socialist - are the two opposed to each other?

1) some others will simply accept sacrifice. Martyrdom, as they call it, is, with different nuances, a fully religious activity, although sometimes, more rarely, politics produces equal levels of dedication.
2) no, I am implying that real believers may be incorruptible.
3) certainly, but that is essentially, another belief coupled with the former one. One by the way, implying noticeable tendencies to oppression and slaughter performed at an industrial level of refinement.

[Ummagumma]

1) some others will simply accept sacrifice. Martyrdom, as they call it, is, with different nuances, a fully religious activity, although sometimes, more rarely, politics produces equal levels of dedication.
2) no, I am implying that real believers may be incorruptible.
3) certainly, but that is essentially, another belief coupled with the former one. One by the way, implying noticeable tendencies to oppression and slaughter performed at an industrial level of refinement.

1) Martyrdom is a strange thing, I'll grant you. I think it is that God 'the Father' is just that. It's a big supernatural family in the sky. I know that if my 'sacrifice' was beneficial to my family, I would try my hardest to not even flinch when the time came.
2)Anybody 'may' be incorruptible.
3)Huh? Abattoirs (and the large-scale meat consumption that requires it) is a sign of 'atheisms' capitalistic exploitation?

I have a feeling we could go back and forth like this for a while.. Let's just agree to disagree, huh?

[Sleeper]

Because atheism is a belief.

The Believers of Atheism are the most controllable:

1) if their life ends, to them everything ends, therefore a threat to their life will make them desist from any activity, preach any value, submit to any authority.
2) their well being is the highest reward they can imagine, so you can always buy them, provided you can pay enough.
3) as the Belief of Atheism is relatively devoid of tenets, it doesn't hamper free trade and capitalist exploitation.

You misread me. Do people donate money to Atheist organizations because they are Atheists? Yes. In response to the OP, beliefs are products, Atheism included.

Beliefs are also many other things.

[Thanatos]

Because any idea, no matter what it is, needs to be sold to the people before they accept it.

Doesn't mean I condone it.

[William the Bastard]

We live in a consumerist society. Therefore organised religions will of course use the modern methods of "selling their product" to the customer. Plus religions are gangs and for the gang to grow they need more members. Nothing better than hiring some new blood to the clan. It's when organised religion starts to "impress" people into their service is when I will get truly worried (not that some countries don't already do this).

[Dunecat]

Honestly I talk about religion the same way I talk about philosophy with others.

If someone wishes to remain an ignoramus, that is their own choice. But if given the opportunity there is nothing immoral about sharing views and thinking together, or for that matter, sharing the truth and walking together.

[Sleeper]

Honestly I talk about religion the same way I talk about philosophy with others.

If someone wishes to remain an ignoramus, that is their own choice. But if given the opportunity there is nothing immoral about sharing views and thinking together, or for that matter, sharing the truth and walking together.

Well said. Religion and philosophy are the same game, different name.

[Dayman]

Well said. Religion and philosophy are the same game, different name.

They're the same game, but different leagues.

One is trying to figure out the meaning of life, with hunches, guesses, and revealed knowledge, and the other is trying to figure out what the meaning of life using more reputable methods.

[The Good]

According to Jesus Christ the Messiah, we Christians are encouraged to tell the good news to others. In the book of Revelation, Jesus says this,

"So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth."

What this means, is that the Lukewarm Christians are not living their lives for God, and are not Christlike. This is why Christians must preach the word to others.