A interesting concept on religions

**humvee2800** · June 12, 2006, 02:50 AM

Has anyone noticed that people who pay respects too other peoples religions tend too get respect back? im not saying joining the religion but perhaps praying or meditating in a religions temple (or church). I seem too remember a story about a christian who had no church too go too and decided too go too a muslem temple and pray in similar fashion too the muslems there.Whether or not this story is valid or not it certainly shows that perhaps all those religous types (and people as a whole because even us atheists will meditate) are closer then we think.

**IamthePope** · June 12, 2006, 02:58 AM

Originally Posted by humvee2800

Has anyone noticed that people who pay respects too other peoples religions tend too get respect back? im not saying joining the religion but perhaps praying or meditating in a religions temple (or church). I seem too remember a story about a christian who had no church too go too and decided too go too a muslem temple and pray in similar fashion too the muslems there.Whether or not this story is valid or not it certainly shows that perhaps all those religous types (and people as a whole because even us atheists will meditate) are closer then we think.

In India, religions are so numerous that great temples are erected to all faiths. Many different religions use the same structures, sometimes simultaneously.

**Kino** · June 12, 2006, 03:26 AM

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**Tostig** · June 12, 2006, 03:50 AM

I think that is a good type of "prayer" or ritual you could do before you sleep, if you do or don't believe in a god.

I on the other hand disagree. A pretty good definition of a prayer is:

Prayer is an effort to communicate with God, or to some deity or deities, or another form of spiritual entity, or otherwise, either to offer praise, to make a request, or simply to express one's thoughts and emotions.

An atheist has no need or desire to communicate. How will ritualising thinking change anything? Wouldn't it be a lot better to not bother and to just think for oneself? To actually appraise your life and the meaning of others in it, rather than just re-affirm that they do? To actively and energetically consider and to discuss and to debate and then reach a conclusion - that is something I believe is worth doing. On the other hand to simply borrow a coping mechanism from someone else, to twist and warp it until you will accept it - that is not.

What I ask is this - why should someone publically and symbolically show fealty to something they fundamentally disagree with? Religion by definition something that theists and athiests cannot agree on, so what will a bit of meek PR do?

**Kino** · June 12, 2006, 04:06 AM

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**Tom Paine** · June 12, 2006, 04:13 AM

Originally Posted by Dzoavits

If you are a militant atheist or anti-theist, do whatever floats your boat. If you are respectful of other people and want to show unity you can very powerfully by doing what Humvee2800 suggested. You aren't showing fealty if you enter a church or Mosque as an Atheist and meet with the folks of that religion or meditate. You don't have to do it, but it's a nice gesture that people will remember because it takes guts for someone to do it.

Aven a militant atheist can be respectful in a place of worship. I know this by doing it myself. However praying per se is a different thing entirely; and pretending to pray I would call more disrespectful than not praying at all, personally.

**Tostig** · June 12, 2006, 04:23 AM

But there is a difference between being respectful towards people and being respectful towards their ideas. It might be a "nice gesture" but fundamentally it is just that, nothing more than an indication of intention. Wouldn't it be more constructive to meet and discuss something rather than just go through the motions to make something happy? At one school I went to there were several compulsary services a week you had to attend - I put up with them but they were fundamentally a waste of my time. On the other hand one time I went down to the chaplin's house and actually discussed things with him over a beer - something I found to actually be worth my time.
What good does looking inwards together actually do when compared to talking with each other?

If you don't like calling it a prayer call it an excersise.

It is not merely that I don't like it's name, but I fundamentally disagree with what it is. It seems to me that merely repeating "I love X, I love Y, I love Z" achieves absolutely nothing as opposed to asking things. "Why do I love X, why, because X is good to me..." seems like a worthier way of spending my time then reaffirming what I know already.
Look at it this way - when doing a subject like Latin I would rather understand how the language works than perform an exercise to reaffirm what I know already, like going "Puella, Puellam, Puellae, Puellae..."

**Kino** · June 12, 2006, 04:30 AM

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**Zenith Darksea** · June 12, 2006, 04:24 AM

Well, having converted to Orthodoxy myself, I know that it's quite easy for tensions to arise between groups of people with different beliefs (a lot of Protestants that I know were quite unhappy about it, though certainly not all of them). I found though that with dialogue and education, when people became less ignorant of Orthodoxy, they weren't so quick to criticise. Certainly we should be prepared to at least learn about and try to understand what makes other people tick, because that way society will become more accepting in general.

**I Have a Clever Name** · June 12, 2006, 01:05 PM

I was thinking of a "prayer" an Atheist could do. At the end of my prayers I will say "God bless" (list people I love). I think instead of saying God bless you could say, I love My Father, I love My Mother, I love My Wife, and so on. I've done it and it makes you appreciate these people as you step out and look at your relationships and how much you value them. Also should remind you to share that love more often with them.

I don't really find it necessary to engage in such recitations.. I'm not that forgetful.

**Zenith Darksea** · June 12, 2006, 01:09 PM

Actually, psychologists do agree that such affirmations help to fix an idea in your mind much better than just assuming that you know it. If you were ever tempted to lose your temper with them, then you'd be less likely to actually do so.

**I Have a Clever Name** · June 12, 2006, 01:15 PM

Actually, psychologists do agree that such affirmations help to fix an idea in your mind much better than just assuming that you know it.

Love is a feeling, not a fact that must be constantly restated. If it comes to the stage that you must constantly remind yourself of who you feel a deep, intrinsic affection for.. well, I'm guessing the relationship is lukewarm at best.

If you were ever tempted to lose your temper with them, then you'd be less likely to actually do so.

Too late! Much too late!