JNathanK wrote:
I don't see why religion has to be so divisive, where you have to brainlessly adopt a rigid dogma to be accepted into a group. I think we should have churches where people study the philosophy of ethics and new, consciousness expanding scientific findings, rather than read the same stuff, over and over again with the same interpretations.
Not only doesn't it have to be--but in many cases it isn't.
Do not make the mistake of assuming that all religious traditions are similarly dogmatic. There are many progressive denominations in all faiths, where adherents are encouraged to reach their own understanding of the meaning of scripture.
Just because the Westboro Bapitist Church are a bunch of self-righteous a$$holes, does not mean that all Christians are. Just because Chabad Lubavitch are firmly entrenched in archaic thinking does not mean that all Jews are. Every faith has as many variations of belief and practice as their are members adhering to it.
I have a hard time with the proposition that an institution whose central message is, "that which is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor" is a waste of space.
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--James