AIBU to really hate religion?

[speakout]

My 5 year old great niece is very upset right now,
She was given a fairy door- small wooden one that sticks on the bottom of a skirting board.
My sister- very religious has seen it in her room, ripped it off and broken it telling the child that Satan will come through and it is an evil trap.
I am trying to be respectful of my sister's religion but it is hard.

[habenero20]

Of course ideas matter! But people are in control of which ideas they accept or reject and forget.

OK. but that's what I am saying. People are picking some bad ideas. We should criticize those people and the bad ideas.

[Guavaf1sh]

YANBU

[tinytemper66]

I doubt all teachers in the school share the same view. I teach in a Catholic school but not all teachers are religious at all and wouldn’t say stuff like that!

[Handbag101]

I hate religion. It's all bull shit.

[magpiemischief]

Of course ideas matter! But people are in control of which ideas they accept or reject and forget. The ideas don’t control people or they don’t have to. Giving up control to an idea gives life to that idea so it is bigger and more powerful than the person. Now that does sound supernatural! Which I’ve no problem appreciating, since I’m not an atheist. I think people in this way can be ‘haunted’ by an insidious idea but they do not have to succumb to it. But this is not a very non religious perspective.

[habenero20]

there appears to be this notion that ideas don't matter. Yet, when people say they do something because of an ideology, it usually has some basis in the ideology. Communists didn't do random bad things, like chop off people's toes and ears. Many of the things they did were predictable from communist texts.

[magpiemischief]

I didn’t say communism was good either. I know full well there have been atrocities. Much really depends on the detail.

[habenero20]

I don’t think communism is bad per se.

perhaps you don't know, communism isn't the kumbaya that some people think it is. For example, getting rid of political opposition, and forcing people into certain occupations is right there in the text. If you look at ideal communist states (Cuba, for example) they have these properties.

[magpiemischief]

Communism is also something humans created, and those ideas are responsible for widespread suffering. It isn't just that "some communists are bad".

I don’t think communism is bad per se. There are organisational issues and motivation issues and issues with individuals still seeking power within the system. Which is down to human nature.

[habenero20]

If religion is something humans create, how can anything be ‘it’s’ fault? If there is nothing supernatural about religion, it has no life, no responsibility of it’s own.

no one claims it is magically guiding people. It is a set of ideas that people believe in, and when some of them do bad things they point to their religion and see "here. it said to do that".

Communism is also something humans created, and those ideas are responsible for widespread suffering. It isn't just that "some communists are bad".

[missyB1]

Well said Nubbled

[Julie8008]

Living in the UK I know quite a lot of people who have been taught and believe in hell. Its what the church has taught for 2000 years. The Bible lays it out.

[Nubbled]

The only evil in this world is hatred.

[HostaFireAndIce]

That is what most Christian churches I know preach,

Exactly how many Christian churches do you know, bearing in mind that you clearly don't understand Christian doctrine and you find religion 'hateful'?

[JayDot500]

Err, even the nun I was listening to yesterday at church said it's silly to doubt evolution

Your sister is an extremist. Don't try and dress it up, I've been Christian my whole life and this is bonkers behavior to me.

[thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts]

Eternal damnation was abolished as a C of E doctrine at the end of the 19th century religiousstudiesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/day-that-hell-was-abolished.html and the idea of hell as a place of flames disappeared in the late 1990s with the publication of the doctrine commission's report 'Mystery of Salvation.'

What you are more likely to here in churches these days is the idea that he'll is eternal separation from God, nothingness. Which if you don't believe in God is not much to be frightened of really.

[Julie8008]

1. You shall have no other gods before Me
2. You shall not make idols

Idolizing faeries is breaking the first two of the ten commandments. Which will stop you getting into heaven and lead to eternal damnation in hell with Satan.

That is what most Christian churches I know preach, albeit it in hushed tones, because it doesn't sound very 'moderate' any more. So until religions come out and explicitly state that hell does not exist and all children's souls are exempt from the ten commandments then YANBU as religion is hateful.

Not much you can do about it though, as social services wouldn't be interested in a parent who is bringing up a child to be a good God fearing Christian.

[OutwiththeOutCrowd]

The great niece needs a little something to cheer her up. I suggest a Jesus and tomb toy. Yes, it's available. And yes, it’s got a door and a winged creature.

And just to ensure that Satan doesn’t try to slither in and join the party, what about a God Almighty action figure as a bouncer? I’m not sure the Kalashnikov accessory is particularly tasteful but the hallowed cloak of invisibility sounds fun and rather fairy-esque.







www.christiantoday.com/article/9.christian.action.figures.you.wont.believe.exist/55494.htm

[RedBullBlood]

I think op over egged the tosh with the Holy Water detail. Where did the Baptist sister get that from?

[PepperSteaks]

This is such utter nonsense!

[malificent7]

Yanbu...religion sucks

[magpiemischief]

The problem is nothing bad ever seems to be religion's fault. All the good stuff yes- but the bad? No- that 's all down to frail old humanity.

Why is this a ‘problem’, Bertrand? If you don’t believe in the premises behind religion then it all does boil down to ‘frail old humanity’. Because if the premises behind religion are not true, then it is a human construct, an expression of an aspect of human nature. If you don’t believe in the premises, religion is no bigger than ourselves, it is part of ourselves, as humans. We are the ‘big bad wolf’ in that respect. If religion is something humans create, how can anything be ‘it’s’ fault? If there is nothing supernatural about religion, it has no life, no responsibility of it’s own.

[BertrandRussell]

"I agree. I don't think you can blame religion for their ridiculous behaviour."

The problem is nothing bad ever seems to be religion's fault. All the good stuff yes- but the bad? No- that 's all down to frail old humanity.

[LoniceraJaponica]

"Take 'religion' out of the picture and I imagine they'd still be bonkers."

I agree. I don't think you can blame religion for their ridiculous behaviour.

[Tapandgo]

No idea what odd ball sect of a 'religion' the OP's family claim to be members of - not mainstream Baptist, that's for sure. (I'm not one, but know a few who have not got bonkers responses to childhood joys like fairies and Santa etc.
These family members obviously reinforce their collective insanity. Religion isn't the problem - they are. Take 'religion' out of the picture and I imagine they'd still be bonkers.