Religions and human equality

[talsor]

Almost all religious and ethical groups have passages in their holy texts, or writings of their leaders, which promote the belief that all humans are of equal worth.

Bahá'í Faith: "No difference or preference has been made by God for its human inhabitants; but man has laid the foundation of prejudice, hatred and discord with his fellowman by considering nationalities separate in importance and races different in rights and privileges." Promulgation of Universal Peace, Page 232

Buddhism: "So what of all these titles, names, and races? They are mere worldly conventions." Sutta Nipata 648

Christianity: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3.28

Confucianism: "By nature men are pretty much alike; it is learning and practice that set them apart." Analects 17.2

Hinduism: "I look upon all creatures equally; none are less dear to me and none more dear." Bhagavad Gita 9.29

Islam: "For the white to lord it over the black, the Arab over the non-Arab, the rich over the poor, the strong over the weak or men over women is out of place and wrong." Hadith of Ibn Majah

Jainism: "The Law is that which leads to welfare and salvation. It forms conduct and character distinguished by the sense of equality among all beings." Somadeva, Nitivakyamrita 1.1

Judaism: "...a single man was created for the sake of peace among mankind, that none should say to his fellow, 'My father was greater than your father.' Mishnah, Sanhedrin 4.5

Sikhism: "Don't create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone." Guru Arjan Devji 259 :

[Barış]

Yea, hypocrisy abounds in this world...

[Londoner]

The problem with any religion is that it deprives the conscience of any one as a free individual, an individual who is free from extenal constraints like God, an individual consciencely is aware he or she is the master of him or herself and acts freely to promote his or her interests according to his or her internal likes or dislikes. In other words a religion indoctrinates an individual to believe in some thing and a belief is an ideology. So each religion indoctrinates it's followers to adhere to it's ideolgy because it is the right ideology as far as the relevant religion concerned. So this situation breeds many different ideologies incompatible to each other and they can not tolerate each other. Because each one supposed to be the right one and the rest wrong. So this creates a cheuos and out of this cheuos each ideology loses it's idealism of fairness, justice and fraternity, for which the ideology on the first place concieved and evolved.

[Barış]

The problem with any religion is that it deprives the conscience of any one as a free individual, an individual who is free from extenal constraints like God, an individual consciencely is aware he or she is the master of him or herself and acts freely to promote his or her interests according to his or her internal likes or dislikes. In other words a religion indoctrinates an individual to believe in some thing and a belief is an ideology. So each religion indoctrinates it's followers to adhere to it's ideolgy because it is the right ideology as far as the relevant religion concerned. So this situation breeds many different ideologies incompatible to each other and they can not tolerate each other. Because each one supposed to be the right one and the rest wrong. So this creates a cheuos and out of this cheuos each ideology loses it's idealism of fairness, justice and fraternity, for which the ideology on the first place concieved and evolved.

That sums it up quite well, that's why I'm Agnostic...

[BC2000]

I couldn't agree more with Londoner. So I'll co-sign on that.

But I also like to add that I do respect everyone's beliefs. But my problem is when other people are trying to force their religious views on you. I have highly religous friends, they pray five times a day, they don't drink, they don't gamble, they don't eat pork, they don't even eat anything that isn't halal. But they never told me what to think or what to do. They never even suggested (as many does) that I should pay a visit to a mosque, just to see how it's like. Not that I never been to a mosque, I've been to many religious places of worship. So I guess that's my problem with religious people, when they force/suggest or look down on others that doesn't share their views.

And I really hope I'm not offending anyone by saying this... but religion is choice. You're not born muslim, jewish or christian. Those views and opinions are in the majority indoktrinated upon you by your enviroment. We're all "tabula rasa" when we're born, a clean sheet. In my world that's like me wearing a piece of fabric or textile and then get highly offended if someone critisize my choice of clothing. Ethnicity and skin colour is not our choice, what you chose to believe is your choice and therefor it shouldn't be immune to questioning. And I guess that's my biggest issue too with religion, you can't question it. You can't dig too deep in it, it all comes down to the answer "It's just the way it is".

With that being said, I will never force my atheistic views on anyone and I fully support the freedom of believing whatever you want to believe. But please grant me the freedom to not believe as well.