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Do All Religious Practices Have A Dark Side?

Back with more questions that just come up. I realize that some religions, like in Africa, have religious practices that are good and can be used for negative reasons.

I know Voodoo and some other religions can be used for good and bad, but are they the only religions that can do those or it applies to all religions, except Christianity?

Asked by Alex

8 replies on “Do All Religious Practices Have A Dark Side?”

Hi Alex

Another great question! (Insert’ Thumbs-up smiley, here!)

I think ALL religions have a ‘dark’ side. Even Buddhism has it’s ‘moments’. because Buddhism is about improving ‘self’. In other words, it’s selfish!

Religions are all about ‘power’ you see. If only religions would look to God and not what earthly things they can gain from forming their particular ‘club’.

That’s why I prefer Faith. I don’t follow any religion, although I see God’s influence in all of them. So I take what I feel is spiritual from any given religion, but disguard what I think is man-made red-tape or influence from the rules of any given religion.

You see, God is all about finding ‘It’ from inside oneself. It is different for each and every one of us. Those that follow relious teaching are nothing more than sheep. They do not think too much about what is being taught! They blindly follow.

They also say that Satan works most effectively within any religious concept. Even the Exorcist at the Vatigan will agree that Satan is very prominant amongst those who work there, right up to the Pope himself (previous one, anyway!). An interesting concept.

Regards the Christian religion specifically; Jesus taught humanity, equality, love thy neighbour, compation, meakness, mildness etc etc etc. From my dealings of Christians there really isn’t much of any of that going on at all. They condemn all ‘non-christians’and ‘not real Christians’ as much as other religions condem none of their ‘club’! Where is the love, humanity and compation in anything that we are taught in church?

Here is a fine example of so-called Christians who have completely LOST THE PLOT:

http://www.landoverbaptist.net/showthread.php?t=17624

This is totally devode of Jesus’ teaching – and it makes me really cross – despite I am anything but a Christian (in the religious sense of the word!)

AJ
x

AJ,
That thread from Landover Baptist is just astounding!! It makes me a little uneasy that groups like that exist!! LOL! I am sure there are plenty of people out there ready to call us all “nutters” but at least our particular brand isn’t wishing harm on those who do not believe as we do!! Seriously?! Jesus as a sword tongued, eyes of fire Wildman??!! Gonna slay all us “non believers” and (drumroll!(I love this one!) false Christians??!!(what the heck is that??!! By my understanding of Christ teachings, that would be them there Landover Baptist folk!!) Oy!! I would be more scared of the crazy Tulpa they are probably inadvertently manifesting with their avid belief in such a concept!! Baffling!!! Thanks for the laugh!! 😉

Hi Alex,

We love the questions!

Does every religion have a dark side .. including Christianity ..

The answer is that all religions are created by ‘people’, not God or Gods. People lay down the rules, they decide what is ‘right(eous)’ or wrong behaviour within those rules, and they can change them, adapt them, or twist them in knots, any time they like.

IMO, we wouldn’t have Satanism if LeVay hadn’t decided to create a religion in rebellion to Christianity .. and then there are some Christians, as AJ showed in her example, that can take a perfectly good set of rules and condemn others from it.

AJ, you didn’t mention that Jesus also taught – strength, courage, standing up for your beliefs, act like an idiot in the temple .. hmm.. ok, ok, I am just giving his ‘upturning the moneylender’s tables’ a new twist, but think of how many small children would love to be able to do it (and me)? 🙂

BTW, which moments did Buddhism have? Or are you talking about the modern Buddhists who are setting themselves on fire, and fighting with the authorities (that bit I think is justified, not the self-immolation .. that serves no purpose), you see, its the ‘people’ doing the actions, Alex, and they are defying Buddha’s teachings in doing so, IMO.

Every religion can be used for good or evil, either deliberately .. Spanish Inquisition, killing the Cathars, burning someone at the stake because they don’t share your ‘christian’ beliefs, demanding a retraction of a scientific ‘truth’ (yes folks, the world is not flat, nor is the earth the centre of the universe) just because the church demands that we believe only what they want us to believe. We can’t remove Christianity from the equation, because we can’t remove ‘people’ from religion.

Some, like Voodoo, Hoodoo and Santeria are quite obvious in their dark and light sides, others hide it behind closed doors, but as long as people are both good and evil, so will every single belief system be capable of being so too.

Love & Peace
Ama

Hi Ama

“AJ, you didn’t mention that Jesus also taught – strength, courage, standing up for your beliefs, act like an idiot in the temple .. hmm.. ok, ok, I am just giving his ‘upturning the moneylender’s tables’ a new twist, but think of how many small children would love to be able to do it (and me)? :-)”

LOL! I guess that bit is covered by the “etc. etc. etc.” part of my post – hahaha!

AJ
x

I agree with the above. I think true religion in inside a person. Most religions try to tell you what they want you to believe. They twist everything around and add their own ideas and make it so confusing that no one can follow it.

I used to live in an area where there is only one predominant religion, its one of the major ones, and I have been to some of their services over the years. When I went in their church, I had the feeling there was a mask covering up some kind of evil. Strange feeling. I never had that feeling before in any church except that one. They tried to convert me, but after listening to their missionaries it didnt seem right at all. It was like they were trying to suck me into some kind of hellish cult.

No, I think if a person follows the Ten Commandants and the teachings of Jesus thats all you need to know.

The real meaning of religions are those which has been sent by God from heaven to human and other sects are else. The divine religion is light wholly and hasn’t any dark side because God is light himself and is the source of every light and every light is emitting from his light. He is the most honest and righteous existence therefore he never sends anything to human that have had a dark side.

Hi AJ

All I have to say about the ‘landoverbaptists’ is with all that lovely imagery how do they even sleep at night. I still can not get the ‘red-eyed Jesus’ out of my mind. Lets all send them some positive thoughts their way so maybe they could relax,( just a little.) Take care Cindy

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