Is religion just a label?

I think..Religion is just a label..How about you guys?

You think religion is sinister?! How could you say that!

Not just a label, but when you add up all the major religions, they've been collectively responsible for more death, torture, and human suffering than anything else that society has created.

So, nope, not just a label but something much bigger & more sinister, in my opinion.

To an extent... Many people tend to hide behind it... if thats what kind of lable you mean.

I mean, the main reason religion existed is for us,to pray,hope,believe in god..Isn't it?So,since all religions have the same purpose,don't you think it's only a label to differentiate the different teachings and way of living while the main purpose is the same?

I do believe in god.But still,I'm not that 'into' organized religions..

I think religion is a label for many people...it's something they were raised with, not something that influences their daily lives. It's kind of like people's ethnic background. Some people say "I'm German" although the only thing German about them is their bloodline, not their culture and attitude. People might also say, "I'm Catholic" or whatever...they grew up going to church, mosque, temple, etc. but they don't live their lives as a member of that faith.

IT's is just a label.

It can be no more than a label. I think that's when it may be at its most dangerous. If you see it as a way of differentiating yourself from other people, standing apart from them and feeling superior to them, then you're dangerous. If you're truly following your religion then I would say that most current religions should point to the similarities between people, not their differences. It's human nature to emphasise the differences, but God's nature to love all his creation equally.

LOOK THERE ARE TWO WAYS, NARROW AND WIDE GATE BUT I PREFER FOR you TO CHOOSE WHAT WAY IS GOOD FOR THE LORD? NOT your WAY OR ANY THING US,BUT THE GOOD WAY TO WORSHIP HIM

The atrocities that you speak of are man doing things his way. God does not teach this. The Holy Bible, teachs us to love one another. Jesus laid down his life for another, he teaches us to do the same. To forgive, over and over and over again, 70x7 daily, in fact.. I don't believe any of us make it much farther than 1, much less 490... per day. So, how can you blame him??? He tells us to turn the other check, when someone hurts us, to go the second mile, to bring healing and peace and reconciliation. What bible have you been reading?

Um, God orchestrated his own atrocities in the Old Testament. Nations wiped out, women raped, children ripped from the womb, livestock slaughtered. All at God's command and only because they were pagan. I'm sorry to keep having to point this stuff out but it's in black and white for everyone to read.

God doesn't get a free pass with me.

It surely is able to BE a label...When someone says "I'm Catholic"...or "I'm Mormon"...a certain "one size fits all" rolls into the listener's mind...a generalization of who that person is.

It's the responsibility of the "hear-er" to NOT label people...

phrannie

Religion is a label.
It is stupid and pointless.
Webster, I believe, defines it as follows: "A belief or something you go after with vigor."
So in that case, that could make anything a religion.
For example, money.
Money is something that a lot of people go after with vigor.

good answer eleni, actually there are a lot of good answers here.
my own personal view is that all religions are basically the same thing - remodified paganism and witchcraft.
do christians and other religions pray to more dieties than just god? ( I.e. angels,saints)
do priests cast spells ? ( I.e. the lords prayer, excorcism rights, scriptures out of the holy book)
earth, air, fire, water used in organized religion? ( I.e. incense, holy water, candles, ashes to ashes- dust to dust)
ritualized cannibalism and blood rituals? ( I.e. communion- eat for this is my body, drink for this is my blood)
eventually I hope that all the labels will be dropped and people will again realign themselves with mother nature, which isn't as far of a leap as the organized religions will have you believe.

To some, it may be a label... to others, it is the very life that they breathe...

Religion should not be the life that you breathe, silverwings.
God should... BUT religion most definitely should NOT be.

I agree with The Dude on this one personally I also the amount of suffering caused by religion far out weighs any good it has done. They amount of rubbish that religions spew out and have done is just so vast it is unfathomable.

also one thing god teaches love and respect (no he really doesnt how many good people have you known or heard needlessly die?) ALSO HUMANS WROTE THE BIBLE and made up the 'teachings of god' as a way to help keep order I.e. DO THIS OR GOD WILL HURT YOU ETERNALLY FOREVER IN ANOTHER LIFE BY GIVING YOU TO THE DEVIL.

And please oh god please dont get me started on those evangelicals who stunt the learning of others by saying the theory of evolution is wrong. Im sorry but your evidence for God is a book which you don even have the first copy of to verify how much was changed over the years.

Creationisms arguments are just as flawed as the ones science has no answer for most people accept the big bang theory but dont know why it happened or how if nothing existed before. But creationists say God created himself (which is impossible as there has to be somthing before him for him to be able to do that) and the eaarth in 7 days and we will all be mightily smited and burn in hell for not accepting him (sounds like a thouroughly pleasant supremely powerful dictator huh maybe I want buddha as my overlord hmmm?)

anyways thats the end of a small rant

do you want it as a label? then don't react as if it is a label...
people who are open minded would never put labels/stereotyping or religion as factor to the relationship(as a friend or more)...