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[quote=Anonymous]Minister here - I would love to go back to the OPs original topic.  "Organized Religion Seems Harmful".  I totally agree with that.  I think organized religion has been the cause of more conflict that just about any other institution.  But I think it can be a very powerful force for good.  The problems arise when members of a religious group are intolerant.  That intolerance seeps out of our churches and into every area of our life.  It affects our workplace, our families, our politics, and almost every social issue out there.  For the non-believer, religious (and to a lesser extent spiritual) people can come across as judgmental.  And even for those of faith, people from other religions can seem dismissive. My own church is guilty of that.  I am guilty of that.

That's where I think it's important to remember the differences between organized religion (and as a minister, obviously I see value in religious institutions) and spirituality. Some of the most spiritually mature people I know don't attend church.  And some of the people who seem most in need of spiritual maturity are in the pew every Sunday.   The dilemma is this - Religious organizations provide the structure necessary for people to work together towards a common good.  We don't do that very well as individuals.  The examples are obvious but I'll name the ones that were important to the churches I led -  We feed the poor.  We provide financial assistance for power bills, rent payments, etc.  We have doctors who operate clinics on a sliding fee based on income.  We have a daycare.  We hold diversity seminars in an attempt to help people understand the importance of inclusively and acceptance.  We have trained therapist who work with those struggling with grief and loss.  We have outreach programs to help new moms.  We have a meals program for those who are ill or recovering from surgery.   We have people in our church who help those seeking employment.  And that's just a few examples.   All of the things could easily be done by non-religious entities.  But it certainly helps to have our churches involved.

I think instead of deciding that all organized religion is bad, we need to work to ensure our churches are focusing on things that are good.  The Bible is great! I love the Bible.  But people can't eat the Bible.  We need to be boots on the ground in our communities.   I agree that our churches often miss the mark.  But that's only because they are run by humans.  Church leaders are not perfect.  The failure you see in organized religion has nothing to do with religion or God and everything to do with people and power.

Just my opinion.[/quote]

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