# Let's talk about the GOOD in religion **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 21, 2012, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587 "2012-05-21T08:51:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/121 "2012-05-22T16:34:49Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > Religion IMHO, is the anti-ego. > > Your ego is your mind’s defense mechanism: it dosen’t want to be happy or good, it wants to be _right_…it wants to _win._ > > The ego props you up and finds fault in others. > > Religion provides a framework to force you to find fault in yourself and find worth on others. And those without religion…? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/122 "2012-05-22T16:51:28Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > Religion provides a framework to force you to find fault in yourself and find worth on others. I would argue that in at least a few religions, you are not forced to find fault in yourself, but rather find beauty in yourself. And yes, without ego. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/123 "2012-05-22T17:26:29Z")
When I debate with religious people, inevitably they say “If I there were no God, why shouldn’t I kill/steal from/rape/cheat you right now?” I am grateful to religion for protecting me from these people who apparently are just a prayer away from becoming homicidal sociopaths. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/124 "2012-05-22T17:29:06Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > Religion provides a framework to force you to find fault in yourself and find worth on others. Or a framework for torturing and killing those who don’t believe as you believe. Really, there are some islands of beauty and inspiration in some religions at some times, but it flies in the face of reality to pretend they’re all like that all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/125 "2012-05-22T17:54:44Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > And those without religion…? Philosophy. It is possible to arrive at an anti-ego position without mention of a deity, soul/spirit, or afterlife. ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587/126 "2012-05-22T22:23:02Z")
Xmas! Lots of merchants depend on shoppers who have been shamed into over-spending. And if it weren’t for Cadbury Eggs at Easter, I’m not sure they’d do well enough in the US for me to buy their chocolate during the rest of the year (though the American version pales in comparison to the genuine goods). Oh, and those who like their Coca-Cola with real sugar are always pleased when Passover rolls around. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-talk-about-the-good-in-religion/622587.md?page=6)