Religious thinking can be wholly liberating or it can be, as you have suggested, imprisoning.
There are a few archetypal laws of right and wrong that most are born "knowing". Life is an exploration of these archetypes, with some completely losing their way owing to life experiences.
For many, the archetypes that we are born with are nurtured through school, religion, relationships, and home environment.
For those lucky souls whose educational, religious, social and parental upbringing is consistent with the genetic archetypes, a fulfilling journey through life will occur.
For those where conflict to these archetypes is taught at school in the place of worship, by the peer group or in the home, a life of unease may well be the outcome.
No doubt, religious leaders throughout history have lost their way on occasion bringing misery/death to many and so too have teachers, peer groups and parents of some.
In its pure form, religious teaching is liberating as it is consistent with the betterment of mankind and the world and therefore consistent with the basic archetypes with which we are born. (Teaching, peer groups and parental guidance can also be liberating as well if the basic model used bt each is consistent with our basic archetypes.)
The religious model, be it Christian, Jewish, Muslim or any other "religion" is only pure if it is liberating. Any model of religious thought that debases others on the basis of their religion, culture, gender, etc is not liberating. |
