What are your thoughts on the brief discussion on religion and spirituality in the cave?

Use this forum to discuss the April 2019 Book of the month, "Adrift" by Charlie Sheldon
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Dawud Adaviruku
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Re: What are your thoughts on the brief discussion on religion and spirituality in the cave?

Post by Dawud Adaviruku »

unamilagra wrote: 19 Apr 2019, 14:39 I think that's pretty typical of the real world, honestly. I have come across many people who are disrespectful and dismissive toward other religions. It's too bad it has to be that way, but religion is one of the most divisive cultural constructs in the history of the world.
I couldn't agree more with you. Religion is the most divisive factor among people in this 21st century.
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Dawud Adaviruku
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Post by Dawud Adaviruku »

It's 's too bad to know that some people
doesn't even have any iota of religious tolerance among others. This tends to create crisis frequently. People must understand that religion is just an opinion and thus everybody should be allowed to be entitled to his/her own thinking.
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Post by Popcorn1 »

It is not okay to question other's spirituality or religion because it is rude. In the scene where Randall questioned William's faith, he didn't consider the feeling of the person whether it's okay or not for them. When William defended his faith and threw his question back to him, Randall got defensive and flustered. I can only say that everyone has his/her own faith and it has nothing wrong to do with you so it's better to not question others of their own faith.
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Post by MatisseVH »

Religion has played a part in natural disasters dire situations as long as there has been humanity. Even when we didn't have the words to explain, there is some form of prayer or faith that is used during such moments. All religions have similar outlooks and practices and no matter what they should be respected and understood as a way of coping through trauma and bringing comfort. It definitely added to the reality of the book, and if it wasn't touched upon would've really taken away that element of truth and humanity to the story.
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Post by Galesphere »

I think it's okay to have unlikable characters; it makes for a more authentic story. What I dislike, though, is that Christians are usually portrayed as being stiff, narrow-minded, and rude to other people's religious sentiments. Being a Christian myself, I would never act as Randall did. I may not agree with William or his stories, but dang, Randall was just rude and dismissive toward him. All William was trying to do was impart his experiences and boost the moral of his crew members.
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Post by Brendan Donaghy »

Kibetious wrote: 23 Apr 2019, 02:14
Katherine Smith wrote: 12 Apr 2019, 16:49 I think that this interaction between William and the second mate reflects our society today. Many people feel as though their particular branch of religion is the only one or the "right one". At its best, this viewpoint can be seen as obnoxious or rude, but at worst, this can lead to violence or hatred of another group. I think that everyone has a right to their beliefs, but you also must be respectful of the beliefs of others.
This is very true. The big lie that is normally propagated though is that all religions are equal and the issue of serving the same God which I think somehow is not true. Nevertheless, everyone should respect the religious orientations of other people. It is a human right and freedom and I believe that all Constitutions also have a place for this.
'The big lie that is normally propagated though is that all religions are equal...'
Perhaps I'm misunderstanding the point you're making, but that statement says to me that you think that your particular religion is better than the rest. If religious people hold this view about other people of faith, can they then complain if people with no religious belief at all are dismissive of religion generally?
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Post by lucia_kizas »

Unfortunately, this represents the problems of our society all too well. Everybody seems to judge one another, especially when it comes to religion. Every person has a right to believe what they want, as long as it does no harm to others, in my opinion.
I actually can't wait to read this discussion to see if it was done intentionally to show the division or just to create a conflict in the story.
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Post by Browlyns »

Religion will always be a divisive issue in the society. In my opinion I think people should always practice their religion individually and stop sticking their noses in other peoples religion they know nothing about.
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Post by elizaron878 »

Even if you believe your religion is superior to others,it's important to express your views respectfully, and humbly.
Doing the opposite is counterproductive.
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Post by María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda »

I think we all tend to believe our religion or set of beliefs are the ones that are correct. And if faith brings us comfort, as it's usually the case, that's fine. That doesn't entitle us, in my opinion, to be dismissive or rude about other people beliefs. Unless people are harming others or themselves I think tolerance should be the rule of thumb and we can broaden our perspective a lot by being respectful and open-minded.
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Post by juliusotieno02 »

Religion is a belief and everyone is entittled to theirs. Thinking your belief superior is a height of hipocry! Questioning someone's faith with an intention of making it look inferior is all i saw inside the cave.
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Post by KCWolf »

Ekta Kumari wrote: 19 Apr 2019, 15:10 Personally, I do not like the compulsion to include everyone within a fixed group or set of beliefs. Religion and spirituality are things that are personal for each one of us.
Well said. Not all religious or spiritual people exhibit prejudice towards other faiths. I believe we're all entitled to our own beliefs, and to respect each other's beliefs. I embrace a "live and let live" approach, and I know of a lot of other people who do too. I have friends in all walks of life and was raised to be respectful of others.

I think if someone acts with irrational prejudice towards another belief system, it's more a product of that individual's psychology rather than a part of their religion.
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Post by Brenda Creech »

A person's religious beliefs are sacred to them and should be shown respect. In our society today that doesn't happen anymore. If you mention anything with a spiritual connotation you are "offending" someone! Maybe that is what the author was tryimg to portray between William and the first mate, the reality of today's society. Everyone's personal beliefs SHOULD be respected, but in life that is not always the case.
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Post by srividyag1 »

Ekta Kumari wrote: 19 Apr 2019, 15:10 I think this is representative of our real life situations. We tend to disagree or disapprove of any other beliefs if it is not in alignment with our own. Personally, I do not like the compulsion to include everyone within a fixed group or set of beliefs. Religion and spirituality are things that are personal for each one of us.
I agree with your point of view. Religion is a way of life, not the only way of life. Everyone has different beliefs based on their circumstances. It should not be imposed on anyone, nor should one feel superior to another based on something as abstract as religion.
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Post by Kibet Hillary »

lisalynn wrote: 21 Apr 2019, 09:35 My favorite religion is "Don't be a jackass." And as they say, "There are no atheists in foxholes." In great times of need, it's natural to turn to some higher power.
:D :D :D this is true. Myra, Tom, and Sarah could not just standby yet they did not know what would befall William. I guess this is why they undertook the journey to the prayer caves. Their prayers were all directed to William mainly.
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