I hear a lot of people talk about how we need to look at religion from a materialist lens and that religion is incomparable with socialism. But I think we need to seperate the two. Religion is about the metaphysical so it's hard to look at it from a materialist lens. While politics deals with materialist matters, so it's necessary to view it with a materialist lens. And it's not like atheism is fully materialist either, with 'nothing after death', and 'universe starting without a god' being metaphysical explanations as well. And humans are naturally spiritual and to deny that, makes it harder for socialism to be accepted by people. But of course that doesn't mean we should tolerate the reactionary aspects of religion. We should combat it whenever necessary.
What's your opinion?
I'm an atheist but I think we should respect people's religious beliefs. If someone is a good socialist then it shouldn't matter if they are religious or not, being anti-religious will only make religious people avoid socialism for no real reason, we don't get anything by being anti-religious.
I mean, of course we shouldn't let religious institutions have power as they are usually quite reactionary, but the religious beliefs of people should be respected in my opinion.
I agree. Religion is something personal, and religious institutions only push one 'correct' view
Just so other people don’t get the wrong idea from my comments, I don’t have any issue with the personal practice of religion either. If you find particular religious practices or values personally helpful, great!
I think the problems are when religion either is forced on others (evangelizing can be really disrespectful — I’ve seen Christian evangelization at a Jewish dinner) or preying on its followers (taking the little money that poor people have)
I agree, I was tricked into a conversation by a muslim man who started talking about heaven and that islam is the way into it. He then made me recite the shahada. On another occasion two christians came to me and said that jesus loves me.