I am not talking about institute like church. I was talking about religionist system...rules, prohibitions, regulations. When the person becomes a part of this system, he becomes a part of comunity, that also believs the same things. That is why I say religion negates individuality. And please don't say, that becoming a part of church is an act of free will. Most of the people were born to families, that already had some faith and for example christened their new born babies, so the baby automaticly becoms a part of church and I don't think the baby has much to say. And it's not jus that sweet babies dewy by "saint" water. It's also men, women, who were born into slavery of inhuman churches, sects etc. and they can't do anything to set themselves free from humiliation and unfreedom. So how can you say a thing like that? Think twice, before you make such a statement.
I did think twice, and I've thought twice before posting this post about how you're wrong.
You're comparing religion to slavery. You're literally comparing religion to a situation where there free will is deprived by physical restraint. I'm not even going to follow up on how that makes no sense, since will and action are different. You can do something you don't believe in, which is why it's called
free will -- you're free to think and believe even if all senses and bodily functions are disabled.
Where exactly do you live? Iran? Spain during the Inquisition? Salem, Massachusetts? In what world do you live where a religious institution physically deprives their members of independence by physically detaining them and forcing them to believe by risk of physical punishment? That's a cult, not a religion.
It's completely possible -- particularly for fours, but possible for everyone -- to decide of their own will to associate with a different philosophy. I used to be a communist for fuck's sake, and now I'm an anarchist. People change their minds. We aren't talking about babies, we're talking about adults with their own minds.
I'm telling you, along with all of the others in this thread who have already told you, that it's completely possible for a Four to adhere to a religion without losing any amount of free will and individuality. It's done by scrutinizing religious texts and different ideas for oneself, applying them to one's own functioning worldview.
If you have a stick up your ass about religion being a bunch of brainwashing cultists that suck the soul out of their members and turn it into a colony of hive-minded insects, then that's the thread you should be making. If you aren't willing to listen to someone tell you the reason why it's not an issue for them to reconcile their religion with their individuality, then why did you make this thread at all? To find and hear people who want to join your anti-religious circlejerk?
In case you're still wondering, here's me thinking it for a second time:
You're wrong. There is a distinct point where active participation in a religion is an act of free will. I'll tell you what I told you Superunknown. You have a warped definition of free will if waking up early on a Sunday morning, getting dressed up, and driving from your house to the church for an hour-long church service isn't free will.