Why do religious people say they would die on principle to their belief.

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   EtherInfomatposted 10 years ago

   Why do religious people say they would die on principle to their belief.
   
   It goes against you natural urge to survive...I don't get it.

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   gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

   
   
   Neither do I but then religion isn't really based upon sound mental principles, inductive, and deductive logic.  Religions mostly appeal to the powerless, those who believe that they are nothing in and or themselves. People who believe that they are insignificant really do not have a strong natural urge to survive.  Such people are attracted to religion because they feel that their particular religion is more important/powerful than they are.  So they subvert their power to that particular religion.  In essence, they believe that religion is FAR more important than they are and with such thinking, feel that it is nothing to die for that religion.

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   kerbevposted 10 years ago

   Perhaps it is because they believe that there is something better yet to come, and that standing for their beliefs is important - so important that they are willing to give up this life for the next.
   
   If you expect paradise after death, you aren't afraid to die.

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   Snøwmanposted 10 years ago

   We all naturally fear death even when we know that heaven awaits us on the other side. We just realize that our love for God is stronger than our fear of death.

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   LoisRyan13903posted 10 years ago

   So we can go to a much better place.  I wouldn't die for religion. But I would die for Christ

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   cjhunsingerposted 10 years ago

   Many people die for what they believe to be a principle. This has nothing to do with the belief in gods. There are times when a point of principle becomes worth fighting for or dying for. I would think that if one is not capable of such a principle life is a meandering and  pointless grazing routine.
   The ideal of freedom is such a principle and millions have died, for example, that you have the freedom to ask that question. Hopefully, one day, you will get it.

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   WiccanSageposted 10 years ago

   Depends on what you mean.
   
   I'd die for certain principles... for example, I'd fight to the death for religious freedom if necessary so that my religion can exist.
   
   I wouldn't die for my beliefs if some madman held a gun to my head to try and coerce a conversion out of me. I'll say whatever a nutter wants me to say to survive. I wouldn't throw my life away just to take a stand against a mook with a gun who means nothing in the grand scheme of things, there's no glory in martyrdom like that.
   
   There are some things worth dying for to people... and religion is a conviction and a passion that usually has very deep meaning to people.

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      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      So would I, my life is more important than some principle, c'mon now.  Where is the logic/intelligence in martyrdom?  There is NONE!

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   BobMongerposted 10 years ago

   Why did (do?) communists swear they would die for communism-and do it. Why did the Japanese swear to die for the Emperor rather than surrender-and do it. Your question should rather be "What makes people think they must die for their beliefs when they should be trying to figure out how to live for them?"

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      cjhunsingerposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Bob--Most people do not and are not taught to think and act independently. This is true of all societies and inclusive of religions and atheistic governments--no difference. One may argue that America is a none aggressor.

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