The Most Joyless Religion

[nailit]

Spent an evening with a few friends tonight....a few drinks, (quiet a few actually) pleasant company etc. Dont know why but somehow conversation invariably turns to philosophy, religion, meaning of life etc as the evening progresses.
However, we ended up trying to imagine what would be the most unpleasant/joyless religion to subscribe to.
With the help of a few vodka and cokes we discussed the a - z of various faiths.
Everything from the Aetherius society to Zoroastrianism.
It doesnt matter what conclusion WE all came to.
Just curious if ABers would come to the same conclusion?
What would you consider to be the most joyless, life denying, unpleasant religion to belong to?

[EDDIE51]

Jehovah's Witnesses have it pretty dim. No birthday or Christmas celebrations . No alcohol and if you need a blood transfusion,hard luck !

[DaisyNonna]

How many did you find that were not biased against females?

[nailit]

They came pretty low on our list as well EDDIE.

[nailit]

A few Daisy, Wicca, Buddhism etc. We actually discussed that very subject,,,equality etc.

[nailit]

Just to add that I myself was once a christian of the 'born again' variety (gave it up over 30 yrs ago), another friend had been involved in a variety of (eastern) religious traditions in his youth and yet another had studied various occult traditions. Our common denominator is that we all basically admit that we dont know jack.
(another couple of friends have been on the periphery of religious indoctrination)
Anyway, there are some modernish religions/belief systems that dont know jack either but will install in you a joyless, life denying existance.

[Old_Geezer]

Perm any one of the multitude of brainwashed cults whose members exist in poverty and harsh conditions just to serve the leader.

[DaisyNonna]

Buddhism seems to be a philosophy rather than a religion
He left his wife and child

[nailit]

//He left his wife and child//
That always bothered me about Buddhists Daisy. never heard a satisfactory answer to that yet.

[gness]

I've only given two a whirl, Nailit.......the United Reformed Church.....quite a cheery bunch....friendly and I enjoyed most of my time with them.....

...and of course the Roman Catholic Church......in which I can only see evil...... .....if I could change my growing up in that faith I would.......x

[Gavmacp]

The Wee Free?

[DaisyNonna]

Perhaps I should just thank everyone who has helped me through life, anyone who has brought me pleasure or joy, relief from pain or illness, my friends, family and countless others whom I do not know by name but have been there when I was in need.

[nailit]

///Perhaps I should just thank everyone who has helped me through life, anyone who has brought me pleasure or joy, relief from pain or illness, my friends, family and countless others whom I do not know by name but have been there when I was in need///

If you must, Doesnt answer the question though?

[DaisyNonna]

All religions in one way or another may seem to be joyless, dependent upon
one's social stading or sex

[Mamyalynne]

Without studying each and every religion, it's various offshoots and the cults too - it is an almost imponderable question.

I was brought up as Gness was RC and saw and felt joy, Gness had a dreadful time.

So it is all subjective.

[gness]

It is subjective I suppose, Mamya....but my feelings about the Catholic Church aren't based on what happened to me...it wasn't that bad....it's what I see it doing to others that sickens me....x

[gness]

...and of course the continual denial that it abuses and harms folk....x

[atalanta]

The religion under which women probably suffer most is Hinduism. A major belief in Hinduism is reincarnation - if you are good in this life, you will come back as something better. If you are bad, you will come back as an insect, some other animal, or a woman. Being re-born as a woman is a punishment for having been a bad man in a previous life, so her very existence is proof of her inferiority. No wonder so many Indian woman are so constantly being "punished" - their very existence is an offence.

[andy-hughes]

I have meaningful experience only of Christianity, which appears seriously joyless to me.

The juxtaposition between the notion of loving the Lord, and being loved back, sits ill with a God who clearly cannot be pleased no matter what his people do or say.

It seems to me that Christians put a brave face on trying (and failing daily!) to live up to an impossible role model and idea - and they stich their smiles on and tell everyone that God loves them.

I really see no evidence that God loves anyone.

[mikey4444]

I'm tending to agree with Eddie here, although the Baptists are not much better.....miserable beggars.

Catholicism can be quite fun ....they actually approve of a modicum of alcohol, if my old Parish Priest was anything to go by ! He came from the same part of Ireland as my Dad and on those Friday night visits in the 60's, my Mum would ask him...."Would you like a cup of tea father ? "

His eyes would glance over to the corner cabinet, where the Bushmills was kept, and say....."well, I suppose so ! "

It wasn't a rare event to have to put in a Taxi to take him back to his 2 Mrs Doyles !

[naomi24]

Conservative Islam. No music, no dancing, no anything that doesn't revolve specifically around the most miserable tenets of Islam.