Religion as a centripetal force, unifying the masses

[Specforces]

Yesterday, two Mormon missionaries knocked on my door and attempted to sell me belief in their religion. As I listened to their spiel, I pondered whether I should be the one enlightening them; a very pretentious thought I admit. As I listened to these two gentlemen, I realized that they sincerely believed in God. This single belief brings them peace and happiness. Of course I could have began to elucidate the countless errors in the Book of Mormon, but what purpose would this serve? Perhaps I would feel a great sense of intellectual superiority over two young men that have probably never questioned their faith, and for this reason alone would be incapable of defending it. I proceeded to kindly tell them that I believed no one ultimately knows whether God exists or not, and interestingly enough, they were able to accept my position, as I can accept theirs. While I believe they are completely ignorant and investing a great deal of their time believing in a religion created by a drunk, they conversely feel great sympathy that I will burn in hell.

But I do believe that we each wished the best for each other, and regardless of what religion you believe in or don't, this is what matters. I am not so sure if the ends justify the means, but if believing in an intangible thing brings you happiness and shows you how to lead a successful life, and repectfully treat others, perhaps your belief has served its purpose and was not a waste of time.

[BluE_MeaniE]

Yeah, interesting thought. Now, some people will disagree with you with you that they are incredibly ignorant, it does seem just believing in something, whether that thing is real or fake, can make people happier.

[IronMonk]

good observation. i know exactly how you feel as i have had a similar experiance. a few years back when i was a devout christian, (wore a cross at all times and carried a bible with me always) i went to a camp with other christians and incurred a startleing realization. believeing in any of the organized religions is a frightfully dangerous thing. all religions that are well religions are many many many years old, created in a time when people were, for lack of a better word, much stupider. if you had gone back to the time of moses and told the masses that a supreme being started the universe movign from aclump of matter about the size of half an electron and so on and so forth, explaining every aspect of our universe, NO ONE WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD, and most likely crucify who ever it was that tried to explan it!

after coming to this realizeation i spoke to my fellow campers about it and now they are like me. believeing in a god that really only set things in motion and left it be. we do not believe in a heven or hell. only that such concepts were set in place inforce morals in an uncivilized time. we are more a group of philosaphers then anything else. we live life to understand life. not to win points to carry over to an afterlife.

so religion has served a purpose, but it needs to be rethought by the masses capable of rational thought.

[Anonymous]

What is the purpose of living and understanding life if there is no after life?

[jewpinthethird]

What is the purpose of living and understanding life if there is no after life?

It is entertaining.

[Omeganitros]

What is the purpose of living and understanding life if there is no after life?

It is entertaining.

Jewpin wins again.

[aleco]

.....
What can I say? I don't really know that everything is as I believe, I just believe it. America has become a really stupid country from the way it was... It's easy to find faults with what others believe, at least it would seem a fault to you. Religion and the world...it's just like weird...I do feel sorry for the people who are going to burn in hell...If there really is a hell....as I believe....overuse of "..."

...

[Specforces]

The meaning of life, what I think it is...

For a religious believer I assume the easy answer is, to get to heaven, attain nirvana, enlightenment, moksha, insert afterlife name here.
At the moment (i'm subject to change) I do not believe that there is an objective purpose to life that we are all trying to attain. I do not believe in an afterlife but I do believe that man creates his own purpose in life and that it is equally valid and important. What is man without a purpose? I guess that fits in with the existentialist point of view that we are the creators of our own consequences.

A lot of people get depressed at the thought of life having no 'meaning'. I think that from an early age we have the idea of "the meaning of life" instilled into us and so when we get older and naturally come to the realisation that there might not be a meaning to life, it frightens us and confuses us. Some people get depressed, some people look to an afterlife and some people get over it. I understand this is a huge simplification.

For me, I'm one of the people who is trying to get over the fact that life has no external meaning and that the meaning in an individual's life is created from within. I am responsible for myself and my actions and therefore I choose my purpose in life.

For this reason I do not see the human race as "going anywhere". We are the product of evolution (people wanting to debate that should start another thread ) and in the same way that it would seem silly to ask "is the beaver race going anywhere?" i do not think it applies to humans either. We are a large group of individuals, not a whole made up of a smaller parts.

The natural "instinct" as you call it is I think genetic and environmental. The genes inside you want to reproduce and survive and have done so for the last 64 billion years or whatever it is. Therefore, by now they are programmed to create bodies (humans) which will "want" to survive for a certain period of time. On top of this, all societies (i might be wrong) bring their offspring up to live. You don't have a baby in order to encourage it to give up when the going gets tough. Yes, sadly there are anomalies.

[perfect_fat]

There's a possibility that you believe in God because you were taught to believe in God. Belief in God is based entirely on faith. If we were to prove that God existed, She would cease to exist. Stole that from the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy by Douglas Adams.

Religion is a form of tribalism. Dividing people up so you know who is like you and who is your enemy. God good, Allah bad. Relgion is responsible for so many violent murders and mass executions, although everybody claims their religion is based on peace and love.

[SotN]

The thing I hate about atheism (I guess you could say the same about agnostics) is how strongly they justify their views.

fact: the average atheist will defend their beliefs much more fervently than those who believe in religion. As history proves, a fervent belief in anything is just begging for trouble.

Also, people who shove their relgions in other people's faces is just plain rude. People, dont go to a Gay Pride parade and start preaching how all the homos are gonna go to hell. Being an asshole is a sin too, ya know.

Not to mention atheism is the cool thing to do. And since I'm so f***ing indy im gonna go with God.

Like, vaya con Dios.

[aleco]

If we were to prove that God existed, She would cease to exist.

She? GOD IS A she? That is an interesting belief.

[perfect_fat]

fact: the average atheist will defend their beliefs much more fervently than those who believe in religion. As history proves, a fervent belief in anything is just begging for trouble.

Ever heard of anti-God groups blowing up buildings and terrorizing members of different churches?


As I understand it, Athiests just don't have a belief in God but are open-minded on the subject of religion.


Agnostics would justify the absurdity of a God until hours after their deaths.


I believe that even if there is a God, religion is an institution of corrupt, power hungry men, who try to force people to be like them. I don't see anything wrong with believing in God, but I do see something wrong with telling everybody else their religion is wrong and that their interpretation of the Gospel is the only true word and that all other Christians are evil.

[Moogy]

Religion is funny.

[makaveli121212]

Religion is funny.

youre an idiot, go to the garbage bin where you belong

[aleco]

I believe that even if there is a God, religion is an institution of corrupt, power hungry men, who try to force people to be like them.

Maybe some religions. Even if you try to force others to be like you, you can't make anyone, really. If that is God's work, maybe. I think people should be told about religion, yes, but force is an extreme word.

I don't see anything wrong with believing in God, but I do see something wrong with telling everybody else their religion is wrong and that their interpretation of the Gospel is the only true word and that all other Christians are evil.

Agreed. People misinterpret all the time. There are some obviously totally wacked theoligies (sp?) out there that clearly go against the Scriptures, but that doesn't mean the person is evil. They are wrong, but very few people are truly evil. Even if they are evil, they really aren't worse than others in God's eyes. Everyone sins; if you sin, it's a sin, it really doesn't matter what. All religions have something good about them. I really don't know where the line is.

Good day,
aleco