More specifically, did man create religion to counteract the fear of death, or did early civilization create religion to control human wants, and needs, and urges, by scaring them with eternal damnation?
2006-06-19 12:55:01 · 15 answers · asked by whiskeydave 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Sure, I think the answer to both questions is yes. Religion was created to conquer a fear of death and religion was created to control people. However, aside from religion, a man rose from the dead and this man is named Jesus. Something is remarkably different about this person and you can read about him in the Christian Bible. This one event shows that there is more to a religion than a mere belief or control. God has a plan for our lives and God made himself known throughout history.
2006-06-19 13:00:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, religion is a difficult thing to define. Most people agree that a religion is a set of beliefs that a group of people follow. Knowing this doesn't really make it any easier to decide if people created religion, or the other way around. It really depends on what religion you follow, if you are and Atheist (such as myself), than you believe that religion was created to give the masses an understanding of everything in the world and how it got there.
2016-05-20 03:24:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think personally that religion created man and then man changed the story throughout history to suit themselves. Remember, there was a time in European history when people use to buy their way out of sin by giving money to the church? When the churches of Europe were so great, they became the largest structures anywhere to show off their grandour?
Look at Salisbury Cathedral for example..MASSIVE! The sculptures everything. It was a way for the Priests/Bishops to say my cathedral is grandor than yours. The more money you gave the church, the closer to heaven you would get. This was an especially popular idea during the black death period. In fact, I wrote a whole paper about this subject in college. Clergy leaders unfortunately used the old fire and brimstone speeches to scare people into believing and give up $$$. Some even went as far as to punish themselves physically to proove they were not worthy and were punishing themselves to cleanse the sins. Man came up with some interesting twists throughout time. All Jesus wanted to preach was love and respect...not fire and brimstone.
2006-06-19 13:04:15 · answer #3 · answered by marcom999 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's my belief that man/woman are spiritual beings as well as physical ones. We have that innate yearning for the spiritual which has manifested itself in "religious" rites and looking to gods or a God for guidance through the ages. Yes man has created the belief system of religion and yes, organized religion has dominated the beliefs of the religious for centuries and has had much control over the faithful. Some religious zealots have tried to scare people into believing what THEY do, but what kind of god would want followers like that? I would think he would want to be served out of appreciation, respect and sincerity, not out of fright!
2006-06-19 13:22:13 · answer #4 · answered by Seagoat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your latter argument is what holds true. Religion from that point up to now has NEVER been about god. It's been about control, fear, power and MONEY. I'm sure some guy way back when found out people will do just about anything if you tell them that there;s something up there and down there, waiting for you.
2006-06-19 12:59:53 · answer #5 · answered by Thank You..Come Again 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Men created religion. Religion is simply a tool for man to express his spiritual side. This is not to say there is no God, (I believe that there could be one) but the idea of the right religion is a lie.
2006-06-19 13:12:18 · answer #6 · answered by hpotter4ever2000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think man created religion, and I would say the latter of the two options, because is it really comforting to lie to yourself about something you fear even though you know it's not true?
2006-06-19 13:09:04 · answer #7 · answered by Joe Shmoe 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Now here is a subject worth talking about. Certainly man created religion. He did so because he need to as you say have answers to underlying cravings in his mind and hearts. Religion is taken control of by a few, as with governments and used to many an unjust means. However, there is a difference between religion and doctrine. I speak of doctrine. It is the doctrine of man that is built on the foundation of sand. It is weak and so to make it strong it is used to enslave, to kill and to control the masses into doing that which those desire them to do. Including mass killing of themselves in the name of religion.
religion in itself is not bad nor not needed. It is the glue which holds mankind in check and the world from spinning out of control. Man did create doctrine and in many a case wrongfully so, for evil purpose. But religion is not at fault, it is I, you and them who allow ourselves to be sucked into a belief or set of beliefs that would and can destroy us all. However, God created us for HIM and sooner or later we all will find our way to Him.
2006-06-19 13:05:07 · answer #8 · answered by kickinupfunf 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Religion as we have it to day was created by man.
2006-06-19 14:58:32 · answer #9 · answered by drg5609 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Man created religion, as a way to explain what they could not (how things came to be), and as a behavioral guideline so they wouldnt act out.
2006-06-19 12:59:37 · answer #10 · answered by daddysangelfire 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋