Was religion created to control people?

Question

Some people believe that religion was created by rich people so that poor people wouldnt get angry enough to rob rich people of their belongings.

Answer 1

nope

Answer 2

It is true that SOME religions were created or altered to control the masses. The true religion , the origiinal one of the earth existed before government did. In that situation the family head was both ruler and priest. We can read later on centuries later in Egyptian records the changing and use of local deities at the whim of the ruler of the time. But if you trace the religious cultures of the old civilizations back far enough, you will find they agree to a remarkable extent.By the way, generosity to the poor has been a RELIGIOUS teaching for the longest time.

Answer 3

I agree too much with this. Maybe not all religions, but Catholic religion YES!!! Roman emperor had some problems because his people were suffering and was terrified about loosing their trust. Consequently, he made a religion which forgave the good people (and money had nth to do), giving all people some renewed hope.... he used a well known normal person (which was as good as God), and gave him a false divinity, a perfect Chastity, and the power of resurrection to make his "saving" religion quite more believable!!!

Answer 4

Religion is the opiate of the masses. It is an invention to control the ignorant (and thereby the poor.)

Have you ever noticed that Benny Hinn is not a poor man, or Jimmy Swagart has his own plane? Kenneth Copeland has so much land around his church in Texas, that he has his own landing strip and fire department (and two jet planes.) How many Sky-Angel satellites does it take to make someone see that there's a lot of money to be made in religion!

It seems to hold a lot of water - you just don't see many really poor ministers with huge flocks.

Answer 5

The early religions began before there was money or rich people, however Christianity has only been around for 2000 years, it may be true in that case.

Answer 6

No, religion is a group of guidlines for the same believers to follow. Every religion is different. It is a way to bring the community to follow and help set an example of a great way to follow God's love for eachother. The person is not forced or obligated to stay in any religion forever.

Answer 7

Wow! Have you read the DaVince Code? Now there is some food for thought! Organized religion was obviously serving some NON-spiritual, self-serving purposes. Religious belief is still just that. BELIEF. It is a matter of faith. Mortal man has taken something as good and pure as making love and made it foul. How much more simple could it be for us to make something bad out of GOD?

Answer 8

That is probably the best question I have ever heard on Yahoo answers. You are wise beyond your years. You know deep serets about life that few know. And yes, religion was created to keep poor people down. You hit the nail on the head. It is rare to meet someone so wise in here. *bows down* *kisses your feet*

Answer 9

No. Religion is something that we have had from the beggining of time. It wasn't created so that we could be controled by it or the people in charge of it. Religion was created so that we could learn more about and praise our God in heaven.

Answer 10

i imagine faith became first "created" because of human beings's interest of the international, the way it became created, what occurs after death, and an explaination for phenominans. i don't believe of religion first all started as a fashion for wealthy peopl eto administration adverse human beings because a huge inhabitants of the international were nonetheless nomads decrease back then. faith will be utilized to administration others, yet i imagine only, that is in simple terms solutions and a existence-variety

Answer 11

Religion is simply an early form of civil law.

Even before cops, God (or whatever diety was pertinent) was needed to provide the victim who is otherwise without a "champion" with a sense of justice/vengence/closure. For those who were not deterred by the threat of eventual justice for their wrong doings(usually after death), religion is used to justify man's imposition of personal (or society's) will onto another man. We don't want our "inalianable rights endowed by our creator" to be violated.