Is religion, or is it not, the greatest con-job in history? I marvel at it's simplicity and sucess.?

Question

I mean you take an institution, based on myths, legends and fables. You then make up a supernatural enemy (the devil) that will consume babies and toss anyone into a lake of fire for all eternity. Next you produce, ex nihil, a deity that was created more than 3 centuries after he was supposed to have existed as a man (it's called the Council of Nicea) and then tell people that the ONLY way to avoid this devil and his very bad place, called hell, is by staying in the church. Oh and of course you'll give generously to the collection plate won't you? After all if the church closes, what and whom will protect you from this bad demon?
You don't want to stand on your own two feet do you? Or think for yoruself right? That's hard. Let this outdated book of bronze-age jewish mythology do your thinking for you. There isn't that easier?

You have to admire the con job anyway. If I tried something like this I'd be in jail so fast my head would spin.

Terri.
I was wondering when some retard would post this lie.
In point of fact Darwin NEVER "recanted" on his death bed or any other bed for that matter. The woman who claimed this was never near Darwin when he was in his last days. Just another christian liar for you. Hardly surprising, since that's all you can rely on. Myths, legends, fables and lies.
Pathetic man, really pathetic.

Beta fishy.
Are you really this stupid? Have you ever seen the cars these priests drive? Or the homes they live in? Never mind the fact that they work for 3 hours a week and do nothing for the rest of the week.
Yeah, it's a rough life being a con-man...

cybeg,
Don't call me friend, trust me I'd barely brake for someone like you if you crossed the street in front of me let along invite you out for a beer. Apologists like you make me sick.

Answer 1

my boyfriend has brought up the same point. it makes you wonder when your pastor drives up to the church in a better car than you do and every other weekend he's driving the Escalade

Answer 2

I never did think it was a con-job but something more of a generational dependence. What does religion do.. basically gives structure and tells one how to act. In the time most religions were created there was no form of modern government. Basically in a crude way religion was created at that time to be 'government'. It is a sociological construct to encourage societal cohesion.

It's 2000 or so years later. We have evolved as a society. We have governments who, though not perfect, do the job of establishing the boundaries for society. Religion therefore is not needed in that sense. Then why does it still exist? Anything that is passed from one generation to another whether good or bad is hard to break free of.. it usually just keeps getting passed on.

Answer 3

I think you are taking a very cynical view on religion. Lets leave the specifics of religion behind and determine what we are really dealing with here. I ask you what message could be greater than a message of love? Surely love is the greatest thing we should strive for as humans. In Christianity, God is love and when you act in love then you act in accordance with Gods will. At its simplest that is probably all we need to know. Religion has stemmed from the wrapping around the teachings of Christ. What did Jesus mean when he said such and such a thing?? Religious groups have given their time and effort to studying the details of Christs teachings because if we believe in Christ then his teaching are binding and we cannot ignore them. Therefore they are what we should live by.
I believe sincerely that there is a dimension to every human being that cannot be fulfilled by another human being. This s a spiritual dimension to the human being who longs to know the truth and seeks something greater than the world he sees. It is not about standing on your own two feet or following the crowd in safety - its about making choices based on what your heart tells you and on what your spirit years for. Have faith.

Answer 4

None more-so than Christianity. Christianity is essentially a criminal business enterprise... in fact, it is the world's longest running and most successful Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) scam. The product they are selling is the illusion of 'salvation'... and the 'pay plan' doesn't kick in until after you're dead. Meanwhile the victims (having been deceived into believing that it is their God-given duty) are out there busily recruiting MORE victims. What a racket! FORTUNATELY, it only works on those who are gullible enough, and sufficiently lacking in critical thinking skills, to fall for it. UNfortunately, THAT accounts for about 75% of the population of the USA. (There are a lot more people who DON'T know how to think properly than there are people who DO know how to think properly.) That is why there are a lot more religious people in the USA than there are 'Free-thinkers'... including Atheists. Also, Christians are generally too dense to realize that proselytizing (spreading the 'good news') is a key element of the Christian MLM MARKETING PLAN, which was instituted after Christianity lost the political power that had previously allowed them to simply torture and kill anybody who did not comply. Now, they obliviously try to just pester and annoy people to death, through persistent obnoxiousness. If you stop to think about it, you will realize that Christians are very much like the Borg, on Star Trek Next Generation: "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile." I would not be surprised to learn that thoughts of Christianity provided the 'creative spark' for the Borg concept.

Answer 5

You misunderstand a great many things my friend. But I will only address your misconception of the doctrine of salvation for lack of time. You state that "the ONLY way to avoid this devil and his very bad place, called hell, is by staying in the church". That is flat out wrong. No Christian will tell you that you must stay in church to avoid Hell, no church will tell you that, no pastor will tell you that, because the Bible does not tell us that. All you have to do to avoid Hell is become "born again". To do that all you have to do is confess you are a sinner, repent, and believe Christ died for you in your place. Boom, done. Now take off because going to church is completely optional, giving to the offering is optional, praying is optional, reading your Bible is optional. The fact of the matter is Christianity is the easiest religion to believe because you don't HAVE to do anything. Of course, most do, because once you have that change of heart you will most likely want to do those things.

Answer 6

Adam damned us to a Devil's Hell.
JESUS Redeems us to the Heaven the Devil was kicked-out of.

The Book that contains' the TRUTH of all of this is Called the BIBLE.

Men, for their own Sinister Desire's, has made RELIGION's out of The TRUTH.
Religion's Kill, Steal and Destroy.
TRUTH set's you FREE.
If you are not getting Set Free by what you Believe in, I would recommend that you check out the TRUTH, and See what HE (Jesus) has to Offer.
Hope this helps.
p.s. When I was Almost Dead, and I called out on Jesus, and HE Redeemed me and has been Redeeming me from the Muck of this EARTH----I didn't Learn that I was suppose to Read the BIBLE to Increase my FAITH (and Deliverance) till about a Year to Year and a-half, AFTER I got Born-Again.
If the BIBLE hadn't been the TRUTH (agreed with what the Holy Spirit had been Teaching me that Year to Year and a-half befor I was Told to start Reading the BIBLE), I WOULDA' THROWN IT AWAY. (K.J.V.). Just like I started Learning to Throw Away alot of Stuff that People Told me was TRUTH, but wasn't. When you get your Spirit Recreated (SAVED), the Holy Spirit live's in there with you (Spiritual REALM is Strange!!!) and HE Lead's and Guide's YOU into all TRUTH.
Hope this helps.

Answer 7

One of my favorite quotes "In a reversal of all historic and even prehistoric precedent, it is normal today to consider people who are more concerned with cosmic reality than with making money, to be out of touch and unrealistic. As a people, we now have the scientific ability to see so much more deeply into the universe than ancient people, yet we experience it so much less and connect with it almost not at all. This widespread cultural INDIFFERENCE TO THE UNIVERSE is a staggering reality of our time – and possibly our biggest mental handicap in solving global problems." - from The View from the Center of the Universe: Discovering Our Extraordinary Place in the Cosmos by Joel R. Primack and Nancy Ellen Abrams

Answer 8

So what does the church get out of it? Do you know many rich priests?

Yes, dedicating lives toward goodness and sacrifice is such a con job isn't it...

I'm just wondering...is it literally painful to be as cynical as you apparently are?

Answer 9

I don´t think religion is a con.
The institutions that control the religious societies, I think, are the real con-artists.

Answer 10

No, you can have it too. All you would have to do it die, be buried for 3 days, come back to life and rise up to heaven in front of many witnesses, and you can have a religion also. Good luck.